Phil_Shuman's Blog

Is it just me or have things quieted down considerably on the political front since Miss Hillary said adios and we can just concentrate on the two amigos John and Obama ?   I know a break in the rhetoric is natural at this time,  but the change is really noticeable to me and it can't just be that the woman so many love to , well, criticize , is no longer out front taking flak from the right and the left....( not to mention that husband of hers has quieted down ) . So now there's all this high minded talk about running a campaign of issues, of refusing to ' go negative', of having real discussions about the future. Sounds good...I'm all for it.. but at the moment  i'm more interested in what they can do to get gas prices lower than mortgage prices.. right now.. not in January of 2009 or 2010 or never.. don't hear  a lot about that from either of the boys... ... So... gear up.. it's the calm before the storm.. anybody who thinks this isn't going to get down and dirty and nasty is crazy.   6 dollar gas anyone ? 

Watching Mrs. Hillary over the weekend declare her ''full support'' for Obama and pledge to do everything she could to make sure he's the next President that walks through the doors of the White House, you know it just had to kill her.  It was the speech she never wanted to make, never dreamed she'd be making 6 months ago, and though I think she actually will help Obama try to beat McCain, you know it just tore her up inside to have to say ''those words''.  She still thinks she's a better candidate than him, would make a better President than him, is smarter than him, is somehow more deserving than him.... and you know what ? She may be right, ultimately, but we'll never know. That's the way it works in America

More than 2 million people, give or take.. that's how many folks each LA County Supervisor represents, more than some states' population. It's a budget of 22 billion, more than most states.  They have an awesome reach and responsibility.   So... did you know there's an election for the 2nd Supervisorial District on June 3rd ? You probably don't unless you live there, but that's a big ''there'' there from Mar Vista and Culver City south through communities like Inglewood, Carson, and Compton.  You ever heard of Kenny Hahn ? He was Supervisor for only 40 years.  Did a lot of good things. Had a couple kids you might've heard of.     Then Yvonne Burke. .,... let's just say she's never been accused of being Kenny Hahn. ....Now it's either going to be former LAPD Chief turned City Councilman Bernard Parks.. or his predecessor on the council and current State Senator Mark Ridley Thomas.... probably the only politician you'll find with a doctorate degree in religious studies.   I had the opportunity to spend time with each of them up close and personal over a few days last week and they are both smart, serious, and dedicated.  They both want to re-open King Drew Medical Center in our lifetimes.   They love doing things for people,  know sports, help little old ladies cross the street, and have some great ideas for how to make the ponderous county bureaucracy more relevant to people's lives before they find themselves in a hospital or in jail or taking a bus or have a court date, or you're in some other crisis.  And that's a goal that has been elusive to even the most dedicated Supervisor.  Have you ever been to a Board of Supervisors meeting ? In a word, boring... but much of the process of governing is.  Have you ever been to downtown L.A  . ? Have you ever voted ?   You gotta get involved... If you live in the second district, please vote.... you don't wanna have 20 thousand people determining who represents more than 2 million.  In fact, we could probably use more Supervisors, but that's  a different discussion.  For now, five is what we had so make sure that the first time there's an open seat in 12 years is filled w/ the person you want.... and then when they get in there... make em accountable. 

Should we feel sorry for Hillary Clinton ? She's spent her whole life preparing for and then waiting to be President. She's had to bide her time while we elected the ''wrong'' Clinton twice. She was perfectly positioned to ride the wave of voter disconnect with 43 all the way to the White House only to have this young upstart smooth talking inspirational type with the unusual name come on strong and take her crown away.   Didn't he realize he had to wait his turn just like her ? Didn't he know that the stars were aligned for her and it was her moment in the political sun ? Well, she fought a valiant fight and continues to do so despite the pundits and all their talk about ''the math'. Now we're seeing all the speculation about how she can ''gracefully '' exit... as if it's euthiniasia or assisted suicide or something. So.... should we feel sorry for her ? Well, I'd say yes and no. Yes if you're thinking her life time dreams and ambitions are now irrevocably derailed. No if you look at her bank accounts and future earning power ( though she'll have huge campaign debts) and the fact she still has a fairly decent and important job and by all accounts a wonderful daughter. . Then of course she's still married to Bill.... shouldn't we feel sorry for her for that alone ?

