Anderson Cooper The Journalist

No one ever went broke misunderstanding the intelligence of the American people. – H. L. Mencken

You betcha – Sarah Palin

-posted by George Curcio

Sarah Palin, go away

Please don’t come back another day.

Here it is Wednesday, and for yet another day, AC360 remains obsessed with Sarah Palin, giving tremendous gratis publicity to her new memoir.  It’s a funny thing about Sarah.  The more you see her, the less you care that you do, unless you are in the small minority of conservatives who swoon at her every word.  No matter how empty of meaning and thought it may be.

The memoir contradicts much that Palin has said before ye no one really seems to care.  Liberals roll their eyes while conservatives open theirs even wider, reacting as if she had said something profound with each “You betcha” or the equivalent.

Now, Sarah, the former beauty queen, is aghast because Newsweek used on its cover a picture of her for which she willingly posed for Runner’s World magazine.  Palin posted to her Twitter account that she views the cover as beneath the standards to which Newsweek should he held.

It seems, Ms. Palin, that doth protest too much.  Palin posed for the picture willingly – whether it appears on the cover of Newsweek or as a feature within Runner’s World, the context does not change the subject of the picture.  Somehow, though, in Sarah’s twisted mind – the same mind that spews endless platitudes with no deeper meaning than what appears on the surface –  there is something wrong with the picture gracing the cover a newsweekly and not being contained within the pages of a runner’s magazine.

Therein lies the problem that Sarah Palin evidently fails to recognize and therefore will likely never overcome if she is serious about furthering her political career, which, incidentally, may not even be a goal of her’s.  Sarah Palin has shown herself to be an unrepentant complainer, one who has never acknowledged wrongdoing or mistaken action on her part without ascribing actual fault to someone else.  The John McCain camp.  The news media.  Anyone, in short, who has not bowed before her and declared her a goddess of the Republican Party specifically and America in general.

The same applies with the Newsweek cover with which Palin is now upset.  She had no reluctance to pose for Runner’s World in an image that seems more closely akin to a Playboy cover than anything else.  But now that the image is getting widespread attention, she seeks to find fault with the publication that is publicizing it.  Not, most likely, because she is really upset with the image, but because she wants to bash the established media of which Newsweek is a part.  Sarah, unfortunately, is more glitz than substance, and when it works for her, she is more than willing to show it.  At the same time, she seeks to make it work for her in a completely opposite way, hopefully, in her aim, giving her the best of both worlds. – George Curcio

In one of the best summaries today of American politics, it is safe to say the following:  Sarah Palin actually has very little of relevance to say, but everyone wishes she did.  Monday night’s AC360 took a look at the unveiling today of Palin’s newly-written memoir, Going Rogue:  An American Life.

According to public reviews from various sources, the memoir is simply that, a remembrance and review of Sarah Palin’s life, including her unsuccessful 2008 run for the vice-presidency of the United States.  As such, it is not surprising that the book is regarded as rather shallow and not very insightful, according to the reviews.  If that is a true reflection of the book, then it is not surprising, except that it perfectly provides a snapshot of the what has become of the author’s life.

As was alluded to in a previous post, Sarah Palin could have kept her dignity and political mettle had she stayed within her life’s boundaries. She was apparently an effective small-town mayor in her hometown of Wasilla, enough so that it catapulted her to the governorship of , and it was there that she reached her natural zenith.  When John McCain picked her, for political appeal and nothing more, as his vice-presidential candidate, he put her in a position to live a life she likely never thought possible.

As David Gergen pointed out on AC360 last evening, she will likely make about $10 million from her book and other appearances.  It is an amount and an income she likely never thought possible, and now that it’s hers for the taking, it would be rather unexpected not for her to do so.  The problem for the American voter, and for the media as reflected in it’s still never-ending coverage of her, is a wish to deny the truthfulness of the situation.  Love her or hate her, Sarah Palin has now become tantamount to a mascot for the conservatives across the nation, and, as such, a lightning rod for liberal hate and contempt.

Conservatives wish she had more depth when she speaks out on issues that make them say “damn right,” whereas liberals seem to wish she actually had some depth to understand the issues on which she has been ruling during her governorship.  Politicians such as Republican Dede Scozzafava, whose candidacy Palin derailed in the recent 23rd Congressional District of New York, wish Palin would actually resort to minding her own business rather than running around the country interjecting herself into political races beyond her purview.

But races like Scozzafeva’s have become her purview.  She is playing to her base now, political conservatives who are looking for a star, and will continue to do so as long as it is worthwhile.  In an ironic way, Sarah Palin truly has lived the American dream, despite the nightmarish aspects it holds. – George Curcio

Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps it was some producer’s idea of a witty joke.  Just moments after airing a report on members of Congress being pressured by the Catholic Church, among others, to oppose abortion rights within the health-care reform bill, Thursday’s AC360 aired a report about a wayward father in the Midwest. Evidently, the Father was a wayward soul when he was not in the pulpit preaching, and in the worst possible circumstances the Catholic Church could imagine, the Father was a father.

More than an isolated incident, it appears to be an ongoing theme in the life of Father Henry Willenborg.  In fact, he is now under suspension from the Catholic Church for allegations statutory rape that allegedly occurred 22 years ago – while the Father was having an affair with Pat Bond, a parishioner who left her husband and three children to cohabitate in her Father’s house.

Most importantly about this whole issue, it is coming to light only because the son who had been fathered by Willenborg is now suffering from terminal brain cancer.  The mother has come forth about her affair with Willenborg, saying she is free to do so, despite having signed a confidentiality agreement, because, she says, the Catholic church has invalidated that agreement by failing to provide adequate financial support.

Since her revelation, the Catholic church has stepped up in its support, but one cannot help believe she is not correct when she says the Church cannot wait for her son to die so they can be removed from the whole sordid affair.

As for Father Henry.  Well, he is somewhere in hiding as he awaits the latest charges against him.  From all accounts, he was a great priest except for one minor problem.  He could not get past the celibacy requirements.  His on-again, off-again affair with Bond, which produced a child and ended her troubled marriage, came to an end when he was caught having an affair with a married woman.  A great priest – if he could have only dealt with that one small “catch.”

As a result, then Catholic Church is mired in a scandal that shows it to be hypocritical and immoral in its behavior.  Rather than forcing fFather Henry to leave the clergy and face responsibility for his errant conduct, the Church sought to make a deal.  For 22 years, it thought it had gotten away with it.  Now, with no statute of limitations to protect the Church, it has been exposed.

But life has gone on, and the Catholic Church is pressuring for abortion opposition to be included in the health-care reforms.  The message is clear:  have the children, but what you do with them afterward is your problem. – George Curcio

Barack Obama is faced with some serious issues about the war in Afghanistan, and it is reported that he is unhappy with the four options that have been prepared and presented to him by those within the administration, as reported on Wednesday’s AC360.   The options range from sending 40,000 more American troops at a maximum  to a minimum of sending 20,000 more in a supplemental effort to what is already there.  Interestingly, though, all focus on maintaining and continuing an American presence in Afghanistan as we continue to shift the focus from Iraq.

As is usually the case, the military side is campaigning for a larger force and military campaign while the ambassadorial side is lobbying for less open warfare.  Not only is there fighting being waged in Afghanistan, but now there is open fighting being waged within the Obama administration’s top levels.

Obama has been in office nearly a year now, but our presence in Afghanistan is still waiting to be altered.  Obama has awaited presentation from his staff, which has responded with four alternatives, none of which is to his liking.  Thus, he has sent them back to the drawing board, and the waiting starts anew.

The present situation clashes greatly with what Obama declared when he was running for the presidency.  In July of 2008, Obama traveled to Afghanistan and called for a troop buildup within the country.  Unfortunately, his desire was more aimed at criticizing George W. Bush’s handling of Iraq, whether appropriately or not, and using Afghanistan as an alternative focus to do just that.  Obama was successful in his goal, but he is now backtracking on his words.

Lost in the quandary about what to do is the American public’s opinion on how Afghanistan should be handled.  It is an issue that was not addressed in our handling of Iraq and is now not being addressed in our actions towards Afghanistan.  Despite what our leaders believe, it is the people who fight the war, and they should have a say in whether they want it to continue.

Until now, Americans who choose not to be touched by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan largely are not.  The armed services are all volunteer, and largely manned by gung-ho personnel who choose to be where they are.  As a result, many Americans have been untouched by the ravages of war and they do not really feel the effects of what is happening overseas.

