Thursday, June 26, 2008

Adios Vice-President Hagel


Only about a week has gone by since Senator Chuck Hagel made himself available to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

And now it would seem that an ice-cold bucket of water has been tossed on the idea.

U.S. News and World Report says that Barack Obama-ites shopped the "Hagel for Veep" idea around the Hill and were met with "serious resistance".
Apparently Democrats would like someone who votes like a Democrat to be the Democrat standard bearer. We know, we know -- we were as surprised as you to hear that.

So in the mean time, the word is that Hagel's VP prospects are "plummeting". But that was a fun week, huh?
(Though we would think he is still in the running for a potential Obama cabinet job.)

And here's an interesting question: Will Hagel be attending EITHER party's convention this year? We're curious...

***

"Meet the make-believe strategists of TV"

That's the headline of a long article on the "Politico" website about the talking heads on FOX News, MSNBC, CNN and the like, who have no real expertise or experience in political strategery, yet are dubbed "political strategists".

And who is the poster-girl for this article?
Why it's the cowpoke's cowgirl, Jane Fleming Kleeb!

In the article, Ms. Fleming Kleeb laughs off the titles that she is given, particularly on FOX. She apparently doesn't consider herself a strategist, much less an expert on topics such as global warming. Of course, that hasn't stopped her from going on the shows and giving her two cents. Then again, who could blame her? No one is putting a gun to Bill O'Reilly's head to put her on.

But apparently Washington insiders are steamed that those with little actual campaign experience are spouting off about campaign strategy. Fleming Kleeb, deputy director of the Young Voter PAC, apparently doesn't meet their standards. (Frankly we question how she still fronts the "YOUNG" voters, but that's another issue entirely.)

So get your fill of Jane now, because you never know when the cable newsies may opt for real talking head political vets. Because as Fleming Kleeb says, "If you had a bunch of us in a room and asked if we are political strategists, I think you would get a lot of laughter."

(Of course, some have the same reaction when her husband is mentioned as a U.S. Senator, but again, that's another issue...)

***

With the latest horrific mauling by a pit bull, just down the road from Rosenblatt, should there be a discussion in Omaha about banning pit-bulls?

Currently, there is a ban on cigarettes, but last time we checked, a pack of smokes didn't rip a child's scalp off.
When a mountain lion is loose in the city, we tranquilize it and lock it up at the zoo.

There are numerous cities, major and minor, around the country that have banned pit bulls or other vicious dog breeds.
We're not sure what the solution is to this problem, but one more time something like this happens is probably one too many. Heck, ask any mailman.

And just so you're aware of the political ramifications, the dog-owners' lobby, nationally, is huge. And the enforcement of this is potentially problematic. Cities that have banned the animals have had real issues with getting rid of all the banned animals presently there.

One solution could be to grandfather in currently owned and licensed animals, and simply not allow any other so-called vicious breeds to be licensed. You would, in theory, be pit-bull free in about ten to twelve years, if you wanted to go that route. But that doesn't address any immediate issues.

And there are going to obvious comparisons to fire-arm ownership. We really don't know where the Second Amendment folks come down on the attack-dog issue. And this isn't something we are necessarily advocating here on Leavenworth Street.

But it is worth discussing. And Omaha's elected officials should be prepared for an uptick on this issue.

...

Later morning update: The OWH has done a short piece on this issue. In it a "Humane Society official" says a ban for a city the size of Omaha wouldn't work. Well, tell that to Denver, Cincinnati and Providence, to name a few.

They also go on to quote a "city official" who says people would switch to different breeds (ok...) and wouldn't license their pit bulls. OK, so those people would be violating the law. But those who would want to not violate the law wouldn't get one.

There would certainly be cost issues to address in such an enforcement as well as the general libertarian interests.

But here's a question: How do you feel these days about pulling your toddlers in a wagon as your neighbor walks by with a pit bull (probably named "Lucifer" or "Cerberus" or whatever names pit bulls always seem to have) which has always seemed to be very nice? You comfortable? Just throwing that out there for discussion.

