Humor from the New Yorker

"It's a deal, we drop the charges against you. You vote for the tax bill ."

"Politics ain't beanbag" -- Tip O'Neill

Beanbag

I think it was the former and deceased Congressman from Massachusetts, Tip O'Neill, who famously said "Politics ain't beanbag." Now Democrat Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey is relearning this same lesson as he is apparently going to be indicted on criminal corruption charges as one of the last acts by our outgoing Attorney General, Eric Holder ... see: Reuters Story.

This clearly is a bit of political payback ... not that Senator Menedez is above reproach. He clearly is about as slimy as any Democrat politician (and a few Republicans) ... including his three possible junkets to the Dominican Republic to enjoy some hanky-panky with underage prostitutes ... all on the cuff of his friend and possible Medicare overcharger, Dr. Salomon Melgen ... see: Irony of Ironies...

However, Cuban-American Menendez's biggest mistake was vocally opposing the Obama administration on its Cuban and Iran policies. So Menedez is the one Democrat who is singled out for punishment ... not Charles Rangel, not Nancy Pelosi, not Al Sharpton, not Harry Reid, not Lois Lerner, not Hillary Clinton, etc. The only conclusion one can draw from this Menendez indictment ... it's OK today to be a reprobate as long as you toe the Democrat party line.

I guess we all knew this ... it is just depressing to see it unfold once again.

Toast

There is something very sinister about politics … as they say, “it ain’t beanbag.”  Chris Christie, once beloved by the media, is now a Republican presidential front runner and, therefore, experiencing the cold steel of the media assegais (an old W.C. Fields word … in “The Bank Dick” … see: The Long Knives).  Some boneheads on Christie’s staff apparently tried to take revenge on the mayor of Fort Lee, NJ for not supporting Christie in his re-election effort last fall.  They (again apparently) had a crony shut down three lanes onto the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee … creating a traffic nightmare there … sees: NewYorker Story.

Now, as I have previously indicated, I am not a Christie groupie (see: Rinos), but I do feel a little pang of condolence seeing such a McCain-job pulled on yet another Republican.  This smacks very much of the tactics that have been previously used by the Democrats (the Clintons and Obama in particular) to crush upstart Republican opponents.  Of course, a key element in such take-downs is the willing cooperation of important media outlets … and somehow this always happens.  What is more unnerving is that many conservatives will not rally to Christie’s defense because of his past animosity and sins toward them.  I’m certain that these assegai attackers counted on this reaction.

I confidently predict that whatever Christie does to counter this smear in his press conference today, it will not be quite enough.  And this will be just the first round of Christie’s waterboarding by the liberal press and talking heads … while (too) many on the right stay mum.  He is now effectively toast.  Can’t you just see Hillary quietly smirking her chipmunk grin?