The first action Obama should take is to reinstate the draft for age-eligible Americans, with no exception other than physical shortcomings that obviously preclude service.  Americans should then be drafted and forced into action, so they feel the true effects of war and a public debate should then ensue over whether we should continue our presence overseas.  Until then, this is nothing more than a chess game in which Obama is using real yet willing pawns. – George Curcio

report aired during Tuesday’s AC360 focused on radical Muslims who are preaching hatred outside a non-participatory mosque in New York City, much to the dismay of the Imam there.  They are openly contemptuous of the United States and its people, and they say it stems ultimately from what they are being told in the Koran, which is to “terrorize” non-believers.  In other words, they are doing it because Alllah, their interpretation of God, is telling them to do so.

The report was labelled as a focus on “hate speech,” but, ironically, the Muslims who are voicing the hate do not see it in the same way.  They see themselves as messengers of Allah, or their God, bringing His views further into the world.  Americans, naturally, as a whole are aghast, with the rising levels of anger and disgust rising with further movement along the right side of the political spectrum.  That seems rather ironic, because in many ways the speech of the radical Muslims directly mirrors that of conservative Christians in America.

For years, conservative Christians have pushed the belief that they have heard God, and it is He who is imposing their views, through them, into the lives of everyone else, including and perhaps especially non-believers.  Ironically, it is partly this attitude that has fostered backlash towards America from others in the world, such as the radical Muslims.

What’s missing from the conservative Christians’ views is recognition that there is a New Testament as well as an Old, perhaps mirroring the typical liberal Christian behavior that there is no Old Testament at all.  The shortcoming on each side is to realize that there are actually two books to the Bible, and they both deserve equal attention.  Yes, there is sin in the world, but it is to be forgiven.  Yes, it is to be forgiven, but not encouraged.

It is a difficult tightrope to walk, that between forgiveness and responsibility.  The Christian Right long ago abandoned any fidelity to the concept of continuing to walk it and jumped off, whereas the Christian Left seems more to have slipped, but still ends up not walking the line.

In its defense, which is not a sterling one, those on the Left, for the most part, practice a “Live and let live” philosophy that does not seek to intrude upon anyone’s lifestyle.  The Christian Right, however, can do no such thing, for they are convinced they have heard the truth from God, and that it is their mission to spread His word, and impose their beliefs, whether others want to hear it or not.

Much like the radical Muslims that the Christian Right says we must fight and obliterate.  It begs the question, “What if you think you hear God talking to you but it isn’t really Him?” – George Curcio

For some reason, it is just difficult for Americans to take anything anymore at face value.  Perhaps it has something to do with the society’s preoccupation with spinning, putting a public relations front on everything, regardless of what the truth may be.  The truth, it seems, is no longer valued in American society.  Rather than letting the facts determine the outcomes, we have become more determined to let predetermined outcomes be supported by selective facts that make our case.

It happens at every level of society.  Gay republicans publicly decry the gay lifestyle while living it privately.  Anything to sell themselves to voters who are looking for what they are offering.  The candidate is not measured by how often he fits the bill.  Instead, he is measured by how he pretends to fit the bill.

It is not indigenous only to Republicans.  Democrats, for example, pushed public busing of students while sending their children to private schools.  More recent examples likely exist if thought were applied to finding them, but that is not the point, only an illustration.

The point is that nothing is what it seems anymore, even when it is very simple.  Instead, we build elaborate theories and construct involved explanations as we seek to fit the facts to what we WANT to believe in any particular case.

Such is going on right now with the case of Nidal Malik Hasan, who “snapped” last week and went on a shooting rampage as a result of his mental conflicts over the war in Iraq, to which he was soon to be deployed on the American side against Muslins he felt were his spiritual brethren.  The simple fact seems rather obvious if one chooses to accept it.  Hasan succumbed mentally to pressures and conflicts he felt were alive inside his head.  The man snapped, drawing irrational solutions to what many may think were irrational conflicts.  To him, however, they were real.