Can we deal with that ? Can she ? Can he ?  Lotta lotta questions about whether Hill could, would or should  be VP.... questions we've been talking about for  year of so. For my money, I say "why not ??" But that's more of a  philosophical emotional question where a colder political calculation needs to be made.  Let's face it, the concerns over her '' agenda'' as  a VP, whether she'd support a theoretical President Obama or secretly sabotage him  or have Michelle posted as ambassador to Outer Mongolia or create her own secret cabinet etc etc etc, are legit but let's not forget the purpose of selecting a vice presidential candidate is simply and totally to help the presidential candidate get elected.  You think George 41 wanted Dan Quayle for the ''heartbeat away'' concept ?   At any rate, I'm not completely qualified to do the political calculus regarding Hill's conbribution to the potential ticket and how that translates into votes in the 23rd district of Western Pennsylvania vs the 31st precincts in upstate Ilinois, and etc.... but i'm just thinking that in the big picture, if half the Dems love him and half of em love her... then why not make everybody happy and give em both ? Now we just have to figure out a face saving graceful strategy for her to say ''yes'' in a way that makes it her idea and not his....  

     I've seen the end of the world as we know it.  Hillary on Letterman doing the famous "Top 10" list with that now famous perma-smile on her face.  I understand that politicians or perhaps their consultants have now made it standard operating procedure that candidates have to go on the ''funny'' talk shows in order to show potential voters that they are ''regular'' guys ( and gals).. in other words, if someone is funny on late nite TV, or Jon Stewart, or Colber, then those (younger) voters out there say ...''hey.. they can roll with a joke, they can hang with Dave and Jay, that means they'll be a great President!  I should vote for them . !"  If I'm a little off on the logical progression there, someone please tell me .    I just don't get it. It's blatant pandering.  It's transparent.  It smacks of desperation even.  Now I like a good joke as much as the next person, but to see Hillary struggling to be funny while delivering semi-lame Top 10 lines about pants suits.. when she probably could use some sleep is a little ridiculous. Obama was perhaps a little better.. not sure if I've even seen McCain but when he tries to be funny it has a little Richard Riordan edge to it that makes me vaguely uncomfortable.  At any rate, if you put down a list of 10 or even 20 characteristics you'd want in a President, I wouldn't think ''funny'' would be on the list.  When that phone rings at 3 a.m. in the White House it aint gonna be Jackie Mason looking for material for his new one man show. 

Howard Dean, remember him ?  He's apparently back from a vaguely defined low key primary season to pronounce that one of the two democratic candidates need to 'quit' to unify the party.  Really ? Thank God he made that clear for us.   The more pressing issue is 'when' and Dr. Dean apparently beleives we can go another month or two of in-fighting, bickering, attacking, cross purpose fund raising, dividing.. pick your fatalistic term.  I'm thinking yesterday would've been a good time... for the one in the race that doesn't play basketball, but I understand how that certain candidate feels obligated to hang tough and fight and avoid being tagged with the ''Q'' word.... problem is.. it may result in at least 4 more years of war and death , while the Dems do clever post mortems and plot strategy for 2012 ... Is Chelsea too young then ?. Tragic. 

I believe the Pennsyvlania primary is tomorrow.  At least I hope it is.  It seems like Hillary and Obama have been campaigning for this one for a year.  Is it me, or am I burned out on all this before the real race even starts?  I'm not even paying that much attention other than professionally to McCain because he hasn't really had much to do except go around the country and try not to appear old and irrelevant in his Kmart plaid shirts and blazers.                  ( disclosure..., I once bought dishes and other kitchen items at a  Kmart after my divorce when I had time to kill before a story in Simi Valley, and I have purchased inexpensive snow boots there for assorted children in Big Bear, but I digress).  I know the pundits and those on the political beat are constantly salivating over almost every utterance of the big O and the big H , because that's their job,and it is important, but my strong sense from talking to a lot of folks who inhabit mostly the real world every day, is that enough is enough and it's time to get to the actual election and focus full time on the issues instead of in between the 'he said she said ' '. I know i'm not the only one who feels this campaigning has been going on forever....

