The Lessons of Cronkite (and Vietnam) Rammed Home

Issues don't matter. Only power matters. Or at least that's the message I got from seeing Bill Clinton (fronting for his wife) on David Letterman's show the other night. You see . . . when Bill kisses up to McCain as being a well-qualified candidate for the Presidency (as he did) on a national TV show that goes out to many millions of probably uncommitted (or really confused/misinformed) voters, he's giving lip service to his commitment to Obama, not just being nice toward a man whom he has known well (and all his lobbyist/funding connections) for over 25 years. And when he continues to kiss up, by talking on The View about how Sarah Palin's candidacy is positive for the country (if you didn't fwow up right away loud enough to miss the rationale) and that he understands how she appeals to certain men (and women) in the country . . . well . . . how do you miss the message? After picking myself up from the floor after I had passed out at those words the other night, I began to think a little bit straighter and could see the upside (for the Clintons, not the country . . . and certainly not myself). Obama is destined (in every sense of that word) to fail. And the winners are: (Shush, children!) the ones already in power. Thanks for playing! What further proof does an ignorant (naive/dumbstruck/awe-stricken) voter need? And Hillary will continue to appear at Obama events right up to when the pre-determined election results are announced by a Bush cousin on Fox News. The odd thing about all this to me is how did they expect to triumph over McCain('s people) before Obama insisted on counting the votes just before they were re-ordained? Or did they? Imagine the campaign that we would have been witness to if Hillary were running against McCain. My stomach is turning again, but I'll have to say that it once again reminds me of "The Lesson of 'Uncle Walter' (Cronkite)" and by extrapolation, "The Lesson of Vietnam," which is: NEVER ALLOW A FREE PRESS TO OPERATE WITHIN THE U.S. AGAIN. EVER. Without a free press (for the last 30 some years) we went about our daily lives in ignorance and blissful preaching from the TV that we were the best the world had ever seen. Therefore, we are currently engaged in the death throes of our economy (lower-class economy actually, as the upper class has not been affected by recent developments as evidenced by the continued growing market for yachts and fine houses), guaranteed to last throughout our, our children's and possibly even our grandchildren's lifetimes, by the Wall Street sell job currently advertised to us as "necessary for our survival to pass it NOW NOW NOW." And I won't even mention the lack of reporting from the Wars on Iraq/Georgia/Iran and coming soon - Russia, which has just moved a large warship, the Peter the Great, armed with 20 nuclear cruise missiles, into the waters adjoining our "coming soon" southern venture in Venezuela. Mo Dowd (whom I rarely quote anymore due to her obvious anti-democratic inclinations) has a not-quite hilarious take on how Palin fits into the "economy" puzzle after her much advertised schooling from Sir Henry of Kissingeroff for the last few days. (Arch your eyebrow in irony as you read the next part.) Henry's (a Jew, although non-practicing, of course) inclusion signifies the final nail in the coffin of democracy, which was defeated by a coalition of Christian fundamentalist end-timers and their comrades-in-arms, wealthy stakeholders in the derelict financial institutions (currently going belly up in need of a free ride from the taxpayers), who laugh behind their (the fundamentalists') backs at their naivete - as they all are being viewed in their immense splendor by the uncomprehending, but overawed peasanty who feast their starving eyeballs upon the antics of their masters. Henry the K sold out long ago, took his money and disappeared from view (a lot like Karl Rove (although briefly reappearing from time to time on selected TV venues (FOXed)), Adnan Khashoggi and even Ken Lay perhaps) into wherever it is that wealthy people go after fleecing the flock the final time. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that Barclays and UBS (which employs ex-McCain campaign manager and choice for future Secretary of the Treasury, Phil Gramm, as a lobbyist (who has wreaked havoc there in all his economic wisdom)) will be found eligible for U.S. taxpayer transfusions as a part of the new, extended bailout (just as soon as they can get the extortion figure just right to get most of the Congresspeople on board). (A side note - UBS is the acronym for Union Bank of Switzerland although some wags today think it may be Untold Billions Squandered (or Suckered).) It makes one wonder why he emerged once more (in his 80's!) to take the stage before the final curtain. They must have really needed a good teacher. And he must still be clutching after that green light at the end of the East Egg dock. Great theater if you are so inclined, but I'm keeping my eye on the action in Georgia and Venezuela. After all, what do they need our billions and billions for really? Suzan