My radio went off at 6:00 AM today, as it always does, and the top story on WCBS was that Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of the September 11th attacks and the world’s most influential terrorist, was dead. It jarred me, as I suppose only news of that magnitude can. I was certainly more awake at 6:02 today than I usually am. I immediately turned on the television, flipping through all the major morning news shows. Half an hour later, after getting whatever facts were made available, I have to admit that I was feeling a number of mixed emotions, but relief was not among them.
There are the obvious positive ramifications of Bin Laden’s elimination. The Al Qaeda network is now without its rallying figurehead. The American military has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to the completion of a key objective. The friends and families of those lost nearly ten years ago, and those lost in the wars that followed, can embrace some sense of justice and vindication for having lived with their pain for so long. Yet even as someone who knows people widowed or left fatherless on September 11th, and who has friends and family who felt the call of duty and enlisted in the aftermath, I don’t feel the urge to celebrate Bin Laden’s death. At least, not in the way that I’ve seen people celebrating on the news.
To be perfectly honest, when I saw throngs of people in city streets, waving flags and cheering, the only thing that jumped to mind were images of people in destitute Middle Eastern cities, who had the very same reaction upon hearing the news of the deadly attack on America ten years ago.
I’m not trying to lump people into groups here, or draw unflattering parallels. I’m just telling you the connections my mind has made. Even though he was a mass-murdering sociopath, the prolonged and public reveling in someone’s death just seems, to me, a little…primitive.
In most situations, I would be among the loudest voices advocating that cruelty deserves cruelty. I mean, if you ask me, there’s been no greater legal philosopher than Hammurabi. An eye for an eye, and all that. Being shot in the head and dumped into the sea was a quicker and cleaner exit than Osama Bin Laden truly deserved. So why the ambivalence?
I think it’s because we’ve been dealt this hand before. American forces captured Saddam Hussein in Iraq in December 2003. He was tried in an Iraqi military court, convicted of war crimes against his own people, and finally executed in December 2006. Saddam’s capture itself came eight months after President Bush’s infamous declaration of “Mission Accomplished”. And yet, it was only in August 2010 that the majority of combat troops left Iraq. We still have people on the ground there, just not in such a bellicose capacity. My point is that the death of Saddam Hussein–who, while never conclusively proven to be party to Bin Laden’s plots, was hardly a friend to America–did not end the Iraqi resistance to American forces. The war in Iraq continues. Will the death of Bin Laden really change the game in Afghanistan?
I think this further bolsters my opinion that, contrary to what I have heard a number of people on television say, this event is not remotely as decisive or definitive as V-E or V-J Day. Sure, it’s a tremendous accomplishment toward making the world a safer place, but Osama Bin Laden was not the leader of a country with clearly defined borders with a national military upon which the United States declared war. There will be no official surrender, no signing of a treaty in neutral territory. As the president himself has already acknowledged, the war will continue. The Al Qaeda network still spans the globe, and while its members might be shaken, the most devout among them will not be deterred.
The question now is, how will the war proceed? Will there be a final surge in activity to catch Al Qaeda off-guard before the president’s proposed draw-down of troops in Afghanistan begins? What work will those operatives still in Iraq be charged with? How, if at all, is our allied engagement in Libya going to be effected? The biggest unknown, I think, is what tone the United States is going to set for its continued relationship with Pakistan.
Osama Bin Laden was not found in a cave in the Afghan mountains, subsisting on rations and using leaves for toilet paper. He was found in a three-story, gated estate in the city of Abbotabad, less than 100 miles from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Furthermore, President Obama said intelligence regarding this hideaway had started to come from sources almost nine months ago. Think about that. Imagine if Churchill and De Gaulle had said to Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, “You gotta help us find Hitler!”, and then in 1945, FDR said, “Oh, hey guys. Guess what? He’s been in Baltimore the whole time.”
Pakistan has professed to be an ally in our War on Terror, but President Obama acknowledged that the mission to apprehend Bin Laden was carried out without the knowledge, cooperation, or approval of the Pakistani government or military. Now, it might not be easy, given that Pakistan is a nuclear power with unpopular and unstable leadership, but I think some difficult questions need to be asked.
Perhaps I’ll change my tune in the coming days. Being a history dork, and understanding the magnitude of this event, I wanted to record my initial thoughts and reactions. I hope it really is a turning point. I hope our men and women in uniform can begin to return from harm’s way. I hope our political and military leadership can restructure their policies in a smart, anticipatory, and responsible way. And I hope that for those who have lost loved ones due to the direct or retaliatory actions of Osama Bin Laden that the burden they carry is a little lighter today.
Good evening, citizens. Welcome to The Honestly Blog’s 2011 State of the Union LiveBlog. As I did last year, I will be commenting on the president’s address, as well as the opposition’s rebuttal. I will also be doling out plaudits and demerits to any number of individuals the cameras happen to capture. It is my hope that this can make this occasionally dreadful event more enjoyable for you.
So, fellow patriots, let’s begin…
The President of the United States, in his rarely seen "Say what?" stance
8:50 PM: Can I just say, this Heroes/The Incredibles knock-off show on ABC has painfully bad special effects.
8:58 PM: Good to see the dad from 7th Heaven still gets work. Okay, seriously, can we get this show on the road, folks?
9:01 PM: That ridiculous trailer for the State of the Union may make me change channels.
9:02 PM: Oh, good. A new ribbon that we can use to evaluate people’s loyalty.
9:05 PM: Where are the other three Justices? I’m sure there’s probably a security reason for keeping them home, but I sincerely hope they’re just on somebody’s couch with popcorn and beer.
9:07 PM: That Congressman had braces!
9:10 PM: Will Speaker John Boehner cry tonight? Stay tuned…
9:11 PM: Not liking Boehner’s tie. -1
9:12 PM: That fat Congressman from Arizona couldn’t even be bothered to wear a tie. Honestly…? -20
9:14 PM: It might be inappropriate, but Mrs. O is a stone cold fox. +25
9:15 PM: Thank you, Mr. O, for making a slight dig at this ridiculous seating arrangement. +2
9:19 PM: Remarkable speech writing. This is the most delicate way of taking America by the shoulders, shaking it violently, and saying, “Wake the fuck up!” +20 to the communications team.
9:21 PM: I think the Secretary of Commerce has pink eye.
9:23 PM: Claps for Facebook! Honestly…?
