The Politics of Summer '09: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'!"

{Editor's note: Dear reader, it's been more than three months since our last meeting. If we can all agree that the much over-used aphorism, "A week is an eternity in politics," is way-outdated (more like "six hours" in our current time frame), then the three months and eight days since the last "List" has left us in a new space-time continuum. Back in April some people in this town were actually concerned that Speaker Nancy Pelosi might lose her station over her claims of CIA deceit. How times have changed. On with the show!}

1) Creepiest recent statement by an American pol: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, writing on her Facebook page on the media blitz following her resignation announcement: "How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country." Does the name Gen. James Mattoon Scott ring a bell? Or give you the shivers?

2) Scariest recent statement by a legitimate political consultant (okay, a hack): Former McCain adviser Mark Salter, commenting on Palin, "The skills she has are formidable and unteachable." Meaning: "Call me."

3) As Bob Dole once described Carter, Ford, and Nixon: "See no evil, hear no evil, and evil." The ever-entertaining vault of Nixon White House tapes released another gem in June, with Nixon heard explaining to an aide that no matter how much he disliked it, "There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white." Hey, this is the guy who said Jerry Rubin was obscene, right?

4) How politics works "over there" Putting the recent Iranian almost-revolution into perspective, Karim Sadjadpour, political analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the New York Times, "At a political level what's taking place now, among many other things, is the 20-year rivalry between Khamenei and Rafsanjani coming to a head. It's an Iranian version of the Corleones and the Tattaglias; there are no good guys and bad guys, only bad and worse."

5) Has your elected official offended you today? Too many to mention, so let's go with New York Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, likely 2010 U.S. Senate contender, who criticized sitting Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for reportedly supporting "English-only education" while in Puerto Rico. Said Maloney, "I got a call from someone from Puerto Rico...and he said it was like saying n----r to a Puerto Rican." Maloney afterwards apologized for "having repeated a word I find disgusting." And of course, there's Arkansas State Sen. Kim Hendren (who hopes to join the U.S. Senate) referring to New York Sen. Chuck Schumer as "that Jew" during a speech before a state GOP organization. Hendren later explained, "When I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn't because I don't like Jewish people. I shouldn't have gotten into this Jewish business because it distracts from the issue." He went on to say that the Jew he most admired was Jesus and that he also liked Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.

6) The GOP in Aztlan: Your pick. First, there's Oklahoma GOP Sen. Tom Coburn during the Sonia Sotomayor hearings last week telling the Judge to her face that under a certain scenario, "You'll have lots of 'splainin' to do.'" Tommy, still using Ricky Ricardo as your touchstone of Latino culture? Then there's the hapless Dennis Miller telling FOX's Bill O'Reilly that he would have preferred that the GOP not get into a fight over the Sotomayor confirmation, saying, "They should have laid down on this and gotten some street cred in the barrio." Who talks like that? "Hey essay, the judge will see you now."

7) As The Bard recently noted, "Beyond here lies nothin'" Apparently having run out of deep-thinkers at this point, the annual GOP Congressional fundraising dinner in June featured actor Jon Voight (Yes, that was Jon Voight's car.) as the master of ceremonies. Shifting easily into his recent villainous role on this past season's "24," Voight roused the crowd with: "We are becoming a weak nation...Free the nation from this Obama oppression...Bring an end to this false prophet Obama." Hey Jonny, seen Angelina? The kids?

8) From the "Washington is..." Dept.: Some observations about this town are forever. Note Nancy Reagan's recent advice to Michelle Obama to host lots of state dinners at the White House. Said Nancy, "You don't have to do anything. Just have a good time, and do a little business. That's the way Washington works." Still true, unlike the observation of Watergate burglar Bernard Barker, cited in most of his obits in June: "Washington's a place to keep away from. Cubans don't do very well up there." Times have changed, Bernie.

9) Yard signs we want: Omar Bongo Ondimba, 73, died in June. He ruled the nation of Gabon for the last 41 years, most of the time viewed as not such a good guy. As his WashPost obit noted, "Favorite to succeed Mr. Bongo is his 50-year-old son, Ali Ben Bongo." C'mon, "Go with Bongo!" It writes itself.

10) Best "found" Pop Culture Political Insight in recent months: In the original film adaption of "The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3," the ailing New York City Mayor is still bedridden at the onset of the crisis. While he bemoans the one million-dollar ransom demand of the terrorists who hold 18 citizens on a subway train, his nurse says, "I know a million dollars sounds like a lot of money, but just think of what you're going to get." "What?" asks the Mayor. "Eighteen sure votes," she replies.