Talk About a DC Outsider

I might have to change the name of this blog after John McCain picked Governor Sarah Palin, the ultimate "DC Outsider," as his running mate. Outsider because she is the governor of Alaska (which is practically in Russia), outsider because she is so unknown that the analysts on MSNBC didn't even know how to pronounce her name correctly, outsider because she is a hardcore conservative on so-called "family values," and outsider because she has practically no foreign policy experience.

McCain has taken a major gamble here and is ready to fire up that conservative base that was booing him just a few months ago. But there are some major, major questions about Palin's ability to come almost 3,400 miles to Washington, DC and serve as an effective vice president and, in the event that McCain is unable to serve, as president of the United States. This choice is either a genius political tactic or a complete misreading of the mood in this country.

I'll still keep the "DC Outsider" tag for this blog, but my money (and support) is for Biden in the debates. And after last night's energy and excitement in Denver, I've got a good feeling about November 4 for the Obama/Biden ticket. But there is still a long way to go to the White House. At least now all sides of the equation are in place.

The Best Blues Guitarist You Don't Know About

Last night, the blues band Indigenous rocked the State Theatre in Falls Church. Indigenous is led by guitarist Mato Nanji, a member of the Nakota Nation who grew up on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The original band, which was comprised of Mato's brother, sister, and cousin, broke up in 2006. After the split, Nanji decided to reform the band under the same name with new musicians to continue his own career. His musical influences are clear from his own style of playing: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Albert King:



I have listened to Indigenous for years, but had never seen them live. And while I originally had mixed feelings about seeing Mato with a new band (I'm a purist, I guess - 1998's Things We Do and 2000's Circle are must have albums), the new guys did not disappoint. All five members were a tight unit, but still allowed each other to demonstrate improvisation on creative solos.

The State Theatre was on fire. But unfortunately the place was also eerily empty. Looking around, it looked like no more than 150 people had shown up for a night of searing blues. And that's too bad, because Mato and Indigenous are truly some of the strongest blues musicians playing today. Despite the weak turnout, the band - true professionals - still seemed to be having a great time on stage and put on a great show for us in attendance. Hopefully they'll swing back again this way on their next tour - and hopefully the DC area will come and support them.

Maybe on a Saturday night next time, though?

For more about Indigenous, click here.

More of the Same from McCain

Congratulations to John McCain's media team for putting out yet another tasteless ad attacking Barack Obama. First, it was the "shame on Obama for being popular" ad that Paris Hilton so eloquently (or should I say beautifully?) responded to a couple of weeks ago (Yesteday Matt Bai also made the "case for cool" in the New York Times Magazine). Now, McCain's most recent piece of wasted commercial time uses comments made by Sen. Clinton during the primary season. McCain obviously does not have anything positive to ad to his own campaign, so he has to go dipping into obscure sound bytes to critique Obama's choice of a running mate:



With all do respect, Senator McCain, mind your own business. And if you choose Mitt Romney as your running mate, remember there will be no shortage of sound bytes the Democrats can choose from to fight fire with fire. Hopefully, though, they won't decide to do so.

We've all had enough of this type of campaigning.

The Ball Is Rolling...

Get ready to put another bumper sticker on the back of your car. With Barack Obama's announcement this morning that Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware will be his running mate for the upcoming election, the country has officially moved passed the idyllic two weeks of Olympic euphoria to gear up for the campaign ahead.

(On a side note, I'll definitely be missing the Olympics. There is always something comforting about having something to cheer for every night on TV, kind of like the routine of a mid-summer baseball schedule. A "security blanket" of sports, if you will)

But alas, I digress. It is time to move on from the duos of May-Treanor / Walsh and Rogers / Dalhausser (gold medalists all) to Obama / Biden and McCain / Question mark. I'm excited about Biden and looking forward to seeing what he can add to Obama's campaign, particularly during the debates. Let's just hope the media doesn't adopt a "Team Obiden" moniker.

So goodbye Water Cube and hello campaign trail... it's going to be a marathon race for sure.

What Did Sports Illustrated Do To Michael Phelps?

