The Irreverent Jesse Jackson Speaks Again

The "Reverend" Jesse Jackson opened his mouth again. Unfortunately for him, the microphone was on.

The tape will be played exclusively on Fox News tonight, but if the "bleeped" version that I just saw on Drudge was even close, certainly the "Reverend" was far less than reverent towards Barack Obama, the candidate he supposedly supports. In fact, Jesse's quickly issued apology alone demonstrates that. Per The Drudge Report, here is Jesse Jackson's statement of apology:

For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama_s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment.

_My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.

_That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms._

Typical Jesse Speak in my opinion. I'm not sure that addresses what he said about what he'd like to do to Obama's male anatomy.

My rule, and I think Jesse should adopt it (but I won't be holding my breath) is this: If you wouldn't say it to their face, don't say it behind their back. For Jesse I might add, and always do a mike check before you open your big, irreverent mouth.

I may be sassy, but I don't cuss.

Why do people who otherwise have perfectly wonderful vocabularies feel a need to cuss? That word "cuss" may be a bit outdated, but you probably know what I mean. Call them curse words, vulgarities, profanities, obscenities, or even four-letter words (since many of them are), I don't like them, don't use them, and don't see a need for them.

The people I've noticed recently using what I consider foul language are using those words on forums such as Twitter. They're mostly "mild" profanities, but they leave me with a bad impression of the person who chose them. Thing is, most of those people are bloggers and write very good blog posts, so I know they have a probably better-than-average command of the English language.

It bothers me even more that many of the people I'm referring to are women. Profanity is bad enough from a man, but there's something even worse about it coming from a woman.

Call me old fashioned, call me sassy, but if you want me to read your blog, leave out the %&@*.

Sassy Meets Sweet

I dreamed I met Shirley Temple.

It was really the current, grown-up Mrs. Shirley Temple Black, who just celebrated her 80th birthday this week. In the dream there was a small gathering, maybe a dinner. Shirley wore blue, looked beautiful, and appeared very spry. I met her, wished her happy birthday and we chatted a bit (don’t remember what we said but it was fan-to-idol kind of talk – I was the fan) and then the dream moved on to something about guinea hens in the backyard and where was my dog and other things that had nothing to do with each other (it was a dream, after all).

I grew up watching Shirley Temple movies and always loved her determination and sweetness, which put together I would call “feistiness.” I think Shirley must be that way in real life. In fact, having run for Congress and then serving as a United States Ambassador those qualities would likely have been a requirement, along with huge doses of intellect and diplomacy.

Feisty is the sweet version of sassy. I think if we met in real life, Feisty Shirley and Sassy Susan would get along very, very well.

Sassy on Taxes

Susan's feeling especially sassy today. It's tax day, April 15th. 'Nuff said. Well, maybe not quite e'nuff. Here are some thoughts on taxes, paying taxes, the tax system, who pays taxes, and who doesn't.

I don't mind paying taxes and think everyone should pay some. I appreciate that the federal government provides infrastructure and national defense and probably a few other things that I take for granted.

What's wrong with someone wanting to work hard and earn a good living? Operative word being "earning." Isn't it fair that if you earn it, you should get to keep it? Well, most of it.

What's wrong with being rich? It beats being poor. I'd bet money (if I bet, but I don't bet) that more poor people than rich people received and spent part of the taxes that I paid last year. (Think about that. Bet it's true with you, too.)

Why is it that it's so easy for a poor person to cheat the tax system? (That is a fact.) If they're savvy enough to do that, aren't they smart enough to earn a living? Is getting a taxpayer handout more fulfilling than providing an honest living for one's family? I'd be willing to bet (if I bet) that more poor people cheat the tax system than do rich people.

Cheating the tax system is breaking the law. Rich people use tax law to pay less taxes than some think they should. That isn’t breaking the law.

Don't blame the IRS. Blame Congress. Then fire Congress. Hire a new group who are willing to do something about the tax mess. Especially hire Congress people who support the FairTax. And those who believe it's okay to work for a living – and get rich.

The Great Emancipator for President?

There's been talk about former vice president Al Gore stepping in to emancipate the democrats from the Hillary-won't-quit embroilment. I'm not sure how that would work, and I can't imagine why Mr. Gore would want to give up his position as Emancipator of Earth (or whatever he calls himself these days) to risk losing another election. How embarrassing would that be?!

Heck, despite this very cold winter that we've had, Mr. Gore seems quite comfortable in his position of promoting the myths associated with global warming for which, as you may recall, he won a lucrative Nobel peace prize. Why would anyone in that position even want to be president? Both jobs have their perks, but this current job would seem to have far fewer problems – and no 2 a.m. phone calls.

Of course someone who can bring Pat Robertson and Al Sharpton together to make a commercial in which they actually agree about something may have a talent that the democrats could really use right now.

Nah. I think Tipper would put her foot down.

Liar, Liar, Pantsuit's on Fire

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton went to Bosnia in 1996. She speaks about it often. And embellishes the experience every time she brings it up.

Hillary, Hillary, Hillary. What are we going to do about you?

How about one final embellished version of the story.



(Click here for the original CBS News version.)

The Man with the Yellow Hair

My Schwan's man was here today. He looked a little bit different and, while I didn't want to stare, it became pretty obvious that it wasn't just a new haircut that I was noticing, it was a new hair color.

We made our usual small talk and our biweekly exchange, the frozen food for me, the check for him, and as he turned and walked back to his truck I realized that his new hair color matched his truck.

I almost stopped him to comment about that, just in case there was a contest and the first person to mention that his hair matched his truck would get a prize, but I decided against it. Didn't want to embarrass him. Or myself.

Have you ever seen a Schwan's truck? Thank goodness he left off the blue highlights.

I'm An Angry White Woman

My sassy red hat is off to Mr. Gary Hubbell, who penned this awesome commentary about angry white men. I'm guessing Mr. Hubbell knows there are some pretty angry white women out there, too, including this sassy one.

Right on, Gary Hubbell. You go, guy!

My Hillary Poll - Encouraging Results

I have a very unscientific poll going on at my Who is Hillary Clinton? page on Squidoo. The page is meant to be informative, presenting facts about Hillary and the campaign, some resources pro-Hillary, some anti-Hillary. It's meant to help people gather information in order to make an informed decision prior to heading off to the voting booth to cast their ballots, not to try to sway people in either direction.

Judging by the variety of comments in the two feedback sections on the page, its visitors run the gamut from staunch Clinton supporters to those who are quick to remind us of Bill Clinton's impeachment proceedings and Hillary's Rose Law firm fiasco. So, even though it's unscientific and its number of visitors is in the hundreds and not the thousands, I have to think that the poll results come very close to mirroring the opinion of the population as a whole.

Thus, I am encouraged by the fact that the score has stayed in the vicinity of 45% yes, 55% no in response to the question, "If Hillary Clinton receives the nomination, will you vote for her?" We'll see in time how that compares with the real-life results.

Now, Isn't This Sassy!

Someone suggested this as a motto for 2008. Yep, I think it'll work.

(P.S. I received this via email so I don't know to whom to give credit. If it's yours, let me know, and - I like you already!)