Kerry v Bush: The Facts, the Campaigns and the Spin...

Yup, he does corporate law.

I'm having a flashback to Dan Akroyd playing Julia Child and cutting his hand, spurting blood all over the chicken.

Oh gods, I remember that one.

I do too, but wasn't it Akroyd who played the part?

Again. The right has the goods...
<hee hee>

Today we make souffl'e...

Wasn't there much swigging of the cooking sherry?

It's for cooking now?

I, personally, have imbibed a snootful myself this eve, and presage bad behavior...

I do believe there's some Makers Mark left in the kitchen cupboard, bbl

You're right -- I get those two mixed up and I even have the videotape somewhere in my library. So edited.

Oh, I see, while I was sleeping y'all were getting drunk on Dry Sack.

(or "Have Some Madeira M'Dear")

ARTIST: Flanders and Swann
TITLE: Have Some Madeira, M'Dear
Lyrics and Chords


She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice
She was fair, she was sweet seventeen
He was old, he was vile, and no stranger to vice
He was base, he was bad, he was mean
He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat
To view his collection of stamps
And he said as he hastened to put out the cat
The wine, his cigar and the lamps

Have some madeira, m'dear
You really have nothing to fear
I'm not trying to tempt you, that wouldn't be right
You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night
Have some madeira, m'dear
It's really much nicer than beer
I don't care for sherry, one cannot drink stout
And port is a wine I can well do without
It's simply a case of chacun a son gout
Have some madeira, m'dear

Unaware of the wiles of the snake-in-the-grass
And the fate of the maiden who topes
She lowered her standards by raising her glass
Her courage, her eyes and his hopes
She sipped it, she drank it, she drained it, she did
He promptly refilled it again
And he said as he secretly carved one more notch
On the butt of his gold-headed cane

Have some madeira, m'dear, I've got a small cask of it here
And once it's been opened, you know it won't keep
Do finish it up, it will help you to sleep
Have some madeira, m'dear, it's really an excellent year
Now if it were gin, you'd be wrong to say yes
The evil gin does would be hard to assess
Besides it's inclined to affect me prowess
Have some madeira, m'dear

Then there flashed through her mind what her mother had said
With her antepenultimate breath
"Oh my child, should you look on the wine that is red
Be prepared for a fate worse than death"
She let go her glass with a shrill little cry
Crash! Tinkle! it fell to the floor
When he asked, "What in Heaven?" She made no reply
Up her mind, and a dash for the door

Have some madeira, m'dear, rang out down the hall loud and clear
A tremulous cry that was filled with despair
As she fought to take breath in the cool midnight air
Have some madeira, m'dear, the words seemed to ring in her ear
Until the next morning, she woke up in bed
With a smile on her lips and an ache in her head
And a beard in her ear 'ole that tickled and said
Have some madeira, m'dear

I love it. One of my hobbies is collecting "bawdy songs" from the 16-early 20th centuries. Is that a music hall song?

Flanders and Swann were two English comedians popular in the 60's and I believe their classic recordings are available. If you enter their names into Google, it will give you several hits. They also have a dialogue on modern kitchens and laud the eye-level ovens so the hot fat can spit straight into your eye.

The economy is improving, the real estate market is doing very well...yet Bush languishes in approval ratings and Kerry can't seem to make headway...

If Iraq is the Great Issue, and Kerry has no plans different than Bush's--what are the arguing points between them?

Kerry is taking flak over his medal throwing--and neither of them are likely to bring up personal military service.

Kerry may be right that 'other nation's leaders' prefer him over Bush--but I think Al Quaida would also prefer Kerry...

How do you think these, or other issues will be fought and won in upcoming debates?

Which is, of course, a great change over where things stood a year ago, when Bush was so far in front that some rank-and-file Democrats thought the 2004 election was hopeless, and they'd better wait until 2008. It's a head-to-head race now, and Bush is on the defensive. I think Bush's best argument about the economy will be that it's growing again, and Kerry's best arguments is that the economy has still several millions fewer job than it did on January 19th 2001.


Kerry will argue that he can get the rest of the world to cooperate in sorting out the mess in Iraq. Unlike Bush, Kerry hasn't alienated anyone outside of America yet. I expect that Bush will try to soften his "war president" image and refocus on the improving economy -- or change the subject entirely. Can America invade Grenada again? Haiti, perhaps? Or maybe he'll just start a vigorous attack on gay marriage, abortion rights, and so forth. There's lots of red herrings out there, and I'm sure Mr. Bush will find one that suits him.


I'm sure Bush won't bring it up, but I'm not so sure about Kerry. Whatever he really threw away at this demonstration, he is still a certified war hero. By contrast, Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz and their cheerleaders in the conservative media are chicken hawks and draft-dodgers. They have big mouths, but lose control when the going gets rough. This is a very good card in the Democrats' hand, and I expect Kerry or one of his subordinates to play it when the time is right.


I don't think so. The war on terror is different than war between nations in that it has 99% of each country's population fighting against 1% in each countries population. Terrorists will prefer it if those 99%, and their country's government which can catch them, is alienated by the American president, rather than on his side.


For now, Kerry will just watch as the neoconservative hubris in the Bush camp gets crushed by the impact of the real world. Bush will either try to change the subject, or make a last-minute effort to give the few grown-ups in his administration more power (Powell, Mankiw). Or he may try both.

The real estate market here in Orange County is being hurt by inflation. The prices of a single dwelling house has risen out of reach of too many citizens. Our realtor says sales are down dramatically, the only incentive being low interest. This happened in the late 80's and the real estate market here took a dive in the early 90's. Prices then lost all they'd gained in the 80's. That any President has any control whatsoever over the direction of the economy is a myth.

And yet most voters credit or discredit the economy on the president. It explains to me why most voters do not know what they are talking about when the say this or that president is doing a good job on the economy. Most polls reflect this very issue; the economy and/or the war in Iraq.

I guess local economies are showing differing results. Manufacturing is up, and the jobs are visible in my neck of the woods, but I believe your reports from your area.

LW-- If the Pres has no bearing on the economy, why was it ever a Presidential campaign issue?

Thomas-- Thanks for the reply! You made, IMO, a couple of good points--(and then, of course, a couple of ...) It won't be a cake-walk, as it would have with Dean. Wonder if Edwards (pablum notwithstanding) would have been stronger?