The Great Gadfly

Three Blind Mice or Moe, Larry and Surly

The media have annointed three semi finalists in the presdiential sweepstakes, two Democrats and one Republican. As usual what we are fed by the majority media is both unsatisfying and incomplete. Let's go through these jokers one by one:

Hillary Clinton -

Lately the Clinton's have shoved their daughter Chelsea onto the national stage to flog the former first lady's presidential campaign. They and the media are surprised and shocked when people ask Chelsea rude questions.

While I agree that it is totally inappropriate to ask Chelsea Clinton about her father's trysts with a brainless White House intern, what annoys me more are the questions not asked. For instance, "Chelsea, you are clearly seen in video footage of you and your mother landing in Kosavo when she claims she was the target of sniper fire; what is your recollection of this fantasy?" Or, how about, "Does it bother you that your father comitted perjury while president and that your mother defended him in the international press only to have his perjury proven?" Maybe, "How do feel about the fact that while your mother was co-governor of Arkansas a major national child advocacy group filed a successful class action lawsuit against Arkansas for its barbaric neglect of children in state care and that your mother now claims to be a staunch advocate for decent child care?"

"Gee, Chelsea, your mother says she will maintain a strong military but as co-president she said nothing when your father offered military career personnel a choice: take a pay cut or a reduction in rank by one step. How do you respond to that?"

Moving on to Barack Obama

He tells us he wants to lead the most powerful nation on earth and that he wants to be a unifying leader but for twenty years he respected as his pastor a man so hate-filled he stands out even in Chicago. Even Jesse Jackson has had the sense not to defend the Reverend Wright. He is a grerat orator but Reverend Wright is an effective speaker also.

And then we have John McCain

McCain said recently that the government should not bail out irrsponsible borrowers or banks. This is quite a change for McCain who was one of the "Keating Five." In 1989 -1991. Along with senators Dennis DiConcini, John Glenn, Donald Riegle and Alan Cranston McCain was investigated by the Senate Banking Committee for official corruption (influence peddling) and in 1991, after a lengthy and very public cycle of hearings was found by the Senate Ethics Committee to have engaged in improper activities. Cranston was recommended for sanction. At issue was the influence of the Keating Five as they attempted to call off the dogs when a rogue banker, Charles H. Keating, Jr. who controlled the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association in Irvine California was under federal investigation.

Keating had bankrupted the bank and eventually cost  American taxpayers an estimated $3.4 billion. McCain family memmbers had invested in a shopping center owned by Keating and he had received six-figure campaign contributions from Keating. Time has certainly changed John McCain.

All three of the presidential candidates are currently serving as members of the United States Senate. They are drawing full salary and benefits to serve in the senate while they travel the country promoting their candidacies. If recent history tell us anything it might be that none of these three has a clue what this country needs.