On The Shoulders Of Giants

I just can’t trust the former CEO of Goldman Sachs to save this country at a time of crisis especially when the price tag is so high. My gut is telling me that something is seriously wrong. This is so much like the Iraq war. They said “mushroom cloud” and everybody went along to look patriotic. I think this bail-out plan requires a pause. Comment please.

“We must not, Charlie, blink, Charlie, because, Charlie, as I’ve said, Charlie, before, John McCain has said, Charlie, that — and remember here, Charlie, we’re talking about John McCain, Charlie, who, Charlie, is John McCain and I won’t be blinking, Charlie.”

Frank Rich of the New York Times is on fire.

Even Thomas Friedman blows a gasket.

I’ve mentioned this before. I believe that within every one of us there is an spectrum of selves. We could be kind and gracious or mean and petty to some extent. Politicians and candidates have to decide where on the spectrum they want to appeal to. Why do they want to trigger. I think with a country with a history of slavery, Hiroshima and Vietnalm, it’s easier to appeal to the worst.

pan·der (păn’dər) pronunciation
intr.v., -dered, -der·ing, -ders.

1. To act as a go-between or liaison in sexual intrigues; function as a procurer.
2. To cater to the lower tastes and desires of others or exploit their weaknesses: “He refused to pander to nostalgia and escapism” (New York Times).

[Middle English Pandare, Pandarus, from Old Italian Pandaro, from Latin Pandarus, from Greek Pandaros.]

If you are thinking big, you have to have your thumb on the pulse of the time and when the moment is right and the stars are aligned, you have to move. I give Barack a lot of credit for having his thumb on the pulse of the time better than anybody else, especially better than the Clintons. Clintons have professionals who have dedicated their lives to taking that pulse and Barack outsmarted them. I guess all the community organizing paid off. Bravo.

When you think of taboos in American media, you think of anything sexual or something along those lines. I have a different opinion on this. I think the biggest taboo in media is to criticize the American people. Here is how it works. Broadcasters show ads to make money. If the media start criticizing people, people are not going to like it and they will tune out and hence no money.

In the past few weeks many in media have asked a question like this “80% of American people think the country is on the wrong track. Why does this election not look like a landslide?” And many political pundits and strategists have to beat around the bush and come up with nonsensical answers. Answers like “People need to get to know Obama more.” or “Obama has to lay out the details of his plans”. I think people have heard more about Obama and his story more than any other candidate and Obama has laid out his plans. Most of it is on his website, if anybody bothers to read. I think the answer is much simpler. Many white Americans would not vote for a black man, period. They would rather have four more disastrous years than have a black president. Racism can be more powerful than slavery. Bob Herbert of New York Times gently explains it.