MAY 18 - MAY 24, 2008

All times/dates are PDT.

Oops. Before the emails fly, I have to correct myself. Last column, I said I "absolutely" agreed with everything Rev. Jeremiah Wright said. I wasn't thinking of the assertion that AIDS was a white American conspiracy to infect blacks. That, sorry, I can't agree with.

While I'm retracting things, in a column awhile ago, I accused "republicans and step-mothers" of denying the credo that we are all responsible for everyone's sins. That was an unfair slag against step-mothers (and a feeble attempt at humor). Many step-moms try really hard at a difficult, even hair-pulling situation. My praise would have been more appropriate. ("Is that enough, dear?")

Oh, and I might as well apologize, while I'm on a roll, for calling Hillary a "wolf ravenous for power." I believe it, but I know Hillary fans will hate me. I think Hillary would be a compassionate and often effective President, but I worry about whom she would be compassionate toward, as her stumping is filled with xenophobic pandering. She's a scaremonger, encouraging and fomenting fears of China and Iran, and promoting protectionism (which the Great Depression taught us causes great depressions). Now she's advocating nuclear war, for gosh sakes. Her proper running mate would be Jeremiah Wright - two seniors with a lot of rant to dispense. (Or McCain-Clinton?)
There's just too much creepy, self-aggrandizing pride and arrogance seeping through this entire Clinton family. They're immature.

Even when she's happy and exhilarated, Hillary looks like a pretender to the throne of charisma. Obama sits firm in that seat, just as JFK did. We trust such politicians because we assume they will make their decisions based on some magical intuitive leadership quality matrix, on a higher order of consciousness than mere logic or emotion. Hillary's campaigning style hints she would, as President, swing constantly on the pendulum of logical responses and unintended consequences. Americans want more than that from their leader. They want someone close to divinity, a person of a rare, unique and mysterious strength that tells the constituents they'll be safe no matter what battles he leads them into. So there was Obama after winning North Carolina, lifting everyone on the cadence of his speech, singing the song of ideals and the melody of promise. He's the one. I'm not saying the right one. Barack's fortunes should get a boost now through late June. (Looks like he doesn't need it, after N. Carolina.) But minds will change, too: either recanting super delegates, or inordinate foot dragging among them.

Start Nothing:
7:11 p.m. to 8:18 p.m. Mon.,
9:20 p.m. Wed. to 8:55 a.m. Thurs.,
and 5:26 a.m. to 8:52 p.m. Sat.