Pride, meet stumble...

From The Corner:

"For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country, because it feels like hope is making a comeback." — Michelle Obama

I've had a feeling that the Democrats concluded a year or so ago that they would win the next election. I even thought that it might result in a bruising primary season. Not that I thought there would be disagreements over ideology, but instead a fight for a spot on the ticket that would be guaranteed to win.

Statements like this tend to reinforce my initial thoughts.

Update:
Re-reading this post in the morning reminds me why nobody reads this blog (other then I post once in a blue moon)

Anyway, after looking at the scribblings of the night before I felt I should clarify myself to a degree. After all the quote seems tangential at best with the thought afterwards. I will attempt to explain with a chain of rather loosely linked and probably incoherent reflections.

In that statement I hear a fierce exultation. Something, I think, of a Roman general in his triumph. Yet it is missing the element of mortality, Memento Mori, remember that you are mortal. She has forgotten that she stands upon an edifice that has been built by previous generations sweat, toil, and blood. The hope that she points to is divorced from what has come before it. It can mean everything and yet nothing at all.

These words were only spoken, I think, because she has persuaded herself that they will win. They will march through the primaries, and then through the campaign and take what is rightfully theirs. In a sense this is the opposite side of the coin to BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). Where on one side if the opponent has power darkness reigns triumphant, the other is all light merely because they espouse the true doctrine.

Ah well, just some thoughts.

I never seem to have the time.....

Hard to find time to post...

I ran across this story a couple days ago on another blog, but I can't remember which (sorry!). Anyway, it would seem that BAE, the British defense industry, was giving the government of Saudi Arabia bribes or kick-backs. When an investigation was launched the Saudi's threatened to cut off intelligence information. As the article puts it, "Saudi Arabia's rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted."

The government folded.

Evidently the intelligence trumped any possible repercussions to not investigating BAE.

It also calls to mind the Churchill quip to a society lady:

"Madam, We've already established what you are, now we're just haggling over the price."