If you are a believer in omens, a wild and crazy Scientologist (Tom Cruise), or a member of the Church of the Latter Day Chastity Underwear (Mitt Romney) — you no doubt picked up on the portent of Billary and Barack’s recent prime time TV buys in the Biggest Little.
The Other Paper, in discussing how the two Democratic candidates are getting their messages out to the voters, noted that Team Obama had purchased two spots on the Academy Awards presentation — which, of course, celebrates winners. Senator Pantsuit was said to have purchased only one prime time slot: on Lost.
Nice symbolism.
Thanks for reminding me
Hats off to the astute and sensitive editor at the Urinal who skipped his or her Mensa meeting to write this headline for the February 25 front page: “Some worry success has made Obama an assassination target.”
Geez, if some raving loony wasn’t already thinking of pulling off his own James Earl Ray or Sirhan Sirhan stunt, the headline should plant the seed pretty quickly.
While the accompanying story came from the New York Times (SOP at the slimmed-down BeloJo, as four of the six front-pagers that day were not written by the hometown paper’s own reporters), at least America’s organ of record had a degree of dignity and common sense in how it headlined the piece: “In Memories of Painful Past, Hushed Worry About Obama.” That didn’t exactly shove one’s nose in the idea of Obama being murdered, and allowed readers to digest the article with some nuance.
P+J won’t stoop to calling this just plain effing stupid and irresponsible; we’ll let you do that. Instead, we will spend our time wondering how many people at Fountain Street actually do look at the front page, never mind the rest of the paper, before it goes out. What? Read a headline? Next thing you know, I’ll have to read a whole story!
Sleep tight, Michael Metcalf.
Take Jack at his word
Reading John Mulligan’s Monday front-pager in the BeloJo, on speculation being floated by the press and by the omnipresent blogosphere, that Jack Reed might be a candidate for VP or secretary of defense, you’d think that Jack was giving the old wink-wink, nudge-nudge. What! He doesn’t want those jobs?
Right you are, Mrs. Calabash. Jack’s denials seem pretty definitive to our wrinkled and hairy ears at Casa Diablo. In reference to the vice-presidency, Reed told Mulligan: “I have no intention to seek it or even, if offered it, to accept.” One thing we’ve learned about Jack Reed over the years is this: when he says something, you can pretty much take it to the bank.
Your superior correspondents have been keen in recent years to promote Jack as the best possible SecDef in the next Democratic administration, but a variety of sources indicated that he wasn’t interested. And while it will be interesting to see who else starts championing Gentleman Jack for a big new job, know this: If he says he ain’t doing it, he ain’t doing it.
