Fathers Day - Dedicated to Tim Russert

Tim Russert at Boston College's 128th Commencement Exercises on May 24, 2004


I'm dedicating this year's Fathers Day post to Tim Russert.

As a Catholic with a lot of Irish in me and a solid base of Catholic upbringing and Jesuit education, I connected with Tim's public persona. I didn't know him. I wish I'd had an opportunity to know him. I recall passing him in the hallway at the 2006
Clinton Global Initative meeting in Manhattan while
he was on his way into a room to interview President Clinton and thinking to myself, "Wow...that's Tim Russert." He was obviously in a hurry to get to his destination, so I never did get to talk with him. If I'd only known he'd be taken from us so soon, I'd have sat and waited, hours if necessary, until he came out and I could tell him just how much he'd meant to me, a political blogger, in his work as a political journalist. I admired his spirit, however, both in a personal and a public sense.



What I did know of Tim in a personal sense was taken, in good part, from what he gave all of us in his wonderful book about his father, of whom he lovingly referred to as "Big Russ."

I especially enjoyed Tim talking about his faith and how his father helped to shape the faith that would last his whole life through.





In his book "Big Russ & Me" which, incidentally, has remained on my Dad's bedside table ever since I gave it to him for Father's Day a couple years ago, Tim talked about the faith of his father in times of sorrow...faith in the seen and unseen:

"From time to time my parents would bring me with them to a wake, where the custom was to have an open casket. When my paternal grandparents died, I watched as Dad reached into the coffin and tearfully squeezed their hands in a final gesture of farewell. At the funeral the coffin would be sealed, and that required a different kind of faith as we sent the deceased on his or her way to their eternal rest."

Tim's childlike brilliance and humor would show through his writing in the same Chapter he'd written on Faith. Speaking about his time spent as an altar boy, he humorously recalled:

"There was a brotherhood among the altar boys, and we used to share stories of which priest liked the bigger serving of wine. There was also mischief, or at least talk of mischief. If you had a friend who was receiving the host, you might take the patten, the little golden plate, and accidentally hit him in the throat. Most of the joking centered on the wine, and some of the boys were known to have raided the priest's supply closet - but I'll never tell."

I trusted Tim Russert because of the common faith we shared. Week to week, Sunday after Sunday, he seemed to have never lost the magical spark of childhood while some others in his professional field and many out here in our respective private lives had obviously lost the manual on getting past all the little daggers and pitfalls that life often mercilessly throws in front of us.

When Tim's favorite rock singer Bruce Springsteen sang the words:

"Show a little faith....there's magic in the night.."

.....I happen to think that Tim and I took a similar message away from that well-known and well-loved line. Faith is a light that guides us through darkness. About this life we share, Christian writer Frederick Buechner has recommended: "Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. Touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are sacred moments and life itself is grace."

Tim was a touch of grace for me and for many others who only were able to know him from what they learned about him each and every Sunday morning.

God knows I'll miss him.

Tim, this one's for you.


______________________

To my own Dad:



1958


Here's me with the most honest and decent man I have ever known
(and a loyal and die-hard Yankee fan to boot):


Happy Father's Day, Dad.








How
I
loved
being




.......serenaded by you.






Me and Dad
Niagara Falls, N.Y.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express."

- Joseph Addison

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Christmas 1965
Me with brother Peter and Dad


Wishing a Happy Fathers Day to every loving father, and a very special Fathers Day to my own Dad..

Tim Russert Has Died

Breaking: Tim Russert has died at the age of 58.

My deepest sympathies go out to Tim's father, who Tim lovingly called "Big Russ", Tim's wife, Maureen Orth, and Tim's son, Luke, who lost his Dad just a couple days before Father's Day.

From MSNBC:

WASHINGTON - Tim Russert, NBC News' Washington bureau chief and the moderator of "Meet the Press," died Friday after a sudden heart attack at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58.

Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s "Meet the Press" program when he collapsed, the network said. He and his family had recently returned from Italy, where they celebrated the graduation of Russert’s son, Luke, from Boston College.

No further details were immediately available.

Also at:
- NYT Caucus blog
- Buffalo News

A Talking Points Memo YouTube production, "Tom Brokaw Reports Death of Tim Russert":

Was Jeremy Waggoner Victim of Hate Crime?

Daily Tribune [Detroit]: Hairdresser found dead
Source: dailytribune.com
This story is haunting me this morning. What happened to Jeremy Waggoner? I'm not the only one wondering if this brutal murder may have been a hate crime. From atdetroit.net: "Does anyone know what happened to Jeremy Waggoner?" You can see a video at this site.


Update 10:45 am: "JohnBerk" at DiscussDetroit writes

"Just received this e-mail:"

"A gay man has been murdered in the Detroit area and Triangle Foundation needs your help to solve this crime and bring justice for him and his family.

Jeremy Waggoner, a 37-year-old Detroit resident, was murdered early this week. Jeremy, a stylist at the Michael Angelo Salon in Royal Oak, was well-known and deeply loved.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, Jeremy Waggoner’s body was found in a grassy field on Detroit’s eastside. He was brutally bludgeoned and possibly stabbed. Police are not sure whether Jeremy was killed in the grassy field or at another location and his body then dropped off. Few details of the murder, including the possible motive, are known at this time. His green 1997 Mazda MPV has not been found. If anyone has information about the murder of Jeremy Waggoner, please contact Melissa Pope at 313-909-3634 or via e-mail at melissa@tri.org. All calls are confidential.http://www.tri.org/

UPDATE Sat, Jun 14:

- "Information sought in the murder of Jeremy Waggoner in Detroit" - Mark Maynard.com

- "Gay American Heroes Foundation: Gay man murdered in Detroit" - [Miami Herald]



- Seen today at GayAmericanHeroes.info:

Gay Murder in Detroit, Jermey Waggoner
37 year-old openly gay hairdresser,
suffered violent death June 10, 2008.

Another HERO to be remembered on the
Gay American Heroes National Memorial?
   
Police have not at this point, classified this
as a hate crime, but through our experience
in these cases we believe it has the distinct
signs of a hate crime!



- "Gay man in Detroit murdered" - HateCrimesBill.org

Why Fewer Homeless in Istanbul Than in Seattle?

The Rev. Patrick Howell, S.J., in a special report to The Seattle Times, gives us his insight regarding a part of the reason why, as he observed on a recent trip, there are so few homeless people living on the streets of Istanbul:

"We saw a few beggars in Istanbul, but the homeless, if they exist, were not visible to us. Our Turkish hosts, most of whom had completed college degrees in the U.S., said, "Tight family ties and the Muslim faith mean that no one is left out. We don't have homeless like Chicago or San Francisco or Seattle would have." The Prophet Muhammad said, 'One who sleeps while their neighbor is hungry is not one of us.'"

Rev. goes on to say, "Though Turkey is a constitutionally secular society, it supports the Muslim faith by building mosques and paying the salaries of the Imams. Out of a total population of 70 million, it has only 100,000 Christians and 25,000 Jews."

Rev. Howell ends with a saying by Rumi, the great Sufi mystic, scholar, and poet:

"There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.
You feel it, don't you?"

A great song by Joni Mitchell

One of my favorite songs of all time ..
it's by Joni Mitchell....

My video on Global Warming

The 2004 Onondaga County Music Educator's Association's All-County Music Festival presented the song "Whose Garden Was This?" My son was in the festival chorus you'll hear in the video I've created. I was struck not only by the beauty of the song, but by the message itself.

Songwriter Tom Paxton reminds us that there are countless ways in which we take nature for granted...and soon, if we continue to ignore the warning signs of climate change, it may be too late.

Lyrics:

Whose garden was this?
It must have been lovely.
Did it have flowers?
I've seen pictures of flowers,
And I'd love to have smelled one.

