Month: July 2008

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Tim Kaine and Barak Obama

Has anyone thought about the fact that Virginia governors cannot succeed themselves?  If Tim were Obama’s running mate and they were elected, Tim would be entering his last year as Governor in January 2009  He became governor in January 2006 (elected in 2005). 

Tim Kaine was the attorney for HOME in Richmond. VA when I was working there and we did several cases together.  In fact, he was a reference for me for the second job I had here in Boston with the Boston Housing Authority.  I can’t say what he would do for a national ticket, but Tim is thoughtful, smart, and committed to civil rights and still got elected in Virginia.  I can understand why Obama would feel so close to him and might want to have hime around to discuss things with.

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Problems with the Sox and other important thoughts

So I turned off the game at about 8:30.  Dice-K was getting shelled.  First, Beckett pitched a not so great game and lost to the Yankees, now Matsuzaka.  Only Lester has done well this week.  Everyone is giving up homers.  And then there is Manny.  I don’t know what drives him, but he seems to have this need to shake things up.  Maybe he does this to keep himself interested and motivated.  I think this is the Angels’ year.

Was at a meeting today and we were wondering what effect the election will have on unfunded mandates for cities getting federal funds.  Everyone at HUD seems to have decided that now is the time to gear up enforcement and requirements pile up without regard to administrative cost or lack of staff.  Don’t think McCain will change much and it is hard to tell if Obama will put on his corporate hat and try to reduce requirements.  With a community organizer hat, it could go either way.

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Lazy Sunday and an old mystery

I just finished reading a mystery by Richard Lockridge copyright 1974 I found in a second hand bookstore in Vermont. The story is still good and the politics, about Nixon area communications regulations are surprisingly relevant.  I am amazed at how casually everyone smokes (even thought there are references to how bad it is for you) and drinks (mostly gin martinis.  And the news comes one once a day on TV.  No 24 hour coverage.  A tiny glimpse into a time passed.  I have always liked Lockridge (at one time the Lockridges because he wrote with his wife, Frances, in the beginning.  Maybe before she died?) in part because there are always cats around.

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Beginning

So I join the millions of bloggers out there.  It is July 26, the Red Sox lost last night and I’m thinking about politics.

Can anyone explain why Obama is getting grief from some for not being specific enough during his recent Middle East and Eurpopean trip?   If he had offered specific solutions, he would be accused of making foreign policy.  There is a fine line between acting like a President and acting Presidential.  He needed to avoid the former and do the latter and I think he succeeded.