Broken Masterpieces

McCain to announce running mate on Friday - International Herald Tribune.

Senator John McCain has decided on his running mate, two Republican strategists in contact with McCain’s campaign said Wednesday. He is expected to reveal his choice at a rally at a basketball arena in Dayton, Ohio, at 11 a.m. Friday.

My thoughts (in no particular order):

• Kay Bailey Hutchison - She fits into the “interesting” area but I can’t think of one thing that inspires me about her.  She’s from the Senate and I think Senators aren’t the best of candidates.  Seems like she’s right on quite a few issues but I don’t see her making a big impact in the VP debate.
• Rudy Giuliani - Doesn’t seem to be a guy who would like to be number 2.  He’d be great initially and good in the VP debate but there are so many flaws in the man that he’d end up not being an asset.
• Mitt Romney - Brings a lot to the table.  He’s been a governor.  He’s had a lot of success in the private sector and isn’t a person who makes a living off of being in office.  My biggest issue with him is that he seems to be a late-comer to some of his views.  Pretty close, in my opinion.
• Tim Pawlenty - Kind of a safe pick but not very well known.  ZERO national security experience.
• Joe Lieberman - To much of a gimmick and he’s not a Republican.  If he’s VP and eventually becomes President then he’s got the Supreme Court picks.  That doesn’t fly with me at all.  Make him Sec Def or something.
• Mike Huckabee - I am tired of Arkansas governors.  Seems like a good guy but ZERO national security experience and some of his foreign policy and defense statements during the campaign freaked me out.
• Sarah Palin - A rising star and the governor of Alaska.  A complete dark horse but has star potential, just not now.
• Bobby Jindal - Another future star.  Same as Palin.  He will eventually be President of the United States.
• Tom Ridge - pro-choice Catholic.  Non-starter as that hurts an edge against Biden.

If it were me I’d go with Mitt Romney.  He’s closest to being ready to be President, is good on the campaign trail, has real executive experience and will do well in the VP debate.

Indicted Stevens wins Alaska primary - Capitol Hill- msnbc.com.

Alaska Republicans gave U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, currently facing a federal indictment, a primary victory on Tuesday.

You’ve got to be kidding.  I guess the Alaskan Republicans didn’t learn the lessons of 2006.

Joe Biden? As the Kids Say, “LOL!” | The Scriptorium Daily: Middlebrow.

Other than picking Senator Clinton I cannot imagine a less inspiring and less “hope-change” choice.

I believe this to be the worst VP choice since George H.W. Bush picked Dan Quayle.  We’ll see if McCain can do better.  I’ll do a post on McCain’s VP options soon.

Check out Hugh Hewitt’s thoughts on the Biden pick.

My thoughts? From a political point of view Obama really blew this one. Biden will make many mistakes on the campaign trail and he’ll do it during the big events. From my Republican point of view, I love it.

Analysis: Countdown is on for Obama’s VP announcement - CNN.com.

Also in the spotlight is Sen. Joe Biden. He returns Monday from a trip to the former Soviet republic of Georgia, made at the request of the country’s president.

Biden, a senator from Delaware and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, brings to the table top-notch experience that would help counter GOP arguments that Obama is inexperienced on foreign policy.

Oh please, let Obama pick Biden.   Senator Biden is painful to watch and just seems like another political blow-hard. Oh yeah, that plagiarizism thing. This would just bring John McCain closer to the presidency.  Frankly, he should pick Hillary Clinton or Wesley Clark.  Hillary would sow up the election and Clark brings some obvious military weight.  Obama is a very weak candidate in terms of military and foreign policy and both Hillary and Clark help that.  Biden is a walking disaster.

::The Secret Samurai::.
My dad has always been a big fan of instrumental surf music so I’ve grown up a little with it. I always admired how good the musicians seemed to be. Fast forward a lot of years and I just found out one of the new guys on a project I’m also working on told me about his band, The Secret Samurai. It turns out they are an instrumental surf band. I listened to some of their stuff on MySpace and liked it. So I went to Lou’s Records and bought their new album Gun Sho Gun. It’s pretty darn good and even my kids like it. You can’t help but admire the musicianship. The first track, Don’t Fear The Reverb just kicks you hard right away. To listen to some samples and make a purchase check them out in iTunes: .

McCain on Georgia.

Maybe Obama could just give a speech and Russia would withdraw from Georgia…. It’s a dangerous world.

These guys are killing me.  If they lose the division they can look back on this weekend against the evil Gints.

