Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

Okay, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool liberal from Arizona (now there’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one) who is supposed to be thrilled that our state senator, John McCain is the presumptive Republican nominee. Although McCain is certainly more liberal than most any other Republican candidate, his support for Bush and the war is just more than I can get behind. So, I find the McSame Ad pretty amusing. Cleverly done. Points for creativity.

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I’m thrilled the writer’s strike ended because SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE came back on the air and I LOVE what they do with political satire. There was a sketch last week in which they parodied the media fawning all over Barack Obama and it was priceless. SNL just has a knack for skewering the sacred political cows. This week, Hillary Clinton, opened the show. It’s always funny to watch people in their nascent efforts at sketch comedy. There are always those odd timing issues that creep into the space.

I’m sitting here watching the Primary Returns for Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont. I have to say I’m just delighted to see that Hillary Clinton took three out of four. After Obama supposedly had all this momentum and mojo, after he outspent her on advertising by more than two-to-one, Clinton stomped him in Ohio and even squeaked past him in Texas. After watching all of those enormous rallies, I was quite certain that Texas was lost. Given my new found love for Rhode Island (thank you Anne and Mary), I was delighted that Clinton took Rhode Island, too. She’s a scrapper, that’s for sure. Given the choice between a virtual junkyard dog and a cuddly, stuffed-shirt, covert bunny for president, I’ll have to say I’m preferring the Comeback Kid.

My biggest disappointment, I generally love listening to Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow but for the last three weeks, they’re just all-Obama, all of the time. I totally agree with Clinton that, had she (rather than Obama) made the premature NAFTA re-negotiation with Canada, the press would have crucified her. Sadly, Olberman and Maddow keep deriding Clinton and telling her to throw in the towel and get behind Obama for the betterment of the Democratic Party. What about what’s best for the country? What if she is the better choice? She certainly believes that she is better suited to serve as President. But the MSNBC media gang (you can throw Chris Matthews into the mix, too) has been quite condescending and disparaging for the last few weeks. I guess I’d like it, if I were an Obama aficionado. Since I’m not, it’s just disappointing because I used to like listening to those guys. I just don’t watch them like I used to …

I’ve taken up other pursuits … like chanting … C’mon Hillary. You go, girl! You can do it!

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So I want to begin this post by saying that I really like MSNBC reporter David Shuster. I find him to be literate, educated and thorough. So, I was shocked, absolutely shocked to hear David Shuster was in the doghouse over a comment he made about Chelsea Clinton. Especially since I’d seen the episode in which he made the offending comment and was not offended at all. I guess I’m slipping. I just didn’t find it all that upsetting. Shuster appeared on the TUCKER CARLSON show (which I never watch because I find him totally offensive) but knowing Shuster was on, I thought there might be something interesting in the political arena. After a news story about how Chelsea Clinton (who has never participated in the campaigning for either of her parents in the past) was now campaigning for her mother, Shuster made an off-hand remark about the possibility of Chelsea being “pimped out” to call the Super Delegates. I laughed when I heard it. Maybe it’s because I taught in a college environment and heard the term “pimped out” bandied about with great frequency. Maybe it’s because I follow what is being produced on cable networks (anyone ever heard of PIMP YOUR RIDE?).

To be honest, I find myself far more upset by the misogynistic commentary routinely made by Chris Matthews on HARDBALL. Even political pundit Rachel Maddow (whom I also adored) has spoken out against Matthews’ woman-hating commentary. And, as many of you know, I do enjoy watching Keith Olberman but, lately, it seems that all of his reporting has been, “Obama good, Hillary bad.” Since I’m pro-Hillary, I find that far more irritating. So, to have David Shuster getting suspended and being publicly flogged for humorously stating the obvious, it’s quite surprising. But, I’m thinking, if the Clinton Camp is getting sick of all of the lopsided coverage by the media, this might put everyone on notice that they need to shift out of that misogynistic mode. It also paints Hillary as the underdog and that may drive voters to the polls in the upcoming primaries. I assume there are people much smarter than me running these campaigns so I’m certain they’re thinking of all of these sorts of things too. Perhaps, David Shuster is just the sacrificial lamb. He’s such a terrific reporter and analyst, I sure hope this resolves soon.

