End of Month Notes
First off, apologies for the recent power outage caused by exceeding my bandwidth allotment. As it happened, I was so busy with midterms that I wouldn't have had time to post anything anyway. The problem has been solved though so this site will remain bright for the foreseeable future.
- US mid-term elections happen on Tuesday, and even the most optimistic Democrat would have to admit that our side is in for a long night. The causes are obvious: the economy remains poor, and unemployment is still very high. The recovery that looked imminent last fall stalled and then dissipated. The conservative narrative that this election is somehow transformative, in the vein of 1994, is off-base. Should the economy recover, so should the fortunes of Obama and the Democrats.
- That being said, the Republicans will do their best to keep the recovery from happening. Think that's too cynical? Look at this comment from Mitch McConnell, the party's Senate majority leader: 'The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president'. Such a statement should be shocking, but it fits perfectly with the behavior of the Republican Party since Obama was elected.
- With that in mind, I agree with James Fallows and Paul Krugman that the pending Republican victory in the House will not somehow work out for the best. If Obama found it difficult pushing his agenda through Congress before, he's going to find it nearly impossible now. I sincerely hope the president channels his inner Bill Clinton and learns how to make his political opponents look petty and amateurish.
- Christine O'Donnell is an idiot and has no business serving as a US Senator. I find her position on social matters abhorrent. But this story published by Gawker, in which a dude recounts his near one-night-stand with her, only makes her seem more sympathetic and human. Voters want to empathize with their political leaders. This is why George W. Bush's admission of a drinking problem, Bill Clinton's sexual peccadilloes, and Barack Obama's struggle to kick a cigarette habit help endear them to the public at large. The fact that Christine O'Donnell got drunk and got it on with a guy she thought was nice is hardly unacceptable behavior in our culture. I doubt this story will make a difference in the polls- O'Donnell is still likely to lose- but if the goal was for her 'hypocrisy' to be exposed, then I'd say it backfired.
- On a related subject, the reason why people don't like Mitt Romney despite his reasonably successful pedigree isn't because he's too moderate, it's that he really seems to be the do-gooder Mormon that he says he is. And that creeps people out.
- Oh, and I happen to agree with the Superficial's take on the matter here without going into detail.
- A lot of people here are headed south for the day to attend the twin Washington, DC rallies held by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I'll be going the opposite way, visiting a friend in Boston. But the rallies should provide the requisite hilarity.
- And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that my heart is firmly in San Francisco at the moment due to the success of my beloved San Francisco Giants. I've been a Giants fan since the age of 8, when in 1989 they met the cross-Bay Oakland A's in the World Series. Of course, in the moments prior to Game 3 the massive Loma Prieta earthquake shook the area and suspended the Series by 10 days. The Giants were vastly inferior to the A's that year and were swept resoundingly.
Since then, this is only the second time they've been back. In 2002, they lost to the Anaheim Angels in heartbreaking fashion. But 2010 feels different so far. The Giants lead the Texas Rangers 2 games to 0 after a pair of drubbings in San Francisco. The series now heads to Texas for Games 3,4, and if necessary 5. The Giants simply need to win 2 of the next 5 to win their first ever World Series since moving to San Francisco from New York in 1958.
I've never seen San Francisco get behind its team so much before. The 2010 team is as kooky as the city itself; Brian Wilson's beard, Tim Lincecum's shaggy haired stoner look, the Aubrey Huff rally thong, and even Barry Zito's yoga obsession all fit into the SF id like never before.
The series resumes tonight in Texas, and I'll be watching from somewhere in Boston. Here's a little something to whet the appetite:
