The WSU men’s basketball team has proved that last year’s Sweet 16 finish was no fluke, having already beaten two ranked teams and another Final Four team from last year — all on their home courts. As a result, the undefeated Shockers are now ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press poll (two places ahead of KU). Hats off to coach Mark Turgeon for scheduling quality nonconference games and to the team for playing so well.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
It’s official, more or less: Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback is running for president. Or, as his new Brownback for President Web site puts it, "I am running for America — to be of service in a crucial time of trial." The first step in his "campaign of national renewal" is setting up an exploratory committee. Then he’ll visit 10 states in the next month, starting in Iowa on Tuesday. Brownback is an interesting candidate, compassionate and more complicated than his usual religious conservative label would suggest. The wonder is that he still read the midterm election results as a green light for his bid, and seems undeterred by polls showing he’s not widely known even among evangelicals.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, didn’t turn out to be the bull in the China shop that Senate critics feared when they refused to confirm him last year (President Bush responded by giving him a temporary appointment). He was more diplomatic than expected and had some notable successes, especially on security issues such as organizing opposition to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. He also was right about the need for reform at the United Nations.
Still, it’s good that Bolton stepped down. He represents a foreign policy approach that is largely discredited — that the United States can go it alone in the world and not worry about the approval or cooperation of the world body.
As experience has shown, America needs friends and allies in the world, and it also needs a diplomat to the world body that Congress can get united behind. Bolton wasn’t that person.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
In a commentary rounding up the players on the Democrats’ new bench, especially among its governors, Dotty Lynch of CBSNews.com sees a connection between what Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius end up doing in 2008. Lynch’s take, in part: “As the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, Sebelius has a number of friends in national politics. If Hillary Clinton hesitates or falters, Sebelius’ name is sure to crop up as a strong contender for the No. 2 slot.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Democratic congressional candidates pledged that, if elected to the majority, they would implement all of the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission. But having won, they are dropping, at least for now, one key recommendation, the Washington Post reported. The commission wanted Congress reorganized so it could better oversee and fund the nation’s intelligence agencies. That’s unlikely to happen — mostly because of turf battles between the intelligence, armed services and appropriations committees.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Here is the New York Times’ list of the top 10 books of 2006: “Absurdistan,” “The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel,” “The Emperor’s Children,” “The Lay of the Land,” “Special Topics in Calamity Physics,” “Falling Through the Earth,” “The Looming Tower,” “Mayflower,” “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “The Places in Between.” Anyone have other suggestions of books that might make good Christmas gifts?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The following satirical headlines come from borowitzreport.com:
BUSH: U.S. COMMITTED TO FINDING NEW SYNONYMS FOR CIVIL WAR; Launches Operation Noble Euphemism
AL-JAZEERA REFUSES TO AIR O.J. SPECIAL; ‘Not Up to Our Standards of Taste,’ Says Satellite Network
BUSH SEEKS PAM ANDERSON’S ADVICE ABOUT EXIT STRATEGY; ‘Cut and Run,’ Says ‘Baywatch’ Beauty
ROVE, SATAN SPLIT OVER MIDTERM DEFEAT; Beelzebub Accuses Bush Aide of Playing the Blame Game
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
