Virtuous Circle

Ronald Reagan

I was switching channels and caught this glimpse of Ronald Reagan at a press conference- in reply to an unheard question he said, "I guess it's working-that's why they don't refer to it as Reagonomics anymore"
That self deprecating humor shielding a fierce pride has been lacking for a long time-only JFK in my memory was similar.

Also saw most of a special produced and narrated by Michael Feinstein on American popular music of the Irving Berlin, Cole Porter variety which in the hour I saw focussed on WWII and also popular music of the movies, Highlights of the film were Fred Astaire Puttin' on the Ritz, Judy Garland wishing us a "Merry Little Christmas", Kate Smith imploring God to Bless America and Betty Hutton as a wonderfully humorous Annie Oakley wishing she could "Get a Man With a Gun-

The gals with "umbrellars"
Are always out with fellers
In the rain or the blazing sun
But a man never trifles
With gals who carry rifles

It's funny it scans-it doesn't condescend-my 13 year old was up and actually said he liked the music
The WWII segments included pictures of GI's celebrating Christmas in the ETO and included hand grenades as tree decorations.-the faces were so young and cheerful
The VJ day parades were as fresh and inspiring as they were when I first saw them in aging newsreels as a child in the early fifties and had a special poignancy with tomorrow's 60th D-Day anniversary and with the serious illness of the virtuous father who provided air cover on that day.
Also from the music special one of my all time favorites and one which will serve as a good tribute to "The Great Communicator"
By Johnny Mercer

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium's
Liable to walk upon the scene

These words could have been written about him
Ronald Wilson Reagan 1911-2004

So Nuanced

Link Via Country Store

Couric to Matthews: "It's a Question of Who is the Lesser of Two Evils" in Iraq (US or Al-Qaeda)
Key Quote
"It has come to this. In discussing Iraq, the Abu Ghraib abuses and the beheading of Nick Berg, Katie Couric summarized the situation in this way:

"It seems like it's become of question of who is the lesser of two evils."

That's right. Katie Couric wondered aloud who might be more evil - Al Qaeda, which, in addition to beheading Nick Berg, murdered 3,000 innocent people on 9/11, or the United States of America. "

But it's conservatives who can't make nuanced distinctions and lack subtlety-excuse me while I bite off the back of my head

Atrocities

Link via Instapundit

Shot In The Dark: Unfit To Command. Unable To Rebut

Why is it that those most outraged by the abuse of Iraqi prisoners-want a self descibed war criminal to be president-the hypocrisy is beyond parody