Where Have I Been? Well Let Me Tell You . . .

I have missed you, my blog-reading peeps, missed writing and musing about all the latest doings in politics and pop culture.

During my blogging absence, we've seen the beginning of the stellar second season of Homeland in all of its outstandingly taut dramatic glory. The Good Wife has been continuing to kick some serious behind with a fierce Alicia Florrick. Kelsey Grammer scared the heck out of me with his lethally volcanic depiction of a win-at-any-cost Chicago mayor on the second season of Boss. And the sinister writers for NBC's Parenthood have been conspiring with the folks at Kleenex to make me cry every week, whether it was with tear-drenched scenes of a kid leaving her parents to attend college across the country, or giving cancer to a women who has a baby, an autistic middle schooler and that college kid on the other coast.

On the silver screen, I've been jonesing to see Argo, The Master and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but, alas, I have been about as successful getting to the movie theaters as I have been at blogging here in the last few weeks.

Meanwhile, all the presidential debates have passed us by including the one where a dour President Obama looked like someone had just spoiled the next episode of Homeland for him, the one with Governor Romney agreeing with nearly everything the president said on foreign policy and CNN's Candy Crowley having to argue semantics with the candidates when the candidates weren't busy giving off a weird, Fight Club vibe. During the second banana debate, Vice President Biden looked like the wise yet pompous uncle at Thanksgiving dinner telling the upstart nephew what's what. And then there were those binders full of women. Oy.

On the home front, the U.S. Senate race between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren feels like a dismal snarl-fest. And, as much as I'm a politics nerd who DVRs debates, this is particular race has completely worn me out. No mas, por favor.

So where, pray tell, have I been, other than Tweeting up a storm on Twitter?

I've become a full-time assistant professor teaching writing and journalism at a local institution of higher learning. In short order, I needed to craft not just a syllabus for a writing course (I teach three sections of this course for roughly 60 students), but am creating a new course about online and social media. In addition to teaching/grading and researching/designing a course, I've been helping to advise the staff of the student newspaper two nights a week.

The other big thing that has left me with raccoon-like circles under my eyes (plus a six-week-long cold) is a non-fiction book project I've been researching for months. I'm in the process of conducting dozens of interviews as well as observing an educational process (more details on this later) three mornings a week. We're talking EARLY in the morning. In the 6 o'clock hour early. The give me coffee, STAT, kinda early.

Now that we're several weeks into the semester, I'm getting a handle on the teaching and the non-fiction project and am hoping to start blogging more about pop culture and politics, particularly about stuff like this:

Have you seen the new stills from the next season of Mad Men? Don and Megan vacationing in Hawaii. The sixth season can't get here fast enough . . . and neither can the resumption of my blogging!

Image credit: AMC via TVLine.

Notes from the Political Middle: Treacherous Terror Plots, Christie Endorses Romney, Occupiers Making House Calls

News just in this afternoon – mere hours before the economy-centric Republican debate tonight at 8 on Bloomberg TV (simulcast on the Washington Post’s web site) -- U.S. officials announced that an “Iranian-directed” assassination plot aimed at killing the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir, as well as plans to attack the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington, D.C. have been thwarted, Reuters reported.

Two Iranian men, one a naturalized American, were charged with crafting an assassination plot though only one of the men is in custody. He was arrested on September 29, Reuters reported. Here are some of the chilling details from the complaint that was filed in federal court:  

U.S. officials said the two defendants allegedly went to Mexico to hire a man affiliated with a drug trafficking cartel to kill the ambassador, but that the person with whom they met was a paid U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration “confidential source.”

One of the defendants reportedly asked the confidential source if he was knowledgeable about explosives because he also wanted to attack the Saudi Arabian embassy.

Law enforcement officials claimed that one defendant confessed to authorities that “he . . . was recruited, funded and directed by men he understood to be senior officials in the Qods Force [a covert branch of the Iranian Army]." The complaint alleged that Qods officials "were aware of and approved, among other things, the use of [the confidential source] in connection with the plot; payments to [the confidential source] and the means by which the Ambassador would be killed in the United States and the casualties that would likely result.”

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder pointed his finger directly at Iran and said, “The U.S. is committed to holding Iran accountable for its actions.”

Now I wish that tonight’s GOP debate wasn’t solely on the economy. We’re at the point where you can’t just talk a convincing game on the economy and jobs front in order to persuade people to vote for you, but you need to also be fleet-footed when it comes to the rising Iranian threats and what we’re going to do with that mess we call the war in Afghanistan.

