Now having the opportunity to see the debates and even better the capacity to watch C-span.  For me this is a remarkable event, I will be able to see things first hand not subject to second hand opinion.  I know how crucial this can be, after watching for instance a Presidential speech and then having someone tell me what I just saw.  In many cases that wasn’t what I saw or heard, I interpreted it quite differently and would always want to throw a shoe at the TV, but then decided to turn it off.


As I watched the Democratic debate I was shocked by the statements that have to do with our National Security specifically Iran and Iraq.  Hard to believe that they actually believe what they say.  It further irritates me that people like Hillary who should know better having been a first lady should attack the character or our President.  I certainly don’t agree with all that the President has done, but I believe him to be an honorable man unlike Hillary’s husband.  Having said that when Bill Clinton took office, I was willing to support him totally, he wasn’t my choice but he was the President and deserved our support.  This changed dramatically,  scandal after scandal and finally the worst of all, seducing a young starry eyed girl in the Oval office, wow.  So I don’t count Hillary as a great judge of character.

They attacked GWB accusing him of planning a war with Iran and claimed he wasn’t taking any diplomatic action to prevent a war , which is a lie and they  very well know it.  I know that keeping up with every committee hearing in Congress is impossible.  But I did watch Dr. Condolezza Rice  explain before a House Committee what was being done diplomatically and economically to discourage Iran from Nuclear weapons and supplying weapons to kill our troops.  Hillary and company must know this work is being done, it is right at the place where they supposedly work.  The difference between Dr. Rice and Mrs. Clinton is remarkable, it doesn’t make Mrs. Clinton look very informed or intelligent.  I know there roles are different.  Dr. Rice made a good point that if strong words from the White House are not used while backroom diplomacy being strongly perused, the results may be less than desirable.  Ronald Reagan and his administration worked very hard on diplomacy, but that didn’t stop him from holding firm and willing to state what could happen if diplomacy didn’t work.  I am not saying GWB is RR but I think them both honorable and hard working to the best of their  Presidential powers within their  personal and political limitations.  I am really starting to think that Newt was wrong, Mrs. Clinton could be very easy to beat if we get the right candidate nominated nd it might not even be her that gets the nomination, she is starting to look very weak to me.  Having said that, I don’t know who that candidate is. Diplomacy is slow, Jets with bombs are quite fast.  Personally I think the diplomacy in the end isn’t going to work and we will need to take care of Iran  militarily with surgical strikes.  BTW there are already two UN resolutions being ignored by Iran, sound familiar.


I am a broken record on this issue.  The Congressman for the most part were too old to pay attention and too bored when they got answers even to their own questions.  Most of them didn’t come back after the break, the only ones that stayed were the ones that hadn’t had a chance in the sun to ask a question.   We really need to get serious about term limits, the work that they do is important and should be done by people that have the wisdom, strength and health to get the job done.    There were two people escorted from the room, holding up signs, one of them said LIAR on a pad of paper turned in the landscape orientation.  I don’t know what the other persons crime was.  Nice to see these meeting are still witnessed by the general public.  I didn’t find a sign that said LIAR terrible objectionable, she was entitled to her opinion.  I thought it was very 60ish, she flashed the peace sign as she left.  I don’t think  Dr. Rice is a liar.  She is a very .......very hard working public servant, doing what I feel is a terrific job, the responsibilities are overwhelming.  She had no notes and answered every question spontaneously with knowledge and authority.  One of the congressman in a moment of flattery compared Dr. Rice to Margaret Thather , she was a little flustered by that comparison but flattered, one could tell.

It is a shame the political process has come to this.  Clinton especially, lying about her vote to use military force in Iraq, claiming she thought it was to support inspections. When questioned on why she didn’t read the intelligence estimate she went on the say all the hard work she had done to make her decision.  Someone should have been in that audience with the sign that said LIAR.  Claiming no diplomacy is being done with Iran effectively calling President Bush a cowboy looking for a fight, which I find objectionable.  Her job was to separate herself from the Democratic pack, she didn’t do that she mentioned Bush 25 times, more than all other candidates combined.  I think this debate may have canceled her lead in the polls,  we will have to see.  It certainly must have caused a problem for clear thinking independent voters.


I thought I would mention this, so you understand what kind of area I live.  We did our usual get ready for Halloween, bought a nice big bag of Reeces Peanut butter cups, fill a nice big bowl and set it by the door and waited.  The usual results, we still have all the candy we started with.  I don't know why we still go through the ritual, now Barbara is going to bring them to work and give them away.