Friday Short Cuts

Friday Short Cuts



With praise to the late great Robert Altman and one of my favorite redheads, Julianne Moore, we present Short Cuts:

Game over, rally on Reports from the immigrant-friendly pot luck at City Park (was planning on going but wound up doing family stuff instead)

After criticism on and off campus, UI College Republicans canceled the controversial capture-the-flag game that pitted "illegals" against "border patrol" battling over a "U.S. border" at midfield. The game was planned for Thursday at City Park.

"Instead of using this issue as an opportunity to open dialogue and discuss what the problems that are the root cause of illegal immigration are, they choose to dehumanize people to the point of making a game," said Claudia Espinosa, an international graduate student from Mexico, who talked about her initial reaction to the game.

An invitation was sent to the College Republicans to join the peace rally, Espinosa said. However, no members showed up.

DI coverage too, with hateful commentary already beginning.

Instead, College Republicans hung out with Tommy Thompson. He's pledging to spend every weekend in Iowa, and The Politico argues Iowa is his only chance.

"I'm systematically running for sheriff in Iowa in 99 counties," Thompson said. "I've got a game plan."

PC says:

Thompson was brought to campus as a part of Conservative Coming Out Week. He got laughs from the audience when he brought up the canceled capture-the-flag game: "You got in a little trouble. I got into a little trouble for something I said this week. So, I identify with you.

Referring, of course, to his own remarks at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in DC. Haaretz reports:

Thompson said "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that."

Thompson later apologized for the comments that had caused a stir in the audience, saying that he had meant it as a compliment, and had only wanted to highlight the "accomplishments" of the Jewish religion.

He then digs himself deeper:

"I just want to clarify something because I didn't [by] any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that."

The local Jimmy Carter haters have been silent on this one.

Speaking of Republicans saying stupid things, John McCain sings "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Iran." Gets it wrong by crediting the Beach Boys when in fact it was the Regents who sang it first. But everybody gets that wrong. Reminds me of the Ronald Reagan classic:

"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."

Sure, funny now, but back then I was prime draft age. Later turned into the really funky single "Five Minutes" by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, billing himself as Bonzo Goes To Washington.

Romney in Coralville today. Richardson (who's now up on TV) in CR:

Event Time: 12:30pm
Meet and Greet
Cedar Rapids
Witwer Senior Center
305 2nd Ave SE

Edwards in Muscatine tomorrow:

Saturday April 21
12 noon
Muscatine High School
2705 Cedar Street
Muscatine

The big Edwards news yesterday was: They got Trippi. Meanwhile, buzz about Sunday's Iowa City Obama rally gets bigger and bigger...

Hillary is in state too with the centerpiece being Leonard Boswell's fundraiser.

Rare praise from me for Chuck Grassley, who cuts Gonzales no slack in yesterday's hearing:

"Why is your story changing?" Grassley asked Gonzales as he was grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We shouldn't be getting conflicting statements from the attorney general or his staff."

Of course, Chuckie also voted against the Alito filibuster, enabling this week's anti-choice ruling. So we're still looking forward to 2010. Plus, this one's an easy target. Gonzo is dead, but that solves nothing since this fish is rotting from the head first.

Technical note: Folks who reach me from Lefty Blogs may be seeing old stories popping up since I'm going back and re-tagging stuff which seems to make it re-feed.