BUT FIRST, GET THAT BEAM OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, PAL, DEPT:
President Obama appeals for an end to "petty politics":
"Appealing for bipartisanship in a town where it's hard to find, President Barack Obama sat down with Democrats and Republicans Tuesday to spur cooperation on job creation, deficit reduction and health care overhaul. He promised to do his part — but warned he would take Republicans to task if they don't do the same. "The people who sent us here expect a seriousness of purpose that transcends petty politics," Obama said after the meeting, as he made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room."
Uh-huh. Hmmm, "petty politics"--you mean like going to Democratic Party fundraisers and slamming the people who oppose you as hicks to "cling" to "God and guns" out of ignorance? You mean giving the okay to a backroom deal on a health care bill in which one Democratic senator got a sweetheart boondoggle of a deal for his home state, which nobody else got???
In other political news, looks to me like John McCain is a bit worried about the challenge from the right he's facing (in the form of conservative activist J.D. Hayworth) in the GOP primary election this spring for his Arizona Senate seat, as the NY Times notes:
"...Mr. McCain now finds himself jammed, moving starkly — and often awkwardly — to the right, apparently in an effort to gain favor among the same voters whom Mr. Hayworth, a consistent voice for the far right, could pull toward him like taffy come summer. Mr. McCain now sharply criticizes the bailout bill he voted for, pivoted from his earlier position that the Guantánamo Bay detention facility should be closed, offered only a muted response to the Supreme Court’s decision undoing campaign finance laws and backed down from statements that gays in the military would be O.K. by him if the military brass were on board."
That kind of reactive defensiveness ain't good politics. Is McCain really in trouble? We'll have to keep an eye out.
NBA DIARY:
Dallas 127, Golden State 117: You wouldn't think a game like this would be important. But it was, as the Mavs had lost 4 of 5, were having their effort and desire questioned, and trailed by 14 points in this game which was, after all, against an NBA bottom-feeder. But Dallas rallied to win, perhaps their biggest win of the season. Coach Rick Carlisle says the team needs to build off this. He's right. Key stats: Jason Terry scores 36 points, and really stepped up. And the Mavs outscored Golden State 37-19 in the 4th quarter.