New Jersey’s Christie Endorses Mitt Romney

In another strange turn in today’s news, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie – who many people wanted to jump into the GOP presidential race -- not only endorsed Mitt Romney for president, calling him the most qualified GOP candidate, but also took aim at Texas Governor Rick Perry’s association with a minister who has decried Mormonism, Romney’s religion, a “cult.” “Any campaign that associates itself with that type of conduct is beneath the office of the president of the United States,” Christie said of Romney’s competitor.

Ironically, while I was working on this post, I received a robo-call – bearing a Boston area code – from Christie inviting me (and the thousands of others who were contacted via phone) to remain on the line to listen to Christie and Romney live. What did I hear on that tele-town hall? Romney said he understood why the folks who are participating in the “Occupy [Fill in the Blank]” protests across the country are upset: “They’re angry because it [the Obama presidency] is not at all what they expected.”

As for Christie, he said endorsing Romney was “a very easy decision for me.” When he fielded a call from a Midwestern voter about why he didn’t endorse Perry instead, Christie said, “I thought Governor Romney was a better candidate,” citing Romney’s executive leadership skills in the public and private sectors.

Was I listening to a pair of running mates, these current/former Republican governors of blue states? Another voter was thinking the same thing as he called the two an “unbeatable pair” and asked if Christie would agree to be Romney’s running mate. Christie didn’t answer the question. “That’s going to be Gov. Romney’s choice,” Christie said. “. . .We won’t make any of those decisions unless or until we have to.” Not exactly a denial.


Occupiers Making House Calls

While 100+ participants in Boston’s version of the “Occupy Together” economic movement were being arraigned today for unlawful assembly, after being busted this early this morning for failing to heed police warnings not to expand their protest area (protesters complained of police brutality), their New York counterparts, the original Occupy Wall Streeters, hit the road in what they called a “Millionaires March,” protesting in front of the homes of some prominent businesspeople whom they believe to be examples of the "greedy" rich. (Reminds me of some scenes from A Tale of Two Cities which I read for the first time this year.) Meanwhile, 75 people from Occupy D.C. flooded into a U.S. Senate office building today, chanting along the way, resulting in six arrests, Politico reported.

Between the alleged Iran-directed terror plot and the Occupy arrests, the news seems like it’s getting a late 1960s kind of vibe to it, don't you think?

Notes on Politics: With the First REAL GOP Debate, Election 2012 Kicks Off

In my house, the first well attended Republican debate on CNN got short shrift because we were all watching the Boston Bruins playoff game, though I watched highlights of the debate later. (It did indeed pain this political junkie to miss watching the debate live.)

Didn't think this was CNN's John King's most shining moment, but with the debate I think we can safely say that the 2012 presidential election is finally under way. Which of course means that The Daily Show's Jon Stewart has to take aim and satirize the crap out of it. And man, did he have some fat targets. This is going to be one weird election.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: I Feel Sorry for Joe the Plumber & Candidates Get Funny

I Feel Sorry for Joe the Plumber

Really.

This single dad -- who most of America is already sick of -- didn't ask to be propelled into the national spotlight, didn't ask for folks to dig through his personal affairs. It's horribly unfortunate that he first entered the public domain when he questioned Barack Obama about how his tax plan would affect his plumbing business' growth, and has now come to the media digging up info about how Joe owes back taxes, has a lean on his holdings, isn't a registered plumber and whose first name is Samuel.

Maybe Joe the Plumber could use a little help from Joe Six-Pack about now. Poor guy.

Yesterday morning -- before any real info about Joe Wurzelbacher hit the internet -- my kids asked me if I wished I'd been the one about whom the presidential candidates discussed (25 mentions!) during a debate. I said, "No. No way." I would never want that kind of scrutiny, with folks using me for political gain.

Candidates Get Funny

The last presidential debate was feistier than the previous two. The candidates were asked tough questions and addressed hot button topics. Most pundits are giving John McCain the edge on content, Obama on style. How the debate may or may not have affected the decisions of undecided voters in swing states is an open question.

When it comes to the public opinion polls on who's leading, just 19 days before the election, it's still too early to tell. If last night's stunning Red Sox come-from-behind win against the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series (the Sox were down 7-0 in the the 7th then staged the biggest playoff comeback since 1929) is any indication, you can't assume you know who's going to win. Obama may be ahead in the polls at this moment in time, but he only has a narrow lead. Anything can happen. Last week we didn't know about Joe the Plumber. Around Labor Day, we didn't know we were headed for a stock market crash. Remember, Obama was expected to crush Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary. And lost.

What was refreshing, though, was last night's Al Smith dinner in New York where McCain and Obama let loose their sarcasm and their wit. And were sharply entertaining. If only the debates could be like this.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Joe the Plumber, I'm Already Tired of His Name

The last presidential debate of the 2008 election season just ended and already, I'm sick of the phrase, "Joe the Plumber." If the debate had been a drinking game and "Joe the Plumber" was the cue to take a sip, I would've been smashed a long time ago.

