I couldn’t be happier at hearing that Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan have lost the will to fight, albeit futilely, for their Senate seats in this year’s election.  Especially Dodd.  It’s a just comeuppance for that smug little white-haired douche bag.

Personal animosity aside, here’s what really thrills me about this.  We finally have voters holding their elected officials, the pols who work FOR them, accountable.  I’ve watched an electorate that is, and for a long time has been, overwhelmingly dissatisfied with Washington go to the polls in cycle after cycle and send the same team back into the game.  This has been the problem, and I have wondered if a fix were possible.

The mess that we’re in is not the fault of the Democrats or the Republicans.  This is on the voters.  These guys and gals are simply carrying on as they’ve been allowed to for far too long.

So, here’s where my enthusiasm is tempered.  Already talk on the GOP side has turned to political calculations and how the Democrats are in trouble.  Again, it’s not about parties.  It’s about incumbents receiving a long overdue beat-down.  I’ll be all too happy if a bunch of Republican heads roll as well.

Republicans need to stay on message, and that message can’t be “We might pick up x seats in 2010.”  I don’t want to know how so-and-so stepping down shakes out for the 2010 election and how the GOP will benefit.  I still want to hear why the GOP benefitting would be a good thing.  Not so much because I need to know, but rather to see whether the GOP actually knows.

Truth is, I’m still only slightly less angry with my party for the current mess than I am the Democrats.  Republicans’ frittered away their opportunity in power and set up the 2006 and 2008 debacles.  I want to hear that my candidates get it.  That they can look beyond how the electorate’s disaffection can benefit them, and understand why that disaffection exists.

For my money, the best thing that could come of this potential voter uprising … TERM LIMITS.

Now pardon me, but I need to go get under the covers before I catch pneumonia in all this global warming.

View Chicago homicides map in a larger map

Knowing that Chicago was one of the candidates, I had to laugh at reports of the IOC’s concern over crime in Rio de Janeiro, the city ultimately awarded the ‘16 Summer Games.

Even if the appeal of our really cool President didn’t win the committee over, surely the rousing success of Chicago’s aggressive gun control laws should have been persuasive, no?

In the wake of Plaxico Burress’ two-year sentence on gun charges I find this headline from Fox Sports:

Don’t feel bad for Plaxico

Thanks, because usually I’m bubbling over with compassion for idiots who errantly discharge firearms in crowded buildings, or who simply don’t exercise caution with instruments of deadly force.

I really don’t care how his sentence compares with other sentences for other crimes.  He got the punishment that goes with the law he broke.

And if you think New York’s gun laws are too tough, well, thank Burress for making your case incrementally less persuasive.

Some parting thoughts on the McNair story.  Please let them be parting thoughts – this case just gets more depressing by the day.

Pity the family.  Not only are they dealing with the sudden passing of their husband / father, they are also finding out the sordid details at the same time as the rest of America.

The roommate who found them called someone else who then called 911.  Memo to anyone who may every find me laying anywhere with four fresh gunshot wounds – CALL 911!  I don’t care if there is a pound of cocaine on the coffee table and a Vanilla Ice poster on the wall (really hard to say which would be more damaging to one’s reputation), don’t call anyone else, don’t clean up, don’t do any re-arranging, just take out your phone and call 911.  You have my permission in advance to disregard the possibility of embarrassment in favor of life and death.

OK, one of these statements is false.  Can you figure out which?

1.  “… sport utility vehicle that McNair had given her for her birthday…”

2.  “… though both Kazemi’s name and McNair’s were on the Cadillac’s title, she was apparently responsible for making payments …”

The correct answer was #1, and given the decision-making that has been going on regarding the national economy not to mention the state of people’s personal finances, I wouldn’t be surprised if 90% couldn’t figure it out.

First of all, if payments are being made then the vehicle hasn’t been “given” to anyone but the bank!

Second, where is the “gift” part? 

Her:  “Oh boy!  A brand new $700/mth car payment!  How did you know?” 

Him:  “Well I happened to notice how you gaze longingly at the neighbor’s ‘Foreclosure’ sign every time we drive by, so I figured ‘what the hell?’ “

Seriously, was his “gift” driving it home?  Choosing the color?  Putting up with the salesman?  I’m not sure, but she was doing the heavy lifting in this transaction.  This move makes McNair look like as much of a schmuck as any of the other things we are just now learning about him.

I can’t believe they are still waiting on the GSR (that’s gun shot residue, civilians) results in the McNair case.  NCIS would so have this thing wrapped up.  Perhaps their "Abby" needs her Big Gulp re-filled.

DiNozzo, quick!  Get to the 7-11!

I can hold my tongue no longer!  I’m not here to speak ill of the dead, but I’m sick of the hypocrisy.

This guy is not shattered, not immersed in sober reflection, not moping around because Michael Jackson is dead.

Jackson had his moments, sure.  There is no denying his contribution to music.  But since his musical heyday MJ had become a human freak show.  And we’re not talking about a couple of indiscretions.  He was up to his eyeballs in weird.

