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COULD THERE BE ANY DOUBT WHICH ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES LOOKS LIKE PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL?

NEWS ITEM: Obama lead increases to 16 points in Newsweek Poll!

What’s really impressive is how this significant increase came in just one week.

No doubt, with Hillary Clinton finally conceding the nomination and getting behind her former opponent, this has created a clarity in the minds of the many unclear voters in this country, making it easier to choose a candidate once and for all.

Although this is partially responsible for the Illinois senator’s bump upward, there are other reasons.

While Obama becomes increasingly more attractive to our historically ignorant electorate, McBush continues to show greater signs of mental instability, attacking his opponent on virtually non-issues, while shifting his lifelong stand on major topics such as immigration and off-shore oil drilling. In fact, “Mr. National Security” recently fought a veterans’ rights bill in Congress that would finally guarantee them a full tuition-paid college or trade school education upon discharge.

My prediction: Obama could rap up this election by the time Democrats meet in Denver for their national convention August 25-28.

NEWS ITEM: Tom Brokaw named temporary replacement for Tim Russert on Meet The Press

I saw this coming a week ago when the retired NBC Nightly News anchor moderated a Hall of Fame panel discussion on the 41-year old political talk show’s first program without Russert in over 16 years — just two days after the beloved journalist passed away from a massive conronary.

For NBC News President Steve Capus, this was both the smart and obvious move. With all the talk across the media of how difficult it would be to fill Russert’s shoes, Capus knew there were only two feasible candidates: Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather. So naturally, he went with his own former “franchise player.”

Although 68, Brokaw is still both physically and mentally young. His Hollywood looks and gentle South Dakota demeanor has always made him attractive to viewers.

The former NBC anchor was the first to announce his close friend’s shocking death to the world June 13. His presence was extremely reminiscent to that of the great Walter Cronkite when the former CBS anchorman reported the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, nearly 48 years ago. Brokaw and Russert communicated nearly every day for years.

Since his retirement after the 2004 election, Brokaw has made several documentaries and has been a guest commentator on MSNBC throughout this primary season. Although his temporary stint on Meet the Press only runs through the November elections, it is a forgone conclusion he will be offered and accept a long-term contract, as he provides NBC with the most necessary stability and expertise.

NEWS ITEM: Some Oil price relief in sight!

An Arab nation has finally shown compassion for the American economic downturn, a product partially of the outrageously steady increase in oil prices since the Bush Administration invaded Iraq five years ago.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, who has reaped most of the benefits from his ongoing relationship with the Bush family, agreed to increase his nation’s production from 9 million barrels/day to 9.7. The increase should take place shortly and is predicted to invariably decrease the international oil market’s prices somewhat.

What puzzles me is how Abdullah took this long to make this decision. He and his country has profited greatly from long-standing business deals with the Bush family that go back to George H.W. Bush’s vice presidency. The fact he allowed OPEC to go this far, using the Iraq War as a rationale, is beyond all reason.

Or is it?

Bush 43 — the Village Idiot himself — has allowed his Texas oil industry buddies to essentially write their own energy policy for the past eight years. When international prices began skyrocketing, the American petroleum companies passed on the cost — and then some — to us.

It is no dark secret our oil magnate’s profits have increased far more than their production costs during this administration. And that’s not the only industry to profit from this war.

I’ve never been a conspiracy theorist, yet I believe this whole oil mess was staged from the start. This is my theory:

Bush had arranged with his Saudi buddies to jack up the prices once he invaded Baghdad. He knew the war was a great opportunity not only for U.S. oil companies, but for Corporate America as a whole, who the federal government kept awarding basically no-bid contracts to for everything from construction to security.

And who profited the most? That’s right, Halliburton, the company that Dick Cheney presided over as CEO before accepting the GOP nomination for vice president eight excruciatingly-painful years ago.

But as corrupt as this whole thing has been, the true blame has to placed on the shoulders of the American people, who put these ungodly people in office twice. Let’s just hope a lesson has been learned THIS TIME that can be passed down for generations to come.

Bush, Corporate America Has Little, If Any, Respect For This Document!

IT WAS IN THE FALL OF 1973 when I first came to realize the value of Socialism — not to be confused with Communism, the distorted, bastardized version of Karl Marx’s 1838 economic philosophy. What has historically been employed by Russia, China, Korea and Cuba doesn’t remotely resemble the original manifesto underscored by altruism, compassion, legitimate equality and justice.

Due primarily to America’s uncontrollable obsession with money and more money, Marx’s true version has only been realized by a minority of intellects and pundits, who invariably have come under fire from this society.

I can remember my family’s attitude toward me when I told them I had embraced Socialism and had problems with the way American economics had treated not only it’s own people, but our alleged international allies as well.

“Hey, this is the best country in the world,” a group of them from my father’s side of the family angrily told me. “If you don’t like it, why don’t you move to Russia,”

That was around the same time that asinine bumper sticker “America, love it or leave it” sat the on rear end of a multitude of cars.

But that has forever always been the defense of choice for the narrow-minded who struggle with the mere concept of change.