Today, Sports Illustrated unveiled this week's cover which features - who else? - Michael Phelps. The photo has the Olympic champion posing with 8 gold medals around his neck in a tribute to Mark Spitz, the man whose record he broke last week. Unfortunately, while Spitz's 1972 photo makes him look somewhat hip (even for the 70s), Phelps' setup has more of a cross-dresser vibe.
Those huge red ribbons all linked together make it look like he is sporting some gawdy Project Runway dress rather than decked out in Beijing bling. Like everyone else in this country, I've become a Phelps fan (though maybe not a phan) during the Olympics. I just wish SI could have showcased him and his medals in a better way. Next time, "make it work."

The issue hits newstands on Friday.

I Almost Dropped My Dinner

Remember those scary times a few months ago when there was a big concern that Hillary Clinton supporters would either not show up in November or vote for John McCain after it became clear that Barack Obama would secure the nomination? All we heard about then were nightmare scenarios and people planning to move to Canada and so on. As the Democrats head into the convention in two weeks, it seems, however, that the party is extremely united and energized around Obama (as they should be). But no, there are still some Hillary supporters out there who - going against the wishes of "their candidate"- are still attempting to derail Senator Obama's campaign.

I was cooking dinner last night with Hardball on in the background when I heard this interview session with Will Bower of Just Say No Deal and Darragh Murphy of People United Means Action. (I know I've included links to their organizations, but they really aren't worth your time).



Now, I am all for believing in a cause and sticking to your guns, but what are these two thinking? It is borderline treason what they are saying two weeks to Denver. The time for debate and discussion has ended and it is now time to rally around the Democratic candidate for the showdown in November. Murphy really sums up her madness at minute 5:33 with, [I would accept a McCain presidency] "because it will change the leadership of the DNC." She continues: "All I care about is the Democratic party, the democratic process, and Democratic voters."

I almost dropped my dinner. With that attitude she should have just said, "It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it." But we all know how Hillary feels about villages. In all seriousness, though, it's time to unite not only the Democrats, but other Americans who believe that now is the moment for a new direction in American leadership - one that promotes peace, security, and hope not only throughout the world, but here in the United States, as well.

Hillary Clinton has done a fantastic job in supporting Obama since she dropped out of the race in June. I would hope all of her former supporters would do the same. As I wrote a few months ago, let's get it together, Dems. There's too much at stake this time.

The Power of the Doc

Last night, the Library of Congress wrapped up their "Summer Surf" film series with a screening of Stacy Peralta's 2004 documentary "Riding Giants" at the Mary Pickford Theatre. The film traces big wave surfing's colorful history and characters. Now the closest I've come to being a surfer is listening to Surfin' USA, but the film appeals to both surfers and non-surfers alike. Supported by an eclectic soundtrack, fantastic archival footage, and interviews with the pioneers of the sport, "Riding Giants" is a 104 minute joyride. (Geez, I'm sounding like Roger Ebert, right?). It's definitely worth checking out sometime if you get the opportunity. Here's a sneak peak from the trailer:



On a similar documentary-note, take a look at SnagFilms, a new website launched by Ted Leonsis, formerly of AOL. At SnagFilms, you can watch 225 documentary films for free (with a few commercials thrown in) on a variety of topics ranging from politics to music to sports. The titles range from documentaries you may have seen in the theatres (Super Size Me and Paper Clips) to ones you saw at 2 am on PBS (Inca Mummies: Secrets of the Lost World and Africa's Blood Diamonds: Diamonds of War). The best part about SnagFilms is that they encourage sharing the movies with others on blogs, Facebook, and other social networking sites. So without further ado, here's the critically acclaimed Heavy Metal in Baghdad:



***Update***: Ted Leonisis gave the Outsider a shout-out on his blog, Ted's Take. Click here.

Worlds Collide in Beijing

Saturday's post, "W. Loves Beach Volleyball," broke all sorts of personal records for the most hits per day since I started this site back in October. Thanks for all the support, which I owe mostly to the Express Blog Log that featured the entry this morning. Apparently there is a huge demand out there for pictures of President Bush...

