Have been somewhat dispirited since our dear kitty, and one of my very best friends in the world ever, Zim, passed away a couple of days ago. She has left a huge hole in our lives and hearts...

But have been keeping myself occupied with setting up some proper Blogging software (which will allow Comments from readers here, and many other functions). So hopefully I will have that up, and something to say about things shortly.

R.I.P. Zim

Whaddaya know? Dean is not dead after all! Whodathunkit? I'd a thunk it. That's who.

Watch the Media subtly change their "Dean is Dead" message to "If Dean doesn't win soon he's gonna be dead anytime now...really...we swear!" message.

Also, watch them overplay the Kerry is King card between now and the next time a good idea occurs to them (or more accurately, is thrust upon them by actual voters).

I was pullin' for and predicting a slightly better show for Dean in New Hampshire, I'll admit. But he's anything but dead in the water right now. So - as Dean was in his speech tonight - I'll be a bit gracious for a change and say that the Media and I split the difference. Though even that was more gracious than I really feel like being. So much for gracious. Glad that's outta my system.

It's worth noting that Dean's speech was tremendous and should make a big difference in the coming weeks. It was fascinating watching him attempt to be Presidential. It didn't seem to come easy in the first few minutes, but after about 3 minutes (half an entire news cycle!) he settled in and got it just about right. Watch for more of that in the near future.

Out of the remaining candidates (the real candidates here, anyway - unfortunately Kusinich and Sharpton not included), I'm proud to say that none of them blow. For a change. That is, since Gephardt mercifully left the race anyway.

Sadly though, of the 4 or so viable right now, it's the least impressive amongst them who is currently at the top. Other than looking somewhat like a President of the United States (can't recall who said that John Kerry looks like he is actually from Mount Rushmore), I'm so far rather under-whelmed with him and can still only hope that the Democratic party impresses me this year and doesn't give him the nomination. That may be a lot to ask from the Democratic party.

None the less...with Kerry beginning to look like the front man - ruining Karl Roves previous ruined re-election strategy yet again, it's now back to the old-familiar sometimes-working sometimes-not GOP playbook. Here's what's left in their arsenal. The sum total of their re-election campaign. It goes something like this:

"Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal! Liberal!"

Having learned that it's gonna be a long time before they can really figure out exactly who they'll be running against, they can always fall back on the above all-purpose GOP fight song.

It may work. Better, at least, than last years now scrapped plan for '04, which went something like this:

"9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11! 9/11!"

With the failures in Iraq, I think even the shameless GOP will have trouble selling that message this year. Even from near the footprints of Ground Zero in NYC in early September where they plan to tread on the memories of some 3000 dead people to retain their cynical hold on power at this Fall's convention. It's too early to tell for certain, but I have a feeling that ain't gonna work for them either.

Wow...finally found a "pundit" who "gets it". At least in re: the New Hampshire horse race. And it was Bill Kristol, Neo-Con Extraordinaire of all people! He understood the truth. And that is; Tomorrow, all the folks claiming "Dean is Dead" will be surprised at Dean's showing. No wonder Kristol has the brains to be the secret mastermind behind the evil invasion of Iraq.

Anyway, lest this become the "Dean Blog", never fear. I'll have more to say about the other jackasses running for President soon enough. At least we can all breathe easy that the worthless Dick Gephardt is gone and well forgotten. But more Dem Chop Bustin' later...

FACTS:
+ I was right about Howard Dean's rant. It's kept him in the news, and the fact that he placed a disappointing 3rd place in Iowa out of the news.

+ Nobody was "frightened by Howard Dean" in that rant other than the Media who saw a story ("See! He's unstable!" - which, of course, he isn't).

+ Dean is coming back in the polls now, only 7 points behind Kerry according to Zogby, who was the only pollster to actually get it absolutely right in both the '00 and '96 elections. Everyone else got it wrong.

+ In case you need further proof, the Media continue to call Dean "dead". Nuff said.

+ The best thing that could happen for the Dems is this 4 (or 5 or 6) man scrum at the top. More media attention for the Dems than money can buy.

+ Those who have claimed - for the past year or more - that Bush is undefeatable were/are wrong. If you have any doubt, you must not have seen his State of the Union address. He's in big big trouble, as long as the Dems don't screw it up. Nominating Kerry might be a screw up. We'll see.

+ John Edwards will be the VEEP nominee to either Dean or Kerry.

+ Kerry (most likely) wins NH, but not by much. But it's enough to make him the new "front runner" and begin to receive the wrath of FOX and RUSH. Which is great for Dean.

In other news, David Kay has resigned his commission as top US WMD Seeker in Iraq. And has found a resounding nothing. Not good for Bush.

And in case you were wondering what all we actually were fighting for in Iraq, here's a picture of the next leader of Iraq - as soon as they are allowed the freedom of elections:

Ayatollah Sistani,
Next Leader of Iraq

Look like any one you know?

Ayatollah Khomeini,
Former Leader of Iran

I guess we really thought this one through, huh?

Okay...so it seems it's time to start a blog. Somebody's gotta.

It's been a tough week as we returned home from an otherwise lovely Winter Vacation. My Uncle Barry died suddenly and tragically, and now my cat, Zim, is critically ill. Can't do anything for Barry right now other than ponder the wonderful memory of his life and place a page for him in memoriam. Seeing Barry just a few weeks ago at my cousin Mitchell's Wedding was great. Tremendous, in fact, and hopefully that memory will stay with me for a long time.

Zim, on the other hand, is now being force fed in the hopes that she'll come around. She stopped eating while we were gone and has become incredibly skinny. As Barry had also lost a lot of weight when we saw him at the wedding for the last time, this particular turn of events has frightened us a great deal. So for now, we're hoping for the best.

I was moved to begin this blog after reading about two minutes of Howard Dean's blog. And after about 2 months of Desiree suggesting I either get my own radio show or, in lieu of that, start my own blog. Consider it done.

I was finally moved by the Dean Blog because this Tuesday is the New Hampshire Primary, and I'm trying to figure out if Dean is gonna come around in time to win it. All the pundits are currently saying that "Howard Dean is dead" - thus, we can be almost certain that Howard Dean will win the nomination. (See the pundits piss poor predictions prior to the Iowa Caucus if you have any doubts about the ability of the pundits to get it completely wrong).

I've got many other random Dean thoughts that have been accumulating over the past few weeks and months, and without a blog up until now, those thoughts have been stored only inside of Desi's ears. Poor Desi.

I'll try to get 'em out over time here. But for a start, here's one for ya. The pundits (or "conventional wisdom" if you will) have said that Howard Dean would be the Candidate easiest beat by Bush. You may as well translate this into "Dean will clobber Bush should he be nominated".

For the past several months, the Republicans have been doing their Briar Rabbit routine ("please don't throw me in the briar patch!") in regards to Howard Dean. Their repeated claims that they "can't wait for the Democrats to nominate Howard Dean" either means they think we're idiots, or it proves that they are idiots. Or both. I'm not yet sure which one is the case. But I can tell you this, if the Dems are smart enough to nominate Dean, he will mop the floor up with Dubya.

One other Dean thought for now; His now infamous "rant" after placing 3rd in Iowa, will later be regarded as a brilliant move on his part as it's brought him more attention than anything else could have. And he knows what to do with it. His poll numbers are now turning back up, he no longer has the pressure of being the pin-cushion front-runner, and with a near-Kerry finish in NH, he's poised to move big prior to the Feb 3rd primaries. As long as he doesn't move too fast and get Fox Newsed & Rushed again. 

We'll see.