PopRelics

McCain. involuntary lean to the right., originally uploaded by The Searcher.

1993. Arizona State University. 11:20pm.

God I hate Bush. Barely a year into his Presidency, and he decided to invade Iraq under questionable circumstances. Guys I knew were leaving for combat. The university was torn apart over the war; anger, yelling, futile protests. I was walking across campus one night after work. Weird timing, John McCain was coming out of a rally for Bush. I don't remember if it was for Bush's re-election or McCain's. But here was McCain, carrying his three or four year old son on one arm, holding his seven maybe year old daughter's hand. No entourage, no security, just the guy and his kids.

We end up walking the entire length of the campus, Mill Ave to Rural. I mean, I hate everything this guy stands for, and the people he rallies for. But we talk the whole time. He asked how I was paying for college. When I told him the two jobs and loans got it mostly done, he asked how I had time for school. I agreed with the catch22, but it was what I had. He got really thoughtful for a while. We talked some more. Then he said the most amazing thing to me. Without breaking stride, he looked right at me and said, "My son just peed on my arm."

I've liked him ever since.

And here we are. 15 years later, with a Bush and an Iraq and a McCain running for office. And having to sacrifice the cool parts I liked about him, to do it.

Nothing changes. Except possibly his son's bladder control.

# posted by Derek Chatwood @ 2:08 PM

Obama: Stuffed With Hope, originally uploaded by The Searcher.

Looking at his Mother's drawings, the boy asked her how she knows Grandma can make that. "She's been making stained glass for years," Mom replied. "Yeah but, these are crazy," the son said. "You're drawing like, four or five birds on each panel, and each bird has a hundred glass pieces for the feathers. How do you know she can make this?"

"I have faith," she told him. "But she's never done anything like this before," he said. "True, Grandma has no experience with something this complex," she replied. "But I know her, I know what she's accomplished before, so I believe she can do it."

"That doesn't sound like faith," the son said. "That sounds like, um. Like knowing." "Well yes, it kind of is," she said. "But you can't really know what's going to happen in the future. So you have to believe in it. It's like.. feeling with your brain. You know what someone is capable of, judge their character and skills, and then you just. Hope they can do it. But it's not blind faith. You base it on everything you know about the person."

"Hmm, ok I think I get it," the son said. "So do you think that Obama can win and be a good President?"

"Oh, honey," Mom replied. It's 1982. "That won't happen for a long time yet."

# posted by Derek Chatwood @ 1:05 PM

HillBillery, originally uploaded by The Searcher.

Aide: President Clinton. President Clinton is, uh, causing some problems.

Hillary: He's not President, I am!

Aide: Yes, of course Mrs. President. It's just, Presidents are always referred to as "President", for the rest of their lives. The fact that you're President Clinton, and he's President Clinton, is, um, well sort of unprecedented. I mean except for President Bush and President Bush. But they weren't here at the same time. So this is different (slightly).

Hillary: [Sigh]. Fine. What's he doing?

Aide: He's dancing. in his office.

Hillary: Oh god, he's not naked is he?

Aide: No, no (what?). he's clothed. But he's dancing, and on the furniture. He was going over his staffing needs, and just. Started dancing.

Hillary: That's.. strange. He knows he can only hire men, right?

Aide: Oh, so. You haven't been briefed. Um. There was a question about the legality of limiting white house staffing to men only. A legal challenge was filed, and a federal judge mandated equal gender hiring. In fact he chastised you pretty harshly in his ruling; how the first woman president, in her first executive decision would ban women from working in the white house.

Hillary: ugh. Damn it. That judge just doesn't understand, what we have to do to keep him.. wait. Who filed the legal challenge?

Aide: Um, well. He did. President Clinton. I mean, Mr President, you know, the other-

Hillary: Yes, ok I get it. Damn it. (It is going to be a long term). All right, inform secret service to execute Operation Neuter Humping Dog. They'll know what to do. And get me some aspirin.

# posted by Derek Chatwood @ 11:55 AM

fragile, originally uploaded by The Searcher.

Isaac's cost cutting measures backfire as, tragically, it was SafeT-Glass(tm) in name only.

# posted by Derek Chatwood @ 11:55 AM