Guilty is as guilty does

I respect James for his measured take on the Michael Vick case, but damning evidence continues to mount against the Falcons QB. James cites an ESPN article on the history of race relations in Atlanta — and how the city’s past factors into whether you think Vick innocent or guilty — but the article badly misses the point.

Michael Vick is a symbol of how things have changed for the better. Atlanta has been very good to him. Sure, there were critics, but he deserved to be criticized. Vick’s play was uneven at best, and his performance off the field was likewise checkered. Racists didn’t imagine Ron Mexico, and there was no conspiracy to plant weed in a water bottle at a Miami airport (more likely, his enablers — most of them white — called in a few favors and secured a dismissal of charges).

Throughout, he maintained a fervent fan base and a slew of endorsements. No one was out to get Michael Vick. And for the writer of the ESPN article to even mention "lynching" in the same breath as Vick is irresponsible at worst, sloppy journalism at best.

Certainly racism is alive, here and elsewhere. But pampered African-American athletes everywhere have it much better than your average white guy. Sorry, but no one’s giving me free luxury cars to drive, nor interceding on my behalf with the police. Those are advantages. Period. Focusing on the self-inflicted plight of the Pacman Jones’ of the world, at the expense of real victims, does a disservice to any civil rights movement.

I defer, once again, to Cynthia Tucker:

A black woman is secretary of state. A black man is a prominent contender for the Democratic nomination for president. Black Americans are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, presidents of elite colleges and partners at prestigious law firms. Oprah Winfrey is arguably the most influential woman on the planet. And Vick, for his part, has earned more money than most people on the planet and can certainly take care of himself. Among his dream team of attorneys is Billy Martin, who is one of the nation’s best-known criminal defense lawyers and who also happens to be black. 

Let’s not make Michael Vick a martyr simply because people deduce — based on a preponderance of evidence — his guilt. That’s what happens when you’re famous; everyone has an opinion about you, however irrelevant. A jury will decide what matters. They may decide correctly. O.J. Simpson was found innocent, but only the delusional would argue that verdict was correct. I’m not as certain regarding Vick — in fact, I hope I’m wrong. I don’t want Joey Harrington quarterbacking the Falcons. And I don’t want another African-American hero to fall by the wayside.

But none of us should look the other way, blinded by tired excuses and white liberal guilt. A scoundrel is a scoundrel, and so far that’s the best thing you can say about Michael Vick.

Republicans in Iowa

McCain, Giuliani and Fred Thompson were wise to skip Saturday’s Iowa straw poll:

The face of the Republican Party in Iowa is the face of a losing party, full of hatred toward immigrants, lust for government subsidies, and the demand that any Republican seeking the office of the presidency acknowledge that he’s little more than Jesus Christ’s running mate. The pandering from the stage told the story. Mr. Romney promised not a chicken in every pot, but “a button on every computer” for parents to block obscene material. Anti-immigrant ranter Tom Tancredo nearly brought the house down decrying the fact that Americans sometimes have to “Press 1″ for English. Mr. Huckabee earned his second-place finish in part by making the specious claim that farm subsidies safeguard America’s food independence. (You think it’s bad depending on foreign oil, Mr. Huckabee asked? “Wait until our country messes up and has to depend on foreign food.”) Senator Brownback of Kansas, the third-place finisher, declared as he often does in his stump speech: “All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus.”

Have you ever sat down and calculated the precious seconds lost to pressing 1 for English? I figured it’s cost me one minute and 28.3 seconds of my life. I could’ve spent that time watching two commercials on TV. Fortunately, Tom Tancredo cares. He’s promised to give me that minute-and-a-half back. And he pledges the same for every legal American.

“How many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth? In our judgment, not very many”

When George W. picked Dick Cheney to be his veep in 2000, I was somewhat relieved. I remembered Cheney as a sober Secretary of Defense who seemed much more of an establishment Republican than the reactionary kind (there is a big difference, and the former is much preferable). Practicality seemed to be his M.O. He was an adult in a town of children.

Have you forgotten that Cheney? Watch and marvel at a flip-flop that even Mitt Romney would envy.

 

Requiem for Turd Blossom

Endure Rove’s finest moment in D.C. — when journalists and politicians break bread, the dork factor approaches DragonCon levels.

I (gulp) agree with Mitt Romney

The Republican YouTube debate is on again after weeks in limbo.

But The Anchorman isn’t sure he’ll participate, and I don’t blame him.

In an interview with Manchester Union Leader, Romney said, “I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman.”

That drew a video response from Billiam, the snowman who questioned the Democrats on global warming last month in their YouTube debate. This time, he riffed on another Romney quote from the campaign: “Lighten up slightly.”

The snowman (he has a name?) delivered a grade school-level question about global warming at the Dems’ debate. It was an embarrassment to the format and to the candidates, each of whom responded with pat answers and frozen smiles. Imagine Harry Truman answering a question from a snowman.

