Sit Down. And Shut Up.

By Sarah

What has happened to our manners? Last week, nasty behavior among so-called professionals, not to mention so-called adults, spoiled politics, sports and even music.

Does this country need a time out on the naughty chair?

Look, I don't profess to be Letitia Baldridge by any stretch. For one thing, I'm a lousy thank-you-note  writer. (Don't judge me!) I'm backed by flimsy psychological reasoning that it's my mother's fault for turning an enjoyable act into a chore laden with guilt and the unspoken, and sometimes spoken, message that whatever gift I received, I didn't deserve.

But, as today is my deceased mother's birthday, we'll let that rest. I already feel guilty. Besides, I've gotten better. Kind of.

Even with my failings, however, I couldn't in a million years imagine yelling "You lie!" to the President of the United States in a public forum, though God knows when George Bush was in office I was screaming it from my kitchen.

And let me pause to ask this: why is it that Democrats can't call a lie what it is? Why do they always use bullshit terms like "misled" or "misdirected"? For that, I admire the Republicans. Of course, I'd admire them more if they called actual lies, lies, instead of lying about lies that aren't lies, but integrity seems to be in short supply on that side of the aisle. (Ducking here.)

Back to Joe Wilson he of the French cuffs and note the blue tie appealing to the angry racist contingent of South Carolina formerly represented by that segregationist adulterer Strom Thurmond for whom he once interned. After the Republican leadership pulled Wilson by the earlobe down to the principal's office, Joe wanted everyone to know he'd done had it with apologizing. Because as any jerk knows, only wimps say they're sorry.

Fast forward to Saturday night when Serena Williams brandished a racquet at a lineswoman over a foot fault call. Supposedly, Serena also threatened to shove a tennis ball down her throat. Ouch!

I don't know why Serena, who'd broken a racquet earlier out of frustration over a Clijster win, was in such  a bad mood. I'm no expert on the trials of female athletes, but I'm thinking this might have been a display of "roid rage." I'm also thinking that this is what tennis officials mean when they say they'll be doing an "investigation" into Serena's tantrum. Perhaps, it is time for her to retire and write that screenplay she's been working on for the past year. Or at the very least wean herself off prescription pills.

But I've also got another theory about why professionals are losing their cool: publicity.

Wilson's Democratic opponent may have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars after Obama's speech but, apparently, so has Wilson. I'm a case in point. I never heard of Joe Wilson before last week and now I'll never forget him. Moreover, I actually watched the women's finals between Clijsters and "the kid" whose name I can't spell, cheering for new mom Clijsters all the way. I would have missed the match completely if it hadn't been for Serena's outburst.

I believe this craving for constant attention is what drove Kanye West when he jumped on stage at the  MTV Music Awards and yanked a trophy from the hands of Taylor Swift, all of 19. He had nothing of importance to say - he was not, for example, warning everyone that a bomb was about to detonate or asking if there were a doctor in the house. Instead, he spouted off about Beyonce whom, he felt, deserved the award more than the stunned and clearly broken hearted Taylor Swift. As if we were supposed to care.

To her undying credit, when the spotlight shone upon her, Beyonce recalled her own moment winning such an award at age seventeen and called Taylor to the stage so she could finish her speech. Reason #3 why I love Beyonce who had me at the inauguration when she tearfully serenaded The Obamas. I think she should teach a good manners class comprised of Serena, Joe and Kanye. A sit down and shut up class, if you will.

At the very least, I wish the Democrats would jump all over Wilson, but they won't because they really are wimps. Obama's taking the high road as the President's supposed to do. His thugs, Eric Holder and Rahm Emmanuel, are too busy to handle the job.

May I suggest Serena? I've seen her in action and I think she's pretty good at putting people in their places. Plus, considering her potential suspension, there's money in Vegas that she'll have time on her strong, capable, tennis-ball-shoving hands. This just might work.

Sarah

Comments

[Harley]

Oh, Sarah, this is why I love you. When I have one of those weeks (months) of not listening to NPR or reading a paper or watching the news, I can get it right here on the blog.

Yes, yes. Sigh. Why are we all so rude?

And is that really Serena's body? Good God almighty. Va va va voom.

[Mary Eman]

Why do people behave like this? Simple: because they are allowed to get away with bad behavior.

