Lag-O-Matic

320.2; 21.3

Caught a 'bug' of some kind, it seems, at the Sonoma County Fair Tuesday in the livestock area--Swine Flu? I don't know, but on an intake of breath, something seemingly got into my respiratory system, caused a coughing fit, and lodged in my sinus cavity, where it stays, an irritant that won't go away. By this morning, I was no longer sure it was the particle from the fair; just knew my sinuses were still irritated and I didn't feel very good.

I'm determined, though, to get 100 miles in this five-day week. I have an appointment tomorrow in Santa Rosa--an 18-mile round-trip--so should manage it. But today was hard, and a lot slower than previous days, with more and longer stopping. Maybe it was partly from starting later and so getting more headwind.

People point to Obama's lack of experience vs. McCain's. I don't see a big gap there, and I don't see where inexperience in the kind of politics practiced by Karl Rove et al would be a negative point anyway.

I'm reading a sort of bio on Obama, "Promise to Power," a puff-piece to be sure, pretty obviously written by an admirer. But what I see emerging is a man of strong character, a man who devoted to service, and a man of extraordinary intelligence and learning. A man interested mainly in solving problems. He is extremely ambitious, but I think it is borne out that his ambition is not the self-serving ambition of a W. Bush (or even Hillary Clinton). I honestly don't think he's in it for personal glory.

I believe McCain is a damaged human. Whether from his Vietnam captivity or being dropped on his head at an earlier age, I do not know, but he has the look and manner of a person who is capable of wildly unpredictable and irrational actions, and I don't trust him. I also believe he IS in this for personal glory, and that's why he has switched ("flip-flopped," in the vernacular) from portraying himself as an almost independent outsider to largely toeing the BushCo line. I believe he will cave to corporate interests--rather continue in the Bush tradition of catering to corporate interests with no regard to human or national cost. Maybe he WAS outside? Now he wants very badly to be inside. Or shall I say "to be inside, very badly."

I can't believe this is anywhere near a close race, but in a way that's good: maybe people won't take their votes for granted and will go to the polls in large numbers in November. It is of the utmost urgency that we NOT let this neocon repugnican nonsense continue further--the country and the world won't survive it.