This Guy Should Be President

Well, something totally unexpected happened during the debate last night: I fell in love with Joe Biden.  He was amazing.  AMAZING.  I almost want to ask, where did he come from? But he just ran for president. What went wrong with his campaign?

I now completely understand why Obama chose him and it was an excellent choice, but seriously, he should be president.  Experience, grace, compassion, humility.  Such a startlingly true and not feigned grasp of the complexities of all the issues, oh and I saw his answer about Roe vs. Wade the other day.  The way he took it apart, and admitted that it was imperfect, but showed piece by piece how it was close as possible to an acceptable solution that addresses the concerns of both sides.

Joe Biden, can I work for you?

A lot of the time when candidates talk about their passion I see only ambition.  With Biden I actually saw passion.

Bewahre Deine Seele Wohl

It means, “Guard your soul well.” It’s from one of the Brahms pieces we’re doing.  I love these translations sometimes.  Anyway, it is my prayer for us tonight while we watch the debates.

Speaking of guard your soul well, it’s so sad about Lt. Michael W. Pigott’s suicide.  The order that he gave which caused Iman Morales’s death was tragic too, but that doesn’t mean one can’t feel for Pigott.  His suicide, an act of questionable judgement certainly, makes me wonder if he was suffering from something which affected his judgement that day.  Now both families are suffering a loss.  It’s awful.  Guard your soul well indeed.  It’s so fragile.

This picture is of Perry Street, to my west.  I live on the least pretty block of Perry Street.  I’m not complaining, just saying.  I have it very good.

God Help Our Country

My friend Cricket Coleman made this awesome logo for an Obama fundraiser which was held last night (I missed it, extreme laziness).

I’m even more freaked out about tonight’s debate than I was about the one between Obama and McCain.  For instance, I don’t really like ambush-style interviews, like Michael Moore, as entertaining as they can be, and that is how Palin is defending her inability to name a single Supreme Court decision besides Roe vs. Wade, or even one newspaper.  Katie Couric was springing a pop quiz on her in order to embarrass her.  Please.  

From her interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt.

Hugh Hewitt: “Governor, your candidacy has ignited extreme hostility, even some hatred on the left and in some parts of the media. Are you surprised? And what do you attribute this reaction to?”

Sarah Palin: “Oh, I think they’re just not used to someone coming in from the outside saying you know what? It’s time that normal Joe six-pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency, and I think that that’s kind of taken some people off guard, and they’re out of sorts, and they’re ticked off about it … ” 

That’s not it, Ms. Palin.

I’ll never forget asking one of the detectives I got to know why he was voting for Bush. He said, “Because he’s a regular guy.  He’s just like me.”  And I immediately asked, “And do you think you should be running the country?”  The guy at least had the integrity to stop short, think for a second and say, “No.”

If Joe six-pack has the qualifications to run the country, then fine, but being a regular guy and drinking beer does not in itself qualify one to hold the most powerful position in the United States.  Should Joe six-pack also practice surgery?

So, I’m freaked out because some people will be happy with her performance tonight as long as she is charming, even if she never says a single thing of substance.

Working on the Brahms

The lovely, lovely, complicated Brahms.  And look at this! I have company.

Look at that face.  It used to be I never could get pictures of Buddy, he’d be up the second I reached for the camera, but he’s totally used to it now.  He practically flirts with the camera.

Day of the Triffids Trees in the Fall

I’ve posted before about the Ginkgo trees in my neighborhood that I love and that look like something out of Day of the Triffids.  I took a couple of shots coming home just now, from pizza pickup-age.

Pretty, and slightly haunting, no?