Serena Williams was fined 10 Gs, which I suppose is chump change for her, but it's something. The other two? No negative consequences for them, yet, so why change?

Joe Wilson, especially, makes me angry. Just picture being an employee of a very large corporation, listening to the CEO giving a speech, and some fool yells "You lie!" How long would that idiot have a job? I'm betting he'd be out the door shortly after the speech was ended.

And I'd like to remind him that he works for We the People. (He can consider himself very lucky that I am not a SC resident: I'd be actively campaigning for his opponent.)

[Tom]

It will be a good day when the Congressional majority stops worrying about what people will think of them for doing their damn job, and simply get down to doing it.

But I must agree with you, Sarah; this behavior is not what Marlo Thomas had in mind with FREE TO BE YOU AND ME.

[Kathy Sweeney]

Y'know, I've been thinking about this for a couple of days now, and although I'd like to just write this off as the random confluence (that's a big Pittsburgh word - the NFL can't seem to say it enough) of true jagoffs caught on camera, I just cannot.

I fear it's deeper than that. We are developing a gut-level, rage-based distrust of everything. If one doesn't like what someone in authority has to say, The Man must be lying. If a vote or call goes against us, we blame someone. We don't trust the voting process, we don't have confidence that the rule-keepers are honest and we certainly don't believe any one who was elected to anything is telling the truth.

Not that we don't have damn good evidence to back up this cynicism. We do. You can fill in your own blanks, but I for one am still hoping we get some real truth about this war from The Hague.

Oops. This turned into more of a blog than a comment - see, Sarah, how good you are at generating discussion?

[Kathy Sweeney]

P.S. I am boycotting Kanye. Turned off Leno and everything. Canceled my pending iTunes. I also gave a bit of money to Joe Wilson's opponent. At least Ms. Williams was penalized - not just the fine, either, but the whole match. It's called CONSEQUENCE, and we need more of it from all corners.

[Josh]

Am I allowed to blame Ronald Reagan?

[Nora]

It's how the world's been turning for a long time...we are tolerant because you never know when we might be imperfect....oh the "don't judge" mentality. I believe a little "cause-reaction" medicine is needed. People need to tell others when they have crossed the line...but no one wants to be that person...we all want to be liked too much....maybe nuns with rulers are needed again...you never wondered where you stood! Poo on pc

[William Simon]

Joe Wilson embarrassed all of us who wear French Cuffs.

His behavior was SO far out of line, words fail me. Had he wished to confront President Obama privately, that's one thing. To rip out in front of the world takes 'disrespectful' to a whole new level, I don't care how he felt. And saying he's 'had enough' with apologizing... sorry, pal. That's insult to injury.

Serena took etiquette lessons from Jimmy Connors, enough said about that.

Kanye? Wow. I was speechless when I saw what happened on the morning news. I did laugh when, of all people, Matt Lauer said on camera, Kanye needs to re-think his place in the Universe. Last night on Jay Leno, Leno asked what his [Kanye's] late mother would have said about his behavior, and that seemed to get Kanye's attention.

Beyonce? A class act all the way. Especially when she extended her hand to Taylor Swift to come back and 'have her moment'. THAT is a Lady with a capital 'L'.

There is no excuse for bad manners. NO excuse. None.

Especially in public....

[nancy martin]

I love that your thank-you notes needed to include the message that you didn't deserve the gift you were given. It's the message the rest of the people mentioned in your blog obviously didn't get, Sarah! Gifts are indeed given, perhaps not always deserved. Beyonce clearly deserves hers! And you, yours. The rest of that gang of louts? Not so much.

[Darlene]

I'd like to say I'm surprised by the rudeness, but I'm not. For years I've been hearing that I'm an "old fogey"--or worse because I insist on good manners from the munchkin. I'd be making Kanye, Serena and Mr. Wilson hand-write letters of apology and deliver them.

[Sarah]

Good morning. My goodness, we're a feisty bunch today.
I'm beginning to wonder if Kanye threw himself on the sword for MTV and Leno and, of course, his career.
I'm with you, Kathy. I was not impressed that Leno had him as a guest. As the Queen would say, "We are not amused."
Personally, I think we're all headed toward Thunderdome.
BTW - the contractors are back straightening out our bedroom and closet (former architect got a little too wonky.) Which means my house again is torn apart. This is where my reporter training really comes in handy - I can put all that behind me and just write.

