Observations of a Misfit: The Dead Zone of the Republican Presidential Candidates

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December 12, 2007

The Dead Zone of the Republican Presidential Candidates

After watching a few excerpts of various debates and reading many articles about the Republican candidates for president, I sometimes think I have woken up in the middle of a Stephen King horror novel, particularly The Dead Zone.

Most of you may remember that story (a good book, bad movie and worse television series) where a school teacher, Johnny Smith, suffers a head injury in a car accident, lapses into a coma for five years, and awakens with clairvoyant powers. One of his visions involves a corrupt politician whom he decides to assassinate rather than risk his prediction of nuclear disaster.

Not that any of the Republican candidates would use a child as a bullet shield like the character in the book (although Giuliani might), but another more bizarre group of caricatures would be hard to gather:

An aging, forgettable, slothful, dimwitted actor with a trophy wife whose new "role" is as avuncular, compassionate-conservative Reagan for the new millennium.
The demented military hero who has been Dubya’s sock puppet (despite Karl Rove’s vicious defamation campaign that derailed his candidacy in 2000) and war apologist for the past five years; the only issue on which he has maintained any consistency is what constitutes “torture”, having been a victim of torture himself.
Then we have the front-running Kennedy-wannabe who essentially threw the conservative platform under the bus when running for governor of Massachusetts, likened his sons’ campaigning for him to serving in Iraq, blends the already blurry line between church and state, and left his poor dog in a carrier on the roof of a car during family vacations.
Speaking of religion (and how can we not?), there is the crazy preacher who lost 200 pounds or something (gave up Twinkies for God, I guess) who has a checkered history with releasing murderers and claims to have a mandate from God (oh, great, like Dubya) to be president.
Who could overlook the loose cannon libertarian doctor from Texas who doesn’t believe government should be involved in anything (so why is he in Washington?), who’s got some great ideas and energetic supporters all over the Web, and is by far the most amusing to watch, but he hasn’t a snake’s chance in hell of winning the nomination.
Then there’s the anti-Christ: thrice-married, dress-wearing, mobbed-up whackjob Ghouliani. If he wins the nomination (which I doubt, but you never know these days) and, heaven help us, the election, I will be on a plane to Costa Rica faster than you can say “Nine Eleven.”

Even Stephen King would have been hard-pressed to come up with this skeleton crew.

Posted by lorelei on December 12, 2007 08:41 PM | Permalink

Comments

Even the original framers of the Constitution qualified the separation of church and state in other treaties:

"the Government of the United States of America was not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."

After a bloody and costly civil war and the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment determined that citizens of the United States cannot have their rights abridged by state or local governments either, religious liberty for all was established. Governmental neutrality in matters of religion remains the enduring basis for that liberty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sourced here:

http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buckner_tripoli.html

Posted by: loretta | December 12, 2007 09:15 PM

Not to worry dahlink. The Repuckanz have shot they selves in the foor minny more times than the democrats. The credibility of anything we read or hear is zilch. As a mid-grown-child I remember the admonition not to believe anything you hear or read and not even what you see.
I am letting this pollyticks roll off my bach as does my own dear shower now that moi is bach in her own dear house with her own dear john and bed and pillows and duvets. When I have regained energy, will report in. The International misfit reunion made moi tres tres tres jellyosio! Mahvelous pix and I wil look forward to hearing all the adventures. Cannot find my key to the kitchen tonight as computer is punishing moi for being away for 3 weeks. My main wish is that ralph naybor stays out of it this time. In my opinion the only poison with no dirty diapers is Obama. Yes, I knew Al Gore when he went to St. Albans our brother school at Cathedral and he has followed his energy and heart and he is happy with raising the consciousness of the world to the dire quences of neglecting the very planet on which we exist. More's the pity and timing is everything. Kismet/Karma/Mahatmaghandi/hailli-salassi (sic) notwithstanding. As our aging Joni Mitchell has already elloquently sung. Round and around and don't make us live in a parking lot. I am whipped. My dear Jaine has been through the wringer over the death of the 35-40 year beloved secretary at Cayucos Elementary. She will write a song about that. She is my current day Joni M. She has no fear. She has no inhibitions. She expresses from truth. This is rare. If we can ever have a politician of that ilk, then gorp on a krick, there will be hope. There must be hope, as that is all we have.

Posted by: moi | December 12, 2007 09:56 PM

http://www.newsweek.com/id/77759

Fact-checking the GOP debates. None of those guys would be able to post on this blog.

Posted by: loretta | December 13, 2007 02:11 PM

Two more weekends left, ladies and gent. Then we can stop spending our hard earned money.

That is, unless you celebrate Hogmanay as we do in Scotland. We drink the Pubs dry, over here!

Posted by: Anonymous | December 14, 2007 08:45 AM

That was me...

