Courtesy of Aaron Karo

I'm back from my jaunt to see friends in DC but I brought home a souvenir from the flight....a sinus cold. It's nice. I'm thrilled. So because I am not in the mood to sit up and tell you all about my fab weekend with B (that stands for Bench....remind me to tell you that story when I can again breathe through my nose), I have a copy of the latest issue of Ruminations. Do y'all read these? I've been a fan since college and still love his writing/humor. Because we've been around the moon a dozen times talking politics, I thought this would give y'all a giggle too. Enjoy.


Issue #141 - "Ruminations on Electoral College Life" - October 21st, 2008

-We are in the midst of one of the most divisive elections in history. Democrats hate Republicans. Conservatives hate liberals. Everyone hates the debate moderators. But there is really one group that we can blame for all the negativity and vitriol that has enveloped this campaign: “undecided” voters. Obama and McCain don’t care about those of us who have already made up our minds, and with good reason. All their speeches and ads are now targeted to those people who claim, that after a year-and-a-half-long media blitz, they still don’t have enough information to make a decision. I don’t call these people “undecided” – I call them fucking idiots. Forget about hockey moms and Reagan democrats; what the candidates are really courting… is the moron vote.

-First of all, I don’t quite understand Sarah Palin’s strategy of constantly referring to herself as a “hockey mom.” Isn’t she alienating all the parents whose kids are awkward, ungainly, and don’t play sports? There’s got to be fewer hockey moms than there are Dungeons & Dragons moms.

-Many voters compare the candidates’ lives with their own to see if they can relate. This isn’t the best yardstick of who will make a great president, but I’ll admit, I’ve done it. For instance, it’s odd to consider that Obama and I are alike in that we’ve both written two books, but different in that he’s tried cocaine and I haven’t.

-John McCain and I both delivered speeches at my graduation from Penn in 2001. I spoke at the business school ceremony in the morning, and he spoke at commencement for the entire university. An excerpt from my speech: “After all the 9am classes that we had to sit through, did graduation really have to be this early? All kidding aside though, I am confident that each and every one of you sitting before me today will become a great success by meeting any challenge that comes your way.” An excerpt from McCain’s speech: “Will you specifically, with all the confidence and vitality that you claim today, assume the obligations of community, national, or world leaders? I'll be damned if I know. I'm not clairvoyant, and I don't know you personally.” Way to inspire, Senator.

-During the vice-presidential debate, Joe Biden said he spends “a lot of time” at Home Depot. Is that really something he should be touting? Generally the guys loitering in Home Depot either hate their wives or are clinically insane and just like talking to people.

-Think about how old your dad is. Now think about how many years you’d have to add for him to be 72. Now think of your dad at 72. Now think about your dad at 72 running for president. Even if you love your dad as much as I do mine, your conclusion will invariably be the same: no fucking way.

-One last message to all the moronic, er, sorry, “undecided” voters out there: did you notice that the jokes I just made really have nothing substantial to do with who is better able to lead our country? That’s because all of the important facts are already out there. Us decided voters are bored. This is what we’ve been reduced to while you’ve got the candidates pandering around in circles. So put us all out of our misery and make up your minds already. But come November 4th, if you’re still wavering, don’t stop the car at your local polling station. Just keep on driving. I hear Canada is lovely this time of year.