PRESIDENTIAL PIPE DREAM & THE SESSIONS

PRESIDENTIAL PIPE DREAM

     ANNOUNCER: And now to the Oval Office and the President of the United States.

       PRESIDENT OBAMA: " My fellow Americans, the election is over and it is time to get to work addressing the very serious challenges that face us as Americans.  So today I am issuing a special invitation which, if accepted, will help move this great nation forward, beyond our gridlock and stalemate.

       Today I am inviting former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George HW Bush, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to chair a special working group at Camp David.  The former Presidents will preside over the deliberations and will jointly draft the final report.  

       I am today inviting past Presidential nominees Romney, McCain, Kerry and Gore, along with Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Speaker John Boehner.  I am asking the group to assemble the day after Thanksgiving and stay at Camp David until they have finished their work.  

       I am asking this group of outstanding American leaders to draft a roadmap.  It is a roadmap to our future. I charge these great patriots to establish a structure for cooperation, a general strategy for a federal budget and a vision forward for America.

      While these leaders meet I am asking a consortium of academic, research and public opinion leaders to convene as resource group to propose bold and new ideas for our national leadership to consider in their deliberations. 

      So far the following resource people have accepted this 

challenge- Amory Lovin of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Elon Musk of Space X, Economist Paul Krugman, writers Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks and Tom Friedman,  John Lechleiter, CEO of Eli Lilly, the new Purdue University President Mitch Daniels and Bill Gates of the Gates Foundation.

      Invitation to others in medical and technological research fields have also been issued and I await their acceptance.

      I am asking these great Americans, under the leadership of our former Presidents, to gather, discuss, debate, argue, resolve and then draft a document that will help to guide this nation to a greater fulfillment of its potential and its destiny as a world leader in the 21st Century. I would ask these Americans to present to us, by the end of this calendar year, what we can call a road map to our future."

      Well, we can dream can't we?  Who else would you invite?

AUTUMN IN THE VINES

REEL NOTES

THE SESSIONS

     This unique film explores the deep reaches of intimacy with an honesty and clarity. It is fully entertaining while being charming, bold, heart warming and challenging.

     The Sessions moves you to the edge of uneasiness but pulls you back to a comfortable place. It has moments where you wonder if you are trespassing too deeply into human relationships and sexuality, but writer and director Ben Lewin uses this as a canvas to examine life, love and faith.

     Based on the life and writing of Mark Obrien, a Berkeley writer and poet who spent most of his life in an iron lung, the film is illuminating, but not for everyone.  Those who might be squeamish with dialogue about premature ejaculation, seeing a sexual surrogate work with a quadriplegic, or watching a priest wrestle with granting permission for out of marriage sex might want to avoid it. However it is a sensitive and enormously well done film.

     The acting is award worthy.  William Macy as the flabbergasted priest, John Hawkes as Mark O'brien and Moon Bloodgood as attendant Vera are all superb.  It is Helen Hunt as the sexual surrogate who deserves something more. 

     Acting must be a difficult challenge under perfect conditions.  But to be told your role requires full nudity would, in my world at least, make your day at the office more demanding.  Hunt, as Cheryl is full of grace, compassion and complexity.  A mother, wife and surrogate she helps a client discover his full manhood, but against her better intention, falls in love. How that is played, resolved and passed along is the heart tugging appeal of this film. 

    Hunt's portrayal of her own inner conflict, along with Macy's counseling and Hawke's exploration, failures and desire to live full, though frail adds to a very special film. It is a unique love story.

     See you down the trail. 

THE WEEKENDER-TOGETHER

BECAUSE IT'S STILL RIGHT

     Boomers will remember this from a time of discord and rancor when it became a kind of anthem.  Posted here in two versions as a post election stress syndrome tonic.

Lyrics Version

Full Hippie Style

Good bye Big John 

Photo Courtesy of Sherry Gillis/WIBC

    It is fortune in life to know people who are unique, true individualists even delightful eccentrics. John Gillis is on that list.

     1969 was a time of transition for the country and for me.  Big John was a wrench man in my re-tooling.  He was part of a revolution, FM Rock radio. He and a few renegade young men made history by creating something new.  I was out of college, waiting for my bride to be to finish student teaching, working at a small market AM station doing the police beat and street news.  John had heard me and  showed up one day at the studio to evangelize the hip new world of "underground, counter cultural, history making" WNAP FM. The cultural history of that station has been captured in a film detailed in this January post.  

       On that day, John opened his ever present hard sided brief case, which he organized a couple of times as we sat in our little studio talking, and produced promotional literature, tapes of jingles, air checks and posters.  He opened the door to my future.

       A few months later, after returning from a spring and summer traveling in Europe, Lana and I settled into our new home and I walked further through the door John had opened.  The News Director of  the station group that operated both the radical FM and the old line AM news leader offered me a job to live in both worlds.  Traditional beat reporting for the AM News giant and the on air voice of those "long haired fucking hippies in the back room." (It's funny, because the only long hair Big John had was his mutton chop side burns, being a prematurely bald man.)

      It was the best of both worlds, the beginning of life long friendships, adventure and the launching pad for a career that would send me around the world. Some of that would have happened perhaps, but it certainly did because Big John came calling one day.

       He was a radio legend in Indianapolis, the automatic host, toast master, emcee at thousands of events over the years.  Colorful, always traveling to the beat of his own private drummer, a loving and lovable guy, John passed from this world yesterday at the young age of 65.