Americans, however, cannot accept the fact that he simply went nuts.  Instead, we have spent day after day seeking to build some sort of bridge between Hasan and the Muslims we are fighting in Iraq, thinking there is more to the story than what it is:  an irrational gunman seeing his solution in random shootings of what were, i reality, innocent victims.  Perhaps in his reality they were still innocent victims and he did not care.

Instead of accepting Hasan for what he is, the American people and their government have been seeking to make him into the next Fidel Castro, leading a well-formed revolution from the mountains.  Perhaps, in his mind, that is what Hasan hoped to be.  The simple truth is that, in reality, he was just a lone gunman whom cracked under the pressure.

His actions were inexcusable, but so is the American obsession with building him it into more than he was.  - George Curcio

Americans, by and large, are a funny people.  Since I have never lived in another country, I do not know how it is elsewhere, but here in America, we have some funny ideas.  This was brought out by the recent mass shootings of the past two days that occurred at Fort Hood and in Orlando. Florida, which happens to be where I am located.

Interestingly, Friday night’s AC360 afforded a considerable amount of time to the Fort Hood shootings but a much smaller amount of time to those in Orlando, giving the impression that the producers see advantage in trying to exploit the Fort Hood shootings because of its more interesting circumstances.  On news value alone, though, the Orlando shootings would be equal.

American reaction to the shootings is interesting.  The shootings were horrific and in no way can be justified or excused.  That needs to be stressed, because the feedback I am receiving tends to ignore that statement.  People want to jump to the step of calling Nidal Malik Hasan a “scumbag” and a “loser,” ignoring the circumstances leading up to his actions but not attempting in the least to understand that there was a reason for it.

That’s the true underlying lesson of the shootings at Fort Hood and in Orlando.  There has to be a reason that led the suspects in each case to do what they did, and on the surface, it seems to be that they had feelings of desperation.  Understanding such is not to excuse or justify what happened.  Not in the least.  But it is to seek to understand what happened and to try to avoid imbuing people with such feelings in the future.  Maybe the latter is impossible, but as the number of victims left in the wake of the recent shootings attest, it is well worth the effort to try.

One of the eyewitnesses to the Orlando shooting made an interesting statement about the shootings, saying that no matter what the circumstances, one does not resort to killing innocent victims.  Well, evidently one does, as shown the last two days at different locations.  More appropriately, the reaction to recent events shows one does not attempt to understand the world around them, settling instead for personal attacks aimed at the suspect, calling them various names.

It would be remiss not to point out how Christians have reacted, to the Fort Hood shooting in particular.  I have heard anti-Muslim remarks aimed not only at Hasan but also at his religion, and I have heard statements saying that forgiveness towards Hasan is not at all possible or desirable, due to the circumstances.  Perhaps I have misread my Bible, but the message I receive is that forgiveness is afforded despite the circumstances and, indeed, this should be kept in mind under the most difficult of circumstances.

Forgiveness is the essence of Christianity, and for both believers and non-believers, the essence of humanity.  In a twisted sort of way, American Christians are aiming towards Muslims the same form of hatred that they accuse Muslims of directing at them.

Somewhere, God must be watching and be very confused.  - George Curcio

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan

It would be easy to dismiss the widespread shootings Thursday at the Fort Hood military base in Texas as the work of a single madman who had gone over the edge and unjustly took out his frustrations on other innocent people.  In one sense, that is exactly what happened, and if looked at only in that way, it is difficult to have sympathy for Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the alleged gunman.

But if one looks further into Hasan’s background, one finds a history of his concerns being ignored, until he returned to the base with several guns and killed 12 people while wounding more than 30.  The developments leading up to his outburst have the classic traits of workplace violence, which, in essence, this was.  As is usually the case in workplace violence attacks, the aggrieved returns to the place of employment and starts shooting, asking in essence the question of “Why don’t you ignore me now?” as he begins randomly shooting and ultimately killing.

This is not to excuse Hasan’s actions, nor, in any way imaginable, to justify them.  But it is to seek to understand them and to try to prevent future similar occurrences as a result of the same details leading up to it.

From what has been reported so far about Hasan, he was born in Virginia to parents who had emigrated there from Jordan.  He has been described a s a devout American who loved his country.  He also has been described as a devout Muslim who was very faithful to his religion.  Thus, in his mind, he found himself on both sides of the conflict being waged in Iran.  Even worse, he was soon to be deployed there by the United States Army as one of its soldiers.  Even worse beyond that, rather than experiencing the best of both his worlds, he was receiving the worst.  According to Hasan’s cousin, someone keyed the word “Allah” into Hasan’s car last week, which was then reported as a “hate” crime.

