Monday
Brrrr. It is cold out here in
Washington, DC. Other things being equal, I would like to stay in
bed. But things are not equal. Fox News wants me to watch the
parade and comment on Mr. Obama’s inaugural speech. I forced myself
to watch the speech. I did not like it. It was as non-eloquent as a
speech could be. He focused on climate change, a subject dear to
the hearts of his fans — and more power to them. But since we
don’t know for sure what causes climate change, nor how much
climate change there has been, nor how to cut down on CO2 emissions
on a worldwide basis, I am not sure what he has in mind.
Look, I love the earth as much as anyone. I would sacrifice
literally anything to protect it from burning up. But I don’t want
climate change to be used as an all purpose cudgel to beat up
anyone Mr. Obama wants to beat up for any reason he wishes. We just
don’t know what’s going on and until we do, I hate to give up our
freedoms over it. And, no, I do not trust scientists who are doing
empire building with their arguments pro and con.
I also dislike his having only the vaguest words to say about
the debt, a genuine crisis.
Most strange of all, this city is an armed camp for fear of a
terrorist attack. Yet Mr. Obama did not even say the words “terror”
or “terrorism.” What’s up with that. We are at war with the
terrorists and the President doesn’t mention it. Huh?
Well, I talked about that a bit on TV after I had frozen for a
long time waiting to go on.
I did get to see Mr. Obama and his bride walk by. Then Joe Biden
and his wife, whom the announcer kept calling “Doctor Biden.” I
wonder what she is a doctor of. Being middle-aged and sexy, I would
say.
The best things about the day, BY FAR, were the happy faces of
the black people on the streets. Fine with me. Great. They have
suffered terribly and if it makes them happy to have a half-black
President, they are well entitled to it. Most of them have probably
done a lot more for this country than I have.
Later on, wifey and I put on our glad rags and headed for the
Commander’s Ball, the main event. But security kept our car TEN
BLOCKS AWAY, so we could not go. It was just too cold to walk that
far just to be in an auditorium with 44,000 other people. To think
that this shindig was so badly organized that invited guests could
not get even close to it… scary thoughts about how government
works. Alex was “crushed.” I was relieved.
Wednesday
Now I am in Greenville, SC. I
flew down last night. I am here helping our son and his family move
here. I had a great dinner at Trattoria Giorgio across from my fine
hotel, the Westin Poinsett, last night. Today I had a super
luncheon at Nosedive, a cafe in my hotel.
People here look calm and happy and sane. I like it here very
much. This town is a gem.
Oh, I forgot to add this part. This morning, I watched Mrs.
Clinton testify before a Senate committee about the disaster in
Benghazi. It was a dismaying sight.
Mrs. Clinton seemed to me to be making several points:
1.) It wasn’t her fault because it was all handled by people
lower down the command ladder than she was. But that’s nonsense.
She was in charge before the murders. And she was in charge after
the murders and knew Mr. Obama’s team was lying about who did the
killing and why.
2.) She cannot be blamed because she felt terrible about the
killings and cried. This is not an excuse worthy of a high official
of government. She is supposed to be a tough, sensible grown-up
about her duties. If she can escape responsibility by crying,
what’s next? Saying it wasn’t her fault because her father made her
feel bad because she was a girl and not a boy? Blaming her health?
What is she smoking or drinking if she thinks that the fact that
she cried about the murders in Benghazi lets her off the hook? I
once heard her say to Mr. Obama that “hope” is not a plan. Neither
is crying instead of doing.
3.) Anyone who attacks her has political and not patriotic
motives. But her management of the situation was a disgrace.
Senator Rand Paul was precisely right. She should have been fired
and more aptly, should have resigned over the lies about the
murders. Her behavior in covering up for the killers was political
and not patriotic,
It is terrifying that a woman of that level of irresponsibility
is seriously in the running for President and will probably win in
2016.
O tempora! O mores!
