What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race - Now that the Olympics are over, the real games can begin. Democrats opened their national convention, seeking peace in the family as they pursue victory in the fall for Barack Obama and his historic quest for the White House. What does it say about the Democratic party, that its first priority is to quell the fighting within its own ranks rather than trying to beat their Republican rival, John McCain? Public opinion polls made the race with Republican John McCain a close one, unexpectedly so given a widespread desire for change in an era of economic uncertainty, continuing conflict in Iraq and poor approval ratings for GOP President Bush. Obama delivers his acceptance speech on Thursday at a football stadium, before a crowd likely to total 75,000 or more. Then he and Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, his vice presidential running mate, depart for the fall campaign. Oh right, Obama picked his running mate (on the off chance that you had not heard yet). Biden is a good, safe pick on Obama's part; and maybe that's why I have a twinge of disappointment. Maybe I was looking for Barack to venture off the reservation just a bit. John McCain is in the final stages of deciding who should join him on the ticket. His short list of contenders reportedly includes former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. The announcement was expected soon, maybe even while Obama is holding court in Denver. Well, that would certainly turn some heads, wouldn't it? I was under the impression that there was an unwritten rule that the opposition kept a rather low-profile during the other's convention. Then again, how much does tradition real matter in this day and age?

Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dug in his heels on the future of the U.S. military in Iraq, insisting that all foreign soldiers leave the country by a specific date in 2011 and rejecting legal immunity for American troops. Fine by me. Why wait until 2011? We can bring our troops home now, if they like. Last week, U.S. and Iraqi officials said the two sides agreed tentatively to a schedule that includes a broad pullout of combat troops by the end of 2011 with the possibility that a residual U.S. force might stay behind to continue training and advising Iraqi security services. But al-Maliki's remarks indicated his government was not satisfied with that arrangement and wants all foreign troops gone by the end of 2011. That cast doubt on whether an agreement is near and suggested al-Maliki is playing to a domestic audience frustrated by the war and eager for an end to the foreign military presence. Given that, I suppose you can say that the Iraqi people share something in common with us Americans. Lord knows the vast majority of us are frustrated by the war and want our foreign occupation of their country to end as well.

Georgia - Stop the presses!!! Russia's parliament voted unanimously to urge the president to recognize the independence of Georgia's two breakaway regions, stoking further tensions between Moscow and the small Caucasus nation's Western allies. I so totally did not see that coming. Just one question. Why bother with a parliamentary vote? Didn't Putin already give Medvedev his marching orders? And here's another big surprise... Reaction from the West was swift. The United States said Russian recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia "would be unacceptable." Experts say the Russian parliament's blessing of the Georgian separatists gives the Kremlin extra leverage as Russia tries to reassert its influence in the former Soviet republics and resist moves by Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO. Currently, neither Russia nor any other U.N. member recognizes the two provinces' independence claims. Both won de-facto independence in the 1990s after wars with Georgia, and have survived since with Russia's financial, political and military support. This thing just isn't going to quietly go away is it? Looks like McCain or Obama won't have to wait very long for their first trial by fire on the international stage.

Cuba - Even though the Olympics are over, I could not resist this last story. Fidel Castro defended the Cuban taekwondo athlete who kicked a referee in the face at the Beijing Olympics, saying he was rightfully indignant over his disqualification from the bronze-medal match. Thank goodness, the dude wasn't disqualified from a shooting event. Then we'd really have a headline, wouldn't we. Taekwondo officials want Matos and his coach banned for life from the sport. But Castro expressed "our total solidarity" for both the athlete and his coach. You go, Fidel. Taekwondo officials called the athlete's behavior an insult to the Olympic vision. His coach countered that the match was fixed and accused the Kazakhs of offering him money. Now, now. Get your facts straight coach. Kazakhs are known for their doped up cycling stars not for bribery. Cuba is accustomed to winning golds in boxing, but settled this year for four silver and four bronze medals. Overall, Cuba took home only two golds, down from nine in Athens four years ago. So there's your real story. When things don't go your way, kick someone in the face.