We interrupt this scheduled broadcast . . . .

There was a palpable malaise in people today, following the unequivocal nightmare of Bush's speech. And many blogs that I expected to post about it are more or less quiet on the subject, as though the speech is so beneath contempt that there's nothing to say.

I have a two small observations.

How quickly some of the networks went right back to the evening's programs, instead of going to talking-head interpretations. It felt like more well-deserved contempt to me: as though the networks were saying 'we have to carry this speech, but we don't have to really pay attention to it.' And many of the networks did not carry the Democratic response. Again, feeling like there was just no point to this anymore.

Also, from the point of view that small details can reveal much: Bush did not give this speech from the Oval Office, but from the Library. What a clear indication of a man competely lost. Even given his utter, criminal inepitude, does he not understand the power of the physical Oval Office? (Clearly one part of his staggering disconnect from reality is that he has never seen The West Wing.) Why would he remove himself from that uniquely empowered space? How clueless can one individual be?

In the face of such seriously, overwhelmingly bad leadership, there are few things the individual can do: vote; pray; and respect and exercise life as best we can, because we can.

And in that spirit, we return to our regularly scheduled program of chit, chat, musings, and storytelling.

 Mapeel     1/11/2007