Saturday, June 11, 2011

Maureen Dowd "Newt Loves Callista": The Joke Is on Us

The New York Times op-ed roster never had much slugging power, but with perennial Republican haters Frank Rich and Gail Collins on permanent and temporary leave, respectively, and no replacements coming up from the minors, their op-ed page has been sinking to the bottom of the standings. Today, Maureen Dowd came trotting out of the dugout to pinch-hit for these two absent pundits and took a mighty swing at would-be Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich in "Newt Loves Callista" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/opinion/12dowd.html?ref=opinion). Dowd writes:

"Funnily enough, none of his sexual transgressions — even when he was pushing Clinton’s impeachment while he himself was cheating with Callista, then a 20-something aide on the House Agriculture Committee — landed him in as much political trouble as being loyal to his wife.

He thought his devotion to Callista would bring him political redemption. Instead, it has brought him political reduction. His campaign now boils down to the two of them."

"Funnily enough"? There is nothing funny at all when the United States is beset with unemployment of over 9%, no relief is expected for the next decade, and the Republican Party is unable to field anyone better than the likes of Newt Gingrich, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin to run against an incumbent who has dismally failed to deliver. Yeah, sure there is Mitt Romney, who is "almost credible," but "almost credible" doesn't cut it in these times.

You want "funny"? I thought it was laughable that the outgoing U.S. Secretary of Defense needed to decry the failure of America's NATO allies to assist against Libyan tyrant Qadaffi, when earlier in the week President Obama hosted German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a gala Rose Garden dinner and presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom before more than 200 VIP guests. Germany, NATO’s biggest historic beneficiary, has refused to assist the U.S. in freeing Libya. Hillarious, isn't it?

At least the leading ladies of Washington were able to dust off their gowns and fancy shoes for a gaggle of waiting photographers.

So when does a reputable Republican step up to the plate and offer a viable alternative? Is he/she so hard to find? This time around, with the U.S. facing an economic abyss, the stakes are indeed high.

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