A Few Sheepshots in Wolves' Clothing

As Republicans go, Wesley Clark is unique among them in not actually endorsing Bush for re-election, unlike his analog (the Last Honest Man in the Republican Party), John McCain. Of course, McCain can stump for Bush in NH the day after he slyly takes potshots at W. on the Daily Show as he gears up to become President in 2008 after the second term of the second failed Bush administration, which really isn't that honest at all. That, at least, is my current theory about McCain -- he probably figures the country's going to be so bad after Bush II's second term that it will need a true Republican to clean up our national security and budgetary messes, so he'll be a good party soldier for now, neglecting the looming prospect of Jeb Bush taking over the family business.

A truly honest Republican committed to strong national defense and fiscal sanity would've left the party or at least refrained from shilling for it -- I guess, like Clark. So I guess that definitely moves Clark high on the list of honest Republicans, although if he's actually a Democrat that would scuttle that theory and if he's actually a Republican it wouldn't be honest to register as a Democrat. It's just too bad Clark's interview with John Stewart wasn't a tenth as hilarious as McCain's. All that said, I'm more and more favorably inclined to Wes Clark based on his ability to be President and win the election, and if I'm forced by the process of the Democratic Primaries to pick among two Republicans for President, I'd gladly take the accomplished war hero over the AWOL resident.

Speaking of the Daily Show, what does it mean that more Democratic Presidential Candidates have appeared there than on, say, the now nearly-captive-organ of the Republican party, the Tonight Show? Count 'em: Clark, Dick Gephardt, John Edwards (who ANNOUNCED his candidacy on the show), Al Sharpton, Dennis Kucinich, Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman. Leno, who shilled like a Sunset Boulevard hooker for the Governator, has hosted...Vice President Cheney and Mrs. Laura Bush. 'Nuf ced.

I suppose the same people who claim the mainstream news media are liberal are the ones who claim liberals have no sense of humor. I just want to be Fair and Balanced.