Someday soon I am going to make the case that the great Belushi movie, Animal House, is a masterpiece of political exposition, on a par with the Manchurian Candidate or All the President's Men -- only funnier, if possible.
Consider that when Delta House was facing double secret probation, what was the reaction? Road Trip! Road Trip! Otter, Boon, Flounder, and Pinto followed the same template that Nixon did to divert attention from an intractable problem, in the Old Man's case, Watergate.
And when the entire fraternity faced expulsion, Bluto tries to rouse the troops, waving the bloody flag of the Germans' bombing of Pearl Harbor. ("Don't stop him, he's on a roll.")
The troops are still lethargic until Eric "Otter" Stratton rises to the occasion, saying that the only move left is some grand, futile gesture. Destroying the Homecoming Parade won't do them any good, but it sure feels good!
And what more totally useless gesture -- so wrong on history, policy and strategy -- is there than the impeachment crusade being waged by the afternoon Progressive Dane newspaper, led by the Bluto Blutarsky of local politics, John Nichols? The pied piper of futile gestures is in full toga writing about that unidentified flying object, Dennis Kuchinich. Writes our John:
...when Kucinich raises the issue of impeachment, he will be speaking for a great mass of Americans who agree with his argument that "Congress must hold the vice president accountable."
And the source for this bit of intellectual misdirection? A non-scientific poll by a Vermont television station! From the state that sends socialist Bernie Sanders to Washington year after year!
Impeachment is an issue that couldn't even survive the Madison Common Council!
So when Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer moved to table Kucinich's "rambling, 18-page resolution" to impeach Cheney, the Washington Post reported that the Democrats:
... have said they will not back such symbolic gestures, for fear of burnishing Congress's current do-nothing image.
During the subsequent vote, Republicans were far along toward helping kill the resolution when they began switching their "yes" votes to "no's," clearly hoping for a public debate that would have showcased the Democrats' most vocal lefties.
But in the end, Hoyer settled for sending the resolution to the Judiciary Committee. There it is destined for oblivion.
Does this make me Dean Vernon Wormer?
Vive le Sarkozy!
Remember how George W. Bush was supposedly the bete noire of Europe. The Far Left was in full cry: We have no friends!
Except that the former prime ministers of Spain and Italy (and, for that matter, Japan) loved him. The once and current prime ministers of the U.K., the same. The former central European nations behind the Iron Curtain -- from Poland to Albania -- remain big fans. GWB gives neck rubs to Germany's Angela Merkel. Now -- of all things! -- the President of France, Nicholas Sarkozy is un ami. Congress has taken notice. Here is the New York Times:
When Mr. Sarkozy, entering the chamber, found himself met by a standing ovation and occasional whoops, he at first appeared to revel in it, but as it extended to two minutes and longer, he began to appear almost embarrassed. He finally brought the applause to an end with the words "Madame le Speaker ... "
Another standing ovation of nearly the same duration accompanied him afterward as he left the chamber, shaking hands, squeezing shoulders, and embracing lawmakers and dignitaries.
The reception sharply contrasted to that given to Jacques Chirac when he addressed Congress on his first state visit to Washington as president of France in 1996. Many lawmakers boycotted that speech to protest French nuclear tests in the South Pacific, and young pages were recruited to fill empty seats. Only about 100 members of Congress attended.
Ruben makes his report
Enid, call in my manservant, Ruben Mamoulian. And are you certain he is not related to the old film director, even though he spells his first name differently? Perhaps he is a poseur.
Oh, Ruben, you must knock first. What have you found out about this Kyle Nabilcy? And for God's sakes, stand up straight and wipe your nose!
Yes, Mr. Blaska Blogger, sir.
Now this Nabilcy, is that an acronym for National Association of Bipolar Intellectual Liberal Communist Youth? Is he as I thought, nothing more than a rogue laptop over-programmed with Progressive Dane nonsense, PETA web links, and John Nichols ruminations? Hellz bellz, that would be enough to fry any motherboard!
My guess he is sitting on top of some abandoned file cabinet in one of the GEF buildings downtown, randomly generating these far Left missives, hopelessly garbled, but somehow overcoming our elaborate virtual private network and Blackwater-quality security precautions to penetrate the green zone of Fortress BlaskaBlog.
Um, uh, Mr. Blaska sir...?
Yes, Mamoulian. Out with it!
Uh, this Kyle, fellow, um, I think he's for real. He seems to be sincere. He just needs an adult father figure to help him sort through all the Far Left jibber jabber.
Hmm. Very well, I feel the Christmas spirit coming on. Perhaps I was too tough on the boy! Kyle, be a man! I only gave you a glancing blow. Get back off the mat. Give me your best shot.
As a Christmas gift, here's a link to Kyle Nabilcy's web site.