[Heather Webber]

I'll take this to the street level: when did people stop waving thank-yous while driving? A simple acknowledgement that although I merged early and sat in the long line of traffic waiting my turn, I still let you (you, Mr. Red Mazda, who zipped down the clear lane, ignoring the merge early signs, bypassing dozens of cars) cut in front of me. A little wave would have been nice. Manners 101.

Not that I hold grudges or anything.

[Sarah]

Amen, Heather.
Though, I swear I saw myself in the New York Times earlier this year. It was a question to the ethics woman and I think it was written anonymously by the ethics woman herself. It was about being in a cafe in Burlington, Vermont, and being lost in her own world, wandering through a door that was being held open for her. She suddenly heard, "You're welcome!" from the door bitch. (That would be me.) The ethics columnist actually SIDED with the person who didn't say thanks. Hello?

On the flip side, has anyone noticed that service people are much nicer these days now that the economy's taken a nose dive?

[Karen in Ohio]

What a week, eh? As I said yesterday, I blame the tell-all TV shows of the 70's and 80's (Springer, Povitch, et al), which allowed too many people to air their dirty laundry in public, an act that previously would have horrified everyone alive. There seems to be a clear line of demarcation between public civility and the lack thereof.

Add to that situation the volatility and the power of today's viral media, the instantaneous catapulting to "fame", or what passes for it, of ordinary people for the craziest actions. The crazier, the better. You're right, Sarah--none of us would have ever heard of "that" Joe Wilson without his rude outburst, and none of us would be aware of Joe the Plumber, either, without his last fall.

And Heather, I'm with you on the thank you wave. Or any kind of thanks, as a matter of fact. You really notice this when you go to France, by the way. When you walk into a shop the proprietor actually greets you, thanks you when you make a purchase, and then sends you on your way with another polite salutation. It was so unexpected, after decades of clerks who couldn't be bothered to get off the phone long enough to even make eye contact. Sigh.

[Karen in Ohio]

No, Sarah, I can't say I've noticed that. Yesterday I was shopping for some Halloween decorations and chatted with the clerk. I was almost the only customer in this cavernous store. She was not even finished with me and turned to her coworker to gripe about not having gotten to go on her break yet, some complaint about the manager. I thought that was really rude.

By the way, my comment about France was only directed to their retailing. Their driving is something else altogether.

What good is an ethics person if they're so wrong, is what I want to know.

[judy merrill larsen]

Were you reading my mind yesterday, Sarah? Channeling me here in Missouri?

I started a new blog yesterday--with the lofty (others might call it something else) goal of bringing niceness back. Today I've proclaimed as the first "NICE HAPPENS TUESDAY". I'd love to have you all join in the fun . . .

http://whatmamataught.blogspot.com

[Kerry]

Well, this is a cheery conversation :) I, too, was stunned by the recent spate of ill-mannered-loutism. I agree with what everyone has written about it - about the lack of trust in public institutions on the one hand and the many forces that promote and reward public behavior that, once upon a time, would have led to the perpetrator being ostracized and demonized. For my part, I shake my head and try extra hard to be polite and pleasant in my personal and public dealings. It's a drop in the bucket, but I gotta believe it will help.

Sigh.

[Sarah]

Judy - I predict mucho success. I think the country's ready.....

[Debby Johnson]

This past week's appalling behavior reminds me of a line from song in the Broadway version of CHICAGO--"Nobody's got no class."

[Betsy Hall]

I was reading someone's blog the other day where they thought that the root of all evil was not money, but the lack of compassion. I have to say I agree. Somehow we've all become so self-absorbed that we can't see how our actions affect others. We all feel entitled to not only be heard, but to be declared right! Hey...if they don't agree with what I say, I'll just say it louder and hit you over the head with a frying pan until you agree...because the most important person in the world is me! Maybe our work-out for today should be to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

[Sarah]

Lack of compassion. Good point. Though I think money separates people and, therefore, limits compassion.

Also, this Jerry Springer, Maury world....Very scary. For people to get on stage and agree to have their blood tested to prove paternity and then for the audience to shout at the crying mother when she finds the truth - it's all so cruel.

Tell me those stories are invented!

[Karen in Ohio]

Hijack:

Elaine suggested that I report the robocalls from "your credit card company" if I get another one. Predictably, one came this morning, and I did report it.

According to the National Do Not Call site, you can report recorded calls even if you're not registered with the Do Not Call program.

[hollygee]

I wish that I could send giant cards to those rudenesses that say:
This is the Mama speaking. I raised you better than this. Get busy with the apologies, NOW.

[Elaine Viets]

You go, Karen. That's another kind of rudeness, saddling us with robocalls.
Good blog, Sarah. And I'm sorry to say that Obama called Kayne Wilson a jackass when he thought he was off-mike. I agree with the Prez, but wish he'd been more careful.

[Elaine Viets]

More celebs behaving badly. This time, it's Michael Jordan.
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/09/12/jordan-goes-from-classy-to-clown/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl2|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fnba.fanhouse.com%2F2009%2F09%2F12%2Fjordan-goes-from-classy-to-clown%2F

[William Simon]

A classic example. President Obama made that comment "offline". The reporter took it upon himself to repeat/broadcast/Tweet a comment that was NOT INTENDED TO BE HEARD PUBLICLY because, after all, the People Have A Right to Know.

Know what? That President Obama agrees with 99% of the rest of the world????

This is inexcusable....

[Pam aka SisterZip]

Thank You notes: My daughter is very good at getting out her thank you notes. I hounded her all of the time growing up.

My Rules:

1. Thank You notes are only required for Graduations, Weddings, Showers, or for a "No Reason" gift
2. You will write more than a generic “Thank You for the money” and a signature. You will write something nice.
3. You will have them done in a timely manner, say…within 2 weeks.
4. Birthday or Christmas gifts do not require a Thank You note unless the giver lives out of town & has mailed the gift or is not there when you open the gift.

My step-daughter has been married for 11 years. My grandchildren are 6 & 7. My parents have not seen a thank you note yet.

Rudeness: My daughter was tormented most of her childhood by her classmates at a Lutheran elementary school. Most of her classmates, in fact almost all, came from wealthier families than we were. She had nice clothes (she cried for a week because I wouldn’t buy Guess jeans at $50/pr when she was 11), but not name brand. We didn’t give birthday parties every year and certainly didn’t spend $250 for 12 girls to have a fancy tea party. She had to do her chores (mow the grass once she was old enough, do dishes, learn to clean the house, including the bathroom) in order to get any money. I actually had the mother of a classmate tell me that I was being cruel for making her mow the grass…it wasn’t ladylike. This woman’s child has flunked out of 2 colleges and is now pregnant (and not exactly sure which of two is the father) and no job. When I would pick my daughter up from school I would hear these lovely children scream at their parents how stupid they were because they couldn’t go get some ice cream after school. We rewarded participation and not achievement. We gave ribbons to everyone to help their self esteem that they learned that true achievement doesn’t matter. Everyone gets recognized so it takes truly horrendous behavior to stand out.

My daughter has thanked me for those lessons…but has raked me over the coals for others, lol.

[Bev]

A couple of weeks ago, BSU played Oregon in Boise. One of the Oregon players had been mouthing off all summer about how they were going to kick BSU's butt (not quite his words but you get the idea). Oregon lost to BSU and a BSU player said something to the Oregon player and the Oregon player decked him. This was all live on ESPN for the whole nation to see. The Oregon player had to be restrained by the police because he started to go after the fans who were heckling him. It was truely embarrassing to watch his meltdown and it put a black mark on the game. Since the game, we seem to have seen a rash of bad manners on the news. It makes you wonder if some of these people subscribe to the theory any publicity is good publicity.

[Maryann Mercer]

People are rude simply because they can ber...as Kathy so nicely put it, no one seems to suffer the consequences of rudeness these day. Shoppers talk on cellphones as they check out, virtually ignoring the clerk (not even acknowledging the greeting we give), customers refuse to wait their turn at the desk...because they need to know NOW (as if the other person doesn't count at all), drivers cut each other off, and then call the 'offending' person names...and no one calls them on any of this. And the kids learn that it is really OK to be rude, obnoxious and demanding. And this is just from my perspective as a retail clerk...we're back in the ME FIRST generation in a big way. I can understand frustration, whether it's with the Pres, the call in a sporting event, or even an award that didn't go to the person you thought it should, but there's a time and a place for all this, and it ISN'T yelling accusations or belittling the talented artist who did win. Maybe we should sit today's citizens down and play "Teach Your Children Well" until they get the idea. Nuff said. (and I'm off to take my frustration out on my kitchen cabinets...or at least the contents. How do we collect so many canned goods?)