9:24 PM: Senator Nelson of Florida looks like a vampire. -5
9:26 PM: The only problem with clean energy initiatives is that it’s not as sexy as going into space.
9:28 PM: People are sitting in the aisles!
9:29 PM: Barack Obama, leader of the nerd rebellion. +1
9:30 PM: No! The first black president can not use the phrase “show you the money”. No, no, and no. -10
"Ask not what your country can do for you..."
9:33 PM: John Boehner is exhausted. C’mon, Mr. Speaker, step up to the plate. -5.
9:35 PM: That lady just mouthed “That’s me,” to the people on either side of her when the president mentioned her. Honestly…?
9:36 PM: Did John Kerry have a stroke?
9:40 PM: Nancy Pelosi’s “date” for the evening is outstanding! Way to go, Nance. +10 for you.
9:42 PM: Are all these new ties to South Korea going to bite us in the ass when North Korea loses its marbles again?
9:43 PM: That lady in the leopard print has no neck.
9:44 PM: Ah, health care reform. Now we know where the Democrats sit.
9:47 PM: Balancing the books is “the final step” in securing the future? Not, um, getting out of two rudderless wars?
9:48 PM: Michelle Bachmann clearly had some Botox tonight.
9:52 PM: Bernie Sanders looks about five hours shy of death.
9:56 PM: Well, if you put all this information online, but most Americans still don’t have internet access, isn’t that rather pointless? Or is it precisely what you’re after?
9:58 PM: Oh, good, you remembered we’re at war.
10:00 PM: “Afghanistanis with AIDS?” Sorry, couldn’t resist The Office reference.
10:02 PM: Really piling it on North Korea tonight, huh?
10:04 PM: Supporting the new Tunisian government before there is a new Tunisian government seems risky.
10:06 PM: And the Joint Chiefs remain stone-faced at the mention of gays.
10:07 PM: Kay Bailey Hutchinson is wearing an old marching band uniform. -3.
10:09 PM: Joe Biden finally gets to flash the teeth! +5.
10:11 PM: Not sure how a story about the Chilean miners is going to tie this all together.
10:12 PM: “We do big things” is going to be a hilarious bumper sticker.
Well, that wasn’t bad. It was way more focused at the beginning. The last fifteen minutes seemed kind of sloppy, with obligatory pep rally talk. I’ll tally up the points later. Now, let’s get ready for the Republican rebuttal, from Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan…
Our next guest...
10:25 PM: Congressman Ryan’s eyes look really bloodshot in HD.
10:26 PM: You’re a minute into your speech and you’re already quoting Scripture? -15.
10:27 PM: Rep. Ryan has kids who are 6, 7, and 8 years old? You crazy horndog, you!
10:29 PM: After the president just challenged you to move forward, looking back and bitching about health care looks kind of ridiculous.
10:32 PM: If he ever loses his seat, Rep. Ryan can easily land a gig narrating audiobooks or educational films.
10:33 PM: Um, didn’t our economy bottom out first, and that’s why other nation’s economies collapsed?
Well, that was a nice debut performance for Rep. Ryan. I could have agreed with it more if he offered a little more that was new. The whole strategy of identifying with the Founding Fathers is pretty stale. Plus, seeing as how the Founding Fathers were a bunch of upper class, largely atheist, slave-owners who didn’t trust their fellow citizens to make the right choices, I don’t think they’d be terribly popular nowadays.
Now it’s time for the bonus round! Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, a noted Tea Party member, is going to give her own rebuttal to the State of the Union. Let’s watch…
"Here she is, boys! Here she is, world!"
10:49 PM: Oh, this is off to a bad start. She’s not looking at the camera.
10:50 PM: Oh, no. She’s got charts. Charts!
10:51 PM: Does she normally talk like Sarah Palin or was that an acquired skill?
10:53 PM: I’m not sure she watched the State of the Union tonight.
10:54 PM: Now it sounds like a PBS telethon. If you call your representative now, you’ll receive this free tote bag!
10:55 PM: The Iwo Jima photo? Honestly…?
Well, Paul Ryan owes his next re-election to Michelle Bachmann. She made him look Solomonic by comparison. Rep. Ryan may have kept things a little vague, but at least he sounded sensible. Rep. Bachmann just sounded like a paranoid weirdo, chirping about “ObamaCare” half a dozen times. Also, the low-budget public access vibe she was giving off was seriously lacking in professionalism. I mean, honestly, that was like watching after-school tutoring on TeleCare. If you’re gonna put on a show, lady, put it on right.
Well, shall we tally up the totals to see who came out on top tonight?
The fat Arizona congressman without a tie: -20
Rep. Paul Ryan: -15
President Obama: -7 (That’s mostly because of that “show me the money” line, which I suppose the speechwriters are really responsible for. But, hey, he let it stay in!)
Speaker John Boehner: -6 (If he had cried, he would have lost more.)
Sen. Nelson of Transylvania Florida: -5
Kay Bailey Hutchinson: -3
Vice President Joe Biden: 5
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: 10
The president’s speechwriters: 20 (I really should deduct for the Jerry Maguire quote. I really should.)
And who was tonight’s big winner?
I know, I know. She’s just the First Lady. But what a lady she is. Enjoy your 25 Honestly Blog points, Mrs. Obama. You’ve earned them.
Well, citizens, Tuesday was an exciting day in American politics. I hope you were among the many who exercised their civic responsibility. If you’re tired of watching the talking heads–and who wouldn’t be; watching CNN on Election Night was like watching the most coked-up panel of celebrity judges on a rerun of The Match Game–then allow me to break it all down for you, with my usual eye for the unusual.
Seriously, this may as well have been the CNN newsroom.
Of course, the major story was that the Republican Party made large gains in state and federal positions. The biggest prize was winning back the House of Representatives. This makes John Boehner, congressman from Ohio, the presumptive Speaker of the House. At some point Tuesday night, he finally came on air to make a statement. I was half-listening to him, but perked up when I heard him repeat verbatim the start of a paragraph. “Oh, the poor bastard,” I thought, “Somebody forgot to collate the pages of his speech.” Then he stopped talking, and kind of just stared out over the lip of the podium, shifting his weight slightly from side to side. I thought, “Oh my God, he’s going to stroke out on national television!” And then…then John Boehner started to cry. And I was very uncomfortable.
I'll just...give you a minute. Really, I'll just...uh...step outside.
