Yea! I Finished Another Book: Game Change

Wow, after lambasting my reading habits, I've finished and posted on two books within three weeks, I'm really truckin' now.

Well, not really.

While it took about three hours to finish Carol Burnett's new book, I started reading "Game Change" four months ago. I could only deal with a chapter or two at a sitting. Not that it was badly written or uninteresting. As I slowly turned page after page, an overall sensation would come over me every time I cracked the book open.

Sadness.

You probably know that John Heilemann and Mark Halperin's tome is a thorough account of the 2008 Presidential campaign. By and large, the authors' journal is fairly non-partisan and even-handed. They do get sucked into a little bit of the Obummer wild-eyed frenzy by the last few chapters, but, for the most part, they manage to keep an even keel on their ramblings.

Now, normally, I'm a sucker for anything to do with Presidential history and, particularly, the election process. Perhaps, some of my very favorite reading moments in life came with renowned author Theodore White's books on the Presidential elections of 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972. These were austere accounts about our most unique and privileged rights as an American citizen---choosing a leader of the free world. Say what you want about Kennedy, Nixon, Johnson, and the like, there was still a leadership quality to these men that made you respect the office of the Chief Executive.

Unfortunately, that is gone. Maybe forever.

The folks involved in the 2008 Presidential race are not people to be admired. Or respected or revered or even liked. They are now more than ever cheap and dirty politicians. Hucksters. Concerned not with doing a job, but simply getting one and keeping it. Each and every one of them are shameful individuals not even worthy to be running a high school glee club, let alone the greatest free nation in the world.

"Game Change" gives you titilation, both literally and figuratively. You read about lowlife John Edwards and his affair. You realize that, ultimately, you can't blame him for his indiscretion after you meet his wife who is a shrill harpie reminiscent of a Shakespearean villain. John McCain? An addled fool who couldn't make up his mind about which socks to wear to the morning press briefing. His selection of Sarah Palen as his running mate was a mistake as she was ill-prepared to be in that role.

The authors tell us of a very significant innovation presented to McCain by his aides early on in the campaign. Given his advanced age, they suggest to the candidate that he publicly announce that he is seeking one term only as President. They tell him to say that he is focusing on the job, not getting re-elected. The old goat ultimately refuses. Even in his 70s, he wants to think about keeping the position longterm. What a complete tool!

As for the Democrats, they are no better. "Game Change" illuminates in detail all the sniping between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obummer. Indeed, all the pre-election allegations by Hillary ring true today. But, the community organizer gets a pass on everything basically because he played the race card very early on in the campaign. Subtlely and smartly, Obummer let it be known that, if you don't like him, you simply must be a racist. Hillary and Hubby didn't stand a chance. And, of course, they wind up as the biggest Obummer supporters. Blatant hypocrisy on the highest level of steroids allowed. We laughingly think to ourselves, "well, that's just politics." Perhaps that's the most depressing point made in "Game Change." All of us are the ultimate losers every single election day.

As for Obummer in this book, all the scandals are brought up in detail but generally dismissed. Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, his lack of experience. No one seemed to care. It's now 2010 and, in hindsight, we now see clearly what happens when the electorate votes with their heart, rather than their head. By the time you get to the end of "Game Change," you discover with mortification that the joke's been played on us. Because when it comes to greatness, our President is nothing more than a curbside pile freshly squeezed out of a dog's ass. Still, he's no different than anybody else.

I think I'm done reading about the current political scene. Moving forward, I'll stick to Presidential history starting with Kennedy and moving backwards.

Dinner last night: Leftover sausage and peppers.