Quick Hits

Getting back to work and playing catch up resulted in far later blogging than I'd intended today. I hoped that I'd be able to get something up at lunch, and when that didn't happen, I figured that I'd surely get something up by early evening, but I guess at this point, it's useless to dwell over what could never be.

But, boy, for a slow news weekend, there sure was a lot going on. I'm only going to get to a bit of it tonight, and we'll see how much I'm able to address in the next couple of days, as long as events don't eclipse the news that seems so vital right now.

• I don't have much to say about the North Korean missile tests. When the Bushies took office, assuring us that the "adults" were once again in charge, North Korea did not have nuclear weapons. Although the Prez named North Korea as one of three prongs of the Axis of Evil, we watched Kim Jong Il as he prodded and provoked his neighbors and the United States. We remained aloof as he kicked out UN inspectors and developed nuclear weapons. (I don't guess I need to point out where we focused our efforts, instead). The Bushies were always quick to criticize the Clinton administration' North Korea policy, claiming that it rewarded that nation's bad behavior. Quibble over the details all you want, but it's hard not to notice that North Korea never tested a missile that could potentially reach US territory under Clinton's watch. We've had five and a half years of nationally security since Bush took the reins in 2001. Do you feel safer?

• Joe Lieberman, although he's continuing to run in the Connecticut Democratic primary to hold on to his Senate seat, has announced that if he doesn't win the nomination, he plans to run in the November election as an independent. He's been getting strong resistance from an insurgent campaign for Ned Lamont, which has been getting quite a bit of attention in the various political blogs. I haven't been following it that closely, but Lamont sounds like a good candidate, and ever since his wishy-washy performance in the 2000 vice presidential debate (actually, it was ever since he led the pre-impeachment denunciations of Clinton in the Senate), I've been leery of Lieberman. This may be wishful thinking, but his announcement that he'll ignore the results of the primary if it doesn't go his way is just the right amount of hubris to sink his candidacy for good. The money quote from his statement has to be: "I have loyalties that are greater than those to my party." Another translation is that he has loyalties that are greater than those to his constituents if they choose to vote him out of office. If that's the case, it seems to me that there's only one thing those constituents can do. For great running commentary on this story as it develops, turn to firedoglake and scroll through. You might also want to read this funny diary from A. Whitney Brown at Daily Kos--according to him, Lieberman's apparently going to remain in the Senate no matter which way the election goes.

• By now we've all heard that Kenny-Boy Lay has gone to meet his maker. He ostensibly believed that God was on his side during the Enron trial, so I guess by now he's found out the truth of that--one way or another--first hand. Initial reports indicate that he had a heart attack, and I don't know whether an autopsy will be performed or not. But if it is, does anybody want to give me odds that the real reason his heart gave out was that it was two sizes too small?

Well, that's it again for another of my short (?) "let's just mention everything quickly and get out" posts. Aren't you glad I didn't get into the several other items on my list?