Madame Secretary

It's official: Hillary Clinton will be Secretary of State in the upcoming Obama administration. Are you starting to wonder if the Senate shouldn't just hold a special election to replace all of its members who are defecting to special posts?

I am excited about this. One, after running for president, it has to be a bit of a step back to go back to your day job, even if that day job is in the United States Senate. Two, Obama and Clinton, in my opinion, were never massively different in their stances and world views to begin with. So while some may see this as Obama reaching out to his enemies, I say, "eh." Third, Clinton has balls and will do the post (and her predecessor and friend Madeleine Albright) justice.

Leave Me Alone

I hate going so long between posts, I don't want my gentle readers to feel unappreciated or alone, but I have not found much to be riled up about of late. Of course there is the "will she or won't she" debate raging over Clinton possibly becoming Secretary of State. Whatevs. It seems to me to be her best option, gives her more importance than if she is just a mere senator.

Yesterday the beloved spouse mentioned Bush making some changes to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). I am a big believer in the act and think it doesn't even scratch the surface of what we need for parents and families in this country. Of course the fact that I once had to argue with a dipshit HR person about whether or not I was allowed to take 12 weeks after the spawn arrived is another reason I am a big supporter of the act.

That being said, what little I was able to track down about the latest FMLA changes authorized by the Bush Administration aren't even enough to get me hot under the collar. I think it is good that it is being extended to military families (and not just immediate family either), frankly I had no idea they didn't have the ability to use FMLA to care for wounded family members. I am kind of bothered that they are allowed six months of leave under the act, something that is not available to non-military people.

I guess that is about it, just wanted everyone to feel loved.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuit

Humor. Check.

Unity. Check.

Patriotism. Check.

Emotional. Check.

Straight talk. Check.

I would say that Hillary Clinton nailed it. "No way. No how. No McCain."

I love how she asked the audience if they were in the campaign for her or for all the Americans who feel invisible. Nice. The shout out to Bill and his ability to balance the budget was nice too—especially the cut away to him smiling. The audience calling out "No" when she started hammering McCain was pretty cool too. And as she got really geared up, she got my blood pumping, the crowd's too and you could see that "you go girl" twinkle in Bill's eye.

My favorite part was towards the end though, and it was what pulled on my heartstrings:

"My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election my daughter got to vote for her mother for President.

This is the story of America. Of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.

How do we give this country back to them?"

And damn skippy if that crazy, scrappy little elfin Dennis Kucinich didn't give 'em hell. When he said "Are you ready for November?" I really thought he was going to say are you ready to rumble! It was a fitting tribute to the late Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and I have to give it to the little guy, he was on fire.

Wonder what Bill will say tonight? And Biden. Something tells me the gloves will be off.

By the Way

In guess you, my gentle readers, truly read this blog for insight or because you value my opinion (!), here is a round up of my thoughts, musings and reactions to some of the big pictures items going on lately.

1.  Clinton's name being put up at the Democratic Convention.

This is fine. No I am not worried that some delegates will go to her side and then there won't be a clear winner. Unbunch your panties people. This is merely a gesture of good will; it is clearly within the rules; and it won't cause any problems and will hopefully unruffle some feathers. Now if those crazy old broads who keep calling into CSPAN in the morning would stop saying they are voting for McCain now that Clinton isn't the nominee, we could get down to the business of electing a democrat this November.

2.  Russia vs. Georgia. Who's the bad guy here?

Unfortunately, my sense is it isn't that easy. Georgia's president doesn't appear to be the nicest individual on the block, but that doesn't mean that Russia's interests in invading are all that altruistic. I am afraid I can't speak about this in any more detail without just making shit up. But I can say this, apparently the current U.S. administration and Republican presidential nominee, McCain, have not been taking their daily does of irony factor. All these statements about it not being right to invade a sovereign nation in the 21st century from these jokers are just plain asinine. See for yourself here, and here.

3. The Olympics

I'm sorry I just don't care. Not to mention they come on past my bedtime. 'Nuff said.

Girls Like Them

My book club is reading Sheila Weller's joint biography of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon—Girls Like Us. While the book centers on these three groundbreaking singer/songwriters who mapped out amazing careers back when women weren't supposed to be anything other than wives and mothers, it also has a strong underlying focus on women and feminism of that era in general.

