Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Air America I caught about 20 minutes of the new Air America network today over lunch, specifically Al Franken's show.  The show is currently only appearing in five markets (Twin Cities, LA, Chicago, New York and Portland), with other markets slated to come online in the months ahead.  However, they also have a webcast and archives up here. The part of Franken's show I heard today was pretty decent.  It featured a call-in by G. Gordon Liddy, who is actually a close friend of Franken's.  I always have a soft spot in my heart for Liddy based on his history with Timothy Leary, and the exchanges today between Franken and Liddy were entertaining. Franken then launched into a segment with David Sirota, from the Center for American Progress.  They had some fun with the Don Rumsfeld bit a few weeks ago, when he was caught in his little lie with Bob Schieffer and Tom Friedman about whether he had ever said Iraq was an "imminent threat".  Franken then mentioned that they expected to talk with Sirota on a near-daily basis. I think this is a great direction for Franken to go, specifically dealing with the Center for American Progress.  Their strength is that they focus on the truth.  I don't say that with high-minded, capital "T" Truth in mind, so much as the fact that they take what the Administration and other people have publicly said in the past, and use that to imcriminate them.  It's not the kind of BS you'll find on Rush or Fox, just ad homs with a blatant spin on or disregard for what people have claimed or promised in the past.  It's just basic journalistic accountability, and the CAP is finally giving people the reassuring idea that not everyone in the media is asleep at the switch. It was weird, though, actually hearing these issues discussed on the radio.  Really weird.  Encouraging, even. Franken will succeed at this.  He'll have backers, and the guys' got a voice (and face) for radio.  I think he'll entertain enough to keep the skeptical and casual listeners at least coming back a little bit, and he'll have enough truth (and Truth) to work with to keep the faithful.   12:02:34 PM    Say what?[]

Final Four The best basketball player in Minnesota (and the world) is Kevin Garnett.  The second and third-best players in Minnesota play for the University of Minnesota's women's team, and last night they earned a trip to the Final Four. Lindsey Whalen and Janel McCarville are one hell of a lot of fun to watch.  Whalen, in particular, is an inspiration to me, because she plays the kind of game I aspire to play, a fearless, driving-and-dishing style that never relents. This state has rallied behind this team in a huge way, and this could be the genesis of a powerhouse program, given the amount and quality of high school talent in this state which has traditionally moved on to other programs.  When Lindsey Whalen came to the program four years ago, it was in a shambles, genuinely one of the worst D1 hoops programs in the country, in either gender.  Now they are in the Final Four.  She's a genuine hero in this state, and somebody who will be remembered for a long, long time. For my part, I remember watching her as a sophomore, when she was first becoming a star, and being amazed at what she could do.  Her aggressiveness with the ball and willingness to attack, plus an uncanny ability to finish for someone who is 5'9", was an eye-opener for me.  That was about the same time my friends Brad, Katy and I found ourselves, to our surprise, coaching a girls' basketball team for ages 11 to 12.  Having that experience, plus seeing the Gophers play their aggressive style, really made me reevaluation my thinking about women's basketball.  Yes, there are still times when I miss the athletic explosiveness of the men's game.  There is a certain visceral excitement that just isn't in the women's game yet.  Yet. But there is also far better team play, much more crisp and creative passing, and, above all, these girls can actually shoot.  You can watch a lot of men's basketball at any level these days, and genuine shooters are rare.  Same with smart ball movement.  What you are more likely to see are a bunch of isolations, athletic one-on-one moves that might or might not produce a spectacular finish, and a lot of clanged mid-range jumpers.  I found myself watching the Gophers play Duke last night and marvelling at how often the jumpers actually went in the basket.  I suspect Lindsey Whalen, Janel McCarville and the rest of the Gophers have converted a lot of people just like me in the last three years.  They take on UConn in the Final Four.  It will be a tough game, but it should be a great game. 11:16:37 AM    Say what?[]

Conditions Last night during dinner, I told Jane about the second Alberto Gonzales letter.  I briefly mentioned that I had written it, but she didn't hear me.  As I began to go through the demands (No mention of sidebar discussions, treason charges, the Black Box), it became clear to me that she thought I was recounting an actual letter of demands that they had made on the Commission.  She kept saying, "No!", and laughing, smirking.  When I finished by telling her about the enviornmental concern prompting the questions to be written on one notecard, she said, "Those idiots!  Those are the most outrageous demands I've ever heard!" Then I had to spill the beans that I made it all up.  I figure it either shows how gullible my wife is, or just how ludicrous and easily-ridiculed the Administration's real actions have become.  Probably some of both.  It was pretty funny. In any event, Josh Marshall is thinking along the same line of thought, as he addressed what the reasons could be for the request for the joint appearance, and marvels at why it hasn't garnered more attention.  Hey, Josh, I'm with you on that.  How is this not the single most laughable, transparent action in the history of of the office of the President?  Seriously.  I mean, Clinton's whole "definition of is" business was smarmy and tortured, but let's get this straight: He was testifying about a blow job, and he at least was able to do it by himself! Just when you think it can't get to be any worse, any more of a joke, it does.  10:38:20 AM    Say what?[]

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