Smart bombs

If I were to take a cue from presidential candidates over the years, this would’ve been my pitch in landing a newspaper job:

“I don’t read the paper. I’ve never worked at a newspaper. I’ve been doing more important things, like running a business. As an outsider, I’m not tainted by journalism as usual.”

Think that’s a bit over the top? Read on:

“I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.” – Barack Obama.

“I don’t believe Washington can be transformed from within by lifetime politicians.” – Mitt Romney.

“As a political outsider, I’m able to be independent of everybody.” – John Edwards, as a member of the U.S. Senate.

“I have been accused of being an outsider. I plead guilty.” – Jimmy Carter.

Discriminating voters. The 2008 presidential candidate who faces the highest prejudice hurdle isn’t Barack Obama, the African American, or Hillary Clinton, the woman. It’s Mitt Romney, the Mormon.

A recent USA Today/Gallup Poll found that if a candidate is black, that’s a deal-breaker for 5 percent of voters. Being a woman turns away 11 percent of voters. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints yields an automatic thumbs-down from 24 percent of voters.

Well, it could be worse for the Republican ex-governor of Massachusetts. He could be a black, female Mormon.

Precedent? What precedent? I’m not taking a side in whether the city of Spokane employee who was named in the Jack Lynch report should file a lawsuit, but it would be fun to watch the city argue the other side of the right-to-privacy issue.

Military maneuvers. Armed with cliches, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., took to the House floor on Thursday and said this about the nonbinding resolution that opposes a troop escalation in Iraq: “Supporting our troops but not supporting the war is not an option.”

Even if the troops are dubious? In last fall’s Military Times poll, only 35 percent of active military members approved of the way the Bush administration was handling the war. Only 41 percent said we should’ve invaded.

McMorris Rodgers added that we must give the generals the troops they’ve requested. Two months ago, the top general in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, didn’t want more troops. The head of Central Command, Gen. John Abizaid, wasn’t enthusiastic either. They were replaced.

Cougs get old-school coverage. To read about the first-ever top 10 ranking for the Washington State Cougars men’s basketball team, I had to go all the way back to the Sports section.

Sports in the Sports section? Who would think to look there? Geez, what do the Cougs have to do to break onto the front page? Get arrested?