Posted by: Mgt | December 14, 2007 08:45 AM

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/blogs/wolcott/2007/12/its-like-a-mens.html

Speaking of the Republican candidates, James Wolcott kills me here.

Posted by: loretta | December 14, 2007 10:01 AM

A sorry slew of Siberian sasquatches.

Posted by: vero | December 14, 2007 10:05 AM

From CTV:

Scott Peterson bonus article Enquirer

In a bombshell confession Scott Peterson has revealed how he mercilessly strangled Laci Peterson as she happily watched Martha Stewart. As he munched on a turkey sandwich in a San Quentin prison visiting room, Scott made his chilling confession to a friend Donna Thomas. "I could actually feel Laci die." he told her. " When she stopped fighting. I could feel all her weight on my arm." Thomas book,"I'm sorry I lied to you. The confession of Scott Peterson" finally provides all the answers. The author, a lawyer visited Scott dozens of times after he was sentenced. She was a passionate believer in his innocence until she caught him in a lie in 2006. Then after she confronted him, the killer spilled his guts, Surprisingly according to her the motive was not Amber Frey but the fact that Scott hated that Laci made out like she had the perfect marriage when they were miserable. He cheated on her all the time and taunted her with his infidelity. When she asked where he had been he would often say, "I was screwing some chick. I don't even know her name." Scott realized that Laci would never leave him and he told me once she was pregnant he knew she would be in his life foreever and he could not imagine anything any worse. As Laci slept on Dec 23 he looked over at her and thought 'This is your last night in bed'. The next morning Laci woke first. When she got up, she was in the kitchen cleaning and watching Martha Stewart. In terrifying detail, he told Donna what happened next. Laci said, "Hey Scott, what are you going to do today?" and Scott was directly behind her and said," I guess it doesn't really matter what I do today". and then I took my arm and put it around her neck, I used my right hand to cover her mouth. She fought hard but it was nothing for me. Eight months pregnant Laci at one point gasped, " Stop what about the baby? please don't do this." But soon she was dead. Scott told Donna he rolled her up in a tarp and put her in a boat and was prepared to shoot cops or anyone who tried to stop him. Scott launched the boat but then read Playboy for about half an hour before tossing Laci overboard, her body weighted down with homemade anchors." It was like throwing a brick in the water," he bragged.

Posted by: vero | December 14, 2007 11:56 PM

Here's the url. It's toward the bottom of the page.

Posted by: vero | December 14, 2007 11:58 PM

http://boards.courttv.com/showthread.php?s=063b0fecdb2466be81baeabea91c2352&threadid=321007

~sorry~

Posted by: vero | December 14, 2007 11:58 PM

So many things wrong with that story. No time to fisk right now.

I'll be interested to see this book for sure.

I received a screenplay about the case and it was riveting. I hope to collaborate with the writer on a more comprehensive movie about this. Hmmm.

Posted by: loretta | December 15, 2007 12:23 AM

I bet Marlene is having another stroke.

Posted by: vero | December 15, 2007 12:41 AM

http://deathbeeper.com/7853621.html

Very sad news that Dan Fogelberg died. I loved his stuff back when I was in college.

Wonderful man. Only 56 yrs old.

Posted by: loretta | December 16, 2007 08:24 PM

Okay, I'm not waiting for Godet (Gore) any more. Now I'm in the John Edwards camp.

CNN poll: Edwards DESTROYS GOP candidates (with graphs!)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/13/85010/160/512/421537

Posted by: Astrologer | December 16, 2007 11:55 PM

Somehow, I don't think Scott Peterson was quite as brave as that. IOW, he lacks the balls.

Posted by: Mgt | December 17, 2007 09:35 AM

I do realize I'm going to have to read it.

I'll pass it along when I'm done.

Posted by: vero | December 17, 2007 07:22 PM

Oh my gawd, you really have to laugh, otherwise you would cry!

Those numpties that look after the British National Security have lost the personal details of just about every British citizen.

Every single parent and every learner driver is affected.

What do those people have to do to lose their jobs? Please tell me, what could be worse than this?

We, the tax payer, pay their salaries, their transport, their second homes and their expensive dinners. Oh, and I think we must be charged for their swanky private club where they slurp free booze every night.

I need a tommy gun!

Posted by: Mgt | December 18, 2007 09:45 AM

So you all want socialism? What happened to democracy? The government has done a great job with Katrina, you actually trust them? Good Lord!

Posted by: Anony | December 18, 2007 09:38 PM

What are you on...?

Posted by: Mgt | December 19, 2007 06:18 AM

This fire at the Whitehouse is probably just another way to get rid of incriminating evidence. Cheney's office? You bet!

Posted by: Mgt | December 19, 2007 11:22 AM

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/

If you haven't already signed this petition, do so.

DO something!!!

Posted by: loretta | December 19, 2007 07:24 PM