41 comments:

Jake said...

Woo hoo. Go Iraq. Go Recession. Go housing Crisis. Go Economy. Go Mr. 23%. You are awesome!

Street Sweeper said...

Jake,

So the post is about Hagel, Jane Kleeb and pit bulls, and you're raving about Bush's approval ratings (I assume)?

Just get back from the bars? Way to stay on topic.

Anonymous said...

If the Omaha city council takes up a ban on pit bulls, I hope there is some consideration of the impact upon the Humane Society. They are already dealing with a surplus of pets available for adoption and euthanizing hundreds(?) of surrendered pit bulls would be a huge financial hit. If a ban is enacted, I hope it requires pit bull owners to pay for euthanizing their dog(s). I don't think "grandfathering" current pit bulls will be a consideration unless there is a requirement for muzzels and harnesses, which would be an enforcement nightmare. On the upside, it should eliminate any problem with dog fighting rings operating in/around Omaha and the theft of other dogs who are used as "training aids" by those who fight pit bulls.

BTW, you have to know Jane Kleeb is no campaign strategist since no serious professional stragtegist would have advised someone so unqualified to run for a US Senate seat.

Anonymous said...

Hagel was never going to be VP, if he thought he had a chance then he was just fooling himself. A man with one of the most conservative voting records in the Senate teaming up with one of its most liberal members? No way.
Dont have an opinion on TV political commentators because for the most part they are all idiots anyway. Russert was good, and the list stops there i think. There is one woman on CNN i like, and that is probably it.
I think pit bulls are dangerous animals that need to be controlled. This is different than a firearm in that the firearm doesn't go off by itself. Dogs, even mild tempered ones, can go bad at an instant and kill or maim innocent bystanders.

Anonymous said...

So what exactly is Jane's credentials? Did she protest as a college student to save the snail darter? Burn her bra at the supreme court on a day an abortion case was to be decided? Did her father contribute to some liberal organization to buy her credentials? I want to know more!!!

Anonymous said...

SS, don't let Jake-the-Pitt-Bull take a stab and leave the knife in.

Jake mentions Bush's 23% approval rating in the most recent LATimes/Bloomberg poll. But Jake then neglects to mention that the last four June polls show an average approval rating of only 19%for the DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, with a low June rating of 13%.

The only thing that disgusts Americans more than the GOP White House is the Democrap Congress.

Street Sweeper said...

Jake's free to rant non-sensically about whatever he wants.

Reminds me of the guy who staggers up to you at a bar and yells, "the Red Sox SUCK", then teeters away...

Anonymous said...

THE RED SOX SUK!

That is all.

Anonymous said...

The difference between a gun and a pit bull are quite obvious. The Second Amend question is interesting. I think it would depend on the Court that heard the case. It is becoming increasingly common for the courts to legislate rather than interpret (it just happened yesterday at the US Sup Ct with the Exxon-Valdez Accident).

I am just glad that you cannot abuse a gun until it has become so mean that it turns on the nearest perceived threat. Now that I think about it, I should get my guns cleaned and go play catch with my dogs-thereby keeping all of my neighbors and guests to my home safe.

I wonder if I should pay attention to my kids too? YKW

Anonymous said...

Here's an idea. Let the NRA nuts shoot the pit bulls for target practice. That should at least keep one group happy.

Anonymous said...

Not to pick a fight but when a court interprets a law to be unfair or unconstitutional, the courts are doing their job. If it forces a change of legislation to make the laws fair then that is the purpose of the court.

Anonymous said...

I think we need to restrain and regulate pit bulls and Democratic Strategists. No Kleebites, I was not infering Jane Kleeb is a foaming at the mouth Dog...foaming at the mouth liberal...yes.....lol

Anonymous said...

While the Congress is polling low, those same polls repeated show that for the upcoming election, people would prefer to have a Democratic Congress, rather than a Republican one (54% to 33%).

