vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

10.08.2007

Random thoughts

- I happened to catch Bob Newhart on Late Night with David Letterman the other night and thought he looked more like state Sen. Dick Mazza than Gov. Jim Douglas. The Valley News had reported a couple weeks ago that Mitt Romney had said President Bush referred to Douglas as "Bob," as in Newhart.

- Why is milk cheaper at the convenience store than at the supermarket? Discovered that a couple weeks ago, so now I buy my milk at the convenience store.

- Why is it that Europeans are not glued to their cell phones the way Americans are? Our compatriot Sam Hemingway just returned from the land of old buildings and good wine and came back scratching his head over that one just as I did a few months ago. Even in places like airports and trains, where Americans are cell-phone manic, in Europe you hear the precious sound of normal conversation – people talking to the people next to them, as opposed to anyone except the person next to them.

- Speaking of milk, do you all assume that Progressive Anthony Pollina is running for governor? Or is he holding it over the Dems as a threat (if you don't seriously challenge Douglas I'll have to run) as he did during the health-care debate (If we don't get serious health-care reform, I might have to run for lieutenant governor)?

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 2:54 PM |

Comments:

Oh cool, I love this Stephen Wright style stuff!

If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?

If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?

Why do they sterilize needles for lethal injections?

If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?

Why are there 5 syllables in the word "monosyllabic?"

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

Right now I'm having amnesia and deja-vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:21 PM, October 08, 2007

Bob Newhart was great on Letterman:

"The young man was buggering his bosses wife. In the heat of passion she screamed out 'kiss me! kiss me!!' ... the young man paused and said, 'I shouldn't even be doing this!!"

Newhart looked and sounded OLD ... but God, he's still funny!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:37 PM, October 08, 2007

The Europeans are more cell phone crazy than Americans. Some of the highest concentrations of cell phone use are in Europe.

The difference is that they discovered text messaging a long time ago. Cell phone use is greater over there - but they type more than we talk.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:28 AM, October 09, 2007

Matt Dunne for Governor!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:59 AM, October 09, 2007

I agree. Which part of Europe do the FP reporters travel to? Or should I say cave. Text messaging like crazy, they do. So maybe you don't hear the blather, but you see it being done. Guess it is quieter. One thing about Europe that is worse than the States though is the smoking. Blech. Even in restaurants still. Oh, and the heavy usage of perfumes and colonges is nothing to enjoy? with one's nose. Anyway, Europe is quieter, which I guess was the point.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:39 AM, October 09, 2007

The difference is that they discovered text messaging a long time ago. Cell phone use is greater over there - but they type more than we talk.
Yeah, I'd agree with that comment. BBC even encourage their listeners to to text message them.

# Posted by:

JayV | 10:16 AM, October 09, 2007

Hope Pollina runs. We need him and he's the only one who can give the governor a serious debate or a serious challenge.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:34 PM, October 09, 2007

Pollina can't win!

He is a hypocrite - especially when he says he wants the Democrats to stand aside and give him a clean shot at Douglas.

First, what election has he ever won?

What makes him worthy of running not for a lesser seat to earn his way, but the top seat because he can talk?

Anthony wants to be considered in the same vain with Bernie - but he's not!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:15 PM, October 09, 2007

He's not in the same vein as Bernie. He's twice as good.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:26 PM, October 09, 2007

One should serve in lower office first for a while before running for Governor. No one "deserves" to be Governor, but Pollina seems to think he does.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:51 PM, October 09, 2007

Pollina for Governor
Dunne for Lt Gov

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:09 AM, October 10, 2007

Well, then, I guess Chittenden State's Attorney Patrick Leahy should just resign in shame. He had the gall to run for U.S. Senate.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:09 PM, October 10, 2007

"One should serve in lower office first for a while before running for Governor. No one "deserves" to be Governor... "

I would suggest what is more important than serving in a lower office first is actually the academic and professional skills and abilities our representatives have. For good or bad, they are running a "big business". Most in the Senate and House actually seem to have little experience in managing large organizations for growth and financial stability.

Take some time and research the backgrounds of your representatives. While I am sure they are all good honest people with the best intentions, most would be viewed as unqualified to hold senior management roles in most large businesses.

I know we all have our own opinion on "big business" but you have to agree the state is facing some thorny issues. To solve them means having a team with the right skills, abilities and experiences to effectively address them.

Perhaps Montpelier's gridlock is a more a function of failed leadership and lack of appropriate skill to get the job done than entirely partisan politics.

....just a thought

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:36 PM, October 10, 2007

Bill Sorrell for govenor - he can win.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:52 PM, October 10, 2007

There is no leadership in Montpelier.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:09 AM, October 11, 2007

"most would be viewed as unqualified to hold senior management roles in most large businesses. "

So? Some people would not demand they have that qualification.

Some might want them to have various types of education. Some might want them to be local farmers. And so on..

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:55 PM, October 11, 2007

"Well, then, I guess Chittenden State's Attorney Patrick Leahy should just resign in shame. He had the gall to run for U.S. Senate."

That's the point. It may be a big leap from State's Attorney to US Senator, but at least he served as state's attorney. What political office did Pollina hold before presuming to run for Lt. Gov.? None. What local office did Bernie hold before running for Gov. the first time? None.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:51 PM, October 11, 2007

Business experience is not necessarily the best background for public service--the greed factor is too much of a possibility--witness the current administration as an example.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:03 PM, October 12, 2007

Ok, so how about prior govt. experience? Pollina has none, but want to jump right to the Gov.'s office.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:07 PM, October 12, 2007

Its about experience. When you look at the backgrounds of many of our elected officials, they fall short of the mark. While I am sure they are well respected, well liked citizens of their communities it is clear by the consistent lack of viable leadership in Montpelier they don't have the wherewithal to get the job done.

The only exectuable vision I see is offered by the Governor (sorry Dems...). The legislature has been led down the garden path by its leadership on topics it can't seriouly affect like Global Warming, Gay Marriage, etc. Debating these ad nauseum, won't move VT closer to being a robust healthy state.

Everyone seems content to pick on individuals trying to prove "my side is better than yours" without coming to grips with the root cause issue. As a State we have serious issues that need to be addressed by professionals with the skill to resolve them. Until then VT will always be marginalized versus the rest of the country.

I don't care who is drafted as long as they have a real plan; something implementable not just smoke and mirrors. Right now there is no one that fits the bill.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:50 PM, October 12, 2007

I am not a Pollina supporter, nor am I advocating that we elect inexperienced people. As a clarification, I was referring to the current national administration, not the state one. Another point to be considered: a business is not a democracy and a democracy is not top-down the way a business tend to b --something the Bush administration has never come to grips with.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:45 AM, October 13, 2007

Addenda: people want and expect those they elect to hear them and govern accordingly, not to have the will of a single "decider" imposed upon them.
This applies at both national and state level.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:53 AM, October 13, 2007

Especially the will of a "decider" who barely won either of his two elections.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:30 PM, October 13, 2007

"won't move VT closer to being a robust healthy state."

Define "robust healthy state".

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:48 PM, October 15, 2007