I am not quite half way through the book but I have already been struck by two things. One, and this may seem a bit silly, but . . . these three girls/women had amazing interactions with other famous folk and a lot of influence. For instance, Hillary Clinton named her daughter Chelsea for Mitchell's song Chelsea Morning. Simon dated novelist Nick Delbanco (who oddly enough taught a writing workshop I attended in college—of course I had no idea who he was at the time, but "back in the day" he was quite the wunderkund), as well as just missing out on a dalliance with Sean Connery, one her sister may have actually partaken of. And King was cranking out hits, such as Natural Woman for Aretha Franklin and Will You Love Me Tomorrow for the Shirelles, all by the age of 25 meanwhile serving as the inspiration for fellow student Neil Sedaka's song, Oh Carole.

And the second thing is just how much these three may have inspired other women to be strong and believe in themselves and their abilities, but how easily they all subverted their own abilities and strength for the men in their lives. Some of these men were as talented, some weren't, but regardless King, Mitchell and Simon never seemed to hesitate to put themselves in a place of lesser importance to boost the egos of the men they were currently involved with. Maybe they didn't realize it, but still how sad. And sadder still, how often does that practice continue to happen today? Women subverting themselves to salve the ego of their husbands, boyfriends, coworkers, whatever? Why do smart, successful females sabotage themselves in this way?

I am hoping that by the time I finish the book, each of these three women will have seemingly made piece with their own brilliance and have found men that respect and admire them without trying to keep them down.

18 Million Cracks

I listened to Clinton's concession speech Saturday in the car driving in this heat that feels like it was delivered personally from hell, and dang if i wasn't impressed. And moved. She already had me when she referenced "the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, 'See, you can be anything you want to be.'"

And then she made me think when she said this:

"Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we'd had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court."

For the party faithful like myself, that was truly preaching to the choir, but dang if it wasn't nice to HEAR it.

But she sealed the deal when she wrapped the speech up by acknowledging the sexism that she encountered during this campaign:

"Although we weren't able to shatter the highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it ... and the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America."

Read for yourself here.

Yes, I know I am a big sap. I still hate that we had two amazing, historic candidates and we had to choose only one. There are certainly worse problems to have and hopefully it will be a problem we encounter again and again in the future, but this speech just reminded me of what a hard decision democrats faced this spring.

D-Day

Well tomorrow is it. Or so we hope, although with the latest round of acrimony from the Clinton followers and campaign about the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee (is it just me or is that one too many committees in the mix?) decision about the Florida and Michigan delegates, ain't nuthin' certain at this point. [Of course the best part is all day long coverage of this nonsense that MSNBC did—even I am not THAT big of a political geek.]

Yes, Clinton won Puerto Rico, which was expected but the turn out was not good, so it really doesn't boost her argument that she is winning the popular vote (and everything I read says that argument requires quite a bit of fuzzy math). Regardless, her outlook tomorrow in Montana and South Dakota isn't likely to swing things much (if at all) for her.

So then the question becomes—when does Clinton back out (lots of conjecture here that she is already laying off staff, which her campaign denies) and after she backs out, how will she convincingly campaign for Obama.

There are many Clinton supporters who are, shall we say, somewhat less inclined to throw their support behind Obama. The idea is that Clinton will work to fix that. The problem lies in a) whether she really will and b) will it be believable. Right now, I hate to say that I have my doubts as to b. But I desperately hope that I am wrong.

Meanwhile, Obama has resigned from his church. I really don't see what this accomplishes. It strikes me as caving in to the lunatic righties, and it isn't likely to impress his followers or those thinking of voting for him. Maybe he just hoped that by quitting the church, Reverand Wright's remarks would become even more of a non-issue. Again, I have my doubts. The right is like a dog with a bone on this.

Is it really Monday again?

Poll Vault

Speaking of polls, the Pew Research Center's latest has Obama with a solid lead over Clinton (54 percent to 41 percent nationally). Last month, the two were about equal.

Meanwhile, we hope things will be winding down come next week, when Puerto Rico phones in its primary results on Sunday. (Burning question—Will Ricky Martin's endorsement of Clinton today give her the island's nod?) Tuesday the final two democratic primaries happen in Montana and South Dakota. And then it is all over but the shouting.

And day three of the McClellan lynching goes on. Scotty is all over the TV, appearing on The Today Show this morning and popping up with my buddy Olbermann tonight. 

While the White House may be puzzled by all this, what I am puzzled by is the near riot that apparently broke out in NYC when promoters of the Sex and the City movie oversold tickets to the premiere. Listen ladies, I am pretty darn excited about this movie—feminism be damned—but methinks you might need to rethink some of your priorities if you are willing to riot over a movie ticket. I love SJP and all the other ladies, but really?

