Some rambling thoughts about this past election cycle ...
They say John F. Kennedy was the first official “media” president. He looked good on black and white televised debates against Richard Nixon and the media never reported on his extracurricular activities. That makes Barack Obama the second media president. In the vast and nebulous world that is the media, there weren’t too many critical glances cast Obama’s way. Saturday Night Live got it right last spring with its spoof of Sen. Hillary Clinton getting all the tough questions and Obama being asked if he’s “comfortable.” That pretty much sums up the 2008 presidential coverage.
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Wait for it ...
In a few short weeks there will be a complete role reversal when it comes to the state of the economy. You will start hearing about stocks rebounding, housing prices stabilizing and equity markets flowing again from the big media outlets. Meanwhile, the conservative talk show circuit, as well as Fox, will begin broadcasting how bad the economy is getting.
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If I’m going to subsidize health care for other people, do I get to have a say in their lifestyle? Can I tell them to stop smoking or quit eating Big Macs? My provider charges me more for my vices, so shouldn’t I get to charge the folk I’m going to subsidizing more for theirs?
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Seen and heard: At the OU-Texas game, ESPN’s Game Day crew had set up on the north side of the Cotton Bowl. As is tradition, signs were everywhere, including the traveling Washington State banner that’s been at every Game Day broadcast this season. One sign caught my eye. It read: ‘I quit my job! Obama will take care of me.’
It’s a sign of the times, I’m afraid.
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Gas was $2.09 at Love’s on I-20 Tuesday morning. The price has dropped by 50 percent since July 11. They’re telling us it’s because worldwide demand is down due to the recession. It’s down because every Corolla, Cobalt and Focus on the lots at Hudson Oaks got sold this past summer. Demand must continue to shrink if we are to avoid another price spike like the one we had last summer. That hurt a lot of people’s pocketbooks more than any worldwide recession. Here’s hoping the big drain on Wall Street in recent weeks flushed out the speculators responsible for $4 a gallon gas.
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North Crowley’s football team seemed to be intentionally lingering at midfield after last Friday night’s football game. The Weatherford band was preparing to go through its competition show after the WHS-North Crowley game, but the North Crowley players were apparently holding two-a-day team meetings at the 50-yard line. A simple shift to the 20-yard line would have been courteous enough. Were they intentionally stalling to tick off the Weatherford band and faithful? Hard to say. I’m still trying to figure out why the North Crowley band got to march at halftime and Weatherford’s didn’t. With all the pomp and circumstance of senior night, it seems to me the visiting band is best left in the stands during a crowded halftime agenda.
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Texas Tech deserves a lot of credit for beating No. 1 Texas at home last Saturday night. The Red Raiders moved all the way to No. 2 in the rankings and will host Oklahoma State in another big clash of top-10 teams this week. Note to the fans: Wait until the clock runs out before you storm the field. Red Raider fans stormed the field with :01 left last week after the winning touchdown, then did it again after the extra point. No time runs off the clock on an extra point. By the time the game was over, it was the third time the fans had rushed the field.
Sort of loses its luster after the first two.
