Hell, I say keep it. American presidential politics never truly ends anyway so why not stay in fighting trim. If we lose the Stump, all we have left is The always Glorious Plank and that little parcel of frothing insanity, The Spine.

Don't do that to us.

Former President William Jefferson Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton look happy.

Silly me. I wasn't associating the name of the blog with the campaign. I thought it was shorthand for 'Stump The Reader'.

"Uhhhh Hillary"

"Yes, Bill."

"What should we do next year?"

"Same thing we do every year."

"Uhhh... what's that?

"TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!"

She looks so beautiful.

Very flattering photo of Hillary - she looks so happy!

I was hoping to see a Charles Barkley DUI arrest photo as a "photo of the day."  Do you think he'll still be running for governor of Alabama now that he has confessed he ran that red light in Old Town Scottsdale the other night because he was in such a hurry to have oral sex with his female companion?  Sounds like gubernatorial material to me.

I don't know, the novelty factor of Barkley telling the truth and accepting the blame might still do him some good.

Be proud, Mike. And happy new year.

That;s why people like Barkley - his honesty is Tourette's level, for better or worse.  No one apologizes more sincerely than Sir Charles, he needs to get on that quickly.  

People accept his dark side.  I think he's still viable.

I'd be a little bit worried, but I saw Dick Clark trying to join the party and felt sorry for him.  I know he likes to Rock n Roll, but maybe it's time to retire when you have trouble doing something physical like maybe talking.

Bill & Hillary may be handing around a little bit too long too.  Care-taker Senator?

And Charles might be hanging around a little too long too.  But at least it's interesting.  But I think I said it before, I think Charles tells people what he thinks they want to hear, playing them.  What kind of Police Officer would write a ticket against a guy with this story?  Heartless.

Michael Crowley has always been an imbecile. Even Martin Peretz admitted that his vendetta against the Clintons was stupid. It will be a cold day in hell when Crowley will stop being stupid, hysterical and irrational.

This imbecile cannot see the Clintons without coming with some conspiracy theory of how they want to run the world. It hasn't occurred to the imbecile that more than 45% of US Democrats wanted her as presidential candidate, or that she has been designated as future secretary of state. Hillary Clinton IS important, while you, Michael Crowley, will never be more than an ass-licking hack.

Crowley, why don't you crawl back into your Ken Starr pal's hole? You two are about as smart and honest.

sleepy,

wow, you're bringing in the New Year a bit rough...

I like Crowley. He can be a little snarky but I like that.

Anyhow, Happy New Year to you sleepy my lad. If you're in the Bay Area this year, doing your scientific do-si-do that you do, give me a ring. I'm still here, getting older and fatter...

Unfortunately, Sir Charles may be doing time in tent city, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's (the "toughest sheriff" in the U.S), home away from home, green bologne and all.   It is too bad the cop that took him in didn't let him go, even though Charles said he would tattoo his name on his butt if he did.   On second thought, that might be the way to win Alabama.  Tattoo the names of all voters on his butt.  His butt is big enough.

Some will insist this is just the start of Hillary's 2012 presidential campaign. She is smiling they will tell us because unbeknownst to John Kerry she is going to name Chelsea Clinton as her Secretary of State.

Indeed, all she has to figure out now is a way to turn Barack Obama into Lyndon Baines Johnson. Unless, of course, Obama stumbles into the quagmire all by himself.

Could Pakistan become the new Iraq?

george walton

  I'll probably be called upon as a witness for the prosecution but Crowley is OK with me. I've been watching the Clintons for over 20 years. Their bad judgment in any given year has been more damaging to their progress than Michael's portfolio of provoking pricking. I'm not claiming that a few people have been not been obsessed with bringing them down. But Crowley doesn't have to power to carry out a vendetta if he wanted. Further, I could argue the Clintons screwed over more people than any writer at TNR.  

  Look at that Photo Of The Day! I don't see a couple who is bruised and bloody and their income for a week will best the annual paycheck for any writer in this neighborhood. Good luck in taking the side of Bill and Hillary but if it comes to a loyalty pact, get it in writing. And get paid in advance.

  No, Michael is not an imbecile and he's neither a character assassin the Clintons fear or cannon fodder they can use and dispose. They will never be humbled but reminding them who they aren't is the least an honest broker of information can do.

keep the blog!

The subhed of the banner at the top now reads "Inside the Obama Administration," so that seems to be a pretty strong indicator of the blog's new direction.  Not sure if it needs a name-change on top of that, but I think that if one is forthcoming, a TNR contest is in order.

Contest*?

  5.  The Dump (Thump, Slump, Lump, Speed Bump, Suction Pump)

    4   Change Exchange

      3.  Hope Grope.

        2.  White House Douse

          1.  POTUS Notice

      * All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. But I will play for pay.

Hi  Jaunty, Happy New Year to you too!

If I get to SF again, maybe we'll get to meet, that would be nice. I there was a nice cafe you mentioned...

Not bad, michael.  I'd suggest something like "Left on Pennsylvania" to honor the wild-eyed GOP dead-enders who continue to insist that Obama is the love-child of Karl Marx and Mao Tse Tung.

If there's gonna be a contest, note the formula: "The _____", with the blank filled by a one-syllable word (Plank, Spine, Vine).  No cheating.

Personally, I'm voting for "The Pain."