Whose river was this?
You say it ran freely?
Blue was its color?
I've seen blue in some pictures,
And I'd love to have been there!

Chorus: Ah, tell me again; I need to know. The forest had trees; the meadows were green, The oceans were blue, and birds really flew. Can you swear that was true?

Whose grey sky was this?
Or was it a blue one?
Nights there were breezes?
I've heard records of breezes,
And you tell me you've felt one?

Please listen to Jeremy Symons, Executive Director of the Global Warming Campaign for the National Wildlife Federation, speak to you about the first vote held on Global Warming in the U.S. Senate in three years. Unfortunately, even with all of the discussion about the perils of Global Warming, it's taken this long for the message to start getting through to our Senators. This week legislation was blocked, but the stage has been set for 2009 when we'll have a new President and key Democrats who will help to eventually pass legislation to protect our life on our planet and to protect our economy.

Let your Senators hear from you today.

Now that the Dems Have A Nominee......

I was thinking about writing a post to attempt to convey to you how I'm feeling now that the Democratic primary race has finally come to a conclusion and Hillary Clinton has graciously offered her support to Barack Obama.

I thought I'd wait and let you read what I consider to be a post that reflects many of my own feelings, even if I didn't start out as a Hillary-supporter. Tom Watson is a Clinton supporter who's leading his fellow Democrats to become unified and ready to win in November. In his post, I think he shows wisdom, passion for change, deep respect for all candidates, and strength of character. We should all aspire to be as generous in spirit and committed to win. Read what he has to say:

"Speaking Loudly With a Single Voice"

In Remembrance of Bobby Kennedy

Twenty years after his death, Bobby Kennedy's wife tells NBC's Tom Brokaw that not only was she in love with Bobby, but that she was in awe of him.

It's hard to believe that it's now been 40 years since we lost Bobby.



Video of Ted Kennedy's voice delivering the closing part of the eulogy at the funeral of his brother Bobby, using excerpts from Bobby's famous speech to the students of a South African university in 1966.

Music: Bon Iver Live at Jools Holland

Cartoon: An Historic Primary Season

Camillus Memorial Day Parade

Add Jude Nagurney Camwell's channel to your page

The photo above is from Page Two of the Local section of today's Syracuse Post Standard. My son is in the foreground in the top photo and the caption includes information about him and his Troop.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers' Day


The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."






But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."










Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."




And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children," A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."






And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage.

Today, I 've given them strength."






And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. "And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."



And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."



And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence......."






Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space... not even death!




Writer - Anonymous

For Jenna Bush and Laura Bush

Tomorrow Jenna Bush will be married. This video is dedicated to her life and travels. As a mother whose child had not yet wed, I can just imagine the mixed emotions of Jenna's mother today.
Music by Harley West; video by my good friend "Woodrow" Williams.

Didn't Realize How Much Andrew Sullivan Personally Dislikes The Clintons

I don't share Andrew Sullivan's strong personal disliking for Hillary and Bill Clinton. The strong adjectives he uses to describe both Bill and Hillary Clinton as "frauds", quoting others who classify Hillary as "narcissistic" and "hungry for power" (as if every Presidential candidate isn't), and Hillary and Bill as "shameless" for competing.

His choice of what to blog about often sends jabs a-flying at New York's feisty Senator. His lending of any credence to any meaningful power behind the Limbaugh smoke-and-mirrors "Operation Chaos" leaves me scratching my head. Dream-scenarios about Obama grace his recent front page. His lending of the aura of any respect to a blogpost where Bill Clinton is substituted for Jeremiah Wright in a negative attack-analogy is one of the most pathetic tributes to Hillary-hate that I've seen.

I haven't read his blog in a while, but I liked his recent idea about a fusion-ticket, so I decided to read more of what he had to offer. As a person who's remained neutral since John Edwards suspended his campaign, I have to say that I'm bowled over by Mr. Sullivan's startling lack of objectivity.

But a blogger isn't required to be objective, is he?

Still, I think Andrew's all-too-happy report about African Americans sticking it to the Clintons is a major tribute to what ails the Democratic party right now. Here's the not-so-nice things Mr. Sullivan had to say on the subject:

"Here's what now seems obvious: African-American voters killed the Clinton candidacy. It is a fitting end to the Clintons' campaign and an almost Shakespearean coda to their career. The Clintons were exposed in their long-running exploitation and reliance on minority votes. No group was more loyal to them than African-Americans; and in the end, like everyone else, African-Americans realized that the Clintons are frauds, disloyal to the core, cynical to their finger-tips, and finally, finally, returned the favor."

To read this, one would think that any politician who eventually became a beloved leader has never exploited anyone or pandered to any group before in all of America's history. How much would it hurt Mr. Sullivan to admit that African Americans saw an African American who was becoming more and more inspiring and popular by the day and decided that they were going to support him because he reminded them of themselves and their own personal struggles? But, no-o-o-o. Framing their pride and joy in voting for an African American who has the potential to be a great leader has to involve sullying Obama's "narcissistic", "power-hungry", and "shameless" competition.

Please. About his theory on African Americans crushing Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sullivan gushes, "How wonderful. How poignant." (That's just creepy). Who's exploiting African Americans here?

What the perpetuation of this theory does, however, is to underscore Mr. Sullivan's own reasons for believing a fusion-ticket will be what carries the Democrats over the finish line as winners in November. If the voting public puts any stock in the race-issue as Mr. Sullivan himself is framing it, there will be natural race-based animosity. A brief review of our Anthropology 101 and Sociology 101 textbooks will show you it's true. I believe the last thing Mr. Obama would want is to have the Democratic voters who've supported Mrs. Clinton believe that it was African-Americans, as a group, who'd willfully denied her the nomination they'd so heartfully desired to see. Putting Mrs. Clinton on the ticket (if Obama gets the nomination) will bring Obama closer to his own stated desires...to bring all people together (begining with Democrats who he'll need to come out in as large numbers as possible) in a country where too many have bought into racial stereotypes and Hillary-hatred....the kind that started irrationally and has grown into a myth ... the very kind that I see Mr. Sullivan most unfortunately promoting in his analysis.


There's a lot of people who've looked up to Mr. Sullivan and his views. I think it's obvious that I'm disappointed in the way he's used his prominence to perpetuate this line of thought.

Obama and Hillary Unity Ticket Discussed

Here's my reply to a top-rated diary at Daily Kos this morning (title: "Yes to Unity. But Let's Not Go Overboard") :

Diarist wrote:

.... a "unity ticket"...doesn't help Obama or his supporters, nor does it help Clinton and her supporters, and frankly, it does little for the party when all is said and done..."

I replied:

I couldn't agree less.

A unity ticket with these two fantastic candidates, each with solid support within their own unique camps forming coalitions for common goals, encouraging a much more solid voting bloc in November...

I just can't see anything more positive.

I came from the Edwards camp and, like the Edwardses, I have remained neutral since John Edwards suspended his campaign. I have tried to keep a clear eye on this race since then.

I love what I believe this country should (and could) be. That is my priority. Second priority for me is party. Then only after those first two priorites do I concern myself with which candidate should represent the party.

I know that Daily Kos has become strong Obama territory and, while passion about a candidate is often commendable, too much passion can cause us to forget our nation's direction and our party's unity.
We don't want to give the other side an inch this time. I want the Democratic ticket to suck every bit of oxygen out of the room so the other side suffocates.

The road to beating the Republican this time must be paved with our ability to set emotion aside and realize just how excited the Democrats of this nation are about both of these candidates.

When one nominee's chosen, we want to maintain the level of excitement we've seen throughout this primary season!

The typical citizen doesn't care about so many of these internecine quarrels and attacks. They care about changing the direction in wich the Republicans have taken this country.

I'd be all for a Unity (the astute Andrew Sullivan calls it a "fusion") ticket.