Well we all know candidate's love their photo ops.. whether it's the Commander in Chief on the aircraft carrier ( "Mission Accomplished " anyone ? ) or Barack playing basketball with Bryant Gumbel or John McCain going to Iraq... but Hillary knocking back shots of whiskey in some blue collar bar in Pennsylvania ? Puhlease.. is she that desperate to show she's a 'regular gal' that she has to start drinking in public ?  Having been married to Mr. Bill so long, it's virtual certainly she's a heavy drinker i private... but....on the campaign trail ???Actually, she just kinda took a girly sip of it, but that's not the point. I just can't see how the candidates figure that having TV crews around while the engage is the behavior of the moment is going to somehow sway INTELLIGENT voters that they're the one ... ... oh maybe that's it.... how dumb of me..

The Democrats have been providing plenty of material of late, and will no doubt continue to do so, but I figured this week I'm all about equal time since this is the ''news'' and my grandparents are Fox have that 'fair and balanced ' slogan don't they ? Anyway, to me, one of the more interesting items to come out of the weekend is the concept of Condi Rice for Vice President.  Yes ? No ?  Well the White House pianos would certainly get a workout.  I have to say, I'm intrigued.  Talk about a way to stick it to the Dems on a couple of different fronts...  She's obviously qualified intellectually, but not sure if she has the personal dynamic to be the  Commander in Chief.. ( then again, did Dan Quayle . ) .  I've always believed ( no  big secret )  the first reason you sign up a VP during the campaign is to help you get elected in areas where the main man is perceived to be weak...so let's see.... McCain... could he use help among women and blacks...?. uhhhhh you think ?   Something about McCain's public personae bugs me though, can't quite get a handle on it, beyond that he's stiff as a board and almost as old as Charlton Heston  ( RIP)...this weekend, while being interviewed aboard his campaign plane about the Condi as Veep story.. the best he could come up with is essentially ..... '' she's a great American'' " a great Patriot ' .... why couldn't he just say "I'd love to have her, she'd be perfect, we'll have to wait and see.. " Cause that would mean he's telling the unvarnished truth, which is difficult if not impossible for those in the public eye....  And you know what, if he doesn't grab her up, maybe what's their names ?? Hillary and Obama might... now THAT   would be interesting.
later

Heard an interesting item on "Bill Maher" this past weekend.. which is the best show by far for political commentary... at least I think it was Bill Maher.. it might've been Larry King... or maybe Bill O Reilly....or Keith Olbermann.. don't you always get all of them mixed up...?  anyway, the point the commentator was making, or maybe it was a comedian acting seriously, was that the three main presidential contenders have been campaigning for so long , and talking so much, that it seems like all three of em have already been president!!! we know what they'd be like and we don't particularly love any of em.... so... we need someone new !!!! ... a little extreme but makes some sense..this presidential race and all the incessant blathering is seemingly endless.. is it possible someone new from either side will come in and dynamite the whole process so we start anew ? fresh ? clean ?  do I here phones ringing in Tennessee again ? I kinda hope not.. but in many ways we run the risk of alienating all those new voters that have turned out and tuned in and gotten involved ,  to make things so interesting in the first place.

Ok..she dodged sniper fire while in Bosnia.. what ? it wasn't actual sniper fire ? it was the THREAT of sniper fire.. ok... She ran to her car without an official greeting party . What ? Okay she walked really briskly to her car... and the party was there but they didn't wave....  Obama was at church when the loud racist preacher was spouting his over the top comments.. but not THOSE comments, just some comments that were made another time.... Obama DENOUNCED the comments but he didn't REJECT  the comments,,, but now if you want me to REJECT the comments he'll do that because DENOUNCING and REJECTING are the same thing to him, except if they aren't depending on who's doing the asking.

Does all this sound a bit ridiculous ? This is what our press corp is obsessed with...  we're not ignoring the other issues.. like 4000 dead in Iraq,  nine dollar a gallon gas, record home foreclosures ( even pets are being lost according to USA Today..... oh no..    not PETS )  I mean is this the best we can do ? I agree that candidates should be truthful but if Hillary wants to sound a little mas macho by claiming she dodged a bullet or two... or Obama still wants to hedge his bets with the pastor ( a little more worrisome)  I don't think it should be a national crisis... 

