The Serious, Sublime, and Silly from 2009
Too many year-end pieces seek to characterize the preceding twelve months as a roller-coaster ride. For my money, 2009 turned out to be more akin to one of those swamp boat rides which purport to expose you to the beauty of nature while hoping you don’t notice how rapidly the alligators have overrun the terrain. Still, the final hours are ticking away and it’s worth taking a brief look back at the top ten highlights (or lowlights) that comprise the most significant political stories of the year.
10. Play It Again, Sam
No matter what your feelings may be about the current White House resident, it would be disingenuous in the extreme to deny that the inauguration of the nation’s first black president was historic. But with nearly a year of perspective to draw upon, perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the ceremony was the uncomfortably comic moment when the administration of the oath of office was flubbed. It seemed little more than a humorous trivia entry at the time, but the need for a do-over on the very first official act of the new administration should have set off alarms for the superstitious among us. The number of fits and starts encountered by the president’s ambitious agenda has doubtless left Barack Obama wishing for a mulligan more often than his “no girls allowed” trips out to the links.
9. All They Were Saying Was Give Peace a Chance
The decision by the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award their vaunted peace prize to Barack Obama quickly became a subject of regret around the world. (A disappointment perhaps felt by nobody as keenly as the committee members themselves following the president’s speech.) This is one story where some sympathy should be shown for President Obama. He had no control over the choice and, contrary to the opinions of many of his critics, refusing the award wasn’t really an option. But the moment quickly morphed into the gift that keeps on giving, prompting late-night comics (normally a very Obama-friendly audience) to begin speculating on what other honors he might receive, ranging from the Cy Young Award to an Eagle Scout badge. It may not have ended any wars, but the choice certainly provided us with weeks of humor in an otherwise dreary season.
8. Hiking Isn’t Always Good Exercise
Another classic moment from 2009 was brought to us by South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who began to turn up on the sides of milk cartons around his state last June. The idea of a prominent political figure having a South American lover might not, by itself, make our list. But his choice of excuses cements his place firmly in history. Sadly, the real victims of this tale are the true aficionados of camping and touring nature trails. Men up and down the Eastern seaboard who truly enjoy these activities must henceforth find a new explanation to give their wives regarding their weekend activities, since the phrase “hiking the Appalachian Trail” has forever taken on a rather tawdry connotation.
7. Cold Cash and Hard Time
Perhaps the most heartwarming story of the past year came to us from well south of the Mason-Dixon Line. It was the touching tale of a former congressman who asked for nothing more than a chance to serve his country, provide for his family, and store massive amounts of bribe money in tinfoil-wrapped packages in his freezer. But when William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson was sentenced to more than a dozen years in prison, the nation was taught a valuable lesson. There are, apparently, some levels of outrageous behavior which even members of Congress are not allowed to reach. (This one may be premature, though, since he’s still not seen a single day behind bars. Keep your fingers crossed.)
6. New York, New York. So Nice They’ll Try You Twice
A big newsmaker which will doubtless continue to deliver for some time to come was the administration’s decision to put Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and a few of his cronies on trial in New York City for their various transgressions. The Obama administration deftly signaled that they were no longer in favor of military tribunals, except when they were. While the media continues a feeding frenzy on the subject and debate rages across the land, the one group of people who seem least offended are New Yorkers themselves. Of course, given their propensity to solve many of today’s deeply nuanced conflicts at the end of a Louisville Slugger, this may not be such a surprise.
Great list, but I still think Honduras should be one at the top. It is a major big deal when a president of the United States and his Sec of State take sides with the brutal communist dictators of the region to try to bully a free republic into going against its constitutional laws in order to restore to power a dictator wanna-be.
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You own this genre, jazz, fits your style to a T. Correction: that would be Wasilla Warrior, or what we could use in the White House.
Not a bad list if we’re just looking at the US, which #4 leads me to believe we’re not. Agree with JohannS that Honduras should’ve made the list, also a disguised constitution called the Lisbon Treaty forced upon the EU without a vote (except in Ireland, where they got a do-over http://theendisalwaysnear.blogspot.com/2009/10/do-over.html), the non-event in Copenhagen, the British MP expenses scandal or North Korea withdrawing from the 6 party talks or sticking with the States, maybe Ted Kennedy’s death or the decision to send more people to die in Afghanistan.
Do not read Jazz Shaw is my New Year resolution. What a waste of time.
Michael Savage’s ban from Britain and the silence of the Left and Right should be #1. Never have I seen free speech stifled to thoroughly and followed by so much silence.
I think we need to be careful with this “of course” stuff about how many seats the Dems are going to lose. take nothing for granted. we can’t afford to be complacent.
2009 Top Tens You May Have Missed
Enough, already, with 2009 top 10 lists!? Here are a few that may have slipped beneath your scanner:
Top 10 White House Surprises: This subjective, unnumbered, list from Eamon Javers on Politico.com begins with the disclaimer, “Barack Obama’s first year as president wasn’t always exactly what Americans expected:” http://bit.ly/6vQdk5
You can say that again, Eamon! Most conservatives feel his year, our year, was even worse than expected even as some liberals think he wasn’t radical enough since he hasn’t yet declared the nation the United States of Socialist Republics.
Various of Javers’ picks as surprises are less surprising than they are a reflection of the fact that deep down Barack is about as warm and fuzzy as month-old bread. Fuzzy, probably, warm, rarely.
In that category fall such surprises as . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1401)
[...] But when William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson was sentenced to more than a dozen years in prison, the nation was taught a valuable lesson. [...]
What lesson? I ain’t heard nothin’ about this, the MSM is too busy criticizing Dick Cheney -
Agreed, Honduras and Climate Gate should have been on there too.
Especially Honduras since it was such a stark contrast to the Iran story!
There are no laws that are for military crimes in civilian court. How on earth is it possible to try a military crime in a court that he can get off for something ridiculous. The founding fathers never said anything like that. Maybe they thought it was not to be considered. Before we put anyone in civilian courts we need to have laws to cover them. Much like first, second, and third degree murder. How is that possible to do though?