Salena Zito has written an excellent column on why Condi is the perfect GOP candidate if Hillary (*shudder*) gets the Dem nod in '08. It's something that's been said before, but it's an idea that's picking up steam. But Zito makes a point that must be heeded regardless of who the Right nominaters, and one that goes beyond Dick Morris' theory of the Hillary v Condi gambit:

What Republicans must do is go to great lengths to lay down the markers of
how truly liberal this woman is.

Precisely. It's not going to be easy -- by taking a hawkish stand on Iraq, and a few other manouvers, Clinton is trying to cast herself as a "moderate" cut from the same cloth as hubby. But don't be fooled -- she's as liberal at Ted Kennedy (D-Glenlivet) ever dreamt of being.

I suspect that Hillary herself will end up helping us in this regard -- she'll have to curry the favor of the increasingly strident left wing of the Democratic party. Either way, she'll be in no position to refute those markers if she wants to keep her base.

Waking Up Next Year

So it's 2006 today. Yesterday was 2005. So how did I spend the last day of the year?After sleeping in and having a late breakfast, we (TFR, I, and the in-laws) drove my mom to the Minneapolis airport so she could fly back to San Diego. I'm going to miss her, and my heart breaks for her in the situation she's facing: Caring for my grandmother as she succumbs to Alzheimer's, watching one sister use drugs and another rely on oxygen due to emphyzema, leaving only two sisters able to help and only one WILLING. It also pissed me off and broke my heart to hear how my one aunt's drug use has brought about the loss of priceless family heirlooms. Pardon my French, but fuck drugs.

We (TFR and I) then proceeded to drag our butts around the Mall of America for several hours while the in-laws watched the Lad. Then it was home for shrimp and steak fondue, then a movie, then Dick Clark at Midnight, then to bed.

The movie was Monster-In-Law. Ugh. Trust me, not my choice. Let's set aside my feelings about hanoi Jane, or the acting ability of the cast. The movie was one of those trite, formulaic Chick Flicks, and badly executed at that. The timing in particular was awful -- some dramatic moments happening too soon, others delayed too long. In short, don't bother.

It was bittersweet watching Dick Clark return to Times Square. I'm glad the old boy showed up, but it was sad to see the toll the stroke took.

On the other hand, Mariah Carey was a nice bit of eye candy. I've never been a big fan of her music, but she's gained a little weight, and it's gone to the right places -- she was curvy and soft-looking and shaped the way a woman should be. Yummy.

Then in was to bed, quite toasty warm and warmly toasted. Thankfully, the Lad slept through the night.