As for the dogs, it's not the dogs that should be banned or euthanized, it's the owners. Those dogs, while bred to be tough (they would grab bulls by the nose and hold on to keep in line), can be the best dogs you could ever have. It's the assholes who make them mean and don't know how to raise them properly that are at fault. Doesn't anyone every watch "Dog Whisperer"? Ever see Caeser with Daddy the pit bull? That dog never seem to move faster than 10 feet an hour, and always has a smile on his face!

Anonymous said...

I love reading all of you political genius' comments......I think you folks need a hobby.

Anonymous said...

When was the last time you read about a Collie mauling a kid? or a golden retriever? No matter how you train pit bulls, there is a tendency for them to be viscous. They should be banned.

Anonymous said...

FWIW in other towns in Nebraska Mountain Lions are usually killed if in city limits. Athorities don't want to take any chances. This has happened twice in a little over a year in Scottsbluff alone.

Anonymous said...

pol observor...listeners infer; speakers imply.

Anonymous said...

It is about time we have great leadership like Kleeb and Obama who step up and promise the union bosses less oversight and removal of the secret ballot.

With these bold moves of overt "change" we can allow unions to do to the rest of this great country what they have already done "to" the auto industry and our educational system. (Our students now rank about 30th world wide and we can read daily how our "big" three are going down the crapper, soon to be the "little")

How does one really say thank you to UNIONS. Wait there is a way --- Vote Obama!!! Vote Kleeb!!!

All together now ---- two cheers for U.S.A. mediocrity!!!!!

Anonymous said...

No, a Collie hasn't mauled a kid (although we could probably find an attack here and there somewhere in the world at some point). However, do you ever see assholes getting collies to train to be fighting dogs or guard dogs? Nope. It's the idiots who get them and raise them wrong that need stuffed. I had a friend that had a pit bull. Lived a full life. Never harmed a fly. But he was raised right and his owner knew how to handle him. Don't blame the dogs, blame the owners.

Anonymous said...

Yes, but you cannot deny that by nature a pit bull is a more aggressive animal. They were originally bred and trained to be attack dogs, not lap dogs. The owner has alot to do with it but its very nature cannot be ignored.

BB said...

Speaking of dogs, tonight is the big opening night for Esch's campaign headquarters and there will be plenty of dogs, burgers and beers to go around. Everyone be sure to show up and pig out so Esch spends precious campaign money (aka family money) on condiments and beer. They will also play "guess when Jim will file his FEC report." First prize winner will be Jim's designated driver tonight and must have a full tank of gas to get Jim to the casinos and the playhouse after the party.

Street Sweeper said...

I'll say this: If you're going to go off topic, at least you did it with a funny segue.

We can now await the next 80 comments from the Esch and Terry camps...

Anonymous said...

That was Funny! Now, come on - you have to admit it or at least expect it.

Drain Jim's account and play drinking games such as, "When's Jim going to file his FEC report?", or "When is Jim goin to get fined?"

ptg said...

Pit bulls? I feel most comfortable around them when I'm armed with a gun. Back when bicycles were dangerously tall and called velocipedes, a pesky dog could cause riders to fall. Smart folks carried a small caliber dog gun to discourage the animals. These old guns, especially the Velo Dog Gun, are hot collector's items. Today, I figure a .380 is sufficient for small to medium mutts; .22's just make them angry. A .45 will serve any need likely to be encountered in Omaha.
---
Seem disjointed? I'm giddy with gun rights today.

Anonymous said...

Terry said he and Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia "are the Luke Skywalkers, riding in to save the Universal Service Fund from those who want to destroy it — the Darth Vaders."
CD2, that is your cue to hang your head in shame. That is the representative for us in congress and once again, we should be ashamed.

Anonymous said...

Is it just me or does Lee Terry look like a cast member in revenge of the nerds?

Anonymous said...

Oh no, its just not you ASG. He definately looks like a member from the Revenge of the Nerds.

Anonymous said...