Look, I get it. The guy just got handed the biggest promotion of his life (and since a potential Republican president would need a strong ally in the House, it’s probably the biggest promotion he’ll ever get in his life). But the choking sobs of a grown man from small-town Ohio were enough to make me call it a night.
Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi. One tough broad. So what happened?
So, what does Yours Truly make of the shake-up on Capitol Hill? While I tend to find most of my viewpoints shared by Democratic lawmakers, it’s not like the D’s didn’t have this coming. They held the majorities in both houses and yes, they got shit done; but when they slipped up, they were splayed flat on their backs, and took too long to get back on their feet again. I also marvel at how the Republican party can be so unified, and the Democrats wound up having to try to placate a few greedy rabble-rousers who wanted a bigger spot in the sandbox. I don’t understand why the party leadership didn’t put more pressure on these individuals–who went on to lose reelection overwhelmingly anyway–to tow the party line. Maybe there’s something to be said for a little dissent within the party, but when you face a group as obstinate as the Republic lawmakers, you should just be fighting with fire, especially when the math works in your favor.
But now Democrats find themselves in the minority, at least in the lower chamber. And here’s where it can get interesting. The most consistent and most appropriate criticism of congressional Republicans
Senate Minotiry Leader Mitch McConnell. Kind of a douche lately.
is that they are the Party of No. I wonder how easily the R’s in the House will transition from idea-squashers into idea-makers. If the Republicans said, “Our goal is to repeal Laws 1, 2, and 3, and replace them with Laws A, B, and C,” I’d say, “Well, I might not agree with that idea, but it’s an idea.” But instead, all Republicans have been saying is, “Our goal is to repeal Laws 1, 2, and 3.” Where’s the follow-up, Goppers? I mean, it’s really hard to take you seriously when your leading figure in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, announces with a straight face that “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” Honestly, Senator, you may think that, but you shouldn’t say it. That’s the least constructive objective you could possibly have. That has no one’s best interest at heart. And seeing as how you’re still in the minority in the Senate, and have personally never once been considered to be a potential standard-bearer for the Republicans in 2012, it’s rather delusional.
Historically, it’s also unlikely. Many a president has won reelection without lots of friends in Congress. And if Republicans squander their new influence with a lack of alternate solutions to the nation’s myriad problems, they’re not going to win any new fans in 2012.
Bottom line? The fireworks might be a little bigger when the 112th Congress convenes, but I think the country’s climb out of the shit hole it’s been in will continue to be a slow one. And that, my friends, means that the pendulum may well swing the other way in another two years. As one of Good Morning, America‘s commentators, whose name unfortunately escapes me now, had said, the American people have become dangerous accustomed having things done for them yesterday. We can communicate instantaneously across time zones, we carry around entire libraries of music in our pockets, and we watch our favorite television shows whenever we so choose. Government seems to be the only thing that hasn’t been swept along by the digital revolution, and as our patience grows thinner, so does our tolerance.
But there were other stories to follow this Election Day, some serious and some straight-up comical–and some that straddled the line between. Let’s get to it…
Crazy for You
I think the Tea Party crowd kind of broke even on Election Day. Embattled septuagenarian Harry Reid eked out a victory in Nevada, defeating the daffy Sharron Angle, who is famous for not being able to differentiate between Asians and Latinos. Also losing was Christine O’Donnell, Delaware’s Tea Party surprise, who will now most certainly be on next season’s Dancing with the Stars. However, Kentucky voters sent Rand Paul to the Senate, and Sarah Palin-sponsored Nikki Haley will be moving to the governor’s mansion in South Carolina. Ms. Haley is the first woman to land the job, and only the second Indian-American to be a governor, joining current Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal. I have to admit that I find it curious that the party that fights tooth and nail against immigration, gay rights, and affirmative action–in short, attempts at diversity–is championing these minority politicians.
Hey, Big Spender
The 2010 election showed, reassuringly, that you can’t buy your way into office. Linda McMahon spent her wrestling millions trying to become the junior senator from Connecticut and failed. Carly Fiorina, the wealthy former Hewlett-Packard executive, couldn’t unseat popular California senator Barbara Boxer. And elsewhere in California, the former CEO of eBay, Meg Whitman, is now $140 million poorer after losing the governor’s race to Jerry Brown. Honestly, Meg Whitman, $140 million? That’s like the combined gross national product of twelve sub-Saharan countries. The staggering thing is that I imagine this expenditure will not impact her lifestyle in the least.
All in the Family
Money can’t buy you electoral love, but a recognizable name apparently can. Andrew Cuomo got his dad’s old job of governor of New York. Joe Biden III was reelected as attorney general of Delaware. And Ben Quayle, son of the much-maligned former vice president, was elected to Congress from Arizona. Also still coasting on his fame was John McCain, who retained his senate seat for another six years, and will now almost certainly die in office, thus treating us to a week of institutionalized mourning the likes of which has not been seen since the passing of Ronald Reagan.
Oh no! There he goes!
Independent’s Day
There were two particularly interesting results that proved the validity of independent candidates. Lincoln Chafee, formerly a Republican member of the U.S. Senate, was elected governor of Rhode Island as an independent. This was no fair-weather change of allegiance either. Chafee left the R’s in 2007 and openly supported President Obama’s campaign in 2008.
In Alaska, the circumstances were a bit different, but no less surprising. After sitting Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was passed over for Tea Party charmer Joe Miller, she announced her intention to run as an independent. Due to Alaska’s election laws, this meant she would have to compete solely on write-in votes. At press time, she is in the lead. I admit to not knowing much about her views, but if she’s proving that this many literate people live in her state, I say bully for you, Senator!
So, is there a future for independent candidacies? Perhaps. If she is indeed elected, Senator Murkowksi will be the third active independent senator. Looking at a map, it’s interesting to see that successful independents come from states small in population but not necessarily small in size or wealth.
The Body Politic
There were a number of ballot measures for voters to decide on across the nation. Three of particular interest revolved around citizens’ health and well-being. In a direct repudiation of President Obama’s efforts, Arizona and Oklahoma passed measures to prohibit mandated health care. And in Colorado, a major victory for those respectful of women’s rights came when residents overwhelmingly defeated a measure that would define personhood as “beginning at biological development”. Consider these harbingers of two issues sure to be discussed in 2012.
And now, for something completely different…
I promised electoral comedy, and here’s the first installment. There were a number of ballot measures put before voters that honestly just made me laugh. Here are the highlights:
To the cheers of college students, tailgaters, and Kennedys across the state, Massachusetts has repealed its sales tax on alcohol.
