Today in Politics: May 22nd, 2009

Man. What is it with Michael Steele? Today while guest hosting a radio show, Steele had this to say:

"The problem that we have with this president is we don’t know him. He was not vetted, folks... He was not vetted, because the press fell in love with the black man running for the office. 'Oh gee, wouldn’t it be neat to do that? Gee, wouldn’t it make all of our liberal guilt just go away? We can continue to ride around in our limousines and feel so lucky to be alive in an America with a black president.' Okay that’s wonderful, great scenario, nice backdrop. But what does he stand for? What does he believe?"

So, the first black chairman of the RNC is saying that the first black American President won the election because he was black. And apparently two years campaigning was enough time to have him vetted. (Being in Illinois, I didn’t really think he needed vetting, but hey, there are 49 other states.) That’s right kids, liberal guilt over slavery and segregation is why Barack Obama- who was a toddler during the civil rights movement and who is not, in fact, descendent from slaves- was elected president. His policies? His middle-of-the-road approach? His air of civility and pragmatism? Nope. Barack Obama is president because pinko commie liberal socialists thought it would be ‘neat’.

Why does the GOP keep letting Michael Steele near a microphone?

In other news, Liberty University, founded by the late great crazy person Jerry Falwell, has decided to ban the Democratic Party from its halls. A school official released the following statement:

"The Democratic Party platform is contrary to the mission of Liberty University and to Christian doctrine (supports abortion, federal funding of abortion, advocates repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotes the "LGBT" agenda, hate crimes, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, socialism, etc.)."

Personally, I’m shocked to learn there even is a Democratic Party in the halls of Liberty. Jerry Falwell was one messed up dude. And I realize that the GOP isn’t actually the Religious Right, but it’s not as if the Falwell followers out there aren’t a core base of the party. If you’re in charge of expanding the Republican Party, is news like this really helpful from an image stand point?

Despite how it may look, this hasn’t actually been too bad of a week for Team Obama. While there’s been a lot of hoopla over what to do with Guantanamo detainees, the he-said-she-said over Pelosi (which in the last 48 hours is actually starting to break the Speaker’s way), and of course the Cheney vs. Obama speeches (Not that I in any way participated in the hoopla. Of course not.), here’s what the administration has pulled off while everyone was distracted: The meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister went well, with him agreeing to pursue the two-state initiatives; the new fuel efficiency standards that, believe it or not, has made everybody on both sides of the issue happy for now (weird, right?); the signing of four separate bills into law, including the very popular defense contracts and credit card reform bills; and to cap it off, the photo of the week right here.

That was today at commencement at the US Naval Academy. That’s President Obama shaking hands with John McCain IV as he graduates. It’s the little things, you know?