EMERSON; who invented our favorite red white & blue PHRASE, 'self reliance'...

Is not every man sometimes a radical in politics?

Men are conservatives when they are least vigorous,

or when they are most luxurious

. They are conservatives after dinner, or before taking their rest; when they are sick, or aged. In the morning, or when their intellect or their conscience has been aroused; when they hear music, or when they read poetry, they are radicals.

 ~

A tempting blonde in  a red dress is interviewing the new Senator Angus King from Maine. He is an independent, won’t say who he is going to caucus with, the Democrats or Republicans. He has a fine big white mustache. He was once the governor, for two terms, up there.

Red Dress is flirtingly trying to get this old boy to admit he is “really a Democrat.” Batting her warrior-painted eyes. I certainly couldn’t hold up to such pressure, but Senator-Elect King is not fazed at all.

He says with a laugh, “that’ll come as a surprise to the Democrats…I remember one glorious six week period  when I was governor,  I was picketed by both parties!” His voice is confident , playful, lyrical, and I swear to God he and the gal in the red dress…are into each other!

Could be my oversexed imagination.

 This King guy becomes Senator in my big Sister’s state .  They say Maine is “Life as it is meant to be” on their bumper stickers.

He takes over from the former Senator, Olympia Snow (I cannot imagine a more perfect name, and I have some writing talent!!) . These Maine senators sure got cool names. For Senator King is gonna be a wild card in the deck. I can tell. He is a mischievous old bird.

~

By the way, does anyone else out there F-ING HATE Wolf Blitzer’s new glasses? I miss the silver frames.

~

I went back and forth between cnn, msnbc, cbs, the other nbc, abc, and yes, fox.

Someone gave me good advice, to watch Fox if O was winning, cuz they were gonna be angry. The women were utterly brazen, and very leggy, but the guys were freakish.  And there was dear old Karl Rove, with his bald head and too-long hair (he should just shave everything, and get contacts), who spent a shitload of money on this election, all for naught. For chrissakes, you gotta admire his chutzpah , questioning  his own network’s Ohio prediction.

~

That odd hour and a half ensued after everyone said Obama was reelected. That was uncanny shit. Everyone wanted Mitt to come out and man-up and concede, but his Campaign said, “nope, we question the Ohio results. “

What an odd coincidence!

~

Mitt gave a damn fine concession speech, I mean it. Cuz it was short. And it showed me the real Mitt, something I have been studiously avoiding looking at for about a year.  Business & Family Man. Almost  as ‘square’ as my old Dad, George. Something from another era. A ghost from that era, perhaps…

~

I keep watching. I want to know how Florida goes, where people stood in line for 3, 4, 5 hours, and very well might still be standing in line (?) to vote. Those people humbled me.

I am glad O’s electoral blowout is coinciding with a win in the popular vote. The last guy who won the electoral vote but not the popular was you know who, GWB, the two term Republican president whom we haven’t seen or heard a goddamn thing from for quite awhile.  Not that I am complaining, but it makes a nice contrast to Bill Clinton, that slick Bubba with a heart of gold, who helped deliver Mr. O’s victory.  When history books on America are written someday, the author ought to devote a whole chapter to this wily old boy, not to mention his wife.

~

Something was avoided  yesterday. Some naughty no –good force. I cannot pin it down yet, but I looked into its maw for months, and I was mightily afraid.

~

My favorite moment of the night, worth staying up til 3 a.m. for , was the goofy Happy Warrior Joe Biden dancing out in all his majesty and hugging his Boss.

~

Obama’s speech was cool. At times it reached some heights that hit me in the heart, unexpectedly, for if there is one thing I know (& am ambivalent about) is political rhetoric. He said, basically, “ thank u, America , for giving me a second chance.”

Best thing he said was that we the people with all our goddamn squabbling bullshit have made him a better president.

We shall see.

~

Predictably, this guy Obama seems to come with a lot of DOOM again, like in 2008.

This fucking fiscal cliff.

What the hell is it? Some doomsday device we created knowingly?

And huge losses on Wall Street.

But that could be due to Europe. Germany says it is sluggish.

~

What kind of president could Obama have been if not born politically under this weird dark cloud that follows him?

~

Spielberg made a movie about Lincoln, coming out soon. I am hesitantly enthusiastic about it.  I read the wonderful scholarly book by Mz. Goodwin that it is based on.

One Man United Us All.

~

We Americans are so darn hyperbolic, aren’t we?

For example, even the old RailSplitter couldnt help himself:

"

with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

''I AM AMERICA........."