Don't phunk with my heart

Sometimes I forget how proud, lucky, and fortunate I am to be an American citizen. This is especially true as I follow the life of Zimbabwean dictator, Robert Mugabe. I first learned about this man, if you can even call him a man and not a beast, in a political science course I took as a freshman in college. For extra credit, we had to pick a leader of a country we knew little about and write a 5 – 10 page biography about him or her. For some reason, the country of Zimbabwe was on my mind so I decided to write about their leader. Mugabe has been a war criminal basically his whole life and unfortunately his legacy just took another terrible turn when he and his cronies orchestrated to mutilate and eventually burn alive the wife of the opposition party’s leader. 66 members of the opposition party have been murdered since 1980 when Mugabe, a former guerrilla leader, took control of Zimbabwe after their independence from Great Britain. As much as I despise certain aspects of America, I am so honored to live in a country where I have food on the table, clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and a general sense of safety and security.

1. By the way, I am still fuming over what I wrote about yesterday regarding Bush vetoing and McCain voting against allowing our troops to have a free public university education if they serve their full term in the military. Can you even imagine if this was a bill that McCain wrote, instead of a Democrat senator, and Obama voted against it? He would be accused of being unpatriotic, not supporting the troops, and hating America. Fox News would have an absolute field day! In typical Fox News fashion, they have remained absolutely silent. Apparently, even the wackos at FN are stunned by the absolute despicable display of partisan politics by John McCain and George W. Bush. This issue really bothers me. A year and a half ago, I was in a car with Rus and we were talking politics and we said for the good of the country, we hoped that the final candidates would be Obama for the Democrats and McCain for the Republicans because both of these senators were above partisan politics, ruthless, smear based campaigning, and were both good statesmen. Senator McCain, sir… Prove me right because this latest show of arrogance and loyalty to the Bush Administration may cost you big. The last thing you need is for the military and retired military personnel to be angry with you. The Star Tribune just had a great editorial yesterday about the issue: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/19799439.html?location_refer=Homepage

2. What a meltdown by the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday? Did anyone else watch the game? Don’t get me wrong, Kobe Bryant is most definitely the best player in the game. There isn’t anyone even close. The Lakers did not lose because of Bryant, the rest of the team needs to step up big and they are definitely missing Andrew Bynum in the middle. But don’t get me wrong, I’m a Kevin Garnett fan and I can’t wait to see #5 get his championship ring he so richly deserves. We miss you here KG. I’m sorry the Timberwolves’ mgmt team is a bunch of clowns.

3. Great news everybody! Actor Alec Baldwin has officially endorsed Barack Obama. I have a question for all of you. Has one celebrity endorsement of a candidate influenced any of you with who to vote for? Oh wow! Scarlett Johannsen likes Obama? Oh wow! Chuck Norris likes Mike Huckabee? I mean c’mon. Who really cares?

4. I am looking for a fun summer drink to make for this evening. Does anybody have any suggestions? No whiskey or tequila though.

5. I can't believe Tim Russert died! He was a maintstay of American politics for decades. He was only 58 years old. He had a massive heart attack and died on the set of Meet the Press. 58 is only four years older then my Dad. Life is so short.