Strange days indeed.

Dazed and Conflicted

As everyone expected Clinton annihilated Obama in West Virginia, 67 percent to 26 percent. Not pretty. But in a state where only five percent of the population is black and, I would hazard a guess that the majority are middle class or lower in terms of economics, is that all that surprising?

What is more worrisome, I think, is the blatant racism that many of the voters polled from the state seem to offer. I get that voting for a black man is scary for a lot of people, many of my immediate family included, but it is not the sign of the apocalypse that many seem to think it is. Obama doesn't have to win West Virginia to win the election, but wouldn't it be nice if he could win over those who are just holding the color of his skin against him?

Speaking of apocalypses, what the freak is going on in our world? First Myanmar (aka Burma) and the catastrophe there, which the government doesn't seem to want any outside aid for, and then the earthquake in China. The number of people killed by these two events is staggering, not to mention the volume of those still living that are affected by the tragedies. I have to admit that when things like this happen on that kind of scale I am stymied for a suitable reaction or response.

Meanwhile, small disasters strike at home everyday. And while we know they don't compare on any scale to the mass causalities of Myanmar or China, when a friend loses a parent it hits with the force of a thousand earthquakes. And that is all I can say about that now.

Estate Planning

I am sure you are all aware of the results from yesterday's primaries in my little neck of the woods as well as northwards in Indiana. Clinton did not fare well and even though she eked out a win in Indiana, it was not the decisive one she needed. Now I don't anticipate her pulling out until after the remaining contests have come and gone, but my opinion now is that she is just staying in to keep things feisty. More power to her, but I think it might be time to start practicing saying "President Obama."

Meanwhile I saw something that intrigued me today, the Los Angeles City Council has approved restrictions on the size of homes in the city's flatlands. (Having only been to LA once or twice, I admittedly am not familiar with which part of the city this is.) You can read the whole deal online at the LA Times. The general gist though is that these enormous McMansions are being built and causing neighborhoods to resemble fields of monopoly boards, just stucco box after box. Even still, the house size limit will be 3,000 to 4,000 square feet. Now I know I live in a Cracker Jack box, but seriously people! That is like three times the size of my house, unless you have a gazillion kids, what do you need all that space for?

Some of you may be aware of my "disinterest" in newer style homes. I prefer older homes with all the neat quirks of personality, good and bad, that they offer (i.e. non-existent closet space—bad; really cool moldings and archways—good). I don't have a lot of sympathy for the folks that are building these oversized nightmares. I think of them as squatting, permanent Hummers, if you will. But the think that I think is most interesting about this article is the neighbors of these yea-whoos who talked to the city council about how these monstrosities have impaired their lives and communities, dwarfing their homes and taking away their privacy.

A man (or woman's!) home is his/her castle, but I mean that metaphorically.

8 Days

In a mere eight days my fellow North Carolinians will head to the voting booth. My hope is that they will come out in record numbers as they recognize and celebrate the fact that they actually have the opportunity to make a difference in the presidential primary season, something our state hasn't had in a LONG time.

I had a friend email me this morning about something political and presumed I was voting for a particular candidate. I replied that I wasn't sure who I was voting for yet. Surprisingly enough (no more so than to myself) I am still very undecided about the presidential primary. There are many things about both Obama and Clinton that I like and admire; likewise there are things that give me pause.

I will say this, that whatever decision I make on May 6 it is a decision I will be keeping to myself. I have to give my husband credit for this one, I actually asked him the other day if he had made up his mind and he said he wasn't going to tell me. Now of course I have my suspicions as to who he is leaning towards and was a bit miffed that he wasn't going to tell me, but once I listened to his reasoning I got behind the whole idea. 

We used to live in a society that thought it wasn't polite to talk about your religion or politics. Obviously that has changed dramatically. While I LOVE talking about politics I can see where the idea of taking a little of that back, making it a bit more private isn't such a bad thing. 

So expect me to be sporting with pride my "I Voted" sticker next Tuesday, but just don't expect me to tell you who that vote was for (but you can guess it was for a democrat!).

GOP 1; Women 0

Yesterday the Republicans in the Senate blocked a bill that would reverse a recent Supreme Court decision that made it harder for women to sue their employers for wage discrimination. The White House said it opposed discrimination, but of course, promised to veto the bill should it have passed the Senate (the House had already passed it). FYI—both Clinton and Obama headed back to vote, while McCain did not. Guess Mac doesn't care about working women.

