Been out of communication, deer hunting with the old man. No, no deer. Saw seven the first day, but the two I got a bead on were too small so I let 'em go. Saw two this morning at about 6:55 a.m., but they were moving so fast they might as well have been coyotes. Oh well, time with the old man is well spent. Truth be told, I didn't really care if I got a deer this year.
I mean, the fact is that my dad has already got one and will likely get two more, given the number of doe permits issued in Pennsylvania. He also got one in muzzleloading season. So there's no shortage of venison in our freezer. Kids won't even eat it unless it's ground up, anyway. Makes good tacos and meat sauce for spaghetti.
So I trust nothing's happening around here? I didn't miss anything, right? I understand our President is going to announce further troop commitments in Afghanistan tonight. Going to try to map out an exit strategy from this quagmire after being dealt probably the worst hand of any American President since FDR. Actually, it may even be a worse hand than FDR was dealt. FDR didn't have to deal with the Internet and corporate Flash mobs. If he did , I guess the odds on the New Deal would be what-50/50? 60/40? Christ, what a nightmare for the guy to have Afghanistan on his plate as well as a collapsing economy. Even Lyndon Johnson didn't have to deal with a collapsing economy. Of course, Johnson didn't have to clean up the mess of a George W. Bush.
Good thing he has our support. He'll need it.
I was just thinking the other day how lucky we are to have someone in office who stands a better than average chance of being re-elected. Because we're likely to see three Supreme Court Justices appointed this term. Last year Stevens announced he was cutting down on his law clerks to one, which probably means we'll have an announcement early next year. I've got to think Ruth Bader Ginsburg will follow. That's it--the liberal wing of the Supreme Court will be replenished with young blood. But if we get two terms--and Obama seems to me the only politician in recent memory who inspires me with the confidence that we can realistically expect a second term (there sure isn't any other Democrat on the horizon who can inspire that), then we will likely get four Justices, one departing from the lunatic right of the Court. And if that happens, the whole course of this nation is changed.
Like I said, it's a good thing Obama has our support, even in the toughest decision he's ever had to make in his life. Because he's going to really need it. In the 2006 elections, Bush owned every bomb that blew up in Baghdad. From here on out, Obama's going to own every IED that explodes in Kabul or Kandahar, and every wounded or killed American soldier as a consequence. Whether you believe in this strategy or not, that's the reality.
It's lonely at the top.
So, did I miss anything?