In effort to utterly confuse its electorate, California put forth one ballot measure which would “remove elected officials from the redistricting process” and another which would “replace the redistricting commission with elected officials”. As it turns out, Operation: Extreme Redundancy was a success: the first one passed, the second one failed.
The people of Michigan and North Carolina don’t believe in second chances. A Michigan ballot measure now prevents “certain” felons from holding elective office, and North Carolina now forbids felons from being elected sheriff. Here’s my question: will the North Carolina sheriffs lend their virtue and expertise to help weed out the good felons from the bad in Michigan?
In an intense display of overreaction, Oklahomans voted to make English the official language of governance and to forbid the implementation of sharia law in state courts. I imagine the thriving fanatical Muslim community in the Sooner State was outraged.
My second favorite ballot measure was the one approved in Virgina to “increase the size of the state’s ‘rainy day fund’”. What the blue fuck does that mean? Is there honestly a jar of spare change at the Virginia statehouse that people just empty their pockets into? Who decides how this money gets used? If the House of Delegates’ Annual BBQ and Famous Confederates Lookalike Contest gets rained out one year, who makes the call between going to the nearest 3-D IMAX theater or just picking up a few sets of Risk, Battleship, and Stratego at Target and expunging slighted separatist rage while munching on jerky and cream puffs? I have so many questions.
Finally, my favorite ballot measure of 2010 came from Colorado. After surreptitiously defending a woman’s right to choose, the citizens of the Rocky Mountain state also made their voices heard on the crucial matter of minor-league gambling. The people of Colorado resoundingly rejected a ballot measure that would change the oversight of bingo and raffles. That’s right! The government asked the question and the people gave their answer. They went to the polls and they said, “B-I-N-G-Oh no, you fucking don’t! You do not screw around with my black-out rounds and 50-50′s, thank you very much!” Truly, a victory for democracy.
Catch A Rising Star
So, whose stock is up post-Election Day? There’s quite a few names to watch, if you ask me.
First, at the state level, former mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom is now California’s lieutenant governor-elect. In Illinois, Lisa Madigan, who was once thought to be a shoe-in to fill vacancies left by Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich, won reelection in the race for state attorney general. Another notable lady of the law, Massachusetts’ Martha Coakley, showed her previous loss for U.S. Senate couldn’t keep her down; she was reelected state attorney general. Her boss, Deval Patrick, retained his job as Massachusetts governor. New Yorkers reelected both of their Democratic senators, the veteran Chuck Schumer and the rookie Kirsten Gillibrand. Rob Portman, Republican senator-elect from Ohio, and John Kasich, Republican governor-elect from Ohio, could shape the electoral future of this crucial swing state (particularly with fellow Buckeye Mr. Boehner controlling the U.S. House). And Joe Manchin III, senator-elect from West Virginia, is now every Democrat’s new best friend. Thanks largely to him, they retained their majority in the upper chamber.
And since the yapping maws on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News have no other way to fill 24 hours of airtime, why not speculate about which of Tuesday’s winners could make a play for the presidency in 2012? Mike Pence, the successful congressman from Indiana, has not shied away from the suggestion. Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, and John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, both won reelection to the Senate with ease. Former senator and previous presidential hopeful Sam Brownback was elected governor of Kansas. And Rick Perry, who bears a disconcerting resemblance to one of his professional predecessors, was reelected governor of Texas. If you’re looking for a dark horse to enter the conversation, perhaps only as VP candidate, consider Peter King, the Republican congressman who has repeatedly won reelection in my ancestral homeland of Long Island. A downstate New Yorker who serves on the Homeland Security Committee? Could be a profitable balance to some bible-thumping yokel from south of the Mason-Dixon line.
What’s In A Name?
To close out this exhaustive electoral recap, I offer my second dose of laughter, this one utterly childish and unapologetically low-brow. I hereby present to you a list of the funniest names from Election Day 2010.
Colorado Governor-elect John Hickenlooper
Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger
Nevada Congressman-elect Joe Heck
Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge
Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte (was his birth name Starbuck?)
Here’s a two-for-one special. The contest in the Texas 23rd was between Ciro Rodriguez and Quico Canseco. Rodriguez vs. Canseco. Canseco won. Poetic?
Not long after 1:00 today, in his first appearance at the plate in today’s game against the scrappy Toronto Blue Jays, Alex Rodriguez launched the ball straight out over the center field fence to record his 600th career home run. The ball was found resting at the foot of the temple of official Yankee fandom, Monument Park, which I find almost distressingly poetic.
Equally serendipitous is the fact that A-Rod clocked in his 600th home run three years to the day that he knocked his 500th out of the park–an occasion I happened to have been on hand to witness. Since August 4, 2007, I’ve changed computers and cameras, so I’m having no luck in unearthing my video of that outrageous moment at press time, but let me assure you that it was something I’ll never forget. It was likely the most excited I have ever been watching baseball. The moment it was clear that the ball was fair and gone, the cheers in Yankee Stadium crescendoed to deafening levels. The video I have of it is shaky from my jumping up and down, and my repeated “Oh my God”s from behind the camera drown out anything else. Somehow I kept Alex in frame as he trotted around the bases. It was one of the most indelible moments of my young adult life.
My custom commemorative collage of that day: program cover, back page of the paper the next day, the ticket stub, and a sweet pic of A-Rod's follow-through that my friend Stef took.
I know he’s a polarizing player–and I’ll be the first to admit that, having seen and read many an interview, he certainly has a somewhat warped mindset–but in the end, he’s there to entertain his fans, to give them a few thrills. And in the end, that’s what he does well. Win or lose, if A-Rod makes a great stop and throw to first or sends one out into the bleachers, his fans in New York and across the country are going to celebrate. I’m not saying he’s bigger than the team, but he’s assuredly a big part of it.
So, congratulations, you peculiar and handsome man. Your A-bomb certainly seemed to rejuvenate the team today. Let’s see if the momentum can carry through until we’re safely ahead in first place again.
What follows is my attempt at basketball analysis.