I would rather have a Congressman with a sense of humor (good or bad) than a congressman who thinks it is funny to ignore laws and manipulate paperwork for the purpose of circumventing the laws. Esch is not funny, he is pathetic. BTW, did you catch that Lee is working, again, with a Democrat to get a Bill made into a Law that will level the playing field for the spending of the USF Fund. Nebraska has been screwed for years on this Fund's formula and Lee is working with another Member to change that. Jim can't even play well with his own Party, he'll never play with our's.

I think I am commentor #5, only 75 more to go!:) Sorry SS.
YKW

Anonymous said...

I would rather have a congressman and a politicl party in office that didn't sell the future economic security of our country to the Chinese and Japanese, but as should it be obvious to you all im a deficit hawk. Tardiness is that big a thing to your folks? How about the future of a country?

Anonymous said...

YKW, yea i caught he was working with a dem again. And George Lucas (who i will never forgive for ruining the fourth Indiana Jones movie)

Anonymous said...

RE: Pit Bull ban. There was interesting article in the New Yorker about pits a few years ago that's apropos to the issue.

Anonymous said...

B U L L E T I N:

(Drum roll please) JIM HAS NOW FILED ONE OF THE TWO DELINQUENT REPORTS WITH THE FEC!!!!!!

There's a small problem, though.

He filed the 2nd report first--so, the numbers are still erroneous.

By doing so, Esch inflates his cash on hand by $2,700.

He'll have to redo it again.

Anonymous said...

Back on topic-
Sweeper - Hagel went 24 hours before he started whoring for an obama job again. As you pointed out, USN poured cold water on his vp possibilities (nevermind the DNC bylaws prohibit picking a republican as vp)but today Bloomberg reports Hagel is now shooting for SecDef:

Hagel, Republican for Now, Says He Has No Plans to Back McCain

By Christopher Stern

June 27 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Chuck Hagel declined to endorse his party's likely presidential nominee, John McCain, and said he would consider serving as secretary of defense in a Barack Obama administration.

Amazing how this guy keeps himself working the corners so to speak.

Anonymous said...

Hagel is more conservative than Bush or McCain and most voters agree with Hagel's position on Iraq. That's a winning combination. But Hagel isn't running for president.

That which once may have made Hagel a contender, today just gets in the way of McCain shoving an unpopular war down America's throat and Obama shoving Socialism up America's ass.

We are guaranteed to end up with crappy executive govenrment next year. The only real question is, why would Hagel want to be part of that misery?

Anonymous said...

Feed Jake to the pit bulls.

Then shoot them. Each and every last one. The world has enough problems.

Anonymous said...

Street Sweeper,
After these storms you might be busy doing your thing, may i suggest you sweep Cumming, Saddlecreek and Northwest Radial first?

Anonymous said...

HICKORY SMOKED PIT BULL. The best in lean mean protein!

Brought to you by Nebraska Cows for Life.

Anonymous said...

grrr grrr grrr grrr

Anonymous said...

Since there is a total drop in comments about Hagel, PitBulls and Janey Fleming Kleeb ---- I will add two cents about BH Obama.

In NM he gave an eloquent speech about raising pay for women. Then later in the report it was mentoned how his women campaign staff were paid less than the men and of the 6 staffers that make over $100,000 only one is a woman. Either Obama has his head where the sun doesn't shine or his speech writers do. Or both!!!!

Obama is too much like an attorney. How can you tell if an attorney/(Obama) is lying???? If his lips are moving!!!!! Oh!!! That's right he is an attorney:):):)

What a bag of wind!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I would rather be unpopular and right, than a Socialist and stupid!

YKW

Anonymous said...

SS, posting here so we can keep the July 4th posting "clean", Joe Jordan is reporting that Esch has decided, after 2 "Pledge Trips" to Washington, that the leadership of his Party doesn't know what they're doing.

Funny, maybe it is Esch that got it wrong again, not them. They gave him 3 rounds to make the "cut" for their team, and he did not make it. He should just stay in Nebraska and be the Water Boy for his State Party. Although, you have to wonder if he could beat out Klebbie, or not.

Poor Jim-I mean Rich Jim.
YKW