...or of volleyball players in bikinis.

Anyhow, the Bush / May-Treanor/ Walsh photo-op is but one of the many "athlete meets politician" stories to come out of the Games. The Washington Post reported this morning in an article about President George H.W. Bush a juicy little tidbit that you wish has been caught on film: The moment the former president met NBA star LeBron James. Michael Abramowitz writes:

Meeting Team USA with Bush 43 before the game, Bush 41 gave a warm hug to Lakers star Kobe Bryant and received an affectionate greeting from Cavaliers hero LeBron James: "What's up, pops?" the massive James asked.

Classic. Where are those citizen journalists when you need them? They'll catch George Allen or Barack Obama in awkward moments, but they're not around for perhaps the greatest line ever spoken to a living U.S. President. Maybe next time.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the uncanny resemblance between U.S. beach volleyball player Phil Dalhausser and Democratic strategist James Carville. He looks like Carville with a six pack, but of a different kind. Josh Brolin may pull off a decent Bush impersonation in Oliver Stone's new film, but if they ever put together a movie about the Clinton years, I'd get Dalhausser on the phone for the Carville part. He might have to work on the accent, though.

W. Loves Beach Volleyball

Being the president of the United States has a lot of perks. Sure, there are some challenging decisions that need to be made now and then: questions of war and peace / taxation / social services / health care / etc. But all the stress is apparently worth it if it gains you access to a private beach volleyball lesson with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh at the Olympics:

I'm not sure what's going on in the last picture, but I have a feeling it will go down as one of the lasting images of the Bush presidency, up there with the oh-so-wrong Mission Accomplished photo.

For more pics from W.'s day at the beach, click here. And don't be surprised if the George W. Bush Presidential Library has a beach volleyball net out back.

***UPDATE***: This post was mentioned in today's Washington Post Express Blog Log. You can read the online version here.

Sometimes Sports Isn't Enough

The Olympics kick off today in Beijing and it is fair to say that the whole world is watching. While these Games are not without controversy particularly on China's part, for the next two weeks the big stories will be about the athletes, competition, and medal counts. And that's a good thing. The Olympics remind us every 4 years that it is possible to compete not only on the battlefield or in the conference room, but also on the field of play. To be cliche about it, sports can bring us all together. And perhaps the best example of that is "soccer diplomacy," the possible improvement of relations between countries stemming from cultural and competitive exchange from international soccer competition.

But sometimes sports just isn't enough to surpass the political barriers. On September 6, the U.S. Men's National Soccer team travels south to Cuba to compete in a 2010 World Cup Qualifier. Unfortunately, Sam's Army (the National Team supporter's club) and all other Americans have to stay home. According to a statement released by the U.S. Soccer Association:

U.S. Soccer has been informed by the United States Department of Treasury (the United States Government agency of jurisdiction with respect to regulating travel to Cuba), that travel to Cuba for tourism or for the purposes of observing specific public performances, including sporting events, is prohibited under U.S. law.

Talk about home field advantage for the Cubans. Fortunately, a month later, the Cubans will travel here to Washington, DC to play the Americans in the home-leg on October 11 at RFK Stadium.

So while we celebrate all of the "pageantry" and "unity" of the Olympic games over the next few weeks, let's also keep in mind the limitations of the event and realize that it won't change everything (or possibly anything). Still, the more we all get to know each other - whether at the Olympics or down in Havana - the more possibilities there are for a positive future based on mutual understanding.

(President) Dukakis?

The first presidential election that I was aware of as a kid was the 1988 contest between President George H.W. Bush and Governor Michael Dukakis. I was almost six years old at the time and twenty years later I still have the distinct memory of riding the yellow school bus one day and getting caught up in a yelling match that spontaneously erupted. "BUSH!" half the kids yelled. "DUKAKIS!" responded the other half. (This being the nature of political discussion that takes place at the kindergarten level). Coming from a loyal family of Democrats, I was on the "DUKAKIS!" side, but the three-syllable Greek name just didn't have the same ring as the incumbent's. Dukakis, as we all know, lost.