Now, I have never claimed to be an authority on any sport, with the notable exceptions of kickball, mini-golf, and Australian Rules Football. And while I am a baseball fan, I often defer to the opinions of more seasoned spectators, like Honestly Blog contributor Tripp or my younger hometown comrades-in-bloggery at Watch The Gap Sports. Of all the major team sports, basketball is the one I have the least connection to and knowledge of. I didn’t watch enough minutes of this season’s final series between the Lakers and Celtics to amount to an entire half. I don’t know what the players’ positions actually are. And if you asked me to name someone who plays at Madison Square Garden, I’d ask you if John Starks was still a Knick.
So, no, basketball is not my area of expertise. But it was near impossible to hear about anything else this week. Emboldened from expanding my repertoire to include music reviews, I’ve decided to weigh in on the LeBron-o-thon. I decided to discuss it in two ways: first, in terms of the actual decision itself; second, in terms of the hoopla surrounding it. I expect some of my readers to correct me on some points, but I hope that as a removed neophyte, my perspective might be a welcome one.
Bienvenido A Miami
The weeks of speculation over LeBron James’ future that began the minute the Cavs were knocked out of the play-offs ended last night with his announcement that he will be signing with the Miami Heat. Here are the questions his decision raises in my unfamiliar mind…
Why did LeBron choose Miami?
In his prime-time special, LeBron essentially said that he wanted to go where the winning was. Shallow as it may be, it is nevertheless a perfectly valid reason for a high-profile professional athlete who has collected nearly every other possible accolade in his career thus far, except for a championship. Yet what guarantee does the move to Miami give him? The Heat may have Dwyane Wade, but they haven’t won it all in four years. Not even the Celtics, with players so well-regarded for their skills that even I can name them (Garnett, Rondo, and Pierce) could beat the Lakers last month. All this says to me is that there is no guarantee, that no team is as good as its superstar. Which leads into my next question…
Is Miami big enough for James and Wade?
I’m not sure there are many prior examples to two players of such magnitude joining forces. The closest comparison I can make is A-Rod joining the Yankees. Upon its announcement, that deal was arguably even bigger news. After all, Rodriguez was coming to a team whose favorite son and ambassador to the world was a guy who played the same position he did. A-Rod conceded to Jeter and took over at third, which got him off on the right foot with the Yankee fanbase. But it didn’t take long for that other shoe to drop–repeatedly and heavily.
I can’t help but think that LeBron is going to find himself in a similar situation. If the Heat start the season strong, he’ll be celebrated. If he brings them another championship, he’ll be elevated from King James to God-Emperor James. Yet if they lose five straight games, fall to anything below second in their conference, or fail to reach–let alone win–the finals, he will be the most singularly reviled human being in Dade County. He’ll be written off as a joke, a greedy blowhard who was all style and no substance. (Some people already say those things about him)
And that’s just what they’ll say about his actions on the court. Throughout his first season in Miami, LeBron James will be subjected to a media presence that even someone at his level of fame will find intrusive. I doubt we’ll get to the All-Star break before hearing about diva antics in the locker room, excessive spending, or a sordid accusation from a Miami female. I don’t say these things because I think less of LeBron James. I say these things because he’s human. True or false, in or out of context, his every move and every word will enter the news cycle, and it won’t always play well with audiences.
Which brings us to the team’s other superstar, he of the ludicrously misspelled first name, Dwyane Wade. He’s been the hero of the Heat since he arrived. Even in less successful seasons, his own abilities have kept the team in focus. Whether he was engaged in the efforts to recruit LeBron or not, he must realize that his star is about to be eclipsed. Yet if he’s smart, he might be breathing a sigh of relief right now.
Another grossly over-sized ring might be the least of the benefits Wade will reap from LeBron’s arrival. If the Heat stumble, 99% of the blame will fall on LeBron. If they win a title, there will be those who say that they couldn’t have done it without LeBron; but I suspect there will be just as many who say that LeBron couldn’t have done it without Wade. There is no way that Dwyane Wade can come out of this other than smelling like roses. Even if a clash of personalities develops between the two, he’ll be seen as the victim, no matter how contradictory the evidence. It’s all because Wade has one thing on his side that LeBron doesn’t: he was there first.
So, to actually answer the question: yes, I think these two can co-exist, even thrive, on a team together. But if the new Miami Heat are thriving, what about the rest of the NBA? Simply put…
Is it fair?
Already people are bemoaning the one-sided nature of the next NBA season. Yet I again point to my boys in pinstripes as an example. Signing C.C., A.J., and Tex hasn’t been enough to keep the Yanks from having to constantly beat back the Sox and Rays for dominance in the AL East. No matter how high you stack the deck, it can always come tumbling down.
I don’t think the blockbuster acquisitions the Heat have made will be bad for competition in the league. If anything, I think it will elevate it. Every other team should be rabid now for the chance to hand the Heat a loss. This is great for basketball fandom, too, as no realm of public domain relishes a David-over-Goliath victory more than professional sports. Sure, bandwagoners will flock to the Heat, but just as many people will don the jersey of their local team for the odd satisfaction that comes with being the underdog.
Yet if there are any losers in this deal (aside from the heart-broken residents of The Buckeye State), I think they are the other two starters on the Heat. Are those guys ever going to even touch the ball? Sharing the floor with James, Wade, and Bosh might be your quickest way to a championship, but man, what a thankless way to get there. And let’s not forget the salary discrepancies on the court. Unlike Major League Baseball, the NBA has a salary cap. This means that the Heat’s fourth and fifth starters are going to have to live with the fact that they’re being paid less precisely so their teammates can be paid more. Maybe that won’t bother them. Perhaps the ends justify the means. But as I said, regardless of team harmony, superstars don’t guarantee success. How steamed will these two guys be if one of the new hires fails to deliver? Frankly, I’d like nothing more than for one of these Other Guys to have a break-out season and take a couple hundred thousand away from LeBron. What a thrill if someone other than The King became the team’s great hope.
If hopes are high in Miami, they’re at a record low in Cleveland. Which begs the seemingly obvious question…
Should Cleveland fans be angry?
I think Cleveland fans have every right to be angry, but I don’t think they can be surprised. LeBron’s contract was up, he and his teammates were not finding that championship rhythm, and there were others offering to pay him handsomely. So, allow me to modify my statement: Cleveland fans can not be angry that LeBron left; however, they can be angry with how he left. Which brings me to the second part of this already much longer than I anticipated article: the nature of The Decision itself.
Razzle Dazzle ‘Em
“It’s all a circus, kid. A three-ring circus. This trial…the whole world…all show business. But, kid, you’re working with a star. The biggest.”
~ Billy Flynn, “Chicago”
Occasionally, there are athletes who transcend the world of sports. Their fame, influence, and appeal extend beyond the playing field. They’re not just all-stars or superstars. They become celebrities. And believe it or not, there is a step beyond celebrity that only a few of these athletes reach. They become a brand. LeBron James is such an athlete.
If you had any doubts that LeBron James is a commodity, I hope that last night’s ESPN prime-time special erased them from your mind. What aired last night was heretofore unseen on television. I’m not talking about LeBron’s announcement itself. I’m talking about a market-dominating basic cable channel, itself owned by one of the most powerful media conglomerates in the world, suspending regularly scheduled programming and ignoring existing advertising contracts at the request of an individual (or his representatives), in order to get an exclusive story–albeit one which the network’s best analysts had already deemed a foregone conclusion.
Think about that. If that doesn’t boggle your mind, it should. For one hour–and perhaps a few scattered moments in the preceding two days–Team LeBron ran ESPN. And by all accounts, they did so with the full cooperation of network brass. The suits, facing any number of unknown consequences, nevertheless handed LeBron the keys and said, “Put pedal to metal, baby! We won’t even buckle our seat belts. We cool. Fist-bump! Explode!”
Team LeBron picked the time. Team LeBron picked the place. I imagine that Team LeBron picked the interviewer. Team LeBron even picked the commercials, all for products or services from which you know he gets a kick-back. In the act of allowing LeBron James to use them as a platform to announce where he would be going to make more money, ESPN helped LeBron James make more money! The Worldwide Leader shook the Devil’s hand really hard this time.
And yet, despite the outrageous precedent it sets, I have to admire it. Team LeBron knows how to put on a show. They rode his free agency for all it was worth. They reported his every move, leaked his every thought, and teased fans across the nation (oh, you thought he just felt like wearing a Yankee cap that day, did you?). And when The King decided where he wanted to place his throne, they got him an hour of free television and idiot-proofed it: a submissive interviewer, friendly sponsors, and a room full of silent, awe-struck children as his only audience. But…there was just one problem.
As it turns out, LeBron James is something of a first-class idiot.
And like all first-class idiots, he managed to find a way around the safety catches set up for him and inflict as many bruises as possible. One need look no further than the first few awkward minutes of his conversation with Jim Gray. Clearly, the earpiece LeBron was wearing was malfunctioning. How else do you reconcile his subsequent rambling remarks with this early stunted gem:
Gray: “What’s new? What’s been going on with you this summer?” James: “Man, this whole free agency experience. >pause< Looking forward to it. >pause<“
>crickets< >crickets<
All right, so am I surprised that he was being fed his answers over a wire? Hardly. Was it unfortunate that the machinery was on the fritz? Hey, shit happens. But to see that not only was LeBron this poorly rehearsed, but that the answers written for him were this limp, noncommittal, and defensive is embarrassing. I thought Team LeBron was in the driver’s seat. Looks like the speechwriter was asleep at the wheel. This moment was the start of the next stage of LeBron’s career. He should have appeared confident, determined, and in control. Instead, he told his hometown fans, who he was abandoning, to respect his fragile emotional state. He told Jim Gray more than once that he only committed to Miami after he had his mother’s permission. Dressing him like a visitor to a Rockwellian state fair didn’t help either. Honestly, Team LeBron, this was your idea of being air-ready? Nobody’s cared this much about where a black man wanted to work since President Obama announced his candidacy, and you think the following is an acceptable response to a question about LeBron’s expectations for free agency?
“I expected to be able to go through this process and be able to sit down with my team and sit across from other teams and hear how they feel with me being a part of their team, could help them win and could ultimately help others win. And the process was everything I expected and more. And like I said before, I just thank all those teams that have come to Cleveland and us have those interviews and have that process. It was everything that I’ve ever expected and more.”
So when’s the swimsuit competition? Because I’m pretty sure I’m watching a goddamn beauty pageant.
I’m not saying he has to deliver the Gettysburg Address, but everyone knew this moment was coming. Couldn’t he have been just a bit more prepared? Suffice to say, LeBron better rack up those championships, because he has a long way to go to calling games on TNT. Then again, when considering the talent on display from ESPN last night, he might fit right in…
Here’s where most of my beef with “The Decision”, and where my expertise, lies. Jim Gray, you are not Ryan Seacrest. I just about put my foot through my television when you said (and I’m only loosely paraphrasing), “Do you still bite your nails, LeBron? Because right now, you’ve got everyone else biting theirs! Haw haw haw!” Are you fucking kidding me? And Stuart Scott, you’re not getting off the hook either. The only thing more unpleasant to viewers than your drastically lazy eye is your outlandish hyperbole. Again, paraphrasing: “Just moments from now, LeBron James, the greatest basketball player of his or any past or future generation, will announce which team he will be signing with. Which team will it be? Which team will be blessed with championship after championship, record after record? Which arena will have the honor to retire jersey number 23 and have their ceiling be deemed a holy place to which all sports fans will make pilgrimages to for centuries to come?” Give me a break.
If they really wanted to build suspense, they shouldn’t have shown LeBron on camera until the second half hour. Instead, they should have had every guy who ever coached him, every teammate who ever liked him, every opponent who ever respected him, and every living legend who ever admired him in the studio or checking in via satellite to give viewers their thoughts and their predictions. ESPN should have had puff pieces about LeBron’s time with the Cavs, his boyhood in Akron, and his amiable, generous nature. Interspersed should have been highlight reels of his greatest shots, blocks, and dunks. Finally, in the last quarter of the hour, Stu Scott tosses it to Jim Gray, live at the Boys & Girls Club, for some cheap suspense and then, with minutes ticking away, only then should they have let LeBron answer the question everyone’s been asking. That’s how you do it.
Was this whole spectacle indulgent, manipulative, and self-serving? Of course it was. But the far greater crime is that it was simply bad television. ESPN, leave the agonizing results shows to Fox. Stick with what you know.
In Conclusion…
I imagine that by now most of you are wishing I would heed my own advice. What can I say? The muse was moving me today. Again, I don’t know much about basketball. The first half of this post is just the unvarnished observations of someone outside that particular world. But having been involved in the business of show, I’d like to think my critiques in part two carry a bit more weight (and a few more laughs). But the floor is open, dear readers. Tell me where I’m wrong and why I’m wrong. Who knows? You feedback just might convince me to follow basketball next season.
