In Some the Superficial Runs Very Deep....

Sometimes when you're least expecting it you are gifted with a "wow" moment.

Today's "wow" moment erupted on MSNBC's early show "Morning Joe" hosted by Joe Scarborough with sidekick Mika Brzezinski.

From time to time Mika is able to lure her father Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski onto the show to share his foreign policy wisdom. Today, as all too often happens, arrogant Joe thinks he knows it all and uses his best "final word" pushy attitude to talk down views differing from his own and started down that path with Dr. Z.

But..... today, Dr. Z turned the tables and delivered a jolt to Jivin' Joe. He interrupted Joe in mid-spout after Joe flatly stated about the current dangerous Israel-Hamas escalation of the Palestine conflict.... "you cannot blame what's going on in Israel on the Bush administration."

Unable to bear Joe's sound-bite-analysis any longer, an exasperated Dr. Z stopped Joe in his tracks and face-to-face charged him of having "such a stunningly superficial knowledge of what went on, it is almost embarrassing to listen to you."

Wow!!!

Mika, as evidently is her assigned task, did her squirming best to restrain Joe's typical slash and burn response.... even throwing her father under the bus by explaining to the obviously ego-bruised Joe that her father's "stunning" comments would pass for affection in their family. For shame Mika. What price honor?

The Morning Joe show has great guests, but Joe needs to drop the rude "Imus wanna-be" routine. He can't pull it off and despite Mika's best efforts, too many times he boringly makes himself and his talking-point world view the story, taking time away from the truly interesting and knowledgeable opinions being offered by real experts.

Here is the video of this "wow" encounter.

Thanks for the upper, Dr. Z.... we needed that! Happy New Year!

McCain Stops Progress

Over a week ago the financial health of the country went Code Blue. Emergency measures were needed.

George Bush's administration proposed a $700 billion bailout. The Senate and House held immediate hearings with Treasury Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee Christopher Dodd worked almost around the clock with the ranking Republicans on his committee to forge a framework for going forward, as did the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank who worked tirelessly with Republicans on his committee to forge a compromise. A consensus was being hammered out, things were going forward until.....

John McCain, sensing a stage-center moment, said he was going to swoop into D.C. and save the day. Suspend his campaign. Call off Friday's debate. All of this while the last big test of his judgment, Sarah Palin, continued her take-your-daughter-to-work UN photo-ops and tour of New York City complete with ditsy "U.S. Has Achieved 'Victory' in Iraq" (WaPo) interviews CBS's Katie Couric.

Even though McCain said only ten days ago that the fundamentals of our economy are strong.... even though he has allowed that he doesn't know much about the economy.... even though he admitted to WKYC-TV in Ohio just this Tuesday that "I have not had a chance to see [the Bush administration bailout proposal] in writing. I have to examine it.".... and, even though when ranking GOP Senate Banking Committee member Richard Shelby was asked this morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" if McCain had called him before arriving in D.C..... Shelby had to admit he had not heard from McCain but did "spend a couple of minutes with him yesterday."

So far what has McCain accomplished by his grandstand play? He didn't have much to say in the White House meeting of leaders of both parties yesterday, he has no role in negotiations today. But, he stopped progress and created a climate where bipartisan agreement is even more difficult.

Good job, Johnnie.

November.

The Clintons Backward Glance

Is this a diva trill?...... me, me, me, ME, me, me, me. No, it's the theme of Bill Clinton's remarks in New Hampshire while supposedly campaigning for Hillary. What he actually said last night is: "We can't be a new story, I'm sorry. I can't make her younger, taller, male. There are a lot of things I can't do." MSNBC

Here we thought opponent Barack Obama was Hillary Clinton's worst nightmare. No. Her worst nightmare is Bill.

As the polls show Obama steadily outpacing Hillary, the egocentric message coming from Bill amounts to.... "it's not my fault."

But, maybe it is.

Bill is yesterday, making Hillary and her "experience" yesterday. The voters sent a loud message in Iowa.... they want tomorrow. The polls agree.... it's all about tomorrow.

Like a robin on a June bug, Drudge pounced on the odor of desperation coming from the Clinton campaign in their flash today "from one top campaign insider.... Facing a double-digit defeat in New Hampshire, a sudden collapse in national polls and an expected fund-raising drought, Senator Hillary Clinton is preparing for a tough decision: Does she get out of the race? And when?!"

They also reported that John Edwards confided to a senior staffer that he is staying in the race because Hillary "could soon be out."

Rumors of a campaign meltdown are rife. A Clinton adviser told the Politico, "we're going to lose South Carolina." While Nevada is definitely pulling back as her endorsement by the powerful culinary union is in limbo, evidently awaiting the NH results.

On MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show this morning, Andrea Mitchell reported that many of Hillary's supporters at her rallies in New Hampshire are from Long Island and Upstate New York. NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert confirmed this, adding that at a rally he attended at Nashua High School over the weekend he was stunned to find the school's parking lot filled with cars bearing Massachusetts plates.

It's beginning to look like the perfect storm.... a dropping barometer of expectations, the gathering thunderheads of the Obama whirlwind, and her yesterday-sailor Bill heading for the lifeboats. If Hillary stays the course, it's going to be a dark ride.