There have been some responses to my comment and I have replied to each one. I hope you'll go to the link and read on. Maybe join in?

Burmese Political Prisoners Murdered After Cyclone Struck

Burmese prisoners 'executed after cyclone hit'
By Sebastien Berger, Graham Jenkins and Stephen Adams
Telegraph UK

In Rangoon, where monks and civilians were clearing the streets of debris, a man who refused to be identified added:

"Where are all those uniformed people who are always ready to beat civilians? They should come out in full force and help clean up the areas and restore electricity."

Insein Prison (pronounced like "insane") is located in Yangon Division, near Yangon (Rangoon), the old capital of Burma. It is run by the military junta of Burma, the State Peace and Development Council, and used largely to repress political dissidents.

The prison is notorious worldwide for its inhumane and dirty conditions, abusive techniques, and uses of mental and physical torture.

One of its most famous prisoners was the Nobel Peace prize winning human rights activist, Aung San Suu Kyi, who currently remains under house arrest.

Wikipedia

How you can help the struggling cyclone survivors in Myanmar:
A number of charities have launched appeals to help the Burmese in the wake of this weekend's cyclone. You can donate online to the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org or to Oxfam's emergency fund, www.oxfam.co; Save the Children, www.savethechildren.org ; and for citizens in the UK, to Christian Aid, www.christianaid.org.,

Who needs Gitmo? Democratic Race Provides More Torture!

Suicide Hotline for Veterans in Crisis

In 2007, suicides among active-duty soldiers reached their highest level since the Army began keeping such records in 1980, according to The Washington Post. Last year, 121 soldiers took their own lives, nearly 20 percent more than in 2006. Attempted suicides or self-inflicted injuries in the Army have increased since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars began.

Last year, about 2,100 soldiers injured themselves or attempted suicide, compared with 350 in 2002, according to the U.S. Army Medical Command Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

Because I volunteer as a community counselor, I am well aware of the needs of many fellow citizens in my own community. I wanted to make my readers aware of a fairly new 24-hour national suicide/crisis hotline based here in Upstate New York (Canandaigua) and created specifically for veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan (all other veterans are welcome, also). It's staffed by mental health professionals who know how to assess and respond to crisis situations for veterans at risk of suicide, and incorporates the best practices and research findings in suicide prevention and intervention with the goal of reducing suicides among veterans nationwide.

The phone number is 1-800-273-TALK. It's the only national suicide prevention and intervention telephone resource that is funded by the federal government. In addition to the national hotline, the Department has established a website, at http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov to provide information on suicide prevention awareness.

In yesterday's Times-Picayune there was a story about the increasing number of calls coming in to the Canandaigua-based hotline.

The warning signs of a potentially suicidal person can be seen here at the American Asssociation of Suicidology. On the same page you can also read how you can help someone in your life who may show the danger signs.

Don't hesitate to call or to give this number to a veteran if you know one who's struggling with life upon his or her return from war.

You may be the barrier between life and death for this person.


See:

Soldier suicides could trump war tolls: US health official [AFP]

Family pushing for changes after soldier's suicide
By Patrick McCreless
The Cullman Times

WWII Vet Commits Suicide outside VA Clinic by Brandon Friedman


Talking Veterans Down From Despair

Being there for veterans - A VA suicide hotline set up last year is credited with saving 726 lives so far


Local priests heed calls to military chaplaincies

Hillary Used Badly in Eight Belles Comparison

Blogger Tom Watson rightly, in my opinion, points out the insulting, cruel and inappropriate nature of this comment that was posted underneath one of ABC News' Jake Tapper's blogposts comparing Hillary Clinton and her candidacy to the euthanization of the racehorse Eight Belles after she'd tragically broken her two front ankles during the Kentucky Derby race:

Tom Watson says: "...over at Jake Tapper's they're green-lighting comments like this one:"

Comment that was posted at ABC News website: "This race parallels the nomination race as the one HRC picked lost to Obama's pick..now the only question remaining - since HRC will finish second to Obama - should she be put down because she is broken down, lying old hag?"