But what if he hadn't? What if 1988 belonged to Michael Dukakis, as it looked like it might that spring according to the polls? That is the subject of this week's Boston Globe Magazine cover story, "What If?" (I was up in New Hampshire for a wedding this weekend and picked up a copy at Logan Airport). Part alternative history and part profile, Charles P. Pierce's article is a fascinating look into what might have been. Here are a few of the highlights, as explained during the hypothetical dedication of the Dukakis Presidential Museum and Library in 2008:

[The dignitaries arrive at the museum]: President Al Gore got off the train first, followed by former president Jack Kemp, who'd succeeded Dukakis in 1996. Kemp came down the stairs with Dick Gephardt, whom he'd defeated, Gephardt having replaced Vice President Lloyd Bentsen on the ticket when Dukakis was reelected in 1992. The two were heard to joke about the now legendary problem that Gephardt had had with his original choice of a running mate, Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, who was forced to resign from the ticket after a tabloid TV program caught him leaving a Little Rock hotel at 5 in the morning in the company of a failed lounge singer.

[Some of the exhibits in the museum]: On a television screen on one wall of the museum, CNN anchor Bernard Shaw is shown asking Dukakis if he would support the death penalty for a criminal who had raped and murdered his wife. "If this were anyplace else and any other time, Bernie," Dukakis memorably replied, "I'd ask you to step outside for a minute." Raucous applause broke out in the studio audience. Not far away, on another wall, was the famous photograph of Dukakis riding in a tank outside a General Dynamics plant in Michigan. The visual might have become a blunder of historic proportion had Dukakis not deftly saved the situation by quipping, "I looked silly in a tank for 15 minutes. George Bush has been in the tank for 30 years." Both incidents had worked to undermine the image of Dukakis as a bloodless technocrat and are widely credited with helping him to his narrow victory.

[What became of George W. Bush]: Next to him [in a photograph] is the former co-owner of the Texas Rangers who became the baseball commissioner, George W. Bush, the son of the man Dukakis had defeated in 1988 and widely regarded as the man who saved baseball from its own folly.

The imagination sure gets going, doesn't it? Alternative histories are a bit of fun, but Dukakis points out what was at stake in 1988. "As I say to people, kiddingly, blame this mess on me. If I'd beaten the old man, we'd have never had this kid and this stupid war and all." Something tells me, though, that Dukakis isn't really kidding.

To read the full article, click here.

Who Needs Screen on the Green?

For many in the DC area, Monday nights in July and August mean watching movies down at the Mall during the annual Screen on the Green. It's a great chance to get together with some friends and family and take in some of our nation's cultural treasures (as long as you don't end up sitting near some of these types). Tonight they are showing The Apartment and next week is the series finale, Superman.

I started watching older movies a couple of years ago during a random trip to Blockbuster when I came back with Casablanca. It's been a great trip ever since, a "hobby" that combines my love of history with the movies. The stories, the acting, the music, the dialogue - many of today's movies don't even come close to some of the products of the studio system during the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. So while Screen on the Green is a fun way to catch a few great films and meet the rest of the city, for classic movie fans every August means something special on Turner Classic Movies, the Summer Under the Stars programming. Every day this month, TCM airs a full day's worth of films dedicated to a different movie legend. (Say what you want about Ted Turner, TCM is one of television's finest channels).

Here are a few of my top picks for this month:

Claude Rains (Tuesday, August 5)

Peter Lorre (Wednesday, August 13)

Rita Hayworth (Friday, August 15)

Barbara Stanwyck (Tuesday, August 19)

Edward G. Robinson (Wednesday, August 20)

Ava Gardner (Thursday, August 21)

Ingrid Bergman (Monday, August 25)

Marlon Brando (Friday, August 29)

Katharine Hepburn (Saturday, August 30)

Spencer Tracy (Sunday, August 31)

To check out the rest of this year's Summer Under the Stars schedule, click here. Look at that one-two-three punch at the end of the month...Not a bad way to end the summer.