[bea]

I agree with Betsy--a lot of this stems, I think, from the "me, me, me" mindset. It's classic immaturity, the belief that one's views, thoughts, observations, etc. are so all-fired important and worthy that one is entitled to ignore manners in order to make the point.

These are temper tantrums from folks who haven't yet fully joined the adult world.

I don't currently own anything by Beyonce, but that will change with my next purchase. Her grace and presence made a huge impression on me. With some luck and attention, her style will prevail.

[Anneta]

Once again, a fabulous post. No small wonder I make this site my home page.

After reading your post, I was inspired to email Rep. Joe. Well, imagine my surprise when I goggled his official site and clicked on the link I was taken to his biography. No contact links! How rude.

Somehow, I just should have expected such from Rep. Joe, but silly me, I was under the impression all our elected officials wanted feedback; well, they might not want it, but they should accept it. Not so with Joe. (Perhaps too many of us had already tried to chat with him, eh?)

So, after a moment's consideration, I looked at the URL and took off everything after the "gov." It took me right to a form to send him an email. Lovely.

I won't go into the message I sent. After all, it was meant to be just between Joe and me. I know my manners (for the most part).

Still, thought you all might want to know you can contact Joe - you just have to work at it. I think he could use a few insights into how to be a well-behaved Southern Gentleman. Seems no one taught him or he wasn't listening. (My money is on the latter, although you just never know.)

[Lynn Parker]

Wonderful blog Sarah. I love when you write what I am thinking. You are something special!

[marie]

Multiple articles and various media discussions are everywhere on the Bad Manners of Kanye, Serena, Michael Jordan and Joe Wilson. Last night Jay Leno took the Counselor Jay approach and asked Kanye that if his mother was alive what would she think of his behaviour? Would she be proud? Kanye didn't speak for what seemed a long time and appeared to be reflecting on this comment. Celebrities are so far removed from what their parents would think that anything goes in the name of competitiveness. Even when these people have already achieved so much the hunger for more fame eats them up and and hopefully won't toss them away. And you can bet that if you never heard of Taylor Swift's name before you'll not be forgetting it for a long time.

[Luce]

While I agree, thank yous and apologies are mandatory, sometimes I feel the person making them thinks that it will excuse the bad behavior. One of my pet peeves is after slamming on your brakes to avoid hitting the driver who cuts you off or makes a left turn in front of you - who then waves "Thank you" - you jerk - what else could I do other than hit you? Kayne on Leno? - a publicity stunt by both parties feeding Kayne need for attention.
Good manners, sportsmanship, compassion... lets hope they make a comeback. But I doubt it.

[Laura (in PA)]

The one good thing to come of all of this is that the subject is being mentioned all over the place. To cite just a couple, Charlie Gibson invoked Miss Manners last night, and this morning's USA Today's front page headline was about civility. I hope this means that it brings manners and respect to the front of people's minds, if only for a little while. Some people get off on being rude, and get away with it. In other cases, it's just laziness. Maybe more people (myself included) will think to speak up.

I liked Jay's question to Kanye about what his mother would say (Kanye was booked a while ago for Jay's first show). "What would Mama" do is something we should all try to remember occasionally. My mother was a stickler for manners, and I was the same with my kid. Respect and politeness go a long way.

[Marie]

What we need are a few good heroes. I was studying a handbook on writing that had an exercise on naming heroic qualities in a person that you admired. The first person that came to mind was my husband. It wasn't movie star James Stewart, President John Adams or any rock star or country or pop music star...well maybe George Strait or Perry Como. Yah, I go back a while. So maybe when a person can idolize a person close to them life ain't all bad. So I don't need a Michael Jordan, or a Serena or a Kanye to admire. Oh I forgot. I admired my high school chemistry teacher...she was a gem.

[Marcia in OK]

I agree that manners are becoming extinct, and are an issue in our society.

But, I'm also of the opinion that the "What would Mama think?" doesn't always apply. In too many instances, the bad behavior has been learned directly from the parents, maybe not the to the extreme, but it is a kids nature to take something "further".

I think part of the reason that the bad behavior is escalating is because that an generation of "more is better and me/me/me" are now parents, and their kids are taking their example and running with it. Totally out of control.

