Levi Johnston On CBS: Palins Treated Me Like An Outcast After Election

AOG, London

I think he should thank his lucky stars he did not marry Miss Palin. However, the Palins will be in his family for years to come, so long as his son lives with his mother.


There is no easy way to solve this, and no family is perfect, but it is becoming increasingly clear that America was spared a great mistake by not electing the Republican ticket.


Unfortunately the Palins assure us of this constantly.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

John McCain's speech

AOG, Madrid

Last night, here in Madrid, I stayed up until 2 AM to watch and listen to John McCain on Fox. Thank you satellites.

What a dissapointment it turnedout to be.

As he spoke long and hard about nothing, here an American, there an American, everywhere an American American, I began analysing his body language, since his verbal language bordered on the soporiphic.

For the first time since 1952, the party holding the White House has nominated someone other than the sitting president or vice president, someone without a vested interest in running on continuity, and at a moment when the party finds it difficult to defend its record from the last eight years.

Here's some of my thoughts:

1- Has he had cosmetic surgery? He does not look like any 72 year old I've ever met.

2- Why, when I look at him, do I think he moves like a hand puppet? He moves his arms with less grace than would a Muppett. Is he ill?

3- The style of his delivery was lacklustre to say the least. His message? Well, aside from the "vote for me" attitude, which is to be expected, I can't say I recall much else.

I do, however, recall his smirk at a protesting woman who was forcibly escorted off the convention.

She has a right to speak. He is not some God. I didn't like the way he laughed at her, at the situation, and at the little people. Nor did I like the way the security guards manhandled her. Was that meant to be a show of grace under pressure or a show of strength?

Either way it was neither civilised nor was it humane. The lady in question was not a criminal.

I was surprised; shocked. If that is how he behaves at a convention, and he is only a Senator, how will he laugh at the country if he becomes president?

Gay marriage in California

AOG, Madrid

Ever since I was a small child, whenever I tried to conjure up a truly modern place, I often thought of Japan. And if I tried to conjure up a truly modern place which was like paradise, I would often think of California- and Trantor, but that is because of my love for Science Fiction and my slant towards Asimov.

Today, California has stood me in good stead. It has just become the second state to approve gay marriage. Its Supreme Court has overturned two state laws that had limited marriages to unions between a man and a woman, and instead ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.

It cites: "An individual's sexual orientation — like a person's race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights."

The New York Times carries the story like this on this article.

The Los Angeles Times covers the story like this on this article.

USA today covers the story like this on this article.

And The Washington Times does it like this on this article.

The only other state thus far to carry similar legislation is Massachusetts.

Surprisingly perhaps, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has said that he respected the court’s ruling and did not support a constitutional amendment to overturn it.

Ever America's pioneering State, California's Supreme Court was also the first state high court to strike down a law barring interracial marriage. It happened back in 1948 with a decision called Perez v. Sharp.

The vote in Perez, like the one in Thursday’s decision, was 4-to-3. The United States Supreme Court did not follow suit until 1967.

Hillary Clinton as Ceasar's wife...

AOG, Madrid

I remember listening in a radio interview in Spain a couple of years ago a quote which I agreed with wholeheartedly. Although in Spanish, it went along these lines:

"Ceasar's wife must not only be his wife, she also has to look like she is his wife"

The quote was a reference to a scandal which happened to Ceasar's second wife, Pompeia, whereby she was accused of doing something which brought great shame to Ceasar: a scandal that occurred during the rites of Bona Dea.

Although, as it turned out, she was innocent, nevertheless, the whole episode was used as ammunition to deliver a divorce veredict. It is from that court case that in the English-speaking world we say "Ceasar's wife must be above suspicion".

Caesar divorced Pompeia and an inquiry was held. Although several members of Caesar's family gave evidence, Caesar himself did not and the court asked him why he had demanded a divorce when so much uncertainty surrounded the incident. "Caesar's wife," he replied, "must be above suspicion."

I mention this because I have been paying a bit more attention to the Democratic primaries in the US. And in particular to Hillary Clinton.

On paper, she is a super candidate. She has (or claims to have), great experience. She certainly is intelligent and she has some good ideas to help the country.

But then, I look at her. How she speaks. How she moves. Her appearance. And then I don't buy it. Especially when compared to the package Mr. Obama sells.

When I listen to them debate, I often think I am witnessing a debate between a PTA Mom and a politician. Silly. Untrue. Unfounded, because they are both great candidates.

But...

Ms. Clinton does not look the part. She does not look like the President of the US. He does. And so does McCain.

Am I the only one who thinks this? Surely not.

May the best person win, of course, but this will not be the case. The best person will not win. The person who most looks like the President of the US will win. Like Reagan did. Like Bush Sr. did. Like Gore did- although we all know what happened there. Like Bush did the second time around.

I am not for a second suggesting Ms. Clinton is not a great candidate. She is. And I would vote for her over McCain any day. But I would have trouble picturing her in the White House sitting as Madam President.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Obama, despite Tuesday's 10-point defeat, appears all but certain to finish the primary season with more popular votes and more pledged delegates than Clinton.

And then, there's this: