The Clinton Cocktail Party- Aguas de Marco

Maybe it’s cabin fever and being too cooped up that makes me long for spring. This year’s March however, seems to be approaching with alarming rapidity. Like a final exam or the GRE or some other high level test we need to pass in order to get on with our life plans. And how many of us have sat around thinking of that test with trepidation, rolling thoughts of self-doubt around in our heads, waking up in the dead of night a little panicked? Did you ever have one of those dreams that you’re late for your final and you can’t find the room because you skipped the class all semester?

Hmmmm. Test anxiety. I think we can thank our opposition in both parties for that. But before we psych ourselves out, let’s reflect on the lessons we’ve learned and remember that, besides being a formidable and mature debater, our gal was one hell of a gracious lady on Thursday. This isn’t a popularity contest. It is a fight we must wage for the life of our country. In extending her hand in solidarity with Obama, Hillary showed true leadership by putting the country foremost in our minds and asking us to focus on that instead of the fortunes of either candidate.

She passed the presidential leadership test with flying colors and she did it with confidence. Let us likewise banish our feelings of doubt. We will get through this together. Hillary is the real uniter.

Welcome to the Clinton Clocktail Hour. This is the time where we congratulate each other for another week of fighting the good fight and we beat our swords into swizzle sticks. Our bar is located to the left of the door. Our bartender with flair tonight is Rico. Stop and say hello and maybe order one of our featured cocktails for tonight, a *Caipirinha*, but you can order anything you like.

Our singers tonight, Elis Regina and Tom Jobim, made this recording of the poem Aguas de Marco (Waters of March) in 1974. I love its bossa nova beat and the ending that reminds me of water tumbling and swirling. The song is about the end of summer in Brazil but here in the northern hemisphere, March is the end of the beginning, the herald of spring. In any case, I like to look forward to the waters of March, the return of green, the sound of birds, the fall of the rain. Maybe the song will inspire you write your own poetry.

I know I can count on you ladies and gents to keep your trigger words to yourselves but if you find them too embarrassing to carry around, please leave them with Florence, our lovely check room attendant. The waiters will be circulating soon with some marinated spring lamb lollipops, assorted cheeses and artichoke bruschetta on flatbread. Please drink responsibly and tip your wait staff generously.

Salud!

Hey, did you know there is a satellite party at Taylor Marsh’s blog at 5pm PST (8pm EST)?

Clinton Cocktail Party at 7pm EST

Everyone welcome.  Those  of you on the West Coast can join our satellite party at Taylor Marsh at 5pm, PST (8pm EST).

What Kos really is (in his own words)

Kos is a Libertarian Democrat. This should not really come as any surprise to anyone. He started out as a Republican (Ok, he was young, I forgive) but then trended towards the Democrats in the Army. Now, he is a business owner and I think this is partially what drives his “new progressivism”. How might that affect Kos’ true feelings about universal healthcare, especially a plan that comes with a mandate to cover every employee? He states in his diary,

Of course, this also means that government isn’t always the solution to the nation’s problems. There are times when business-government partnerships can be extremely effective (such as job retraining efforts for displaced workers). There are times when government really should butt out (like a great deal of small-business regulation). Our first proposed solution to a problem facing our nation shouldn’t be more regulation, more government programs, more bureaucracy.

Kos and I may be seeing things completely differently. If the social safety net is strengthened and all Americans are covered by universal healthcare, the cost of that healthcare should become more affordable. And with the extra security that comes from being covered, people may be more willing to take risks with new business opportunities. There could be a real boom in innovation and entrepreneurship.

He says he understands the need for the social safety net but he is supporting the person most likely to compromise with Republicans in undermining it. With Obama, there is no mandate. People can choose to opt out until they start getting ill and the rest of us will be forced to subsidize them. His social security rhetoric sounds suspiciously freindly to Republicans. With Barack Obama, you may very well be seeing the rise of Libertarian Democrats and the new kind of progressive politics that Kos is referring to. These are the people who are socially laissez-faire, hate the corporations that employ many of us and want the government to stay out of their small businesses. The ideas of Libertarian Democrats will work very well for people who have the liberty to opt out, which leaves the rest of us right where we started from. What kind of Change! is that?

PS. Note that Kos makes a big deal about winning the western states and places like Virginia. And where has Obama been winning? Hmmmm….

PPS: From Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft, we have a chain that leads to KagroX at DKos wringing his hands over the fact tha Obama, his saviour and messiah, might be somehow in cahoots with the dreaded DLC. Horrors! (yeah, I never liked you either, KargoX)

I Lost on Jeopardy

Back in the early 90’s, I had a Nintendo Jeopardy game. I was unbeatable. I have one of those minds that collects little bits of trivial information and my gray matter elves work on sifting through it, categorizing it and creating a relational database all unbeknownst to me. (pretty hard to beat in Trivial Pursuit too but that involves a bit more luck) Let’s not pretend that this facility for recalling useless bits of information is actually worth anything. Unless you play on the real show for real money, it’s just showing off to your family and friends. Your prospective employer never asks you to recall the name of the number one song on the radio the week that Nixon resigned in 1974 (“When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees).

But I found the real trick to beating my mom at this game, and she was pretty good herself, was to psych her out. She’d beg me to play and I would ask her, “Why do you want to suffer that kind of humiliation again? I beat you by $60,000 last time.” or “Ooo, Potent Potables! I’m really *good* at this category.” or “Hmmm, Daily Double in Biology. Should I risk the entire $30,000 or just half of it. Well, you’re at $7,000. I might as well go for all of it. There’s still more than half a board left if I get it wrong.” Then she’d get mad and start accusing me of playing it when she wasn’t around and memorizing all of the answers (I didn’t. No fun in playing against the computer), or she’d pick easier categories for herself but I would buzz in as the question was revealed so I’d have time to read it while she fumed in consternation at not being quick enough. It always ended the same way. She is really good at Jeopardy but she couldn’t play the mind game. Now, when it comes to Scrabble, the roles are reversed. She’s a frickin’ dictionary and word count mathematician. I have never been able to beat her and she uses her own psych out tricks on me.

This week, we’re seeing a lot of psych out wizards planting stories and messing with our heads about the end game coming up. Let’s review, shall we, and stop falling for this BS: