By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Jun 2, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Maybe it is because I’m on a business trip in Washington DC today, but it seems that every third news story and every other conversation revolves around an entirely implausible “scandal” featuring the fully-clothed nether regions of a mostly unknown Congressman.
What’s the story here, people?
Unless you live without electricity or batteries, you are probably aware that Congressman Anthony Weiner’s Twitter account sent a possibly lewd picture to a college student over the weekend. Weiner has both claimed his account was hacked, and that he cannot say with “certitude” that the picture is not of himself.
It seems that the media has excused itself by focusing on the fact that Weiner may be lying. But he’s not accused of doing anything remotely illegal. Nor can anyone argue that Weiner has abused tax dollars or his position of power. And as I’ve argued on behalf of Sarah Palin and Arnold Schwartzenegger, lying in such personal cases, simply with the very human motive of protecting one’s family from embarrassment, should neither be criminal nor a subject of constant media speculation.
RP Nation — If you think this is a legitimate story, please explain in the comments section below.
If not, take the Honorable Clancy Wiggum’s advice below, and move on, there’s nothing to see here:
Last week, the RP, contributing RP Lisa Borders, and a group of other Democrats, Republicans and Independents from across the country, helped launch No Labels Radio.
No Labels is a new grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. No Labels Radio will offer a weekly dose of news and interviews with the policymakers who are working to find bipartisan answers to the otherwise intractable problems our country faces.
No Labels Radio is broadcast every Thursday at 2 PM EDT. Just go to nolabels.org.
Tune in TODAY at 2 to listen to this week’s episode, featuring an interview with former U.S. Senator Bob Kerry of Nebraska.
Last week’s broadcast is now online. You can listen to it here:
By Jonathan Miller, on Tue May 31, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET
It’s hard to believe that The Recovering Politician completes in second full month today.
With 18 contributing recovering politicians, 8 Friends of RP, and 9 outstanding staff writers, we’ve produced more than 300 posts filled with news, entertainment, opinion, and hopefully a bit of humor.
Of course, ever the impatient expansionist (I haven’t fully recovered from politics yet), I will continue to explore ways to improve upon this Web site.
In the coming weeks, we will feature a few new contributing RPs. The next two are nationally known political figures, one from each major party. (Hint: They both have been answers to recent New York Times crossword puzzles.)
And since yesterday’s Memorial Day experiment was so successful, expect us on occasion to enlist our readers to contribute their thoughts on the site’s home page. If you were one of the lucky outdoors and away from the Web yesterday, take a scroll down yesterday’s postings. I think you will find a great deal of inspiring, eloquent tributes to some true American heroes.
So, two months in, the journey continues. We hope you are enjoying the ride.
We are going to have another big week next week, filled with great news, discussion, analysis, and a few laughs thrown in.
And best of all, we are opening up the Web site to you on Monday.
Monday, May 30, The Recovering Politician will be dedicated exclusively to tributes to the men and women who have served our country in uniform. Please send us your story (from 100 to 1000 words) about a brave loved one whom you are remembering this Memorial Day. If you have a picture –particularly one of them in uniform — please send along as well. We will publish all of the appropriate entries on Monday.
Please email the story and picture to Staff@TheRecoveringPolitician.com by Saturday night, May 28, at 11:00 PM EDT, and we will share it Monday on The Recovering Politician.
Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back on Memorial Day.
Yesterday, the RP, contributing RP Lisa Borders, and a group of other Democrats, Republicans and Independents from across the country, helped launch No Labels Radio.
No Labels is a new grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. No Labels Radio will offer a weekly dose of news and interviews with the policymakers who are working to find bipartisan answers to the otherwise intractable problems our country faces.
No Labels Radio is broadcast every Thursday at 2 PM EDT.
Yesterday’s broadcast is now online. You can listen to it here:
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri May 27, 2011 at 12:30 PM ET
Continuing my newly-established tradition of plagiarizing from Nick Hornby and sharing my pop culture Top Five lists (See my Favorite Breakup Songs , my Favorite Hoops Books, and the Most Jew-ish Gentiles), and in honor of my oldest RPette’s recent acquisition of an adorable bunny (named “Louie” not “Bugs”), I ask the question that has confused, even haunted my generation:
What’s up with all of the guys named “Doc” who’ve never practiced medicine or even earned a graduate degree?
Without further agonized perplexion, I hereby list My Five Favorite “Doc”s Who Weren’t Really Doctors:
5. (tie) Doctor J and Doctor K
Julius Erving (who supposedly got his nickname from a high school buddy) and Dwight Gooden (an homage to Erving — K stands for strikeout — that was later shortened to “Doc”) were two of the greatest athletes of the last three decades of the 20th Century. J was the fifth highest scorer in pro basketball history, the first great populizer of the slam dunk, and one of the most graceful and elegant atheletes to ever play the game (And how ’bout that ‘fro!). K was one of the most feared and dominant baseball pitchers, whose brilliant career could only be stopped by drug use and injury. And yet, despite their greatness, there is no sensible reason to award them with the title of doctor. (At least J gathered a few honorary degrees after his career ended.)
4. Doc, the Dwarf
Doc wasn’t necessarily the brightest of the dwarfs — he seemed to stammer and lose his train of thought quite often — but he held sway over the rest of the crew, with the possible exception of Grumpy, of course. (Here is a great summary of his life and career.) Doc’s authority emenated from being the gray eminence of the group, the centered, moral authority. Yet there was no evidence whatsoever of a medical license or doctoral dissertation at an accredited university. Indeed, it took the efforts of a fully-heighted fellow (The Prince) to relieve Snow White of her food poisoning ailment.
Read the rest of… The RP: What’s Up Doc? — My Five Favorite “Doc”s Who Weren’t Really Doctors
We’re going to start a Memorial Day tradition here at The Recovering Politician.
Too often, we think of Memorial Day for its picnics, newly-opened swimming pools, and brighter, lighter fashion statements.
But its very name demands, Memorial Day should be one in which we honor and remember the men and women who bravely served our country in uniform. As the Scripture instructs, there is no greater love than to give one’s life on behalf of his or her neighbor.
Accordingly, next Monday, May 30, The Recovering Politician will be dedicated exclusively to tributes to these great patriots. The RP, the contributing RPs, the Friends of RP, and the RP staff will all be sharing stories of their friends, family and loved ones who served our country.
And we are opening up the site to our readers as well. Please send us your story (from 100 to 1000 words) about a brave loved one whom you are remembering this Memorial Day. If you have a picture — particularly one of them in uniform — please send along as well. We will publish all of the appropriate entries on Monday.
Please email the story and picture to Staff@TheRecoveringPolitician.com by Saturday night, May 28, at 11:00 PM EDT, and we will share it Monday on The Recovering Politician.
Thanks in advance for joining us in this Memorial Day Tribute — putting the Memorial back in Memorial Day.
A big day is in store tomorrow at The Recovering Politician.
First, the RP’s latest “Top Five” list is in queue, and it’s a doozy. Check in around lunchtime for a few laughs.
In the afternoon, we’ll feature our latest addition of RPTV’s Friday Video Flashbacks.
And, lastly but mostly, The Recovering Politician will be doing something for the first time in its long storied history: inviting our readers to write a short piece for a special day next week.
Tune in first thing Friday morning for the details, and be ready for your chance to shine as an RP contributor.
As we previewed a few hours ago, the RP, contributing RP Lisa Borders, and a bipartisan group of national leaders, committed to promoting civility and bipartisan solutions to the nation’s toughest problems, have launched No Labels Radio.
No Labels is a new grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. No Labels Radio will offer a weekly dose of news and interviews with the policymakers who are working to find bipartisan answers to the otherwise intractable problems our country faces.
Starting today at 2 PM EDT, and then reappearing every Thursday at the same time, the RP — along with contributing RP Lisa Borders and others — is serving as a co-host for No Labels Radio.
No Labels is a new grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. No Labels Radio will offer a weekly dose of news and interviews with the policymakers who are working to find bipartisan answers to the otherwise intractable problems our country faces.
If you are interested in the organization, click here to learn about how you can help promote civility and reduce the hyper-partisan influences on public policy.
And regardless of your political preferences, please join the RP on No Labels Radio at 2:00 PM EDT today and every subsequent Thursday.
