Wednesday weakly

The frontpage headline in today's local paper: Bush bailout stalls in Senate. Which just goes to show that once in a while a little good news can pop up, too.

There are things being discussed in the news that tell us everything we need to know if we'll just look hard enough. The clues are there. At the top of the list is that most Repubs in congress don't seem to want to touch their president's bailout plan with a 20-foot pole. That should be a sign to the Dems to slow down the game on this deal. Better yet, do the smart thing and add so many conditions (such as drastic cuts in CEO bonus packages) that Goober pulls the plan off the table himself. Added 12:54 pm: Several political blogs report leaders of both parties in congress agree that Speedo must vote in favor of the bailout or the plan is dead. This move is shrewder than I usually expect from the Dems. Maybe there's hope for them after all.

Another clue is that Speedo's campaign is continuing to keep Mayberry Barbie hidden away from the news media. Hell, Joe Biden makes at least one really boneheaded remark per day but Obama isn't trying to hide him (yet). Biden's latest fuckup is his remark that FDR went on television to explain things to the people when The Great Depression hit. Wrong on at least two significant details, but WTF. Mayberry spent a few minutes with the president of Afghanistan talking about the names of their kids, and this is supposed to polish her foreign policy credentials. The sooner she's shipped back to Moosefart, Alaska, the better.

Finally, the GOP is trying to pin the rap for the financial market crisis on Clinton. Bill had a Repub congress for his last six years and has been out of office for eight. Conservatives blaming Clinton for everything rotten that's happened during Goober's two terms has gotten to be totally predictable, but they still try it because apparently it works.

Added 2:30 pm: Mayberry is quoted by the AP this afternoon as saying America may be headed for another Great Depression if congress fails to take action on the bailout proposal. Explain to me again why anyone gives a shit what this bimbo thinks.