Immediately after the debate, Matt Drudge dubbed this, "Joe the Plumber's Election."

What about Joe makes him the centerpiece? He went up to Barack Obama at an event telling him that Obama's tax plan would cost him more money. The exchange was captured by the media.

Joe the Plumber (Joe Wurzelbacher) -- from Toledo, Ohio -- was later quoted by the Associated Press as saying that while he wouldn't disclose for whom he's planning to vote, that John McCain's " got it right as far as I go."

See the exchange that started a "Joe the Plumber" revolution:

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Sarah Survives, Joe Nearly Cries & Bailout is Greenlit

She survived. More than merely survived. She strung together aggressive sentences and strong sentiments joined with you-betcha folksy language, sprinkled with a few knowing winks aimed directly into the camera. Mentioned Joe Six-packs, hockey moms, soccer moms and a third grade class to which she promised would receive extra credit for watching the vice presidential debate. Doggoneit. She put those awkwardly awful Katie Couric interviews behind her. For now. She's not going to be kicked around. Especially not by Joe.



He didn't condescend. Or wildly run off at the mouth. Or ask anyone who is differently-abled and wheelchair-bound to stand up. He drew specific, distinct differences between the policy positions of the different tickets on several matters. While he seemed a bit stuffy, he did, in fact tear up when he recalled his days as a single father in the wake of the accident that killed his wife and daughter, and left his sons in the hospital.



As with last week's presidential race, I'd score the vice presidential debate essentially a tie. Biden won on substance and policy detail. Palin won with her Main Streeter and distinctly un-D.C. appeal to undecided voters. (If you've already decided to vote McCain or Obama, she wasn't aiming to convince you when she looked at the camera a la Reagan, trying to hop over the media and appeal directly to voters.)

Despite my pithy punditry here, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted after the debate found that 51 percent of the respondents said Biden won the debate to 36 percent who said Palin won, while 54 percent found Palin more likable to the 36 percent who found Biden more likable. On the matter of whether they seemed qualified to assume the presidency, 87 percent said Biden was qualified, to 42 percent for Palin.

While writing this post as I was listening to a Boston talk radio show, I heard this intriguing question: Can you imagine what last night's VP debate would've been like had Hillary been there instead of Joe?

Bailout is Greenlit

Despite the pork that's laden throughout the economic bailout package -- a bill both presidential candidates say our country needs lest we return to the Great Depression -- the House of Representatives has passed the $700 billion Wall Street life raft. Let the adventure begin.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: VP Debate Tonight, 'Rescue/Bailout' and Political Moms

Debate Tonight

It's on. Tonight. 9 p.m. EST. A high-wire act for the VP candidates. I hope, for Biden and Palin's sakes, they both do well. No one likes to see a wretchedly public crash and burn. It's just embarrassing for everyone. After all, this election is about the folks at the top of the tickets, isn't it? All the VP hopefuls have to do is to seem reasonable enough to possibly step in if necessary, which we all hope won't be necessary. I just hope no one asks Palin what newspapers or magazines she reads or whether Biden dodged sniper fire in Iraq. Then it could get ugly.

Rescue, Bailout . . . Tomato, Tomah-to

Notice that D.C. politicians are now calling the proposal to try to avert an economic catastrophe a "rescue" and not a "bailout?" Well the bailout bill that was approved by the Senate last night was loaded with unrelated tax breaks that could potentially prove to be poison pills for those fiscal conservatives in the House who are already skittish about approving a $700 billion life raft. According to the New York Post, pork was added to the bill including $6 million in tax breaks for the makers of kids' wooden arrows, $192 million for Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum producers, $128 million break for auto racing tracks and money for wool research.

Are they seriously trying to take those wooden arrows and stick them through the heart of a bailout that the country's leading economic experts say we need? Seriously people. Have you no shame? Lawmakers had to be bribed with pork in order to do what's right?

Political Moms

My October column in Parents & Kids offers one last word on the media's handling of Sarah Palin, the working mom, as well as other political moms who are judged differently than their male counterparts.

Image credit: New York Post.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: No Bailout Deal, Post-Debate Analysis, SNL Skits

No Bailout Deal

I, along with the rest of the world, thought for sure that there'd be a bailout deal approved by the House of Representatives today. Certainly John McCain and Barack Obama thought there'd be one. McCain -- who "suspended" (only not so much suspended) his presidential campaign and said he wouldn't attend last Friday's presidential debate until there was a deal in place to avert an economic catastrophe -- must be in need of a cloth to wipe that egg off his face right now in the face of the House shooting down a bailout package today in dramatic fashion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi certainly didn't help advance the delicate negotiations by wielding a stick in the form of some highly partisan remarks on the House floor for what was supposed to be a bipartisan, castor oil-like proposal. (See an NBC video about the House talks, including an excerpt of Pelosi's actual speech -- versus the text of her remarks -- here.)

An NBC analyst said that those who voted against the measure -- which they said their constituents opposed -- are in tough re-election fights. If there's anyway to come up with a temporary stop-gap measure until after the election (if that's even possible), that might be the only way something's going to get the green light in the face of such fierce public backlash.

So the Dow plunged and Capitol Hill is in an uproar. What will this mean politics-wise? A big, fat mess, although the folks in the cable news business will likely score better ratings. Well, one thing's for sure . . . Hank Paulson is rapidly becoming a household name.

Post-Debate Analysis

I think McCain and Obama fared about even on Friday night. There were no knock-out blows. No memorable lines. No awful gaffes. But I must say, I'm already sick of hearing the words "naive" and "he doesn't understand" being worked into numerous McCain responses to questions. I kept waiting for both candidates to get all fired up or do something we'd all remember, like sigh, glance at a wristwatch, walk menacingly toward one other, or quip, "There you go again." Alas, I was disappointed, though, substantively, I felt I gained insight into the specific foreign policy positions of both candidates.

As the pundits tended to agree that the candidates fared equally well, a USA Today/Gallup poll found that 46 percent of debate-watchers thought Obama emerged the winner, while 34 percent thought McCain got the better of his Democratic counterpart. A CNN poll had similar results, with 51 percent saying Obama was the winner, 38 percent saying McCain was the winner.

SNL Skits

No ill-advised, offensive incest jokes were featured during this past weekend's Saturday Night Live, but there were several political skits that accurately hit their targets, including Tina Fey reprising her role as Sarah Palin. The News Update nailed Bill Clinton's ambivalence toward Obama's campaign, as Fey captured the wretched awkwardness of the real Palin-Katie Couric interview from last week that was, I'm sorry to say, painful to watch. Fey's finger-in-the-air bit: Priceless. (Watch the three political SNL skits here.)

Question: Do you think SNL has gone too far in parodying Palin? Think such satire will create backlash and sympathy for Palin?

Introducing: The Suburban Mom's Political Fix

Only fortysomething days remain until Americans head to the polls to elect a new president. And this year, moms who vote are getting a lot of attention from pollsters and the media, even though moms (like dads) don't vote in lockstep and in fact have views the encompass all ends of the political spectrum, as I wrote in yesterday's blog entry.

Given the unprecedented level of attention this election has been receiving, I've decided that a weekly, bipartisan round-up of election news, called the Suburban Mom's Political Fix is in order. I'm planning to write quirky posts at least once a week, more frequently as news events dictate.

To Debate or Not Debate. That is, apparently, the big question hovering over the presidential campaign right now. Sen. John McCain stunned everyone yesterday with his announcement that because the federal Wall Street bailout proposal was on the verge of falling apart, he was going to suspend his presidential campaign, blow off David Letterman (and piss off the late night talk show host because McCain didn't cancel his Katie Couric interview), and possibly skip Friday night's presidential debate in Mississippi until some sort of deal to prop up the U.S. economy is struck in Washington.

Yet today, word is that there's a tentative, bipartisan agreement on the table, despite what the folks back home may think about a bailout. So does this mean that Mac will show up on Friday night as planned and as Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama has already said he would? Your guess is as good as mine.

CNN Anchor Calls Campaign Treatment of Palin 'Sexist.' CNN's Campbell Brown is ticked off at the McCain campaign for keeping what she sees as too tight a grip on how and when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin fields questions from the media. Brown said it's "sexist" to not allow Palin to face the media like all the other major candidates are doing, including Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden.

I personally think this is just a strategy devised to avoid gaffes, like the whoppers Biden's been making lately (there've been some ugly ones too). But as the only female candidate for national office left in the running, Palin's limited media availability does leave the campaign wide open to the charge that they're treating her with kid gloves. This is the big show, the big leagues. If she can't answer (or pretend not to hear) shouted questions from reporters who are hanging around the campaign trail, she's got no business being there.

Today, by the way, marked the first time that Palin actually answered a couple of inquiries from reporters. Maybe the McCain campaign took cues from Brown's "Free Sarah Palin" rant.

Why I love Entertainment Weekly. The magazine's writers and editors are smart and, for a publication focused on the entertainment industry, have a savvy way of delivering information and commentary on pop culture that doesn't patronize its readers. The cover of the new issue (see above), parodying the controversial New Yorker magazine cover with a photo of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, is spot-on. THAT cover is funny, the New Yorker cover, not so much, in fact, not at all.

Be sure to read the interview with Colbert and Stewart.

Image credit: Entertainment Weekly.