A devout Muslim.  A good American.  Now, an accused mass murderer.  The folly is that leading up to his rampage, no one likely cared about Hasan’s mental conflicts, which apparently were tearing him apart.  To the point that he snapped.

Now, the focus for most people is on the tragedy at Fort Hood, and indeed, it is one.  There should be sorrow for the victims and their families, and, in way, anger towards the suspect is easily explainable.  But, in a way, Nidal Malik Hasan is as much a victim as anyone else.  The focus on that aspect of the shootings should not be ignored. – George Curcio

Both major political parties in the United States continue to play their game of political ping-pong with the general electorate, doing all they can to repel voters and then proclaiming victory when the other side is more adept about it.  The political spinning, meanwhile, continues to go on, distorting the truth – indeed, ignoring the truth – and proclaiming voter fidelity when it is actually disgust with the other side.

As various pundits appeared on Wednesday night’s AC360, it became obvious:  they were not here to share the truth, but only their version of it, which seems motivated by one of two things:  desire to pump up one’s party and self while denigrating the other, or an attempt to hawk one’s new book and make some sales.

As for honesty and truth, well, those are casualties of the war, which is not what it is painted to be.  The war is not Republicans against Democrats.  It is the entrenched powers versus those who are not in  power.  In short, it is them versus us.  And “they” have only one aim:  to stay in power and enjoy the luxuries of their offices, the holding of which comes with many benefits and luxuries.  As for “us,” for the most part we do not care,  ot even enough to analyze and dissect the situation as it actually stands.

There is a crisis within the American political system, which continues on a downward trend that has been its own for the past several decades.  Americans, rather than identifying this crisis and seeking to do something to rectify it, instead take sides and enable the playing of the game.  ”I’m a Democrat and this is what I believe,” says one side, only to hear the other retort, “Oh yeah, well i am a Republican and this is what I believe.”  In reality, no one should really care.

What everyone should care about is getting things done for the American people, whether it be national health care or any other issue with such far-reaching ramifications.  Instead, we debate the issue endlessly, to the point that we are paralyzed.  As a result, nothing ever truly gets done for the American people.  There is no benefit for them.  But there is benefit for the officeholders, who have crafted a system that ensures their survival despite being wholly ineffective and useless.

The true battle is “us” versus “them,” and they will be the winners, in all honesty.  They hold all the cards and, more importantly, all the enthusiasm needed to ensure their survival. – George Curcio

It would be easy, and indeed there are already traces of evidence that it has already happened, for both entrenched political parties to read too much into Tuesday’s election results in the United States.  Focus on the returns preempted the regular showing of Monday night’s AC360, and, despite the endless rhetoric that came forth from the partisan political pundits who appeared, not much was said that was truly relevant and insightful.

The returns were a mixed bag of results for the two established political parties, and there is a simple reason.  Neither the Democrats or Republicans drew votes for achievements their members have made in office.  In fact, it was exactly the opposite.  Each party gained votes as a result of the action, or more accurately inaction, of the other parties’ incumbents.  Such a feeling was also responsible for Michael Bloomberg’s scant five percent victory in his bid to continue as mayor of New York.  The narrow margin of his win leaves one wondering what would have happened had Democrats actively supported their candidate, Bill Thompson, against Bloomberg.

Instead, Democrats from President Barack Obama down ran as fast as they could from Thompson, thinking he would be trounced by Bloomberg and worsen their reputations by being associated with Thompson.  Therein lies the problem.  Officeholders and potential candidates are not listening to what the public wants.  They are listening to voice that tell them what they have to do to be reelected.  The truths contained within each are vastly different.

Democrats have lost some key groups in this election:  younger voters, Afro-American voters, and independent voters.  The first two groups were active in the 2008 presidential contest for largely one reason:  Barack Obama.  there was a personal connection that was made with voters and motivated them to get to the polls.  Beyond that, there was nothing else, as shown by those groups’ absence in yesterday’s voting.