I remember telling my family that I was watching Marx’s prediction that ‘Capitalism will dig it own grave’ come true. And this was 35 years ago, when this country was in far greater shape.

But there was an even far more important issue for me, a moral one, as it became evident that the chase for economic wealth did indeed deteriorate the souls of people.

I find it quite amazing how the value of honesty is relentlessly rammed down children’s throats without compromise. But once they reach adulthood, all talk of honesty — and integrity for that matter — decreases significantly, especially when money becomes involved.

I have watched since 1980, when the Reagan Administration essentially freed big business from the government scrutiny that for decades had forced companies to basically treat its employees and the consumer somewhat fairly. Today, they have become mega multi-billion dollar bastions of greed and dispassion.

And while we slightly enjoyed an eight-year hiatus of these practices during the Clinton years, the Bush Administration has completely taken the reigns off Corporate America, forcing us into the midst of the current recession which might be the worse we have seen since the Great Depression. The president has allowed his redneck oil buddies in Texas to virtually create their own energy policy, and we have sat by helplessly as the price of gas has almost quadrupled, causing a spillover effect to the cost of food and other living necessities.

The Bush White House — which has forever turned a blind eye to reality — continues to deny the mere existence of a recession, despite the recent numbers released by his own Labor Department:

The unemployment rate rose from 4.8 to 5.1 percent in March, and non-farm payroll employment continued to trend down (-80,000)

Over the past 3 months, payroll employment has declined by 232,000. In March, employment continued to fall in construction, manufacturing, and employment services.

The number of unemployed persons increased by 434,000 to 7.8 million in March, and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage point to 5.1 percent. Since March 2007, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 1.1 million, and the unemployment rate has risen by 0.7 percentage point.

Over the month, unemployment rates rose for adult men (to 4.6 percent), adult women (4.6 percent), and Hispanics (6.9 percent). The jobless rates edged up for blacks (to 9.0 percent) and whites (4.5 percent), while the rate for teenagers (15.8 percent) was essentially unchanged. The unemployment rate for Asians was 3.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted.

In March, the number of persons unemployed because they lost jobs increased by 300,000 to 4.2 million. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed job losers has increased by 914,000.

And these stats don’t even make mention of former American jobs that were globalized.

So there you have it: Capitalism run amok, and the affluent couldn’t give a rat’s ass.

The definitive question, though, is how much longer will the American people put up for it. Not exactly the most astute when it comes to political science as evidenced by their voting record in recent years, when will they finally put an end to this. Will they finally elect true leaders next November who are willing to take radical steps to heal this mess, the first being the implementation of National Health Insurance.

To do so would be the initial step in the creation of a Socialist-Democrat society which has basically become the model throughout Europe and works, as evidenced by the continual rising rate of the Euro against the continually-tumbling Dollar.

This would send out a signal to the entire globe that American Capitalism as we know it today no longer works, and the time has come for a change.

The Earth has has beauty beyond belief. But will the planet look this healthy in 10 years.

LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, I’ve been so preoccupied with the multitude of insanity in this world currently, I completely forgot Earth Day was April 22.

Fortunately, my friend Lynda — the best research source this side of Wikipedia — just sent me an email to to find out how I spent that day. You can just imagine how I felt!

Earth Day should never be forgotten or back-burnered for anything else gong on in this world. This is the day, “The brotherhood of man,” as John Lennon once put it, should be on the same page. That is, the page of love, gratitude and the healing of this great planet — which we were freely given life to live on and enjoy all its magnificant beauty.

Over the past century, the world’s more “advanced” societies have done everything humanly possible to destroy the Earth’s beauty and even threaten its existence.

While nature gave us Opium to help man through agonizing physical pain, selfishness and greed turned it into a multi-trillion dollar enterprise that strives on the physical and emotional addiction to the poppy.

Albert Einstein discovers how to split an atom so we can create a better, cleaner source of energy, and the brainiacs of the FDR White House turn it into a WMD that could wipe out mankind in less than 30 minutes. We even have gone as far as to completely destroy two Japanese cities and it’s populations at the end of World War II. By the way, the whole concept of “World War” just doesn’t sit right with the loving and spiritual mind.

At the turn of the 13th Century, Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci introduced Europe to an ancient calculating instrument known as the Abacus, which ultimately became the precursor to the computer. And with the help of the technologically gifted, home personal computers and the internet were created roughly 785 years later to make the world a more effective, educated and connected place.

But naturally, man found a way to use this phenomenal technology to lie, swindle, rob and destroy others lives. And let us not forget how man’s need to destroy and distort everything good lead to the absolutely purposeless computer virus that a group of geeks created to needlessly fry millions of innocent people’s desk- and lap-tops.

These are only a few examples of how man has transformed shit out of gold. The most scrutinized today is Global Warming, which our loving mega-corporations refuse to even acknowledge, for to deal with it might detract a few dollars from their profit of billions each year.

SO TODAY, we have an opportunity to effect major change. We get to step back and look at what is left of of the Earth’s beauty and begin a SERIOUS dialog worldwide on how to arrest man’s penchant for self-destruction.