The Lily Ledbetter bill was named for the Alabama woman who the Supreme Court ruled wasn't allowed to sue Goodyear Tire because she had waited longer than 180 days from the first incident of the discrimination to file suit.

Read more about it here. I personally love what Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican leader had to say about the bill, "The fundamental problem is that it creates massive new opportunities to sue." Basically the GOP acknowledges that women are getting shafted, but they just don't want companies to be held accountable for that. Nice.

I don't know about ya'll but most places I have worked at have frowned on discussing your salary. But with the majority of women still making 23% less than their male coworkers I am certain that I was making less (and probably still am) than males in my position—even after taking into account experience and education. Of course the kicker is in some cases the woman may have more of both and still be coming up short.

I didn't realize that a penis was SO magical! Makes me proud to be an American.

Gosh thanks Senate Republicans!

No Deal

I had already suspected that George W. Bush had a little too much time on his hands, but it was confirmed the other night when he, I shit you not, appeared on Deal or No Deal. I am a bit pokey in commenting on this, but goodness.

Not only did he try and crack wise about being on a show with high approval ratings, but he asked if Howie Mandel would be interested in helping do a deal or no deal with Congress on the budget.

Feel free to view the travesty for yourself.

I have been rather swamped today (when you day starts with a nightmare about your brother dangling a mangled mouse over your face, it isn't exactly a sign that it is going to be a good one—feel free to offer interpretations on that one btw) so I haven't really read any of the reactions about Clinton's Pennsylvania win.

But listen, we knew she was going to win, it all just hinged on how much Obama would erode her margin. Even if she had won by only one percentage point, Clinton wasn't going to drop out. So the media just needs to sit on it. This is going to go on for several more weeks. Just enjoy the fact that you are being given something to report on and shut up. (That especially goes to the nimrods at MSNBC who tried to imply that Obama flipped Clinton off. The dude at the end of the clip is right, this just shows how they have nothing of substance to talk about. And that is no one's fault but their own. Here are two candidates with some substance, try asking them about their policies or plans why dontcha ya?)

The Sound of Silence

If two candidates aren't asked any real questions, can you really say that there was a debate?

Think of that question as a tree in the woods kind of thing. I watched the debate from about 8.25 pm to about 8.50 pm when I had had MORE than enough. During that 25 minutes the ABC moderators didn't ask a single policy based question. It was all Bosnia sniper fire, bitterness and it was wrong, wrong, wrong. 

Listen, I know that there isn't much difference between Obama and Clinton in terms of policy, but is it too much to expect to have that be the main point of a debate? I wasn't a debater in high school, but I thought the point was to take an idea and talk about the two different sides. Are their two sides in need of debate about whether Clinton came under sniper fire in Bosnia? 

I am just completely disgusted with the news media right now. Why do they continue to make an issue of this damn flag pin thing? Are we Americans really so stupid that we can't believe someone is patriotic unless they are drapped in the freakin' flag??? Maybe Colbert was right the other night when he suggested to Michelle Obama that her husband should dress up as the Statue of Liberty.

I don't know what else to say about this other than I think our news media is doing the American people a HUGE disservice. And they should be ashamed of themselves.

Breakin' It Down IV: The Final Billions

In previous episodes (Breakin' It Down I, II & III), our heroes told you the ways they would spend your hard earned pesos: health care, education, defense and keeping those pesky Canadians up north. (Damn it! I specifically asked them for a sit n' spin—where's that????)

Anyway, in this final look (courtesy of Newsweek) we discover that all three candidates are in agreement as to the third and final area that they would lavish the most money on for their budget: Energy.

Obama: He wants to create a green job corps, double the money we put toward research for clean energy and establish a federal clean tech venture capital fund for $50 billion. (Does this mean Kermit can come out of retirement?) Overall, he has a 10 year plan with $150 billion pledged to take us to the next energy level. There's also something about auctioning carbon emission rights to offset costs. Total—$60 billion/in the first four years

Clinton: Clinton also has a 10 year, $150 billion plan. Go figure. Part one—$50 billion for an energy fund (courtesy, in part, of higher taxes on the oil companies. YAHOO!). Part two—a doubling of the funding for basic energy research. Part three—another $20 billion for something called Green Vehicle Bonds. Total—$58 billion/in the first four years

McCain: Way back in Aught Seven, Mac cosponsored the Climate Stewardship Innovation Act. Them's a lot of pretty words the mean $3.7 billion in federal subsidies are headed toward building new nuclear power plants (Look Ma! I'm glowing!). Going even further into the past, in 2005 he sponsored an Energy Policy Act that he wants to revive an amendment on. This would put $1.5 billion to turning greenhouse gas levels back to 2000 levels by 2010. Were the levels eight years ago that great? Total—$5 billion in the first four years.