Dodgers fall to 58-59 and 1 1/2 behind the Snakes, less than 24 hours after they were three outs away from vaulting into the division lead.

Giants 5, Dodgers 4 - Inside the Dodgers.

I love this New Era commercial.

YouTube - New Era Commercial featuring “David Ortiz”.

HT: JonnyUps

Singalong | Phil Wickham.

Local (San Diego) worship artist (he’s toured with Mercy Me), Phil Wickham is giving away some live music. Check it out and enjoy.

What a bummer. I enjoyed his TV show.

“Bernie Mac, the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor and comedian who worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago’s South Side, died Saturday at age 50.”

Comic actor Bernie Mac dies - CNN.com.

ABC News: Edwards Admits to Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate.

John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

What a wanker! Another great example of why people don’t think much of politicians. So, his wife had survived an earlier bout of cancer so he thinks he can go screw around? What about the kids? Now his wife is dying of cancer. Flippin’ jerk! I hope it was worth it.

ESPN.com - Giles exercises veto of Boston deal, will remain with Padres.

San Diego Padres right fielder Brian Giles officially exercised his veto power and blocked a waiver deal Friday that would have sent him to the Boston Red Sox.

I’m a bit disappointed in Giles. Yes, family is very important but if Giles really wanted to have a career of note he’d have been happy to go to Boston and go for a championship. Professional players who don’t want a shot at winning are ones I don’t want on my teams. They are just happy to continue losing as long as they are close to home. This is his ONE shot at a championship and he won’t even take it. I could see if he’d already won something already but he hasn’t. Come on Brian, go for it!

UPDATE: From the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo. San Diego should expect players who want to win.

HT: Rush

This is like me saying don’t eat Mexican Food.

Now we know who to blame for continued high gas prices. Nancy Pelosi isn’t going to allow a vote on this issue. You can already see gas prices going down just by having some of our leadership pushing drilling. We need a comprehensive energy policy that will still need to include fossil fuels. We still need to go after all the alternatives but drilling needs to still be included.

Before you get a tattoo just read this article: ABC News.  If you are going to do something so permanent you just gotta think it through.

Just read it.

What a tough loss.  Tony Snow has died at 53.  He was a great communicator and back in the day when I had time to listen to talk radio, he was worth listening to.  I, like most, first heard him when he’d fill in for Rush Limbaugh.  He was a man of faith and will be missed.

Padres Fans Boo Hoffman

It doesn’t matter how bad Trevor Hoffman pitches there is no reason for Padres fans to boo him.  That just blows.  Shame on those “fans”.

10 great reasons to vote for McCain and not Obama.

Last night we went to North Coast Calvary Chapel and the sermon was on Joshua 1:6-9. The key words are “be strong and courageous”. The pastor strongly reminded us that “God is good, all the time”. With a good God how can we not be strong and courageous? This was just the sermon I needed. We have to trust that His Kingdom is bigger than just our own issues.

• Just got done re-reading Searching for God Knows What and am now re-reading The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God.  My relationship to God is quite dry.  I need to forget formulas and focus on Christ.  I’m one of those types who just has a problem feeling something from something not visible.
• A good friend of mine just lost her mother.  I’m terrible dealing with these situations.  I just want people to not hurt so much.
• My family had a great time in Coronado on Sunday to celebrate my wife’s birthday.  We’re heading back in Saturday and I’m going “surfing”.
• Work is so boring right now.  I hate not enjoying my work.
• I can’t believe some of the stupid decisions people make.  How can people just abandon their spouses and children for greener pastures.  These decisions have such long lasting impacts and are just so selfish.
• After years of resisting I’ve finally given in to Radiohead.  Their new “Best Of” (The Best of (Special Edition 2CD)) CD is interesting.  Some of the whiney vocals can be a bit much but they make some very interesting music.
• Just got Jon Foreman’s Summer EP.  The song, Instead Of A Show is quite a statement. I hope Jon realizes the target he has painted on himself with the song. I’ll get the lyrices sometime so you can see what I mean. BTW, if you are looking for Switchfoot this is not it. All Jon’s EPs are very personal and mellow.
• Go Lakers!  I cannot stand the whole idea of the Boston Celtics.

See Sons of Steve Garvey for a reminder from the great Vin Scully about D-Day.

As you may have noticed there’s a new look to the web site.  I’m using something called Word Press so let me know how it works for you.

Michelle Malkin on Barack Obama on National Review Online

Amazing why the mainstream press won’t call Obama on this stuff.