The Thinker: Rich Galen Sponsored By:
Sponsored By:

    Hockaday Donatelli Campaign Solutions

    The Tarrance Group

The definition of the word mull.
Mullings by Rich Galen�
A Political Cyber-Column By Rich Galen
 Click here for the Secret Decoder Ring to this issue!


  • Click here to keep up with Galen's Speaking Schedule
  • Looking for a back issue of Mullings? They're in the Archives

    Back to the Future IV

    Monday October 28, 2002

                            Click here for an Easy Print Version

      NOTE: The Fall Subscription Drive is in its last week! If you didn't participate last winter, this is your chance! Your paid subscription makes Mullings possible.

    • Walter Mondale was first appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1964. This is 2002. Let's see. Borrow one from the tens column. 12 minus 4 is eight. Borrow one from the hundreds column. Nine minus six is three. Uh. Let's start again:

    • Between Walter Mondale and Frank Lautenberg, the up-and-comers in the Democratic party are now averaging 76 years of age.

    • A legitimate question: Where's the Democrat's bench? The answer: In the owner's box.

    • The Dems may win NJ and MN, but they may well prove to be a Pyrrhic victories if they only serve to highlight the lack of young leadership in the party.

    • Here's a real question reporters should ask Mondale: Will he pledge, if he wins, to serve the full six-year term? Or, is there a plot: If the Democrat or the Independent is elected in the Minnesota Governor's race, Mondale will be sworn in on January 3, 2003; resign; and be replaced by someone appointed when the new Governor takes office on January 6th.

    • For that matter, has anyone ever asked Lautenberg if HE intends to serve a full term?

    • The Mullmeister has looked at EVERY U.S. Senator in history and compiled a list of possible replacements including suggested slogans and/or reasons. On the Secret Decoder Ring page today.

    • The big deal about New Jersey, remember, was: A GOP pick-up there was protection against a Democratic pick-up in Arkansas.

    • As it happens so often in politics, it now appears that neither event will take place. The Arkansas Senate race between incumbent Republican Sen. Tim Hutchinson and challenger Democratic state Attorney General Mark Pryor is still neck-and-neck, but the GOP is running a new ad on Pryor's refusal to agree that burning the American flag as a protest should not be protected speech.

    • Pryor has been able to slip around issues but, according to GOP sources, this ad (which you can download from the Secret Decoder Ring page) is sticking and, along with the continuing popularity of President Bush, will probably be enough to carry Hutchinson back to the Senate.

    • Senator John McCain was on Tony Snow's Fox News Sunday show yesterday and defended the Administration's positions on Iraq and a Department of Homeland Security. He also took (without naming names) both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton to task for being "hoodwinked" by the North Koreans.

    • Another legitimate question: Why is it that John McCain is the media's favorite Senator when he disagrees with the Administration, but can't buy a headline when he supports the President?

    • If you're looking for how the Democrats and Republicans are (or should) frame the issues moving into the last week of the campaign, all you needed to do was to watch Newt and The James go head-to-head on Meet the Press yesterday.

    • For those of you who forgot to get out your Gregg Shorthand Pad and #2 pencil prior to the segment, the transcript is available on the Secret Decoder Ring page today.

    • Between snipers and airplane crashes and hostages in Russia there was a wonderfully touching moment yesterday. Emmitt Smith, the running back for the Dallas Cowboys broke the all-time NFL rushing record.

    • Darryl "Moose" Johnston - now an analyst for Fox sports - was the fullback who blocked for Smith for years and years.

    • Johnston was sent from the broadcasting booth to the sidelines for the record-breaking moment. After he broke the record and scored his 150th rushing touchdown (also an NFL record), Smith came over to Johnston. With the the crowed screaming "Mooooooose," they hugged, and Emmitt Smith - burying his face in Johnston's shoulder - broke into sobs of joy and relief.

    • It should be noted - in this time of heightened racial and ethnic tensions - that Smith is Black and Johnston is White.

    • Teammates are color blind.

    • In the words of the immortal Cosmo Kramer: Ah-Chee-Wah-Wah! Maybe the BEST Secret Decoder Ring page of all time, today! The very amusing list of fill-in Senators a link to the GOP Arkansas ad; a link to the Newt-James Meet the Press audio; the TRANSCRIPT of their appearance, and a terrific Mullfoto.

      --END --
      Copyright © 2002 Richard A. Galen

                                                                           

    Current Issue | Secret Decoder Ring | Past Issues | Email Rich | Rich Who?

    Copyright �2002 Richard A. Galen | Site design by Campaign Solutions.

    •