Governor Palin had a high school flashback when she repeatedly referred to the Commanding General in Afghanistan as "General McClellan". General McClellan, as history buffs will remember, was the commander of the Army of Potomac who promised President Lincoln so much, and to Lincoln's frustration, did so little, during the opening year of the Civil War.
(not currently leading forces in Afghanistan. Often mistaken for the current General leading US forces in Afghanistan.)
The commander of the Army units in Afghanistan is General McKiernan. Confusing McClellan and McKiernan is what happens when you have a high school education and you try and stuff a bunch of approved lines and responses in a brain not fit for pinochle. If you taped the debate, watch when the moderator asks Palin about under what circumstances she would authorize the use of nuclear weapons. A moment of terror crosses Palin's face as she realizes she has not been briefed on this question. My goodness she will have to think for herself!!! Palin then she responds not to the question asked, but with the information she was spoon fed about nuclear weapon proliferation. It was the only answer she had been given to memorize, so she just stuffed it into an answer about a topic she otherwise knows nothing about.
(Currently leading us forces in Afghanistan. Often mistaken by mental midgets for the leader of the Army of the Potomac in 1861)
It's a fair question. After seeing her fearful and non-responsive response, can anyone feel safe with her a heart beat away from the presidency? Of course we all feel better that Palin believes global warming has causes other than human- made carbon emissions. From a woman who does not believe in evolution (and would ban the teaching of evolution from schools given half a chance) we can take comfort that her study of global warming leads her to conclude that polar bears can benefit from losing a few extra pounds by swimming hundreds of miles because their homes on the ice floes have all melted. Yup- a warmer globe and more cardiovascularly fit polar bears.
And it's mackerel. Click and read.
Word on the street is that the government is sweating the federal re-trial of the drug king pin. The jury hung the first time 7-5 for acquittal and in the second trial before Judge Jordan things are going worse for the feds. Billy Barzee and Joel Denaro for the defense.
Our favourite federal blogger kept em out 8 days (count em- ocho) but alas it was not enough as the government prevailed before Judge Middlebrooks in West Palm Beach. It was a multi-defendant case and they all went down.
Final thought on jurors and penalties:
We get the last word on juries and penalties. You can argue back and forth about what should be done and the theory of a jury making a decision only on the facts. However what the Joe Cool case makes very clear is what we who try cases have always known- jurors compromise and they do so, many times, based on what they think are less serious charges. Jurors find defendants guilty in compromise verdicts when they do not believe the government's proof was beyond a reasonable doubt. They did it in the Joe Cool case and no matter how much you theorize and pontificate that is what they do, and we believe that is the clearest indication yet that this wondrous justice system of ours is broken.
Get your suicide picks in. NFL Sunday picks week 5 for Sunday. Fins at home versus the Bolts (Chargers.)