July 27, 2005

[1824 - Alexandre Dumas, fils, novelist, playwright, born in Paris]

[1905 - Leo 'The Lip' (Ernest) Durocher, baseball player, manager, born in West Springfield, Massachusetts]

[1946 - Gertrude Stein, American avant-garde writer, art connoisseur, dies in France]

[1953 - Armistice signed at Panmunjom halting fighting in Korea]

Attorney Generalizations

Attorney General Gonzales was interviewed on the News Hour last night. There is some bad news for those of you who worry about human cloning; apparently it has already taken place. Close your eyes and it could have been George Bush talking instead of Alberto Gonzáles. One heard the same figures of speech, the same phrases, and, upon reopening the eyes, could detect some of the same mannerisms. Even the style of these two men was remarkably similar. General Gonzáles answered each question with a carefully scripted statement made up of carefully chosen words designed to convey as little information as possible. Occasionally one of his answers was responsive to the question that was asked, but this appeared to be a fortuitous accident when it happened.

He came alive briefly at the end of the interview when asked a question about a recent speech he had given that identified the meth-amphetamine problem in the nation. He had pointed out that this species of illegal drug poses more of a threat to the environment and to the public health and safety than any other. As the nation's leading law enforcement officer one would have hoped that General Gonzales would have at least one innovative idea about how to deal with this serious drug problem. All we heard from him was that he intended to rely on local law enforcement. Would that his mentor had displayed the same caution on the international scene. Had he done so the nation would be many hundreds of American lives and several hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars the better for it.

William's Whimsical Words:

Be thankful the jury is still out, General.

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