~ T
P.S: I may not know much about the NBA, but I know enough to play a long shot when I see it: Clippers over Heat in 5. Blake Griffin is my homeboy.
Hey, sports fans! How ’bout that US soccer team? Our dauntless squad of sporting pseudo-celebrities continue their unlikely climb up the World Cup bracket, having defeated Algeria yesterday, 1 – 0. This means that the Americans will play Ghana on Saturday, and that for at least three more days, people in the United States will pretend they understand, enjoy, and care about soccer.
I kid, I kid. Some of my best friends are soccer players. I have nothing but respect for the tremendous stresses they put on their bodies, and the relentless effort with which they play. But, come on, let’s face it: when it comes to the World Cup, America has always been the red-headed stepchild of the competition. We’re the people who were so arrogant and xenophobic that we had to make up two entirely new sports (warped and bastardized adaptations of existing games, to be sure) just to keep the world’s most popular and most practical game from taking root here in this, our nation, unique among all others. But once every four years, we kick the doors open to whatever international venue FIFA has chosen and swagger in like we’ve been a part of it since the Aztecs were playing for beating human hearts instead of a garish golden trophy. It’s so shallow, so disingenuous, so…American.
But, seriously, I wish Team USA the best. I mean, it’s hard not to cheer on these guys. Strictly by virtue of being the American soccer team, they’re underdogs. Who doesn’t want to root for the underdog? Plus, when you have squad members like Benny Feilhaber putting videos like the one embedded below on YouTube for the world to see, how could you not want to see them succeed?
Can I just say…honestly, Benny Feilhaber? It’s not enough that you’re good enough at soccer to earn a place on the national squad which competes in the world’s most elite competition, but you have to be humorous and self-effacing as well? Is it really necessary for you to be a better lip-syncher than any contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, what with your funny faces and diva gesticulations and punning literal dance moves? Must you have a perfectly shaped dome, a strong and confident chin, rakish facial hair that I’m sure requires little or no maintenance (it just grows in cool that way), pouty lips that frame a dental hygienist’s wet dream, and those steel cobalt eyes that are simultaneously so cold and so warm, so hard and so soft, which slowly and inexorably draw me in, more effective than any state fair hypnotist’s pocket watch could ever hope to be, and delicately yet insistently command me to surrender control to you, Benny Feilhaber? Why must you toy with us mere mortals on this earthly realm, Benny Feilhaber? Do you understand the paradox your very existence suggests? Tell me, Benny Feilhaber, is it fair?
Allow me to add this to the list of things I’m just in no way, shape, or form okay with.
This is the turritopsis nutricula, and according to a brief article I read this morning, it is immortal.
Yes. This jellyfish is immortal.
According to the author and the scientists he cites, this amorphous bastard has the ability to revert from its fully grown adult form back into a mere zygote of its former self, and then grow back to maturity again. It can do this whenever it wants, as many times as it wants. As such, scientists are unable to tell just how old any individual member of the species is. Could be 10 days. Could be 10 decades.
The scientific name for this ability is transdifferentiation. It’s not uncommon; some of our four-legged friends can regenerate organs and regrow limbs. But nobody’s ever encountered an animal that can alter its entire being like these heretical and no doubt exceedingly vain jellies.
Here’s why you should be worried. As one of the scientists in the article points out, if these creatures can live forever if they avoid predation, who’s going to stop them from taking over the seas? My main concern, however, is with how much time and money is going to be spent trying to unlock the secrets of the ageless jellies, and with what’s going to happen once somebody somewhere does.
Late last week, an outrageous study was published in Nature, which claimed to be able to scientifically prove the color of a dinosaur. Two paleontologists and an ornithologist, working off of an extraordinarily well-preserved specimen, compared the fossilized melanosomes (itty bitty organelles that produce pigment) of the dinosaur with those of different birds of today. The result? The first genuine reconstruction of what a dinosaur looked like in life.
So, yes. Hundreds of millions of years ago, there were carnivorous woodpeckers with teeth running around.
The dino in question is called Anchiornis. It only got to be about the size of a chicken. The scientists don’t believe it could actually fly, but rather that the feathers served numerous display purposes, conveying anything from “Hey, step off my turf,” to “How you doin’?”. You can read more about the study here.
This is cool in so very many ways. I mean, think about it: we can now conclusively know what an animal that lived 155 million years ago looked like. That’s just mind-boggling. Even wilder is the fact that it looks like something living and breathing and flying around today. I guess Mother Nature sticks with what works.
You can geek out with me. It’s all right. You’ll get your cool back with the Super Bowl tonight.
I'm probably going to keep my distance the next time I see one of these
I’m going to try something new tonight. I’m going to liveblog President Obama’s first State of the Union address. I figure this will be beneficial to me in a number of ways. For one thing, it will likely get my words-per-minute up. For another, it will force me to play close attention to what can sometimes be a boring event. I also hope it will be beneficial to you, dear readers, in that you will be encouraged to be an active member of the electorate and watch along with me.
Kick-off is sometime around 9:00, which seems oddly late for a speech of such potential importance. Oh well, at least this means the number of people caught falling asleep on camera will be greater!
Join me, won’t you?
The president in simpler, more joyful times
8:34 PM: A note about tonight’s proceedings. I will be covering both the State of the Union and the opposition’s rebuttal. Because it’s fair. And fun! I will be awarding and taking away points to any number of individuals based on a number of variables. At the end of the night, we’ll tally things up and see who the real winner was.
Do we think we’ll get another one of these tonight?
9:00 PM: HD does not favor Diane Sawyer. – 5.
9:02 PM: Mrs. O looks lovely, as always. +5.
9:03 PM: George Stephanopolous, you are neither an English professor nor a costume designer. Stop talking about the symbolism of people’s clothing. -10.
9:06 PM: Way to be prompt, Mr. President. +5.
9:07 PM: Judge Sonia! +10.
9:09 PM: Those are hilariously oversized envelopes!
9:11 PM: Oh no. Does Madame Speaker have…man-hands? -3.
9:12 PM: It’s pretty cool that the trifecta on the dais is a Catholic, a woman, and a black man. Minorities all. +10 to each.
9:14 PM: The President reads letters from children. Barack Obama = Santa? +1.
9: 17 PM: Standing O. For those over 21, take a drink!