Meantime, a no doubt smug John McCain is traveling the country laughing at how the Dems are destroying themselves.....thinking he can benefit by grabbing the undecided and disgusted.  anyone thought about that ? or maybe you thought you thought about it but you were mistaken.. because your initial recollection was that you  thought about it on Wednesday when someone first said you thought about it on Tuesday, so you mis-spoke about that mis-statement which you promise to correct as long as the other guy corrects the earlier mistake which wasn't actually a mistake but more of a diffrerent interpretation of something you thought he said but was actually said by that other guy.. and is it on You Tube yet anyway ?????   .  What, how did that recession sneak up on us ?

( with apologies to Jackie Mason)

Newsflash. the surveys are in.. " Obama's relationship with his controversial Pastor has cost hi some support among democrats .... "  You think ? I mean i coulda told you that off the top of my head.  Now word that tomorrow Obama will give a speech on race and talk more about his one time ''friend. '  That chuckling sound you hear no doubt is coming from Camp Hillary, who , if my memory serves me correctly, was essentially written off and expected to withdraw way way way back, like 2 weeks ago ?

So, it's an ebb and flow.. and with the voracious media looking for anything juicy, a conspiracy spewing Pastor works...  imagine how much coverage there wouldve been if there weren't that controversy with that former Governor of New York ? What was his name again ?

later 

While watching Barack Obama campaigning this morning, i detected a note of anger in his voice.  He was cautioning his supporters not to assume that he'd accept the VP spot if it was eventually offered...... ( the Clinton camp has apparently been floating this concept again)... "Why should the person who's in first place... be offered the Vice Presidency from the person who's in second place " ?  That was his question to his supporters.. but it was more than that, it  was the way he said it, his body language, that suggested he was angry and upset that he was even having to have this discussion... I say... "amen"'.. not so much about the issue of the vice presidency.. but more over the fact that he's starting to get a little edge to his tone and to his talk.... i mean.. last time i checked, which was about a minute ago... this country was .. to put in politely, in   A MESS.... check out the front page of the paper.... if it isn't more dead in Iraq.. it's the economy, gas prices, gang violence, .. so , if i'm running , i'm getting a little upset... ok ? the time for polite talk is over.. i want someone who's gonna kick some  _ _ _...

Thanks

.......Working this past weekend and watching ALL the political coverage and campaigning.. it's clear.....at least to me and a few million others.....  Obama's on a roll and Hillary is desperate.. now.. this is not earth shattering news.. and Hillary WAS on SNL and was ALMOST funny, which if course is one of the key qualifications for being a politician these days.. but to me , the leader vs. the challenger out on the grueling campaign trail is a contest reflected in  body language, style, and yes, the content of what you ( and your surrogates)  are  saying... As for Hillary, I loved the Jack Nicholson endorsement you tube ad. though he's like 90 yrs old and influences no one..... also  her " 3 a.m. ad " was clever... but again, sounded to me like someone who's running from behind trying to catch up and trying to take advantage of the one thing she thinks she has going for her.   How unusual and daring and 'in your face' was Obama's response ad, which was essentially the EXACT SAME THING ?  saved a lot of money on his ad consultants i'm sure...

Now before you get allllll worked up, I know a lot of us in the media ( thanks again SNL ) are being accused of bending over backwards to make sure Obama gets the proverbial kid glove treatment,...and hence, the nomination perhaps.    . i don't agree... strongly don't agree.....   Perhaps he's the story cause he's won like 2 dozen of the last 3 dozen contests.. perhaps it's because he's motivating young people in record numbers.. perhaps it's because we as a rule don't likie monochromatic pantsuits ?  For all of these reasons and more that the pundits can talk about forever,  the ship of Hillary is leaking big time and will likely sink Tuesday, and then things will get really interesting when it's the Kenyan's kid against the Admiral's kid... you think Hillary's ''polarizing'' .. watch out !