I’m all for increasing citizen participation in the process, but this kind of cutesy crap demeans the “new media”; worse, it’s driven me to say something positive about Mitt Romney.

The scarecrow presidency

So who’s going to be Bush’s brain now?

Republicans in Iowa

McCain, Giuliani and Fred Thompson were wise to skip Saturday’s Iowa straw poll:

The face of the Republican Party in Iowa is the face of a losing party, full of hatred toward immigrants, lust for government subsidies, and the demand that any Republican seeking the office of the presidency acknowledge that he’s little more than Jesus Christ’s running mate. The pandering from the stage told the story. Mr. Romney promised not a chicken in every pot, but “a button on every computer” for parents to block obscene material. Anti-immigrant ranter Tom Tancredo nearly brought the house down decrying the fact that Americans sometimes have to “Press 1″ for English. Mr. Huckabee earned his second-place finish in part by making the specious claim that farm subsidies safeguard America’s food independence. (You think it’s bad depending on foreign oil, Mr. Huckabee asked? “Wait until our country messes up and has to depend on foreign food.”) Senator Brownback of Kansas, the third-place finisher, declared as he often does in his stump speech: “All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus.”

Have you ever sat down and calculated the precious seconds lost to pressing 1 for English? I figured it’s cost me one minute and 28.3 seconds of my life. I could’ve spent that time watching two commercials on TV. Fortunately, Tom Tancredo cares. He’s promised to give me that minute-and-a-half back. And he pledges the same for every legal American.

Requiem for Turd Blossom

Endure Rove’s finest moment in D.C. — when journalists and politicians break bread, the dork factor approaches DragonCon levels.

I (gulp) agree with Mitt Romney

The Republican YouTube debate is on again after weeks in limbo.

But The Anchorman isn’t sure he’ll participate, and I don’t blame him.

In an interview with Manchester Union Leader, Romney said, “I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman.”

That drew a video response from Billiam, the snowman who questioned the Democrats on global warming last month in their YouTube debate. This time, he riffed on another Romney quote from the campaign: “Lighten up slightly.”

The snowman (he has a name?) delivered a grade school-level question about global warming at the Dems’ debate. It was an embarrassment to the format and to the candidates, each of whom responded with pat answers and frozen smiles. Imagine Harry Truman answering a question from a snowman.

I’m all for increasing citizen participation in the process, but this kind of cutesy crap demeans the “new media”; worse, it’s driven me to say something positive about Mitt Romney.

The scarecrow presidency

So who’s going to be Bush’s brain now?

It’s been 30 years

I’m old enough to remember Elvis’ death, 30 years ago Thursday (the same day John Mark Karr was arrested; I’m writing stories for the local organ commemorating both anniversaries).

Here’s a very cool clip  of Elvis — doing his best Jim Jones impression — rehearsing “Burning Love.”

The best of Troy McClure

I’ve said it before, and no doubt I’ll say it again, but I really miss Phil Hartman — enjoy.

I miss Lionel Hutz nearly as much; after all, he’s responsible for one of the greatest lines in “Simpsons” history.

 

The veep sweeps

In: Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor finished second in an otherwise meaningless Iowa straw poll, surpassing expectations. The signifigance? Huckabee spent virtually no money (as opposed to the millions spent by the Anchorman, who won the poll), showing that his message has some resonance. And what is that message? I’m a nice guy, and I’m a social conservative. The former is winning over the media, according to The Plank, while the latter appeals to the likeminded who don’t trust Rudy, McCain or Thompson and can’t stomach a flip-flopping Mormon.

I doubt Huckabee can win (he lacks money and organization), but he’s certainly emerging from that second tier, and if, say, Rudy wins the nomination, Huckabee could supply some necessary conservative bona fides. Romney, meanwhile, could use a non-automaton on his ticket. Say this for Huckabee: he’s engaging and candid, regardless of what you think of his politics.

Out: Bill Richardson, who has proven reliably inept in his bid for the White House.

(excerpted from the HRC/LOGO debate:)

MS. ETHERIDGE: Thank you. Do you think homosexuality is a choice, or is it biological?

GOV. RICHARDSON: It’s a choice. It’s –

MS. ETHERIDGE: I don’t know if you understand the question. (Soft laughter.) Do you think I — a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade we go, “Ooh, I want to be gay”?

GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, I — I’m not a scientist. It’s — you know, I don’t see this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as people as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know I don’t like to categorize people. I don’t like to, like, answer definitions like that that, you know, perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don’t understand.

At first considered the moderate alternative to Hillary and Obama, Richardson has disqualified himself from any serious consideration for a presidential ticket. He might’ve even ruined his shot at a high-profile Cabinet position. He best withdraw before embarrassing himself any further.

A tribute to Merv Griffin

Via “Seinfeld” — love those plexiglass chairs.

Walken and Woody

Classic films, classic scenes:

Annie Hall’s brother, Duane (Christopher Walken) makes a strange confession. Oye those goyim!