Crocodile tears over Harry Reid

I don't think what Harry Reid said was racist, necessarily. But what kind of white man uses the word "Negro" and isn't talking about a college fund or quoting Quentin Tarantino dialogue? It's just weird.

But we live in a world of 24-hour news, where it's the same two or three stories punditized to death, with the professionally offended out to talk as a head.

Hey, crocodile tears brought down George Allen over the word "macaca" so maybe it'll work against Reid.

Palin & Huckabee on Fox News now

Mike Huckabee shielded himself from beltway conservative criticism by joining the Fox News Channel family. Now Sarah Palin has done the same.

Now those two have a cake-walk to the Iowa primary from FNC.

Chilling.

Tucker Carlson's new site

http://dailycaller.com

And Arianna Huffington gave him a nice welcome letter on his first day.

National Political Predictions for 2010

1. The Democrats keep their majority in the Senate by 3, and the GOP wins the House by 3.

2. Unemployment gets back to the 9% range.

3. There will be another failed terrorist attack that politicians will nevertheless freak out about, make political hay, demand increased security-this and guidelines-that, only serving to increase government power and punish all people who fly.

4. Keith Olbermann will allow Pat Buchanan on his show for one segment, then end it early so a dissenting viewpoint isn't allowed to fully form.

5. Chris Dodd does not return to the Senate.

Most Admired Men/Women of 2009

The latest USA Today/Gallup poll shows it like this:

Women
1. Hillary Clinton
2. Sarah Palin
3. Oprah Winfrey
4. Michelle Obama
5. Condoleeza Rice

Men
1. Barack Obama
2. George W. Bush
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Glenn Beck
5. Pope Benedict XVI

Safe Enough to Fly

I understand that the system broke down with the failed terrorist would-be attack last week, but I hope this doesn't mean the TSA is going to make life even harder for regular travelers. Most of what they do now is for show, to demonstrate they care. People who fly get that there are certain risks, like someone accidentally hitting the "wings fall off" switch. The Department of Homeland Security can look at what happened and what they can improve, but no reason to punish the rest of the country over it.

My 2 1/2 Cents on This Week's Politics

Cent #1 - Jobs have been lost every month for the past two years. What's been the constant during those past two years? Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House and Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader. Celebration was in order that ONLY 11,000 jobs were lost in November. I'm surprised when I find out how many friends and neighbors are unemployed. It makes me grateful for my own job, but the longer this many people stay unemployed, the more likely more incumbants will be booted, not just in the general election, but in the primaries.

In Utah, we have Sen. Bob Bennett, who is running for his fourth term in 2010. When he first ran in 1992, he campaigned on a pledge to only serve two terms. In 1999, mere months after being re-elected to his second term, he said he changed his mind. He knows how the system is geared toward incumbants. Once he got in, he knew he could stay as long as he wanted.

But something's changed in the political wind. The economy tanked, and we're still fighting two wars where people are asking, "Remind me why we're still there?" If any of Bennett's challengers prove to be remotely serious, he may not even be on the ballot next November.

Cent #2 - The more I read about the history of Israel and Palestine, the more I wonder how the U.S. became allied with Israel. Not saying they should be allies with Palestine instead, but there's been so much bloodshed for so many decades, and Israel, fighting for its right to exist, has committed several atrocies against thousands of people. Now with hardliner Benjamin Netanyahu in there, I don't expect peace anytime soon, but I do believe a two-state solution with an independent Palestine is the only way to go.

To both sides, it's a holy war. Nothing holy about it.

Cent #2 1/2 - Barbara Walters' Ten Most Fascinating People contained some good candidates, but not good interviews. I'd rather have one of ABC's affiliates have a three-hour special, I DVR it, and then I can choose which ones I actually want to listen to. (That would be a big fast-forward on Lady Gaga and Kate Gosselin, for starters). Barbara only interviewed eight of her nominees, but they still made for quick, superficial interviews where I didn't really learn anything.

Revoke Gore's Oscar?

In light of the flurry of evidence the past few weeks that scientists have been fudging the numbers on "global warming", two Academy members are demanding that Gore give his award back he won for An Inconvenient Truth.