Another Reason We Shouldn't Torture

Mr. Newt: 0 for 3

Funny how Newt Gingrich now stands to go 0 for 3 in his calls and predictions on Democratic officials or nominees to withdraw or resign. And from all three branches of government no less.

First was Tim Geithner: "I don't see how he can survive, just given the fact that he has to either make the case that he's incompetent, and didn't know about it, or that he's dishonest and knew about it and didn't tell anybody," Gingrich said during a call into a Fox News program yesterday.

Whoops.

Next up Nancy Pelosi: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that current Speaker Nancy Pelosi should resign, saying the California Democrat had destroyed her credibility by saying the CIA has repeatedly misled Congress.

She still there?

Most recently, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Gingrich wrote on Twitter: "Imagine a judicial nominee said 'my experience as a white man makes me better than a Latina woman' new racism is no better than old racism." "White man racist nominee would be forced to withdraw. Latina woman racist should also withdraw."

I dunno. Think she should be scared?

Just seems to be a rather odd political strategy. Interestingly, I couldn't find any report of Newt calling for Tom Daschle's resignation. Maybe he wanted the job himself and didn't want to appear anxious.

Tortured Logic

Not claiming this to be an original thought, but to the torture-rati out there, can we please pose this question: If your son/constituent was subjected to any one of or a combination of: simulated drowning/asphyxiation (a/k/a waterboarding), sleep deprivation for 11 days, hung from a ceiling in chains, brought to near hypothermia, put into a box for weeks on end -- would you consider that torture?

Put to song, it's obvious how ridiculous this all sounds:

The Numbers Say: "Time for a New Car?"

Tactics vs. Strategy

One of the hilarious things about the presidential campaign was McCain accusing Obama of not understanding the difference between tactics and strategy. McCain, the guy who ran a day-by-day reactionary campaign, while Obama pretty much kept to a big picture strategy throughout the primary and presidential campaigns.

This came to mind as several weeks ago Obama came under a great deal of criticism for "engaging Rush Limbaugh." It was considered a mistake to elevate the big fat idiot. And now today Limbaugh, as the putative leader of the republican party, addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and gives a red meat speech designed for maybe 35% of the country, absolute tops.

I think Obama is probably pretty happy to see those 35% entertained and energized at the expense of scaring off everybody else.

Obama is Dalton (or The Tao of Swayze)

Obama's political style is clearly stolen (er, borrowed) from erstwhile cooler Dalton from the best bad movie ever -- Road House. Obama's approach is pure Dalton unflappability -- "be nice." Someone calls you a name? Be nice. Ask him to walk, but be nice. If he doesn't walk -- walk him, but be nice. It's not personal.

And the kicker:
Dalton: "I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."
Bouncer: "Well, uh, how are we supposed to know when that is."
Dalton: "You won't. I'll let you know."

And there you have Obama's political style neatly wrapped up. (Fast forward video to 2:00 mark).

(semi-) lost in Lost

So, I'm not the huge mythology viewer but get some needed help via re-caps etc (Doc Jensen at EW and Jen and Liz at Wash Post Lost Central) but a couple questions that haven't really seen addressed from "Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" or whatever the exact title is:

1) The flash on the plane and "disappearance" of the O6 (minus freaky boy Aaron): Locke and Ben not caught up in the flash. Ben makes sense as an Other, but does Locke not time-traveling with the O6 (MFBA) have more to do with him being "dead" or being special?

And if the woman the pilot took off in the boat with is Sun, why didn't she disappear with the Big Guy with the Curly Hair etal?

2) Ben killing John. Obvious point -- strangling is the most intimate (poor word choice but I believe it is usually "friends", DV cases etc where strangling is mode of murder) way to kill someone. Second, if Ben knew that John knew that he needed to die, seems as if the master manipulator could have easily convinced John the Mostly Gullible to get back up on the table with the noose.

(In fact, after seeing the tease from the week before with what appeared to be Ben in the room with Locke, I posited that Ben was enlisted to help John commit suicide because the Island otherwise wouldn't let him). But again, I'm an amateur.

3) Love the guy from Three Kings. Can't wait for the Mark Wahlberg cameo.