What Caught My Eye Today
2008 Presidential Race - While we don't know who the Democratic nominee is just yet, there's no reason for us not to speculate on some likely vice presidential candidates. After all, 2012 is just around the corner. As John McCain and eventually Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton ponder their choices, do they also need to consider if public familiarity seeds vice-presidential possibilities? A record of public service doesn't hurt: Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and chair Carly Fiorina garnered searches after the Wall Street Journal surfaced her name on the McCain "short list," although her online profile didn't see an enthusiastic surge. Among those who have been asked (not by McCain, but reporters), Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has already declined the honor by virtue of being too outspoken. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said he wouldn't be asked and expressed contentment with his current gig. Here's a fascinating list of VP candidates according to hits on Yahoo! search:
Other than a couple notable exceptions--mostly the former Presidential candidates--the common thread among these folks seems to be that the vast majority of the population has probably never heard of these people. Then again, it is the Vice Presidency we are talking about.
Iraq - The White House said that President Bush has paid a price for the "Mission Accomplished" banner that was flown in triumph five years ago but later became a symbol of U.S. misjudgments and mistakes in the long and costly war in Iraq. Imagine that. Thursday is the fifth anniversary of Bush's dramatic landing in a Navy jet on an aircraft carrier homebound from the war. The USS Abraham Lincoln had launched thousands of airstrikes on Iraq. After shifting explanations, the White House eventually said the "Mission Accomplished" phrase referred to the carrier's crew completing its 10-month mission, not the military completing its mission in Iraq. Of course it did. Bush, in October 2003, disavowed any connection with the "Mission Accomplished" message. He said the White House had nothing to do with the banner; a spokesman later said the ship's crew asked for the sign and the White House staff had it made by a private vendor. Oh that's nice. Blame this mess on the carrier crew. That's a real show of class.
China - "China, a communist-led, nuclear state that aspires to -- and will likely achieve -- great power status during this century, will be the focus of U.S. attention (in Asia)," CIA Director Michael Hayden said. Always nice to see our intelligence agency on top of things. Hayden added that China was likely to continue a "troubling" military buildup. He said the military buildup was influenced by the U.S. show of armed might in the two Gulf wars and reinforced concerns about China's intentions toward Taiwan. "But even without that issue, we assess that a buildup would continue." China needs to access markets, technology and resources, and wants to assert its influence, but faces challenges including uneven income distribution, a growing dependence on imports of oil and other resources and environmental degradation. One can only hope that this 'intelligence'--which anyone who has a pulse probably already knows--is not viewed as 'breaking news' by our leadership.
Russia - NATO accused Moscow of stoking tensions by announcing a troop build-up in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region which risked undermining stability in the country. At least it was NATO making the accusation rather than the United States. Our credibility when it comes to this sort of thing, isn't exactly ironclad. The NATO ambassadors expressed "clearly and unanimously" their concern about Russian moves to establish legal links to Abkhazia and a second separatist region, South Ossetia, saying it undermined Georgian sovereignty. The crisis between the small Transcaucasian country, a vital energy transit route, and its former Soviet master has alarmed NATO allies, which see Georgia as a future member. NATO also announced plans for a similar mission in June to Ukraine, another ex-Soviet state the alliance has said will one day join the 26-nation alliance. Maybe I'm missing something here, but its rather obvious why Russia is assuming a rather defensive posture on this. NATO keeps sucking these former Soviet-states into its military alliance, leaving Russia increasingly isolated. It shouldn't be that difficult to connect the dots.
American Idol - American Idol pulled off the rare trick of feeling frantically rushed and musically soporific at the same time. The five contestants each sang two songs, and, in an ill-considered move, the judges were restricted to just one critique per singer. David Archuleta matched mentor Neil Diamond’s original America and Sweet Caroline for sheer bombast, while Jason Castro sleepwalked through Forever in Blue Jeans and September Morn. Syesha Mercado’s Hello Again was an overwrought snoozefest, but her driving Thank the Lord for the Night Time was the show’s highlight. Brooke White contributed a pale I’m a Believer but I Am, I Said was more her style. David Cook sang effectively on All I Really Need Is You, but couldn’t fire up any spark in the lifeless I’m Alive. And now for my picks. I figure the two Davids are the only safe bets for advancing to next week (though for the life of me I don't see what Archuleta brings to the table). Based on the talent shown last night, Castro should be dumped, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Syesha has reached the end of the line.
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