Sorry, that isn't stated very well, I promise I had a point.

[Sarah]

SO true...some of the mothers here! Ay, yi, yi. Scareeee!

[Pam aka SisterZip]

Really the worst thing we can do is keep talking about the bad behavior. As Marcia in OK said, the 'me,me,me,me' behavior is excalating because they want the attention. They see it as a quick route to fame.

Kanye did, he said he was sorry, let it die. Or he will keep up this crap. It isn't the first time he has done this, vtw.

[Pam aka SisterZip]

That should be...

BTW, not vtw. sheesh.

[Sarah]

Yes, but it's oh so much fun to feel superior. Honestly...I have so few vices these days, please leave me one!

[Laura Libricz]

I'm missing all the fun! Had to check out Serena on You Tube, after all the fuss. I don't know a lot about tennis, but was she at fault? Was the call correct? She seemed to be losing the match anyway.

My mother used to say, "Kill 'em with kindness!" I wave to people who let me drive before them and though I have a real big trap, I wouldn't use it to reel off rude comments, or to save myself from an embarrassing situation. I still believe in karma and don't want to necessarily spoil MY day by behaving badly.

But, it sure got me to tune in and watch Serena threaten to shove a ball up the ref's butt!!!!!!!!

[PJ Parrish]

Good post, Sarah. The topic makes me want to kill people. Everytime I see someone acting badly, I hear my mom's voice: "I didn't raise you to be a heathen!" That was her word for us when we were out of control in public. Before she dragged us out to the car by the scruff of the neck.

As a postscript to someone's comment about the French having good manners: It's definitely ingrained in their culture and it's probably why they are perceived as nasty to foreigners. They don't suffer boors in public -- not even their own president Sarkozy, who is a bit of a heathen. Shopkeepers give -- and expect in return -- a nice "bon jour, madame" when you come in and "merci, au revoir, madame" when you leave. That little bit of civility would go a long ways here, I think. The teenaged girl at my bagel store here is always sweet and polite; it costs her nothing and it makes my day a little brighter.

Maybe this is why I like France. (Well, the food's not bad, either.) Go in any restaurant and everyone -- kids and even dogs -- knows how to behave. Before I took my dog to France, I "trained" her by taking her to outdoor cafes here in Florida. So she is now, as they say, "bien eleve." (well raised). She makes her mom proud. :)

As the Talking Heads sing in "Psycho Killer:" "I hate it when people aren't polite."

[Cyranetta]

Unfortunately I saw this last week's buffet of rudeness as merely an extension of August town halls' full course meal.

Even more unfortunately, unless the whole hostility zeitgeist somehow gets under control, it is at least as potentially dangerous as it is actually unpleasant.

I want a moratorium on bullying.

[Kathy Sweeney]

Now comes another former Bush staffer with a book. His selling point? He's publishing Bush's private, snarky comments about other pols. Wrong. Totally wrong. Even if you don't work for the President of the United States, everyone knows some things in any workplace are meant to be kept confidential.

If you have some material evidence of wrongful acts, step forward, take the oath and tell us. The last thing we need is more stupidity and gossip.

ARRRGGGGHHHH!

[gaylin in vancouver]

A good word used in the newspaper this morning:

Entitlementia

Sounds appropriate for Kanye, Serena et al

[Pam aka SisterZip]

Sounds like a mental disorder...

[nancy martin]

The current headline on Yahoo is that Kate Gosselin has changed her hair. What kind of country do we live in? No wonder people are only concerned about themselves. If we're encouraged to only think of others in terms of their hair----oh, nevermind. I feel a rant coming on, and my cussing might rival Serena's.

[Harley]

I care deeply about Kate Gosselin's hair.

[Gayle Surrette]

This post is only one of the reason I love TLC so much. Why aren't people more polite? Mainly because, as Wilson has shown, being rude pays -- in publicity, in money, in fame. Personally, I think he should loose his position in Congress since he can't seem to keep his cool and deal with in a professional manner with his differences of opinion (not that most of what he objects to has been proved to be misinformation from his own party...but I digress).

Personally, I'm still waiting for the Democrats to get a spine. Even just one they could share it about randomly to keep the Republican's off guard as random Democrats stand up for what's right.

Only in my dreams or when I finally become Supreme Mugwump.