My desk and email box are filled with good story leads but, as usual, I don’t have the time to give them all the attention they deserve. So, let’s play the game of clear out and let it rip with some good old-fashioned randomness.
First, what the hell’s up with Mark Johnson’s two days of live radio from Chicago? Did I miss something? With all due respect, Mark, who the hell cares about Chicago -- especially when the Vermont news is reaching the boiling point on so many fronts? To be honest, I couldn’t really listen to much of it, mostly because I just don’t give a shit about Chicago. But, when I did, I was waiting for some elaborate punch line from Mark about why he was really there. You know, something like he had to be there for personal reasons and dragging the show with him forced Ken Squier to foot the whole bill. But no such luck. So I guess Mark really thinks we actually care about Chicago enough to hear him talk about it for four hours during Vermont’s peak political news season. Yo, Mark, the next time you get the itch to go on the road, may I suggest these towns: Brattleboro, Middlebury, Hardwick, Newport, St. Johnsbury, St. Albans or even Avery’s Gore. But Chicago? No thanks.
Speaking of trips, the blogging ego trip known as Philip Baruth at Vermont Daily Briefing has recently inspired a slew of emails to Snarky Boy. The first batch wondered why he was ignoring the impeachment phenomena. My answer? He’s mainlining the Dem kool-aid, baby. You know that. The impeachment crowd is way too lively for sleepy Baruth, anyway. We all know by now that an exciting political event for Phil is one in which he’s photographed with a political player. Look at me! Look at me! And then, once his lips have been pried off the buttocks of the player, a story – and photos! – will follow on his blog. Come on, folks, you haven’t figured out the routine yet?
I realized I finally had to address the ego-tripper after receiving this email from a reader this morning:
Has the fatuous Philip Baruth always put his byline on his blog posts or am I just noticing it for the first time? Considering it's a one-person blog that doesn't take comments, includes his bio, and countless repulsive pictures, it seems a bit gratuitous. Do you think he will next start copyrighting his posts?
Indeed. His game at VDB seems to be about how many photos of himself or references to his name he can publish each week. Baruth claims that he started his blog because he was frustrated by the political limits that were put on his Vermont Public Radio commentaries. Bullshit. He was just pissed that he couldn’t send his photos over the radio waves. Because, let’s face it, there is absolutely nothing controversial at his site. Yawn.
Speaking of email, another regular reader recently wrote in with the news that certain Dems are trying to recruit Jeb Spalding into a race against Governor Douglas in 2008. Good luck with that. Spalding’s too comfy – and too smart – to jump into that race. There are simply too many mainstream Dems and so-called independents still enamored with our Harry Potter-like chief executive for someone of Spalding’s stature to risk a race against him. My sources tell me Spalding’s enjoying his sleepwalk through public life right now as the State Treasurer and will awake himself when an open seat presents itself in the future. You know, like Leahy’s seat.
Who, then, will the Dems put up against Douglas? Well, did you see Scudder Parker lingering around the Statehouse during the impeachment debate? Yeah, he was the guy trying to get the media’s attention. Good luck with that. Unfortunately, the good minister is not going away, even talking privately with folks about how to put it all together for another race. My prediction? Parker and Matt Dunne will be switching their places on the 2008 Dem ticket, only after Dunne calls Parker’s bluff by refusing to step aside from a possible Dem primary for the top spot. We shall see.
Speaking of Dems, get ready for the national Dems to start cracking under the ridiculous “support the troops” pressure from the White House. As we all know by now, the congressional Dems have delivered their war-funding bill – toothless timelines and all – to the White House and now await the promised veto from the mad one. And that’s when the real games begin. Soon enough, we’ll all be hearing that ear-piercing beep indicating a Dem reversal. Yep. Beep. Beep. Beep. And back they’ll go, offering all the money the Bush war team wants so as to avoid the rhetorical onslaught from the Rovians. Wimps.
Don’t believe me? Taste this line about the current position of many Dems from today’s New York Times article on the war funding negotiations currently underway between Congress and the White House:
Others say Congress has made its antiwar statement and should now give the president the money without conditions.
Imagine that. It’s going to be fun watching our own Peter Welch try to explain that one, huh?
Speaking of Welch, it was nice to wake up this morning to see this headline in the Times Argus: “Welch On Impeachment Hot Seat.” The article, by Dan Barlow of the Vermont Press Bureau, indicates that certain leaders of the impeachment movement will, indeed, be turning their attention toward Welch. It’ll be interesting to see how many of the rank and file members of the movement will follow down this path. Let’s hope all of them -- and many more newcomers.
Here’s how Jimmy Leas summed up the predicament currently facing the movement:
There is a sense that the leadership is telling members of the party to shy away from impeachment. But we want our politicians to be listening to the people, not the party.
Finally, let’s head into the weekend with a brand new feature here at Snarky Boy: Emails of the week. Here are two that particularly tickled my fancy this week:
Snarky Boy reader writes: “Love your stuff. Been thinking about printing ‘Snarky Boy for President’ bumper stickers. You game? Hell, if Bush made it, why can’t you?!
Snarky response: How about we start with “Snarky Boy for Governor”?
Snarky Boy reader writes: “Here’s a revenue idea for you:
Put a ‘Buy a Beer for Snarky’ button on the site (using Paypal to collect), with these categories:
$6 to buy Snarky a cold one for work well done;
$25 to buy a round for Snarky and his anonymous sources;
$50 to kick it in for extra snarkiness well delivered;
$100 to buy a round for the house;
$500 if you're an anonymous source who doesn't have spine enough to snark out loud yourself;
$1,000 for Snarky to slam a Democrat of your choice;
$2,000 for Snarky to slam a Republican of your choice;
$3,000 if you are bitching about Snarky not posting every single day;
$5,000 for Snarky to paint your house (not really, but Snarky needs the cash to paint his own).”
Snarky response: Now you’re talking. Stay tuned. Site changes are coming soon, with more bells and whistles – including the coveted donation button!
Now, let’s get off the ladder and into the bars, my friends. It’s Friday!
[Remember, send me your tips, quips and comments to: VtSnarkyBoy@yahoo.com]