If we don’t, Earth Day will cease to exist with the rest of the planet.

IT'S CLEARLY TIME FOR HILLARY TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

A POLITICAL PARTY is very much like a professional sports team. That's why it is so important for its big players to check their over-inflated egos at the door before the game and be prepared "to take one for the team."

The now-prolonged race for the Democratic presidential nomination is beginning to hurt the party. As this campaign drags on, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is spending his time these days getting financial pledges for his campaign in the fall, while gingerly courting the Independent vote. And as his the two Democrats continue their war, he is being painted as a saint by the press.

It has become crystal clear to most Democrat leaders, not to mention the nation's top political pundits, that Barrack Obama will become the party's nominee this summer.

However, Hillary Clinton who has run behind Obama in the primaries from the start, beginning with a clear defeat in Iowa, is determined to push this thing all the way to the convention, despite clear indicators her campaign is dwindling while just accumulating more debt each day. She realizes it is a mathematical impossibility to overtake Obama in the remaining primaries.

But she has this strange notion the party's super delegates, who are not required to follow the primary voter's lead, will just award her the nomination August in Denver --regardless!

Nevertheless, super delegates -- true team players -- are quite aware to do so would create a huge divide in the party and risk what looks like a sure Democratic victory in November.

How bizarre! If we've learned anything from this race, it's that Hillary Clinton is not a team player -- not even close. The Senator from New York could conceivably cost her party big time in November. She is well aware the right thing to do is to finally fold up her tent and rally her supporters to join her in standing behind the Illinois senator.

This way, Obama would be able to get in the same Spring Training at bats McCain is now enjoying.

And if she did so, she would be a uniting, instead of a divisive, force for the Democrats. And the party would acknowledge that in a huge way, clearly making her a shoe-in as successor to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in January. She has a strong and robust personality; she's a real mover and shaker -- the same exact qualities missing from Reid the past couple of years.

The Senate majority position is a highly prestigious and powerful job that has become a springboard to the White House in the past. The name that comes to mind is Lyndon Johnson. As majority leader, LBJ rode the position to first become John F. Kennedy's vice president. He then was sworn in as president himself in 1963 after Kennedy's tragic assassination. Less than a year later, Johnson was elected outright by an overwhelmingly majority of the voters.

Clinton can do the same in 2016 after eight solid years at the helm of the Senate. But first, she has to become a committed team player.

LOOKS LIKE THE OLD BOY IS SLIPPING!

I HAVE TREMENDOUS COMPASSION for John McCain, as I would for any veteran who spent seven years in the Hanoi Hilton, which was not a hotel by any means, but rather one of the worst prisoner of war camps that ever held captured Americans. In fact, the Bush Administration’s total disregard for the Geneva Convention, as evidenced by its treatment of Islamics at both Abu Ghaib and Guantanamo Bay, pales in comparison.

Continuously tortured and beat to a pulp by his North Vietnamese captors, McCain still remained a courageous leader who earned the admiration and respect of his fellow prisoners. When the former Navy pilot finally was released after the war’s conclusion, he dedicated his life to politics, serving first in the House before becoming a fixture in the Senate.

For years, I had always wondered how McCain’s horrifying experience in Hanoi didn’t leave him disabled for life with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as it did the vast majority of his fellow prisoners.

But the key word in that disorder is Post — as the condition can sometimes take months or even years to manifest. And this seems to be the case with the senator from Arizona.

Like virtually every POW from Vietnam, McCain had hoped we would never enter another conflict again preemptively.

But his abuse by Ho Chi Minh’s interrogators, as well as the last 30 years since his discharge from the Navy, has taken its toll on the man. And we are just seeing this now during his run for president next November.

The presumptive Republican nominee has been perennially branded a maverick by his party for his more moderate views. During his first presidential campaign in 2000, he opposed Bush on virtually every position. But lately he sounds far more like that same man he desperately wants to replace.

After seven years of banging heads with the White House on everything from campaign finance to its treatment of Islamic POWs, he has now given his unyielding support to the Bush foreign policy, not only with respect to the Iraqi War, but possible future military action on Iran as well.

While the president has predicted we will be in Iraq for at least 50 more years, McCain believes that number “could be 100.”

PTSD is a devastating anxiety-based disorder. Some of its symptoms include an inability to remember important aspects of the trauma, emotional “numbing”, and less expression of moods.

My experience of the senator recently is that of a man totally devoid of any mood whatsoever, as manifested in his noticeably flat affect. He also seems to have forgotten, at least in part, his own agony while imprisoned during another unjust war we initiated without proper provocation. Iraq, as we all now know, didn’t offer an immediate threat to us any more than the North Vietnamese did.

Of course, at age 71, I believe life has beaten this poor man down badly enough that the onset of dementia or even Alzheimer’s Disease could be playing a role in some of the questionable things he has said and done.

It is sad indeed to see a distinguished war veteran and long-term Congressional leader mentally deteriorate so fast. For this reason, it is not the White House that John McCain should be seeking. A Veterans Administration retirement facility would appear far more appropriate!