Please stop eating the paste, Mr. Attorney General...

This little exchange occurred last week, during hearings meant to determine whether or not our President lawfully authorized wiretaps as part of a "domestic spying" program. I know that Mr. Gonzales misspoke, but I still find it very humorous.

By the way, a quick check of the record shows that no President that the AG mentioned was responsible for complying with an act (public law) that was passed in 1978.

GRASSLEY: I think that as the American public hears examples of how Democrat presidents and Republican presidents alike have done similar things, they may begin to see this program in a different light, particularly in regard to the president's over 225 years' use of the exercise of the power of commander in chief.

GONZALES: I gave in my opening statement, Senator, examples where President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance of the enemy on a far broader scale -- far broader -- without any kind of probable cause standard, all communications in and out of the country.

So, basically, we can all give thanks that the following conflicts were ended with great assistance from electronic surveillance: World War II; World War I; The Civil War; and, most importantly, we would not be a nation today were it not for George Washington's use of electronic surveillance to end The Revolutionary War. Why has the left wing conspiracy kept this from the history books?

For the record, I'm all for the elimination of actual terrorist threats to America--or to any country, for that matter. What stinks about this "domestic spying" mess is that it seems to be yet another example of the current administration's total disregard for legal process. What they need to learn is that they still need to follow certain rules and laws, regardless of the fact that they control the House and Senate.

And the GRAMMY® for Mutual Media Masturbation goes to....

Wow! Paul McCartney! U2! Paul McCartney, and...U2! I'm sorry, but I thought U2 were cool about 400 years ago when they were angry and Bono didn't have a God Complex about single-handedly saving the world. Sir Paul, we love you, and we'll still love you in a few months when you turn 64, but is all the hype really justified? I'll be honest, I've heard most of McCartney's new album and not much of any U2 album since The Joshua Tree and can't say that I'm too impressed with any of it. In my humble opinion, the simple fact is that the hint of a new album from U2, Paul McCartney, Aerosmith (who's playing onstage, for some reason, at the moment) and other very talented but musically-irrelevant groups and individuals mean big $$$$$ to the recording industry. The fact that the little Rolling Stone GRAMMY® guidebook did not include such categories as Best Rock Instrumental and Best Spoken Word albums should inform you as to where the media's and the industry's hearts are at. Clark Kent's girlfriend (whose real name I can't remember, but she's on Desperate Housewives now) is presenting an award? She has what, exactly, tie to the music business?
To anyone who was nominated but didn't receive an award, I say, congratulations--your record sales may not increase when compared to those of a winner, but you can rest assured that your musical integrity, especially from the perspective of your fans, is probably intact.

Proposed Oklahama anti-war protest ban...

I was watching the local Oklahoma City news this morning when it was mentioned that the OK legislature is considering banning anti-war activists from protesting at the funerals for Oklahoma military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Footage of a small group of protesters across the street from a funeral home where services were being held was shown, and the newscaster said over the footage that the ban was intended to keep "scenes like this one from occurring again."

My first thought was, "O.K., this is a red state...," but a few milliseconds later I understood what the legislature is trying to accomplish. I've been known to stand on a few streetcorners in protest myself, but these are FUNERALS, people! My first thought, on losing someone I loved and cared about to war--unjustified or not--would probably not be, "Hmm, how can I join (insert name of local anti-war group here)?"

Show a little decorum, folks. And lest you become blinded by visions of marching a war widow or mother of a fallen military person up the White House steps, think about how well that's worked for Cindy Sheehan. No one in the Bush administration cares about their loss.