(no subject)

[prog]

Studs Terkel was on the Daily Show last night! I studied his stuff in college, and I didn't know if he was still alive then. Dude is 93, and was plugging a new book! I didn't have the heart to delete it, perhaps in part because Jon began the show by saying that I wouldn't want to delete it.

According to WP, he had open-heart surgery less than a year ago, certainly one of the oldest people to undergo the procedure. After the operation the surgeons were like "WTF still alive" and he was like "LOLOL".

Last night on the show he shouted BUGGER OFF to the president and the audience fell over. It was kind of like that when Vonnegut was a guest a little while ago, too. Kids love the antiestablishment old dudes.

There was also a brief via-sat conversation between Jon and Sen. McCain, who defended his decision to give a commencement address at Jerry Falwell's university with humor and tact. And dodging. But I admire him for having the conversation at all.

I know a lot of you think that that guy is no better'n the rest of them, and I see where you're coming from, but I don't agree. Not yet. I'm keeping my eye on this fellow.

Comments

[cramerica.livejournal.com]

Sen. McCain seems like a play-both-sides opportunist and a media hog. Not actively evil, at least publicly, but I don't trust him either. Kind of a Republican Bill Clinton IMHO.

[prog.livejournal.com]

I like him because he seems to be quite transparent, as far as U.S. politicians go. Exposure to him is like fresh air, to me, after swimming in the cynical patronizing that we get from the current executive administration.

I don't agree with all of his policies -- I deeply disagree with at least one of them, which I didn't know about until I looked at his WP page -- but I don't think he'd be the sort of president to introduce PATRIOT acts and Healthy Forest Initiatives and so on in the matter of the current folks. I'd think he'd present a face that you could have an argument with, as opposed to one that completely ignores you. And anyway, I stand with him on a lot of other stuff.

The Conventional Wisdom™ is that the 2008 race may likely come down to him vs. Sen. Clinton. And I gotta say, as things stand now, I'm not sure who I'd vote for. I currently like and dislike things about both of them, and they're not the same things. It's not at all the easy lukewarm-respect vs. bottomless-loathing choice we've seen most recently.

I will come out and say that a part of me fantasizes about a Democratic-controlled congress and a McCain white house in two years.

[ex-colorwhe.livejournal.com]

Sen. McCain seems like a play-both-sides opportunist and a media hog.

i'm with you, cramerica. mccain didn't defend his defend his decison at all, he just sat there chuckling. he will get lots of street cred for showing up and chuckling and being a good sport and not being defensive, despite the fact that, contentwise, he did nothing but dodge.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

McCain's the kind of "moderate" who endorses anti-gay bigotry in Arizona and the teaching of intelligent design in public science classes.

I.e., he's no moderate.

[prog.livejournal.com]

That latter is the one issue I was referring to in my comment above.

I have stopped calling him a moderate since learning more about him, as have others. He doesn't call himself a moderate. "Maverick" seems to be the label stuck on him more often lately. This is certainly not automatically good... but I have a crazy sort of faith in the potential.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

I pay even more attention to him these days because the bigot represents me in the Senate.

[aspartaimee.livejournal.com]

my soon to be ex secret republican boyfriend john mccain was terribly wishy washy on meet the press this last sunday. our relationship have indeed fallen on hard times. on the other hand, general tony zinni, also on meet the press tihs sunday, is the man to watch. on the daily show tonight even. he's much better and doesn't seem to have a party affliation. just trying to make sense in this crazy mixed up world.

i know a gal who can get you a free copy of his book...