The third group. the independent voters, is perhaps the most telling.  They moved from the Democrat side of the ledger to the Republican in many cases, and the reason is simple.  They moved because of a disgust and disillusionment with the Democrats, and now they are swinging back to the Republicans.  Until their disillusionment there sends them back to the other side.  Their “swing” votes are the result of disillusionment with both parties and a desperate search for answers to come from somewhere.  They have yet to find them and likely never will as American politics sinks further into the preoccupation with getting elected and not taking effective action once in office rather than getting elected and seeking to do what is best for the nation and what, in truth, actually becomes the “job.” – George Curcio

There are many American voters who simply want one thing:  competent, responsible behavior from their elected officials.  The Republican and Democrat parties, however, are doing their best to send these voters rebounding from one party to the other, with no actual place to land.  Rather than embracing these voters and speaking to their needs, both established American parties are doing their best to impose upon the people the values the parties WANT them to have, which are namely the values of the respective party leaders, rather than the grass-root support voters are looking to lend to whoever will listen.

Dierdre "Dede" Scozzafava

The scenario is playing out again today, Election Day in the United States, most explicitly in upstate New York, as discussed on Tuesday’s AC360.  Republican party leaders there nominated a candidate who represented the values of their locality.  Conservatives from out of the area, such as commentator Rush Limbaugh and failed vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, rushed in to object, effectively crippling the campaign of Republican Dede Scozzafava, who has suspended her own campaign and is now supporting the Democrat candidate.  Republicans, meanwhile, are backing a candidate supported by out-of-area conservatives who has been imposed upoon them.

What’s most germane is that no one is addressing the needs of, nor even listening to, the voters.  Voters are angry, frustrated and looking for answers.  Instead, they are getting rhetoric from the extreme ends of both parties, which amazingly are trying to grow themselves while at the same time aggressively shrinking the diversity of their voices.  In doing so, they are missing what is most relevant.

In the 2008 election, support swung over to the Democrats, not because of a sincere love for them from voters.  It was mostly out of dissatisfaction with a Republican majority that had ineffectively ruled for the past decade.  Now, in President Barack Obama’s first year, the voters are swinging back towards the middle, flirting with a return to the Republican side.

The reason why is simple:  dissatisfaction with an impotent Democrat majority.  Voters are looking for real answers, not hypothetical ones, and they are not getting them.  Rather than answers to how they are going to put their children through college, they get rhetoric on whether Thomas Jefferson would have supported health care.  With all due respect for what was once a simpler and more clear-cut time in America, its citizens really no longer care about Thomas Jefferson’s philosophical leanings.  What they do care about are real answers to their very real questions, usually centered around how to pay the bills.

Amazingly, neither predominant political party in the United States gets and understands this.  As a result, voters will continue swinging on the pendulum, going from one party to the other, and , in essence, being left hanging in the political winds generated by much hot air but little else. – George Curcio

Years ago, while working at a news/talk radio station, I remember the night something incredible happened, touching off a chaotic groundswell of activity as everyone rushed to cover the breaking news.  As newsmen rushed in every direction, a petite female producer came running down the hallway, mumbling aloud to herself and no one else in particular, “Why don’t these things happen during ratings periods?”

That story has come to mind the last few nights.  A week ago, there were all sorts of stories to write about and that were being covered on AC360.  Balloon Boy.  Airplane pilots allegedly sleeping during flight.  Debate over an innocent man possibly having been executed in Texas.  These stories and others were being covered a week ago, causing much discussion and much interest even if one tired of their omnipresence in the news.

This week, just the opposite is taking place.  The highlight of last evening’s AC360 was Dr. Sanjay Gupta putting on a hospital gown to visit a local emergency room while covering the constant but unglamorous story of the swine flu malady.  Beyond that, the show was filled mainly with uncompelling talk and barely-passable human interest stories in terms of newsviewer interest.

Such is the tendency of the news cycle.  Some weeks, there is much more news breaking than seemingly can be covered.  Other weeks are filled with a ho-hum “who really cares?” type of feel.  In the United States, the big pressing story is the end of Daylight Savings Time for 2009.  Tonight, we set the clocks back and gain an extra hour of sleep.  Hopefully, that extra hour will help to energize the American populace once again and lead to a more active upcoming week.

Let’s hope so. – George Curcio