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The votes are being counted and Obama is having a good evening. He’s taking many of the states in the nation’s mid-section, some by substantial margin. In terms of both popular vote and delegates, it’s a squeaker, right now. The current delegate estimate is 837 for Clinton, 841 for Obama. Thus far, Obama has won 13 states. With the Kennedy Blessing, the Oprah Endorsement and an inspiring speaking style, Obama sure seems to have the mojo.

And, in the Republican race, McCain is the fellow with the mojo. All of the major victories were his — California, New York, Missouri. Romney had a pretty dismal showing and may be folding up shop. Rush Limbaugh’s rant against McCain may be having some impact (for those who don’t follow the foul-mouthed fellow, he has said he’d rather have Hillary Clinton than John McCain). Huckabee did a lot better than anyone thought he would and, tonight, they announced he is meeting with some super right-wing fat cats who want to throw money at his campaign.

The most important thing about all of this political upheaval is that it shows how concerned the American public is with the state of the nation. When the races started, the war in Iraq was a big concern but, over the last few weeks, the economy has moved to the forefront. Today, the stock market fell 370 points and the service sector lost jobs. Several economists now say that we are in a recession. So, the choice of our next national leader seems to be of great concern to every age group. And this concern is making the candidates bring their “A” game to the political arena.

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It’s the eve of Super Tuesday and the Democratic contest is tight. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a statistical dead heat. It’s an exciting time for politics in America. Either a woman or an African American will be the Democratic candidate for President. I can’t imagine the Republicans will hang on to the White House. Given the terrible state of the economy, the Iraq War and Bush’s gross deficit budget proposal, I just can’t imagine it. But, of course, I didn’t think Bush would win a second term, so there’s no accounting for the blind faith of humans, especially in politics.

Obama really has the momentum right now. I wonder if it will keep growing or stall as time goes on. Only time will reveal what will ultimately happen. I can hardly wait to see how this all shakes out. Even Arizona is in play. So, get out there and vote!

Tomorrow is also Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, which is celebrated with such flair in New Orleans.

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For example, in 1997, Obama voted “present” on two bills (HB 382 and SB 230) that would have prohibited a procedure often referred to as partial birth abortion. He also voted “present” on SB 71, which lowered the first offense of carrying a concealed weapon from a felony to a misdemeanor and raised the penalty of subsequent offenses.

In 1999, Obama voted “present” on SB 759, a bill that required mandatory adult prosecution for firing a gun on or near school grounds. The bill passed the state Senate 52-1. Also in 1999, Obama voted “present” on HB 854 that protected the privacy of sex-abuse victims by allowing petitions to have the trial records sealed. He was the only member to not support the bill.

In 2001, Obama voted “present” on two parental notification abortion bills (HB 1900 and SB 562), and he voted “present” on a series of bills (SB 1093, 1094, 1095) that sought to protect a child if it survived a failed abortion. In his book, the Audacity of Hope, on page 132, Obama explained his problems with the “born alive” bills, specifically arguing that they would overturn Roe v. Wade. But he failed to mention that he only felt strongly enough to vote “present” on the bills instead of “no.”

And finally in 2001, Obama voted “present” on SB 609, a bill prohibiting strip clubs and other adult establishments from being within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, and daycares.

If Obama had taken a position for or against these bills, he would have pleased some constituents and alienated others. Instead, the Illinois legislator-turned-U.S. senator and, now, Democratic presidential hopeful essentially took a pass.

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The results of the Iowa Caucuses are pretty much reported now and the cry for change is ringing out. They had record turnout in Iowa; over 230,000 people came out to participate.

The Democratic winner was Barack Obama, capturing the youth vote, the independent vote and the female vote. I find myself wondering how much of a difference Oprah made in campaigning for him. She had to have been phenomenally valuable in terms of boosting awareness and credibility for his candidacy. John Edwards edged Hilary Clinton out by a percentage point or so. Not surprisingly, I like Hilary but many folks around me don’t like her at all and will be pleased Obama knocked her back on her heels. A wonderful public servant for decades and wise fellow, Joe Biden garnered only 1% of the vote and ended his bid for the presidency.

On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee did remarkably well. He thundered ahead of the pack, stomping Romney by about nine (9) percentage points. McCain gathered a respectable 13% and is expected to do well in New Hampshire. Rudy Guiliani earned a dismal 3%.

New Hampshire’s primary is January 8. Nevada will caucus on January 19. South Carolina will hold its primary on January 26. Florida’s primary is on January 29. All of this leading, of course, to Super Tuesday on February 5.

I find myself wishing Rick Houck were still alive and he could make the prediction as to who the winner will be. He was exceptionally good at that sort of thing. He could tell who would win elections based on how “activated” a candidate’s astrological chart on election day. If the Secondary and Tertiary Progressed charts, Planetary Stations and Natal chart showed activation on the angles (within one degree), one could safely predict victory. He did need the exact birth information, however. I had decided it would be fun to see what it said about the key political players but I discovered that the birth time for Obama is unknown. So, predictions are difficult to time.

I did find a site with the following observations … made in the Fall of 2006 …

Barack Obama, Rising Star in 2008 — Barack Obama’s horoscope (August 4, 1961; Honolulu; time unknown) synchronizes neatly with the U.S. national horoscope. Among the many close contacts is his Neptune at 8º36′ Scorpio, which is exactly, to-the-minute, conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. This link describes the vision that he espouses for Americans of all ethnic backgrounds, as he expresses in his recently published book The Audacity of Hope.

Another connection is his natal Uranus, which opposes the U.S. Moon, located at 25º28′ Aquarius. Here is where the excitement, the charisma, and the sudden skyrocketing to fame can be seen. Candidates must have extremely tight connections to the U.S. Moon to ensure their popular approval and to get elected. Obama’s progressed Venus, the planet directly associated with popularity, is near his natal Uranus, a dynamic combination that has electrified his national following. In early 2008, at the height of the Democratic primaries, Obama’s progressed chart looks extremely favorable (progressed Jupiter conjunct the U.S. Pluto, as his progressed Sun trines the U.S. Pluto) for advancing his ambitions.

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I am not certain how I missed this in my upbringing in Wisconsin but somehow I failed to learn that the U.S. has already had a gay president. A friend in Colorado sent information on another script we’re working on and said something flip about a friend being related to the live-in partner of America’s First Gay President. What?!? I was referred to dozens of sites and was shocked to discover that JAMES BUCHANAN, the president prior to Abraham Lincoln was likely our first gay president.

Later, Senator King (the man who lived with Buchanan for decades including while he was in the White House) was elected to the Vice Presidency with Franklin Pierce. That would make King the first gay Vice President.

According to , an art project on the U.S. Presidents by Alex Forman, “Buchanan was a gentle, diplomatic person, religiously fatalistic in his approach to life. He stood six feet tall and was a heavy man. Buchanan “sometimes acts like an old maid,” said James Polk. Buchanan enjoyed a 20-year intimate friendship with Senator William Rufus de Vane King. They shared quarters in Washington, DC for sixteen years. When King died in 1853, Buchanan wrote, “I am now ’solitary and alone,’ having no companion in the house with me. I have gone a wooing to several gentlemen, but have not succeeded with any one of them.” He referred to King as “Aunt Nancy.” Buchanan was the only bachelor President. In 1866, Buchanan published the first Presidential memoir.”