But seriously, I’m not here to hate on Jackson.  I got over his departure from normality long ago.  The axe I’m grinding is with all the network overkill in covering this event.  The starchy retrospectives.  The sober tones.  These are the folks who feasted on Jackson’s every misstep.  They are only sad because they lost one of their surefire, go-to sources for tabloid fodder.

If they have all of this tremendous respect for the departed pop singer why are they slurping around in the gutter for autopsy information?  Seems to me that the best way to show respect, and this really goes for any celebrity passing, would be to just leave it alone.  Report it as news and then move on and let family, friends and fans do their thing.

The good news is, my disgust over what qualifies as journalism these days was already maxed.  So this hasn’t made things worse.  It’s more of a reminder … “oh yeah, that’s right, they’re all freaking sleazeballs!”

Memo to Starbucks-sucking, Hummer-driving, pink polo-wearing golf “fan.”  When Tiger or anyone else is teeing off on a par 5 the ball is not going to “get in the hole,” regardless of your encouragement and vast knowledge of the sport.  This also almost always applies to par 4’s, and for that matter you rarely see anyone hole their drive on a par 3.

– B –

Breaking news in the Iran election story.  Turns out they found several boxes of uncounted ballots in the trunk of the Grant County Commissioner’s Buick in northern Minnesota.  Al Franken has now closed to within 57 votes of Ahmadinejad.  You thought those dissidents were mad yesterday …

– B –

Hillary Clinton has announced that Barack Obama has “absolutely” passed the 3am phone call test.  Really?  I’m curious what finally won her over.  Perhaps it was the way he decisively decided to step aside and give Iran a clear path to acquiring nuclear weapons.  Or maybe it was his quick retaliation after North Korea’s first missile test with a sternly-worded condemnation.  Then there was his call for Israel to lay down in the face of their enemies.  Obama has definitely led by example on that one.

Personally I think that with all that Obama is doing to screw up the economy, Hillary is just happy to have a job.

Yeah! It’s been a while since we’ve had a good treasure trove of quotes from friends, neighbors and acquaintances of a serial killer. Gotta hand it to the Craigslist Killer’s crew. They didn’t waste any time getting themselves in front of cameras.

OK, just so we understand how deep the denial runs … they have got this guy dead to rights. The only shred of doubt seems to surround how many other cases might be also attributed to him.

So, you had the neighbors. And first of all I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get a “quiet and kept to himself a lot.” I mean, what self-respecting serial killer doesn’t keep to himself a lot? You gotta have a code, dude!

Anyway, there was a “It doesn’t make sense.” Now that I get. That’s reasonable. If they would just leave it there, it would be fine. But no.

By the way, one of my goals is to someday be out in front of a serial killer’s house shortly after the guy is busted. As soon as I get within earshot of a reporter I’d say, “Man, I knew this was going to happen! That guy had serial killer written all over him!” That is so outside of the crime reporter’s playbook, I don’t think they’d know what to do with it.

Anyway, back to the neighbor: “He was smart, he carried himself well, he was clean, a good looking guy.” I am glad to know that he was clean. Maybe that’s a trade up. Those guys who keep to themselves … no telling when they last bathed.

The fiance is a real piece of work. According to her he “could not hurt a fly.” Which is true. The gun he owned … not the preferred weapon for fly-hurting. And really, can anyone just hurt a fly? With flies isn’t it all or nothing? You either smoosh it, or miss entirely. So I guess, maybe she was sayig the he was a little slow?

His fondness for flies was only exhibit A, however. The fiance also mentioned that they are / were to be married this summer and “share a wonderful, meaningful life together.” You can just picture the cops smacking themselves in the forehead. Beautiful, wonderful life? Why didn’t you say so? Clearly we’ve got the wrong guy. Evidence, shmevidence. There’s no disputing a beautiful, wonderful life.

Of course I really liked the guy on TV who said that he thought he might have helped him (the killer guy) move in to the college dorm their first year. Thanks, dude. That really helps. This story has taken on so much depth for me.

Actually it has. Engaged to a drama queen, and surrounded by morons … it becomes real easy to understand the guy’s desperation.

So, it’s “Call in Gay” day. Today the homosexual community is going to deprive us of their services. Personally I don’t see it accomplishing much. This didn’t work for the Hispanics when they tried it, and none of them are in the closet. Besides, like I can’t live a day without getting my hair done, or receiving good service at Chi Chi’s. And if the WNBA shuts down, would anyone even notice?

What is interesting is that the word is out there but I don’t think everyone got the memo. So, some unknowing folks will call in sick and then later in the week return to some funny looks from their co-workers. I wonder how many will be “outed” when they were never really “in.”

Memo to self: You will go to work today. Even if you sever your leg in some freak morning shower accident, it will still be severed tomorrow – you can deal with it then. Go to work.

Absolutely disgusting:  MADD dismisses volunteer from Idaho event.  Apparently the volunteer, who is also the victim of a drunk driver looked a little too much like the victim of a drunk driver and it made some people uncomfortable.

So, now I’m confused as to the purpose of recruiting paralyzed victims of drunk drivers to appear on behalf of MADD.  But mainly I’m just yearning for the good old days when supporting a cause required strength and resolve.