Jesse Jackson Is Clearly Not the Emperor of Black People! 118 Days to Go!

For all those who don't immediately recognize it, the title is a South Park reference. It's not me being very racist, because I'm not racist (though some Broadway-types would argue that I am a little bit).

--> So EDC can officially count Jesse Jackson as one of its loyal readers, because he obviously happened to catch the main story of my entry last night. For those of you who were too lazy to get that far, I wrote how Obama had been emphasizing a harsh message of personal responsibility to the black community of late (as only a black candidate really could). Well, when Reverend Jackson found out, he was apparently quite mad. While preparing for an interview with FOX News, Jackson made reportedly "crude" comments regarding Senator Obama without realizing that the microphone was already on. EDC is a family-friendly blog, so I don't want to report exactly what was said. Here's a diagram to hint at what Jackson said about Obama:

This guy...

...wants to (insert first name of the guy below)...

...these two...

...off of this guy...

Any questions? Reverend Jackson has fervently apologized for his ill-timed remarks, but what I enjoy most about this story is how the media so desperately wants to report on it, but is trying to avoid mentioning what Jackson actually said at all costs because it's inappropriate. Political candidates should try this tactic sometimes. If you're gonna make a scandalous announcement, just fill it with so many expletives that the media is unable to actually report what you said.

--> Because every minor detail can be skewed to be a critical hint about the VP search, at EDC I've tried to avoid mindless speculation. That being said...OMG OMG OMG Caroline Kennedy is flying on a plane with Barack and Hillary tonight!!! OMG OMG That must mean Hillary is his pick, because why else would the leader of the VP search team fly with the two of them...unless, you know, she happens to need to go to New York for some reason...OMG!

Of course, this story means very little, but I do remain an advocate of a Dream/Unity/I-Guess-We-Have-To Ticket. Not only do I think that Hillary would be an incredibly effective advocate for White House policy behind that VP seal, and not only do I think that Sebelius, Napolitano, and Richardson should save themselves for an all-star slugfest in 2016, but I also believe that having Hillary on the ticket will allow Obama to dominate the message of the campaign. We've long been aware of the media's obsession over the Hillary-Barack saga. It dominated every news cycle during the primaries and caused endless punditry. If they were teamed up, the media would again turn all its cameras towards the Obama campaign, to observe how that dynamic plays out.

Any time Obama wanted a speech or an important policy announcement covered, he would just have to put Hillary on the stage with him, and he'd have live coverage on every network. This election will be decided by America's feelings about Barack Obama - if we're ready to take a risk on this guy and trust him with the Oval Office. If he's able to sell himself as much as possible and get his message out there and out-shine McCain, then he can start preparing his Inauguration speech today.

--> Unfortunately, Obama's supporters aren't helping Hillary's case for unity. After she dropped out, Obama "graciously" called on his backers to write checks to Clinton, and help her retire her $23 million in campaign debt (the highest total ever for a loser). However, it appears that Obama's supporters have done less forgiving and forgetting, and more grudge-holding, raising only a "paltry" $100,000 since she dropped out. Many have argued that she accumulated most of the debt after she lost the mathematical possibility of winning the nomination, so she doesn't deserve their help undo her pettiness.

--> During a campaign stop in Pittsburgh yesterday, John McCain was asked about the United States's $158 million that it has shipped to Iran during the Bush presidency, despite restrictions on U.S. exports. This, of course, is a relatively serious policy question, as our relationship with Iran is very complicated and nuanced, requiring a careful look at all its elements. But John McCain once again proved that he has a well-reasoned plan to handle Iran diplomatically: "Maybe that's a way of killing them," McCain said, before receiving a sharp stab to the back by his wife to prevent him from losing his head up his own ass.

Honestly, it's not the worst suggestion I've ever heard. In fact, maybe that's the purpose of the entire moralist agenda in this country. If we eliminate drugs and porn and alcohol and cigarettes in this country, and move it all instead to Iran, then we can keep all the American jobs in those industries, and cause Iran's society to crumble from the inside. However, I'm not sure that "kill them all" is really the way to go with handling Iran.

--> And finally, some Senate news tonight. After several years removed from the political stage and the wrestling arena, former Governor Jesse Ventura (I) is planning a return to the former (shucks, I was hoping the latter) with a possible independent Senate run in Minnesota. "The Body," as he was known in the WWF before blood clots in his lung forced him to miss a title match against Hulk Hogan (true story), was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998 as a member of the Reform Party. In that election, Ventura defeated Republican candidate Norm Coleman, who went on win the Senate seat that Ventura is currently vying for, and DFL (Minnesota slang for Democratic) candidate Hubert Humprhy III. With an already tight match between the Odd Couple of New York Jews (Coleman and Al Franken), Ventura could throw the entire Senate race out of whack, as he remains relatively popular in Minnesota. In fact, he achieved the highest approval ratings of any governor in Minnesota history. This is something to keep an eye on, folks.

That's Jesse Ventura, giving hope to body builders everywhere (along with Ahnuld) that they can go on to run for high political office.