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BY CYNDI GREENING, ARIZONA, USA – I think this is the funniest thing. There was a lot of press coverage about how beloved George W. Bush is in Albania and how the crowds flocked to welcome him. So, imagine how amusing it is to watch one of the adoring crowd members steal the watch right off W’s wrist while the Secret Service agents surround him. You can watch the video of George Bush’s watch-snatching.

After my senior year of high school, I spent a summer studying in Guadalajara, Mexico. We also went to Mexico City (D.F.) for a week. On the subway, five of my classmates and I were surround by a group of young men. Jostling us about, they slit Cathy’s fabric handbag and stole her wallet. They disappeared in only a few moments, two hundred dollars richer. It wasn’t until we were racing across the Zocalo, when her mascara and lipstick went tumbling to the ground through the gaping hole that we realized what had happened. I guess I can be consoled by the fact that we were only 18 at the time.

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Accompanying her husband, former President George H.W.Bush, on a tour of hurricane relief centers in Houston, Barbara Bush said today, referring to the poor who had lost everything back home and evacuated, “This is working very well for them.” The former First Lady’s remarks were aired on American Public Media’s “Marketplace”
program.

In a segment at the top of the show Barbara Bush said, “What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. “And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this–this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.”

It seems Mrs. Bush thinks a cot in the Astrodome is better than one’s own home in Louisiana. A kitchen, bedroom, private bathroom, closet and pantry are no match for the hospitality of Houston. This reminds me of the time Bush Senior didn’t realize what a price scanner was at a grocery store. Sheesh. On top of that, she said it was “scary.”

Speaking of Bush 41, doesn’t anyone else find it odd that Bush 43 now sends Bush 41 and Clinton (42) out on humanitarian missions instead of going himself??? I don’t know if the subtext is that only these former leaders have the ability to connect with and comfort the people of America (and the world) OR if only these former leaders have the ability to inspire confidence, hope and leadership. I find it worth noting. As W’s approval rating craters … and the number of people who feel the country is going in the wrong direction peaks … we see more and more of our former leaders.

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The cornerstone of education is to study and learn from those who came before. Then, to gain wisdom, question all that you have learned against all that you know. I spent a good deal of time with the New York Times today and The New Yorker yesterday, so I’m horrified at the state of the political union. With that in mind, a few links about the current group in power. Can you say “regime change”?

Bush-Lies blog is an excellent summary of a variety of news sources. A Maureen Dowd article says, “The briefing had three-month-old information that Al Qaeda was trying to sneak into the country for an explosives attack. No wonder the C.I.A. chief and counterterrorism czar were running around with their hair on fire. What should have made Condi hysterical, she deemed “historical.”

It’s always interesting when the fact checkers look at what political figures have said in the past and compare it to what it being said in the present. American Progress reviews Condoleezza Rice’s Claims vs. Previously Stated Facts.

Read an excellent article in the Boston Globe regarding our Not Quite Closed Airspace! The 9/11 commission should ask who authorized the evacuation of Saudi nationals in the days following the attacks. According to reporter Craig Unger, President Bush himself may have played a role in authorizing the evacuation of the Saudi nationals. American airspace was locked down. Not even Bill Clinton and Al Gore, who were out of the country, were allowed to fly home. That same day the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States and a long-time friend of the Bush family, dropped by the White House. He and President George W. Bush went out to the Truman Balcony for a private conversation. Shortly thereafter, a small plane in Tampa took off for Lexington, Ky. According to former Tampa cop Dan Grossi and former FBI agent Manny Perez, who were on the flight to provide security, the passengers included three young Saudis. Given the national security crisis, both Grossi and Perez were astonished that they were allowed to take off. The flight could not have taken place without White House approval. The plane taking off was the first of at least eight aircraft that began flying across the country, stopping in at least 12 American cities and carrying at least 140 passengers out of the country over the next week or so.

And, To Make You Completely Nauseous
A photomosaic posted on American Leftist and Michael Moore.Com of the 570 War Dead of George Bush thus far and a link to high-res version of image that puts a face on the “human cost” of war so far.

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