What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Race (Part I) - What with all the headlines that the Democrats have been getting this week, I thought it only fair to give the GOP top billing at least once this week. John McCain decided on a running mate early Thursday, and one top prospect, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, abruptly canceled numerous public appearances. So that must mean that McCain either chose him or someone else (I believe that covers the spectrum of possibilities). Without explanation, Pawlenty called off an interview at the last minute, as well as other media interviews in Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention. Others believed to be in contention for the No. 2 slot on the GOP ticket included former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who was meeting with donors throughout California, and Democrat-turned-independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who was vacationing on New York's Long Island. Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, too, was still a possibility, as was the idea that McCain would choose a dark horse from any number of names that have circulated. Well that's good. It would seem that the media reports concur with my analysis of the situation as well.

2008 Presidential Race (Part II) - Not sure if you heard or not, but Barack Obama is the Democratic party's nomination for President. One day after becoming the first black man to win a major party presidential nomination, Barack Obama readied the most important speech of his improbable candidacy, a prime-time address to an estimated 75,000 inside Denver's NFL stadium and uncounted millions watching at home on television. By happenstance, the evening coincides with the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream Speech" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Obama's aides were interested in a different historical parallel — Obama was the first to deliver an outdoor convention acceptance speech since John F. Kennedy did so at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1960. Oh hell, does it really matter? I just want the dude to say something useful.

Georgia - Georgia's foreign minister says the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from the separatist province of South Ossetia has nearly been completed. Georgians have been cleared from their homes across the disputed territory. In some villages, Georgians had lived alongside South Ossetians. Is it just me or does the term 'ethnic cleansing' in any context sound really, really not good?

Meanwhile in other developments, it would appear that Russia finds itself a bit short on friends these days...

Russia faced diplomatic isolation over its military action against Georgia, with its Asian allies failing to offer support and France saying EU leaders were considering sanctions. Moscow has defied pressure from the United States and European powers to pull out of Georgia and looked east to its Asian allies, including China, for support at a regional summit. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization repeated a regular call for the "respect of territorial integrity" and did not follow Russia's lead on recognizing the two breakaway regions of Georgia. Now here's the part of the story that I'm digging on. Moscow said talk of punishing Russia for recognizing the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions was the product of a "sick" and "confused" imagination. Wait, it gets better. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he suspected someone in the United States provoked the Georgia conflict to make the situation more tense and create "a competitive advantage for one of the candidates fighting for the post of U.S. president." He did not elaborate. Well duh. Of course he didn't elaborate. That might suggest that he had some actual proof to back up his claim. Of course, that being said, I find myself in the strange position of seeing how a stunt like this wouldn't be outside of the realm of possibilities for the United States. My how the world has become a complicated place.

Mexico - Mexico's Supreme Court voted 8-3 to uphold legal abortion in the capital, opening the possibility that similar measures could be adopted elsewhere in Mexico — and perhaps beyond. Even with the Supreme Court's approval, pro-abortion groups complain that many doctors refuse to do the procedure in Mexico City. Some are morally opposed, while others fear public scorn or the wrath of the country's powerful Roman Catholic Church. The church blasted the court, declaring itself in mourning and issuing a statement that church leaders would redouble their efforts to campaign on behalf of "the millions of children who are being sacrificed." Honestly, don't you think the Vatican is overreacting just a tad bit here. I think the point that is getting lost in all this is that the Supreme Court is merely upholding a right guaranteed by its constitution, which if I'm not mistaken, is the Courts primary mandate.. That doesn't mean that the the general population is going to rush out and start having a bunch of abortions. My take is that if folks are pretty serious about their faith, in this case Catholicism, then their going to abide by the edicts of their religion regardless of this ruling. The Church's reaction to this ruling suggests to me that it doesn't have much faith (pardon the pun) in its practitioners to do the right thing, at least by Catholic standards.

Vatican - Wow, these guys are having a rough go of things today. First, abortions in Mexico and now frogs in museums... An art museum in northern Italy said it will continue displaying a sculpture portraying a green frog nailed to a cross that has angered Pope Benedict XVI and local officials. The 1990 wooden sculpture shows the crucified frog nailed through the feet and hands like Jesus Christ. The frog, eyes popping and tongue sticking out, wears a loincloth and holds a mug of beer and an egg in its hands. The museum said the sculpture has nothing to do with religion, but is an ironic self-portrait of the artist and an expression of his angst. Earlier in August the pope had written a letter the president of the region denouncing the sculpture. It "has offended the religious feelings of many people who consider the cross a symbol of God's love and of our redemption." Dude, its a flipping piece of artistic impression. Let it go. If you had kept your opinions to yourself, most folks probably wouldn't have given two-shakes about this thing (which sounds pretty ugly looking). But no, you have to go and claim that the symbol of all this is holy has been somehow desecrated by a frog. Heck, now even I want to see it.