It's an appalling comparision and comment that has since been deleted (probably because it was being pointed out as such by the public). Jake Tapper has updated his blogpost, defending his comparison and telling readers that he isn't making light of Eight Belles' death. I think he invited this kind of commentary from the public by perpetuating goofy superstition and using the death of a lovely, regal creature as a political stick for any idiot to poke in the eye of their political opponent. I think that anyone..especially Obama supporters.. who wish to make hay (pun intended) out of this unfortunate and tragic death at Clinton's expense will be judged according to how much the individual loves horses. If Obama dares to joke about it, he'll look like a horse's ass (pun intended, and I don't suspect that Obama would be so tactless even though many of his most-rabid online supporters have been).


My comment at Tom Watson's blog reads as follows:

I was heartsick over Eight Belles. As I watched the whole thing unfold before my eyes yesterday, I saw the one picture next to the other - one owner of the swift and lovely horse who'd won the race cheering joyously -- and the deep sorrow upon seing the other beautiful animal laid low..broken and dying...

..it was a bit too much for me. I'm passionate for all horses. Once I'd learned Eight Belles had died, I could no longer join the others in sincerely cheering for the winner.

I am sad to see these comparisons being made to the Democratic candidates. It could, however, be a foretelling, that when one of them wins (bear in mind it's going to be inevitable) and we hear the cheering throng, there will be the other passionate half among many of whom will be turning the whole thing off as I turned off the overwhelming and strange emotional spectacle yesterday.

The only remedy to turning off the passionate supporters of either candidate that I can see is a situation where the losing Democrat gets the chance that poor Eight Belles will never have...to be resurrected as a running mate for the winner.

If only Eight Belles had gotten the opportunity to rise once more to claim life once again...the fact of having lost the great race notwithstanding.

Posted by: Jude | May 04, 2008 at 12:53 PM

As much as the two Democratic candidates choose to avoid the topic and their respective impassioned supporters reel and rebel at the very thought of their candidate taking second spot, the beating of John McCain after such a divided season with the race being so consistently close is going to have to take a Unity ticket. I've never been more convinced than I am now. Whether a nominee is decided upon in June or August, it matters little now. When it came down to Superdelegates deciding the nominee for us, we Democrats passed the point where the party will be free from major damage without Democrat-Unity '08. I've been saying it for quite some time. Andrew Sullivan's talking about the practicality of what he calls a 'Fusion Ticket' today.

My cartoons from early March:






UPDATE:

In fairness to Jake Tapper (whose comment can be seen below), my headline shouldn't have read Hillary Used Badly in ABC Eight Belles Comparison.

My focus on the sad analogy (which is, indeed, a comparison in nature, albeit not made by Jake directly) was more about the type of comments I was seeing underneath the blogpost rather than about the actual content of the post itself.

I have changed my headline and apologize for making it sound as if Jake was making the horrid analogy himself. He wasn't. He was providing facts about a sitution that I'm sure he and his editors knew was relevant to what may someday be looked back upon as a story that will have become political lore.

I'm sounding off about the people who support either Obama or McCain who'd use this to do intentional political harm to Hillary Clinton and walk over the dead body of a noble creature in order to complete the process. It's the side of politics (and people) that I surely wish would change, but there will always be ugliness. As much as people at Daily Kos passionately support Senator Obama in this race, I give them credit because even THEY heavily criticized anyone who tried to build upon this analogy with any seriousness yesterday.

While I'm here updating, as much as I love animals, I firmly believe that PETA's most recent politicization of the Eight Belles incident is just too opportunistic. Another political boot-mark on the body of the horse.

Once again, I didn't mean to mislead readers about Jake Tapper or about ABC.
I pride myself on fairness.
This season's been rough on this Democrat...and many other Democrats.
My apologies for an untentionally misleading headline.