Dear Senator Inhofe: Condolences are Not Political in Sympathy for Your Loss

Interesting commentary from NBC pundit David Gregory.  

My sincere condolences to the family of Senator Inhofe and to the community in Tulsa, OK, who have lost a valued physician.

From Gregory's "David's Take"

Conservative Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, lost his 52 year-old son Perry in a plane crash last month. David Gregory, pundit and moderator of "Meet the Press", spoke to the senator about his loss and his attitude about politics as a result. 

“The differences are still there,” he told Gregory during an interview with tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. 

When his son died, he was moved by the number of Democrats who reached out to comfort him- even more, he admitted, than fellow Republicans. “Your attitude changes. And I can’t help but think when I’m confronting someone on something in which we disagree that I know how they responded to my loss and how we got closer.”

A friend thought Inhofe’s story was a sign of how bad things have gotten around here, that a Senator finds it notable that Democratic colleagues would be nice after his personal loss.

Yes, but what have we all learned from Pope Francis this year about the power of small gestures. Maybe this is a start. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/11/11/sen-inhofes-son-killed-in-plane-crash/

The son of Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has died in a plane crash, a person close to Inhofe and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's office confirmed Monday.

The plane crashed near Owasso, Okla., on Sunday afternoon, reportedly killing the pilot.

Reports on Monday traced the plane to a company that Dr. Perry Inhofe is associated with, but the victim has not officially been identified. KOCO-TV was the first to confirm that the younger Inhofe was indeed the victim.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Jim and Kay and their family as they mourn this terrible loss," Hagel said in a statement, according to multiple reports.

Perry Inhofe was an orthopedic surgeon who worked in Tulsa. His legacy obituary is posted at http://www.legacy.com/ns/obituary.aspx?n=perry-inhofe&pid=167966709

We can only imagine the emotional pain felt by the Inhofe family during their bereavement. Condolences are not political.

From a sincerely sympathetic Democrat.

Republican Issa and his Circular Reasoning - a Meet the Press Sideshow Act

"...the reasoner begins with what he or she is trying to end up with."

This Sunday's Meet the Press with David Gregory started with a confusing interview about Benghazi, with Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, of California.  Although Gregory tried, unsuccessfully, to focus the circular responses Issa gave about how Congress is relentlessly investigating the September 11, 2012, Benghazi incident, the answers were confusing and even contradictory.

Issa reminded me of the cliche Texas governor from the film musical "Best Little Whore House in Texas", played convincingly by Charles Durning who sang about "The Sidestep", in his Best Supporting Actor nomination performance.  Durning gave a comical tongue in cheek performance when he sang the lyrics:

"Fellow Texans, I am proudly standing here to humbly see. 

I assure you, and I mean it- Now, who says I don't speak out as plain as day? And, fellow Texans, I'm for progress and the flag-

long may it fly. I'm a poor boy, come to greatness. So, it follows that I cannot tell a lie. Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don't- ...."

On Meet the Press, this is how Issa explained his take on the politicization of the Benghazi tragedy  (transcript from Meet the Press):

Issa:  "...a full understanding of why urgent request repeatedly for more security before the attacks were denied? We’ve had statements that it wasn’t about money. But, at the same time, people are asking for more security, they got less. The British ambassador has two assassination attempts, and yet we keep a facility that was not able to withstand even a few minutes of attack. Then, those seven hours while the attack was going on. Was the response correct? Could it have been better? Why wasn’t-- why weren’t things at least tried or revved up to be tried? Those are important questions. And then afterwards, how could you change talking point 12 times from what seems to be relatively right to what seems to be completely wrong?"

What would the late Charles Durning say to the above?

"Ooh... I've come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step, cut a little swathe and lead the people on."

Let's try to straighten out Issa's circular reasoning.  Although Issa tries to create the conclusion that the attack on the consulate or outpost in Benghazi is shrouded in a cover up, the straight truth is that Republicans, like Issa, with his myth creating colleagues, are muckraking a tragic situation for political purposes. 

This over reach  on Behghazi is most likely because Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may run for president and the right wing are terrified of another Democrat in the White House.

First of all - the consulate is not the embassy.  The "under protection" of the consulate must be distinguished from security at the embassy. Ambassador Stevens left the embassy for a yet to be explained reason, where he was tragically killed.  

Congressman Issa should ask why Ambassador Stevens was at the consulate when security there was known to be less than optimal?  Although the reason Ambassador Stevens left the Libyan embassy in Tripoli is irrelevant (as Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said, "what difference does it make?"),  if Congressmen Issa is wasting tax payer money by muckraking Benghazi, then Americans should have all the facts about the incident. This should include revealing why Ambassador Stevens left the security of the embassy, in the first place.

Rather than explain why Ambassador Stevens unfortunately left the embassy on September 11, 2012, Issa speaks, instead, about two assassination attempts on the British ambassador. 

"...(The Sidestep)...Now my good friends, it behooves me to be solemn and declare..."  Congressman Issa raises a red herring when he mixes facts about the British Ambassador with Benghazi.  Americans know very little about any horrible attempt to assassinate the British Ambassador and we probably don't need to know about the numbers of death threats to all American and British diplomats.

Additionally, Congressman Issa deliberately confused the issue by speaking about the inability of the consulate security to withstand even "a few minutes" of attack, when he acknowledges the Benghazi incident raged for seven hours.  I suspect this egregious statement by Issa would've made glaring headlines, if Issa were a Congressional leader, like Speaker Boehner.  But, he's a two year Congressman who his colleagues put up to confuse Americans

Dear Congressman Issa, don't get smug about the tragic Benghazi attack. By any measure, the Benghazi attack was a horribly protracted incident. I suspect the initial minutes were simply not taken seriously enough.  In fact, demonstrations were occurring in several locations on that day and the people at the consulate probably had every reason to believe the conflagration at the consulate was an extension of other unrest.  Sadly, the four victims were likely caught by surprise.

As for the changes in administration's talking points, post incident, this decoy statement is completely deceiving.  Every Congressman, including Issa and all his colleagues, routinely change talking points on press releases, speeches or public statements.  Repeating, "What difference does it make...?", as Secretary of State Clinton said.  The facts are indisputable   An American Ambassador was killed in Benghazi.  These facts were not altered.  

Finally, in the Gregory interview, Issa asks an important and unresolved question about the Benghazi incident.  Could security have been better?  You bet it could.  

Therefore, in the circular reasoning Congressman Issa created, he finally raised a conclusion with which all Americans will agree.

Congress should focus on the root cause of the Benghazi incident and, additionally, how to prevent another tragedy.  

Muckraking Benghazi does not honor the four Benghazi victims. Moreover, Ambassador Stevens is, sadly, no longer here to defend his decision to visit the consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.  

Congressman Issa and his conservative colleagues should use their tax payer funded salaries to improve the American human condition. Instead, they appear to prefer wasting resources by creating confusion and engaging in circular reasoning.

David Gregory's Tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy: Meet the Press

Today's August 30 episode of Meet the Press with David Gregory was one of the best tributes to an ordinary US Senator I have witnessed in my lifetime. Senator Kennedy's eulogy lived on in today's program.

Thank you to Mr. Gregory and to NBC for the extended coverage of Edward Kennedy's death and funeral. Viewers appreciated this poignant moment in American history where, as a nation, we voluntarily paused to reflect on our tumultuous past while lamenting about the future, absent the Kennedy family's beneficial influence.

Maria Kennedy Shriver was particularly eloquent in Gregory's interview.

Yet, the personal testimony and reflection of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend captured what I felt to be spiritually true. Townsend spoke about Senator Kennedy's Roman Catholic faith. She explained the meaning of Roman Catholicism's position on forgiveness, from a personally spiritual perspective.

Like the Kennedy's generational ups and downs, the Roman Catholic faith has overcome thousands of years of scandals and corruption. Most recently, of course, Catholics have been challenged learning about the years of inexcusable cover ups of priests who were protected from sexual abuse charges.

Townsend transcended those horrible black spots of abuse. Inadvertently, I suppose, Townsend put yet another dimension on the Kennedy family's legacy. Their personal family tragedies, triumphs, failings, shortcomings and victories in the face of extraordinary adversities are as tumultuous as the history of Roman Catholicism itself. Obviously, the Kennedy's don't need yet another burdensome torch to carry, but the connection does lead to philosophical thought about the nature and power of forgiveness.

Certainly, I'm neither a philosopher or politician, so this mighty thought about the parallel between being a Kennedy and a Catholic is certainly out of my comfort zone. But, as a blogger...oh well (!), I can bring up the subject for others to criticize or consider.

Meanwhile, the purpose of this blog is simply to say Thank You to Meet the Press, to NBC and to those who appeared on today's show. We prayerfully want to continue the dream, so hope, can, indeed, live on. May Senator Kennedy Rest in Peace.