9:21 PM: At last, my favorite image of all State of the Unions: a wide-angle shot of the entire chamber. Democrats: diverse, vibrantly dressed. Republicans: Sedentary, old white men in black suits.
9:22 PM: I think that was Mitch McConnell stifling a yawn. Come on, sir, it’s only 9:22! -15.
9:25 PM: The standing O’s are getting annoying, Dems. -5.
9:26 PM: John Boehner was clearly locked inside a tanning booth prior to tonight’s address. -10.
9:28 PM: Those three ladies were really excited to hear about fast trains.
9:29 PM: Oh, come on, Republicans. How can you be against cutting down on outsourcing? We all know you already don’t like Indians and Asians (Bobby Jindal is just “tan”), so why not take a chance to get on your feet and applaud against them when it’s socially acceptable? -15.
9:30 PM: Did the President just refer to the Bush Presidency as “The Lost Decade”? Ouch. +2.
9:32 PM: Who’s this dude wandering around?
9:33 PM: I think Vice President Biden and Madame Speaker have to have the toughest job tonight. They have to constantly look enthralled. +5 to each of them.
9:34 PM: I think Justice Ginsberg is asleep. She kind of gets a free pass, though.
9:36 PM: Nancy Pelosi was probably the most spirited little league coach in the entire San Francisco Bay area. +5.
9:36 PM: Ha! The President takes a jab at stupid people. +20.
9:38 PM: Everyone’s legs are already cramping.
9:39 PM: South Korea, Panama, and Columbia are three of our greatest trade partners? What have they given us? Cellists, relief pitchers, and cocaine, respectively.
9:41 PM: Lots of pressure on the Senate tonight. And Dr. Mrs. Jill Biden really likes the shout-out to community colleges! She looks lovely, too. +5, for looking nice and for being the first Second Lady to maintain a career of her own.
9:42 PM: Republicans…not applauding an attempt to make education more affordable and accessible doesn’t help you win over independents. -5.
9:43 PM: Joe Biden’s smile is absurdly large and bright! -1.
9:45 PM: Olympia Snowe looks like Lady Elaine from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. -5.
9:46 PM: If Mrs. Obama told me to put down the mint milanos, I’d damn well listen to her.
9:47 PM: Joe Biden, rockin’ a purple tie. Bucking the Washington fashion establishment. +8.
9:51 PM: Gah, that overhead shot is dizzying. Like a Busby Berkeley musical on acid.
9:53 PM: The Joint Chiefs and the Supremes have the best job: they’re not allowed to stand, applaud, or show favor.
9:54 PM: “Let’s go back to the ’90s, y’all! Tamogatchis and Spice Girls for everyone!” -5.
9:58 PM: Yikes…going after the Supreme Court? You might need them on your side when the olds in Florida press the wrong buttons in the booth in 2012. -1.
9:59 PM: That’s an awesome idea, Barack, but most Americans are going to get bored reading through earmark requests and watch a video of twelve idiots without rhythm dancing down the aisle of a friend’s wedding before they get to their own district. -2.
10:03 PM: Who do you have to be to sit at one of those really big tables?
10:05 PM: Mr. Biden is playing with his cuff links. Bored? -3.
10:07 PM: For a second, I just thought, “What the hell is Al Franken doing there?” Then I remembered. +10 Al Franken.
10:08 PM: Citing JFK and Ronald Reagan in the same sentence. Crafty. +5.
10:09 PM: No to nuclear weapons; yes to nuclear power. Aren’t they equally dangerous?
10:10 PM: Who are those two people who get to sit up on the dais flanking the VP and the Speaker?
10:11 PM: Man, he hasn’t even gotten to the honored guests yet. How much longer is this gonna be?
10:12 PM: “Guinea”? Is that even the proper name for it anymore? Is that the proper name for anything? -1.
10:13 PM: Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Good promise. I’ll believe it when I see it. +9. Oh, and that Chief on the aisle looked absolutely pained as the words were coming out of Barack’s mouth.
10:14 PM: Barbara Boxer looks like Joan Rivers. -3.
10:16 PM: A jab at Glenn Beck and Keith Olberman. +10.
10:17 PM: Oh, so close to catching someone picking their nose!
10:19 PM: Joe Lieberman looks like Palpatine.
10:20 PM: And that’s a wrap! Good work. Some of the same, some new stuff. Major points for not wasting time introducing random guests (AKA political props) in the gallery. +25. But major demerits for not mentioning now, or any time in the past month, the Proposition 8 trial currently underway in California. -30.
10:22 PM: We can soon expect the Republican rebuttal from Virgina Governor Bob McDonnell, shown below.
10:30 PM: Far less impressive trappings for Gov. McDonnell.
10:31 PM: Aw, the poor McDonnell twins have acne.
10:32 PM: I didn’t hear anything in the President’s speech about hurting the middle class. -2.
10:33 PM: Gov. McDonnell thinks the federal government is trying to do too much. Would you prefer they were trying to do too little? -5.
10:34 PM: But the federal government already controls parts of the health care system. Granted, it’s not perfect, but it’s not like this is some brand-new idea. -1.
10:35 PM: Does nuclear energy count as a natural resource? That’s a legit science question, for anyone reading.
10:37 PM: Way to go, Jeanine. +15.
10:38 PM: Citing Scott Brown. Clever. +2.
10:39 PM: Well-done seating chart for the dais here: a man in uniform, an African-American, a woman, and an Asian. Clever, clever. +5.
10:40 PM: Ahhh, you had to go and cite Scripture, didn’t you? -15.
10:42 PM: Well, did I agree with him? Not really. Did he speak well? Yes. Was his speech bitter, angry, or petty? Certainly not. Was it a great introduction to the national stage? You betcha. +5. Keep an eye on this fella.
Well, that’s really a wrap now! Let’s tally up the votes and see who were the night’s winners and losers:
Republicans: -20
Mitch McConnell: -15
Bob McDonnell: -11
John Boehner: -10
George Stephanopolous: -10
Democrats: -5
Olympia Snowe: -5
Diane Sawyer: -5
Barbara Boxer: -3
Jill Biden: 5
Michelle Obama: 5
Al Franken: 10
Sonia Sotomayor: 10
Nancy Pelosi: 12
Joe Biden: 14
Jeanine McDonnell: 15
Barack Obama: 48
There you have it. The president came out on top, but the second most inspiring person of the evening didn’t even speak. Perhaps a solid reminder that action speaks louder than even the most carefully crafted of words.
