** I find it rather humorous that dems and opponents have dug up an old story about Mitt strapping the family dog's kennel to the top of the family station wagon 24-25 years ago.

Makes sense, actually.  How did large families travel with family pets before 15 passenger vans or U-Haul trailers or dog kennels secured to the back of pick-up trucks? 

What media is not promoting is that he built a wind and weather screen for the pooch. 

After all -- how much room can there be in a station wagon with 5 kids who want to take the dog on vacation?  If they had taken Ann's horse, they'd have towed it behind in a trailer, wouldn't they? 

Personally, my 60-pound dog always traveled in style in the back of the car/jeep.  But I don't have 5 kids.  Or a horse. 

Which reminds me.  I've always driven cross-country with muh dawg because of the cruelty and danger in placing an animal in aircraft cargo. 

Better luck with the next old Mitt story you drag out, folks.   

** I have no doubt that the 30+ phone calls I made to Senators last week may have added some nuisance to the Capitol phone exchange.   I'm calling again this week to  express a "thank you" with a polite request for public discourse before anyone crafts the next reform bill.   Ringadingding to the dingdongs who got us into that mess, anyway.

I'm hanging on to the image the NYT posted with their description of snaggle-toofed, ciggy smoking, Wal-Mart shopping anti-immigration stereotypes.  Heck -- I'm more a Target shopper, personally.   Plus I've got all my own teef.  My legally immigrated Hispanic neighbors who also opposed the reform bill weren't impressed, either.  He loves to browse at Sam's while his wife  ambles the aisles at Wal-mart. 

Which reminds me of second-hand consignment shops --

Maybe the recent amnesty bill failure will finally cause ole Ted the Red Kennedy to hang it up.   More fresh air and less time in the back room will go a long way toward lower that blood pressure.  I don't know whether it's his alcohol pallor or whether his pants and his tie that are too tight, but you could light a ciggy off that man's face when he gets riled.  <coughcough>

** Can't close without a reference to the campaigns coming to a local tree stump near you.

McCain is not just toast, he's burned toast.  Head on home, John-boy.  Don't make us displace our disappointment with annoyance.

John's good buddy Fred may have more than one or two reasons to delay his delaying .... With his staff explaining that Fred is just "rusty" when it comes to campaigning, astute observers are notinging that ole Fred is a bit ambling, hesitant and not as smooth in his delivery as he once was.  Guess that comes from NOT having a cue card behind the camera.  Scripts are easy to follow.  Unlike what the media appears to do for Hilliary, I don't think ole Fred will be given the questions before the interview. 

Lights.  Camera.  Action!  You're on your own, Fred.  No commercial time-outs to powder that glistening forehead, now, fella. 

Suggestion:  use that new building you're moving into for a law office-consulting firm and return those contributions to the good folks who expected you to be Reagan-reincarnate.  You're not Ronald Reagan, Fred.  And if you keep it up, you're gonna fall like Sen. Dole.  (Difference:  Dole's TV life came AFTER his defeat .... somehow, however, I can't see Fred! promoting erectile dysfunction pills.  Not in front of the camera, that is.  Fred's more likely to *wink* when he sees one of his good ole buds oggling his trophy wife.)