Mullings An American Cyber Column By Rich Galen

US & Int'l Papers

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Dubai, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

Friday April 25, 2008

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STILL from Dubai, UAE

As you know, I am an accomplished world traveler. I can get from just about any point on the planet to any other point on the planet zip-zap-passport-please-you-may-board-now.

So, I arrived at Dubai airport Wednesday night with plenty of time to spare, my well-stamped passport in one hand, and my Delta platinum member card in the other and got into the Elite line (which, by just about any definition, I am) and joked with my fellow passengers about the 12� flight to Atlanta.

In the words of that great American philosopher, Curly Howard: Nyuk. Nyuk. Nyuk.

Guess what? I was exactly, precisely, to-the-minute, 24 hours early for the flight I had actually booked.

So, I am writing this from the Business Class Lounge at the Dubai International Airport still waiting for my 12� flight to Atlanta.

The previous night I had dinner with former US Senator from Texas, Phil Gramm. We got to talking about the results of the Pennsylvania primary the previous night and he said he had some thoughts about that.

I have known Gramm since he was a DEMOCRATIC Congressman from Texas �

SIDEBAR

Phil Gramm has a PhD in economics and was an Econ professor at Texas A&M before he ran for the US House in 1978 - as a Democrat. He won and quickly established the fact that (a) he knew a lot more than his Democratic colleagues about economics and (b) what they did know, was wrong.
In 1982 - in the midst of the Regan Revolution, Gramm decided to switch parties and become a Republican. I do believe what he did next was the only time in my adult life someone has done it:
He resigned his seat saying, in effect, my constituents elected me as a Democrat. If want to elect me as a Republican, I'll be back.
They did. He was. And the rest is history.
It was a truly extraordinary example of political courage for which Gramm has gotten just about zero credit.

END SIDEBAR

� so when Phil Gramm says he has some thoughts about just about anything, I put my fork down, pull my reporter's notebook out, and pay attention.

His main point was this: The news media, the national Democratic party leadership and the Barack Obama campaign had all been beating the drum about how Obama was unstoppable in his quest of the nomination; that it was over; that Hillary Clinton had no chance; and that she should drop out.

In the face of all that, Democratic voters in Pennsylvania chose her over Obama by about a 10 percentage point margin.

Gramm thinks that, as the super delegates begin deciding how the end game for the Democratic nomination should play out, this will weigh very heavily in Clinton's favor.

This was a nice tactical move on the part of the Clinton campaign: Did you notice on Tuesday night, that Bill and Chelsea sat to the side of the stage while Hillary took her victory lap? And they only joined her at center stage when all the other Democratic bigwigs in Pennsylvania came up as well.

No chance of Bill stealing Hillary's spotlight. I thought that was pretty smart.

The new most-overused-phrase among the Popular Press is: "Can't Close The Deal." Obama, that is.

Why? Because this is a country at war. It is a country sliding into a recession. It is a country where food and fuel inflation is beginning to affect everyone. And it is a country where people are saddled with home mortgages, student loans, car loans, and maxed out credit cards which means most of us are not more than one large financial hit - a new roof, for instance - of being completely underwater in are ability to pay our debts.

"Change" my butt. People are not going to turn the keys to the kingdom over to a guy who has three years experience as a US Senator and has spent two of them running for President.

Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

They're calling my flight.

On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: A link to Phil Gramm's bio and an pretty interesting anecdote about him. Also a Mullfoto which is even a worse pun than today's title and a Catchy Caption of the Day which may make you feel small and inadequate.

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