There you have it folks. It's all so much clearer to you now, isn't it?

The GOP's New Black Friend

It is starting to look like the GOP, and McCain particular, really do watch The Colbert Report. Over the weekend on ABC's This Week program, Dan Senor, a republican strategist (what the freak does that MEAN? could I be an American Idol strategist because I watch every episode and am not afraid to voice my opinion?), said that Condoleezza Rice has been actively campaigning the McCain campaign to be his VP pick.

Holy pajama bottoms Batman! This certainly wouldn't be the sneakiest thing the GOP has ever pulled, but it comes close. In a lot of people's eyes this would be a brilliant counter-punch to the Democrats offering up either the first African American or female presidential candidate. TaDa! An African American woman! Beat that liberals.

But not so fast. What would Condi really bring to the ticket? Foreign policy experience, but does McCain really need balancing in that area? And how many African Americans or women for that matter who are either undecided or liberal are going to be swayed by Rice? Frankly, she comes off as even less "black" than Obama if you want to go down that road. And of course she plays a mean concert piano.

Finally, is it a positive for the McCain campaign to literally connect themselves to the Bush Administration by selecting as his VP one of its longest running cabinet members? I mean I get that McCain thinks he can somehow turn Bush's legacy of destruction and devastation into a winning bid for the White House, but pardon me if I don't get how. And Condi has been riding shotgun for the whole eight years, smiling at  her husband Dubya the whole time.

O-boring

Maybe he was off his game. Maybe it was because DESPITE HAVING A TICKET MY FRIEND AND I WEREN'T ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE AUDITORIUM. (I apologize for the yelling, but dang if that didn't piss me off, you know how many seats the place has, don't give out several hundred more tickets than you have seats for.) Maybe it was because I had to stand on concrete for two hours and watch it on a giant monitor. Maybe it was because I had to eat canned soup at my desk for lunch to go to the thing in the first place.

Whatever the reason, I personally thought the Obama rally in my little neck of the wood's was not the charismatic, life-altering experience I thought it would be.

Don't get me wrong, he is a good speaker, but it wasn't the rock star event that people build it up to be. This is my second political rally (I know, I am still a bit of a newbie). The first was John Edwards back during the 2004 election. It was outside, so nobody telling me I couldn't get in and I was standing on the ground, but admittedly in some pretty high heels (not the best planning moment I must admit). All things being even, however, that rally was thrilling. I got charged up.

Maybe I am just more jaded now. Maybe I just wasn't that into it yesterday. Maybe my heart is just two sizes too small. Maybe it is because I haven't made up my mind yet between Obama and Clinton. But I do know this, unlike those yah-whoo's that CNN has been polling who say that if their democrat doesn't get the nod, they are voting for McCain—Seriously? Are you freakin' insane? If you are a true democrat I just don't see how you can think that McCain is better than the other democrat, oh well—I will vote for whichever democrat with pride, and joy in my heart.

CNN's poll showed that currently 41% of Obama supporters would be upset if Clinton got the nod. While if the reverse happens, 51% of Clinton supporters would be upset. Continuing this theme, 19% of Obama supporters said they would vote for McCain if Clinton gets the nod; 28% of Clinton supporters would go to McCain if Obama gets the nod.

UNFUCKING BELIEVABLE. Again I have to yell. After almost eight years of the Bush nightmare what kind of person could logically want to continue that with a McCain White House? Because that is what the dude is pledging, to basically continue Bush's policies.

Listen people if your democrat doesn't get the nomination, be upset, fine. Go out have a couple of drinks, cry in your beer, rail at the stupidity of your fellow Americans. And the next morning, look in the mirror and suck it up for the greater good. Because whichever it is that gets the democratic nomination, Clinton or Obama, he or she is going to be miles ahead of McCain in terms of better serving this country.

We only have 299 left until Bush is outta here. Let's not screw this up people.

DEM Smackdown

In this corner we have the former governor of New Mexico, former U.S. Representative, lawyer, Roman Catholic, and possessor of a MAGNIFICENT beard, William Blaine Richardson III.

And in this corner, the former presidential campaign strategist, host of CNN's now-defunct Crossfire, lover of GOP dames, the Rajun' Cajun, James Carville.

Now, why you may ask are these two men going at it? Aren't democrats supposed to be lovers, not fighters?

Richardson endorsed Obama earlier this week rather than Clinton, even though Bill

Clinton appointed him to two senior positions in his presidential cabinet. Coupled with the fact that Richardson is one of the party's more prominent Hispanics, a group that both Clinton and Obama are courting ferociously, and let's just say you might have some hurt feelings coming from the Clinton camp.

But how does 'ole Carville figure into this exactly? He is a friend of the Clinton's and the NY Times does describe him as an "advisor" to their camp (whatever that means—can I consider Clinton and Stacy from TLC's What Not to Wear as my advisors, because god knows I try to adhere to their advice to avoid a tapered pant leg.)

Carville said it was an "act of betrayal," as well as this (in reference to Holy Week):

Mr. Richardson's endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic.

Methinks Carville's media star needed a bit of a polish?

Richardson for his part credited Obama's recent speech about race for solidifying his decision. 

In other news of testiness on the Clinton front, first daughter Chelsea gave the succinct smackdown to a questioner on the campus of Butler University. The person asked about did Monica Lewinsky hurt her mother's credibility. Chelsea's reply, "I do not think that is any of your business."

The Letdown

For those of you who don't know, Matt Taibbi is a caustic, rather funny, take no prisoners political writer/reporter for Rolling Stone (he also moonlights on Bill Maher's HBO show, Real Time.

In the March 20, 2008 issue of RS, Taibbi takes on Hillary Clinton. The gist of his piece is that she is a ground-breaking politician, who through her own errors has martyred herself.

The part that struck me the most is excerpted below:

Every woman who was ever denied a promotion for spending too much time with her children or who had to deal with whispers of being a "bitch" or an "ice queen" when in fact she was just being a boss—they all couldn't help but see themselves in Hillary, a "substance" candidate dying on the cross of "likability."

But Hillary Clinton let them down, because presidential politics is not the corporate world, and her martyrdom was both inaccurate and imperfect. If there was any glass ceiling in this race for a promotion, it was the one erected by Hillary herself—you could even quantify it numerically, in the nearly 3-1 lead in superdelegates that Hillary, by virtue of her status as the pre-2008 anointed candidate of the Democratic Party apparatchiks, had wrapped up before the first votes were even cast.

He goes on to say that what really happened to Clinton is that she represents something old and she got taken down by the newer model. It is hard, as a woman, to not pin all your personal baggage on to Clinton in the way that Taibbi is referencing. She does represent, to a certain extent, the good girl that did everything right, worked hard and knew her stuff and still got rejected for the top gig. Many, many women identify with that in one shape or form. (Not that I do, no not at all. Not one little, bitty bit.)

There will always be something shinier and newer and more exciting out there, waiting to unseat the old guard. It happens in business, in life and in politics everyday. I guess it all comes down to whether or not you think change is good.

Breakin' It Down III

In today's lesson (courtesy, once again of Newsweek), we learn that the Dems would rate education as their #2 spending priority, while McCain gives that honor to border security. Hold tight to your chalupas kiddies. (For the earlier lessons, check here and here.)

Obama: The next JFK puts $75 billion on the line for his educational dreams. Not only does Obama want to give a refundable $4,000 tax credit on tuition (I assume this is for college), but he wants Pell Grants to keep up with inflation—imagine that! He also has funds set aside to create universal access to preschool ($10 billion goes to this). The final main point, setting up 40,000 scholarships for teachers and grants for drop-out prevention.

Clinton: Clinton outspends Obama, pledging $88 billion for her education plan. She ditches No Child (since it already ditched the children, why not?). Also for the K-12 set, she wants to bring in new teachers and principals (your principal is your PAL!) and expand after-school programs. For those going beyond 12th grade, she wants to give a $3,500 college tax credit, give some moola to community colleges and increase AmeriCorps scholarships and Pell Grants.

McCain: For McCain, his top two area of spending focuses on border security. As the sponsor of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (look Ma—it's comprehensive!) he has already put $18.5 billion on this area through 2012. On top of that, McCain wants to throw another $5 billion on the pile to construct a high-tech border fence along our southern border. Grand total?(Since McCain isn't keen on education, I will do the math for you.) $23.5 billion.

Well, that about does it. For the final installment, we will take a gander at the three candidates energy plans, believe it or not this makes the #3 spot for all of them. Woohoo!