|
|
| |
| Mon, Sep. 8, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
A year in arrows Sunday, Jan 1, 2006 By John Brummett In keeping with the end-of-year theme, here are your annualized arrows for 2005. This, I remind you, differs from the usual arrow column. The normal periodic feature indicates ever-fleeting conventional wisdom, even to the point, at times, of spoofing the conveniently fluid nature of supposed political certainty. This annual offering reflects more generally and more seriously the kind of year the subjects enjoyed, or didn't.  President Bush - The war is the war. What else can one say at this point? More damning politically was Hurricane Katrina, which revealed King George II in all his incompetence and insensitivity. He began the year emphasizing privatization of Social Security. When was the last time you heard a peep about that? Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean - This Democratic leadership troika is actually the best thing, make that the only thing, Republicans have going for them. Mike Huckabee - The weight is staying off while the good side outweighs the bad side by ounces. Hillary Clinton - Can she move to the center and make the Democratic base accept it? Yes. Bill Clinton - He's looking better. The chummy partnership with George Bush the Elder probably does more good for him than for George Bush the Elder. Clinton was the much better president, but he was in much greater need of image rehabilitation. Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor - They're better senators than we had any reason to expect. In their separate ways they've found a balance between the moderation and bipartisanship insisted on by their constituents and their occasional obligations to their party leadership. Mike Ross - A Southern Democrat who finds a way to win in a conservative district and secure the NRA's endorsement is, I've come to accept, a seriously savvy sonofagun. Vic Snyder - He's more entrenched than ever, now that he adorns an already whiz-bang resume - Marine in Vietnam, doctor, law degree - with apparent marital bliss and expectant fatherhood. Marion Berry - That personal attack on the House floor on a few Republicans was, while surely deserved, not the time or place or tone. Mike Beebe - Because of the money. Only because of the money. Asa Hutchinson - His high-level service in the Department of Homeland Security turns out not to be a positive. The cashing in on that service is a problem. Bill Halter - How can a guy become tiresome even before he decides to run, even before he shows his face in public? John Boozman - No one has a safer district. He's the ideal congressman for a safe district. Houston Nutt - Job security and a million-five aren't everything. He clings to both mainly because Frank Broyles is distracted by romantic ecstasy and disinclined to buy out another expensive contract while still paying in buckets to Nolan. Job performance and fan support count, too. Nutt is in trouble there, and next season could be his last if he doesn't win seven or eight. Unfortunately, the schedule would seem to facilitate seven or eight wins. Frank Broyles - See immediately preceding item. The rascal. Me - I had a column last year referring to the late Lloyd Bentsen. Except, as his nephew told me by e-mail, he's not late.------- John Brummett is a columnist for the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock. His e-mail address is jbrummett@arkansasnews.com; his telephone number is (501) 374-0699. |
