Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Correction

It has come to my attention that I erred when I said the other day that there was only one episode of the original What's My Line? with a guest host. Actually, there were two episodes in 1958 where Clifton Fadiman filled in for John Daly. There was also one 1959 episode in which Eamonn Andrews, who hosted the British version of the show, sat in Daly's chair. Thanks to King Daevid MacKenzie (who e-mailed me this info) and Jim Newman (who came up to me in a restaurant yesterday). I hang my head in more shame than usual.

• Posted at 10:27 PM · LINK

Today's Political Comment

My friend Roger, who's still angry 'n' outraged over John McCain's defeat, is comforting himself by becoming very positive that Sarah Palin will not only be the G.O.P. nominee in 2012 but that she's already as good as elected. I don't think you can predict anything about 2012 except that it will probably have twelve months in it...but it would sure surprise me if Ms. Palin was even a contender. "She energized the base," Roger keeps saying. Yeah, but she also energized more folks who wanted to see the Republican ticket defeated.

Roger is selling his own party short, acting like they have such a paucity of good candidates that in four years, they won't be able to find one who can energize the base and who doesn't have all the negatives Governor Palin brings to the game. We should also remember that the only reason Republicans speak of a vice-presidential candidate "energizing the base" is because they nominated a presidential candidate who didn't. Democrats may love the notion that the G.O.P. will nominate Palin but they shouldn't count on that. Republicans can do a lot better...and will.

• Posted at 8:45 PM · LINK

Recommended Reading

Fred Kaplan thinks retaining Robert Gates as Defense Secretary is a darned good idea.

• Posted at 12:22 PM · LINK