Strategists

I don't watch an inordinate amount of TV. At least I don't think I do. Lately I have mostly watched Hardball and Countdown. I used to watch CNN sometimes but haven't for a long time now. In any case, I am interested in the question of strategists. These programs often have strategists, both Democratic and Republican. There seem to be lots of them. Indeed, seemingly a never ending supply of them. You hardly ever see the same ones twice. And most of them are not anyone you (or at least I) ever heard of or saw before. So who are these strategists? A majority seem to be attractive young women (at least women probably about thirty years of age on average). There seem to be a lot of blonds. This is true of both Democratic and Republican strategists. Are all these people actually paid to be strategists? Do they have official credentials proving they are truly strategists? Or can anyone just claim to be one? How do you get to be a strategist? Do you really have to know anything about the various strategies or do you just announce your opinion based on whatever (you gut feeling, actual information you have, pipe dreams, what?). I confess I am not usually impressed with what these people claim to be the case. I have all kinds of ideas about what Democrats ought to do to win the elections and so on. Does that make me a strategist? Is there a school for strategists? Do they offer fellowships, scholarships, seminars, classes, whatever? I want to be one. Please advise.

I saw a brief interview with Bill Richardson on Hardball. He was referring to his experience in foreign relations, diplomacy, energy, as governor, and so on. I was somewhat impressed. He does seem to have some qualifications. It led me to wonder, what qualifications does Hillary have to be President? And what qualifications does Obama have? I have to admit that when you consider this question seriously it seems to indicate that, in general, they are not very well qualified. But what qualifications do you need to become President of the United States? Not many it appears. Look at Bush. He was not qualified (being Governor of Texas is a questionable qualification as the Lieutenant Governor seems to be more important there). His only other qualifications seem to have to do with incessant failures, one after another. Just look at how successful he has been as President (if you can keep from laughing out loud or crying yourself to sleep). Interestingly enough, one doesn't seem to have to have any particular qualifications to be President of the U.S. Being someone the "common people" would like to have a beer with seems to help. Having any intellectual qualifications, or even much governmental experience, seems to count for nothing at all (in fact, I would bet that being intellectually qualified is a strike against you). Would GM or Toyota or any other huge corporation hire an unqualified person to run their companies? I guess being President is not really such a big deal after all.

Tomorrow our sort-of President is going to give his annual State of the Nation speech. This is such a big deal that MSNBC is going to spend the entire day leading up to it, discussing and analyzing it. Doesn't it make you wonder why he would bother to make it at all? But not only will it be discussed and analyzed all day long before it happens, it will be discussed and analyzed all night long after it is over. Does anyone really believe that Bush could possibly make a speech worthy of so much attention? Furthermore, does it even matter what he says? His speech will be analyzed for what he doesn't say as much as for what he does say. Unless he announces his resignation or that he is pulling our troops out of Iraq immediately what difference does it make what he says? The media could just as well make up what they think he is going to say, then analyze and discuss it, and save him the embarrassment of trying to speak the English language, or pretending to know what the hell he is talking about. As usual, I will not be listening. He makes me sick.

I suggest that Rachel Ray be banned from all media for at least six months. Nutrisystem as well. Well, I don't know, maybe Rachel could sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl.