This and That from the Holiday Weekend

I was lolly-gagging and rolling on the floor with the grandchildren for the weekend and now it's time to catch up!
by Charlie Leck

Obama's Running Mate
While I was sitting near Geneva Lake, I read a piece by David Brooks about choosing a running mate. I won't go over it all, but it is interesting to think about that person Barack Obama might choose to run with him – to give him a better chance of winning the Presidency.

Bruce Springsteen seems silly, though he would be popular among an awful lot of people. Hillary Clinton would be popular among women, but she won't accept an invitation. Would you rather be Vice President of the U.S. or the Senior Senator from the State of New York?

The list of possibilities goes on and on; yet, here's what Barack Obama needs to do. He must choose someone who is popular and who is bright and who, most importantly, can campaign effectively.

I know who is on the top of my list. Don't guffaw and chortle when I mention his name. Give me a chance to explain where I'm going.

What about a Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg ticket? Jesus, Mary and Joseph! What a great ticket that would be!

Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City and he is doing one helluva job.

No one knows quite what political party Bloomberg belongs to. He started off as a Democrat. For convenience sake he switched over to the Republican Party. For the same reason, he became an Independent.

Here the facts about Mayor Bloomberg, He's bright! He's well spoken! He correct-on on most issues! He's successful! He's rich! He knows how to set goals and get things done.

Bloomberg is widely admired. Should he one day become President of the United States, our nation would perform well under him.

The fact is – personally – he would have been my first choice for the office this year. Here is a GREAT ticket for 2008 – OBAMA & BLOOMBERG!

Blogs I should have told you about
Ross Douthat, in his Atlantic Monthly blog, ponders the issues in picking both the Republican and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate. There are some good thoughts. A commenter, after reading Douthat's opinions, builds a strong case for picking Senator Jim Webb of Virginia. It's a choice I wouldn't mind.

Stan Fish was great in explaining why he should be a candidate for the University of Colorado's new professorial chair that must be occupied by a political conservative. Isn't that absurd? Smith exposes the University of Colorado for its simplistic stupidity. Sound interesting? Read it here.

Freakonomics, one of my favorite blogs, was posing some pretty interesting questions about what it means to be average and some of the psychology of advertising. It isn't mind bending, but it is interesting.

Why the polygraph is not allowed as evidence in the courtroom
Dick Cavett's recent blogging has been about the lie detector test he so handily manipulated to the dismay of famed legal defense attorney, F. Lee Baily. If the topic raises your curiosity, go take a look.

Buddies in Georgia
I haven't seen their faces in 50 years; yet I spoke with them on Memorial Day. They want me to return to New Jersey for a 50^th year reunion of our high school graduation this coming Thanksgiving weekend. My wife and I looked at each other and shook our heads. No weekend is more important in our annual lives than Thanksgiving. The kids come home and they bring the grandkids. We have all sorts of young traditions. We celebrate our wedding anniversary. One of the grandkids celebrates a birthday. We always drive over to the community of Excelsior and we wander down the street, as a family, doing our Christmas shopping. We end the day at an extraordinary chocolate shop and buy gifts for uncles and aunts and cousins all across the country.

I understand that a 50^th high school class reunion is a very special and rare occasion, but I haven't many years left to enjoy these wonderful Thanksgiving weekends with my family. I'll write something special and send it back to the reunion as a message of greeting and good cheer.

Getting back to work
The vacation is over. Now comes the period of recovering from the break.