       There will be great stories about John's vivid uniqueness-he truly was a character- and they will fill a space in our heart left by a life lived large. Big John, you left Big memories.

        Take a moment this weekend to tell a friend how important they are to you.

          See you down the trail.

WINNERS-LOSERS-GAMBLERS-SLOTS IN THE LAKE?

YOU-WE-WON!

    Watch dog groups and the political press have calculated that despite the billions spent on obnoxious advertising, it had little or no affect on how we voted.

THE BIGGEST LOOSER

Photo courtesy of Patrick T. Fallon New York Times

    Chump #1 ---Sherman Adelson, the casino magnate who dumped millions including on Newt Gingrich. The New York Times reports he spent tens of millions on 8 candidates, all of whom lost.

THE BIGGEST JACK ASS

     I'm surprised a New Yorker has not flattened this idiot's nose.  His team of body guards are effective.  His latest tirade, including calls for a "revolution" make him the number one candidate for western civilization's most egotistical fool. 

    He's a con man and hustler who NBC should drop after his latest temper tantrum. NBC Anchor Brian Williams made note of Trump's tweets on election night.

"Donald Trump, who has driven well past the last exit to relevance and peered into something closer to irresponsible here, is tweeting tonight" 

    Maybe the Peacock network could stage an ultimate fighting match between the two.

OPPOSITION RESEARCH

    I offer these thoughts realizing they may provoke a firestorm of response as did yesterday's post.

MITT ROMNEY

     He was a shape shifter. A true moderate by Massachusetts standards who posed as a conservative to win the Republican nomination.  Then he tried to shift back to the center and may be the only candidate in modern history who can claim a 360 degree position on every issue.

PRESIDENT OBAMA

     Insular, self confident, trash talking in hoops cocky, and smugly detached from those he disdains.  Extraordinarily bright and professorial but his disdain for the kind of one on one salesmanship or "backslapping" helpful in the job has diminished his power. Think of his personal style vis a vis Reagan or Clinton. 

     He's a great speech maker and had an incredible political organization.  Now he needs to demonstrate an adroit use of power to guide "the ship of state through the shoals." He needs to stretch himself.

A CLOSING TRIBUTE TO ALL THE GAMBLERS-

THE SLOT ROCK

     Fishermen try their luck in June Lake.  
     Is there also a cache of one armed bandits?

   The legend of the June Lake Slot Machines is told in this historical monument.  Colorful, legend, lore and rumor. Presented by one of the gold country's historical players,
E. Clampus Vitus.
Learn more about ECV here at the wikipedia link

   A modern old west tale.

   See you down the road.

NOW WHAT-FOR OBAMA-FOR REPUBLICANS

HOW ABOUT THE 2016 RACE?
ARE YOU READY?

     Heaven forbid!!!!

     Before we leave this most expensive presidential campaign in history, a few thoughts from a self avowed political junkie-who got paid to cover politics. (Talk about larceny!)

      WHAT NOW FOR THE GOP?

      Lot of people are saying the GOP needs to "reform" or change, to shift away from being a party dominated by whites, males, conservatives and the wealthy.  I'm not sure I buy those descriptions as being the complete sum total of the party.  But if it is true, the party ran a very close race as it is.  Charles Krauthammer says instead the GOP needs to look to a younger generation of itself, particularly to younger governors or members of the senate.

      Aside from Jon Huntsman the other GOP candidates were extremists, flawed, whackos or unqualified.  Romney won in a court of dunces.  In truth he was a north eastern moderate who had to play to a party that is in the grip of a right wing, some of whom border on zealots.  Old line republicans were not in evidence and frankly some held their heads down in shame.  

      The Republican party needs to do a few things.  Throw off the control of social issue, right wing, moralizing and/or tea party extremists.  It needs to move toward an historic moderate position where it could tolerate candidates as liberal as Nixon, Reagan, Dole and even Eisenhower. Many of the current crop of Republicans would dispute the policies of their own historic leadership. Just as Romney did with his own previous Massachusetts record. The GOP "base" is too far right. Let the right wing go start their own third party movement.  The GOP needs to come to grips with the changing demographic of America.  More about that in a moment.

WHAT NOW FOR THE DEMOCRATS & OBAMA

      The Obama machine and the Democratic leadership has been terribly shortsighted.  Yes re-electing the president was paramount, but should not have been their only interest.  The Democrats, and even the Republicans, should both begin to rebuild national parties.  Today the association is only nominal and temporary. National, grass roots based organizations should exist to hear local needs, respond to those issues, demand accountability, train and vet future candidates for state legislatures and federal office.  Think of how much better off Obama would be if the Democrats controlled the House.  Strong national parties, engaged in finding and funding strong candidates for the House are a lot healthier for this Republic than the big money of Super Pacs and special interests who now control who has the money and ultimately who gets elected.  Those interests are beholden only to themselves.  

     Parties worked historically.  But now if you've got enough money, a good organization and pollster you can declare yourself whatever you say you are and run, and may get elected. To a large extent Obama is a case in point. So, the newly reelected President should preside over helping his party to rebuild a true national party.  

     The President needs to bang Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid on the head, repeatedly, until they are ready to put partisan politics behind national need. (I mean the head banging figuratively, at least for Pelosi)

      The Democrats need to hear what millions of voters think.  People don't like taxes.  Some of us understand that taxes are in fact necessary, but with bullies and simple minded people like Howard Jarvis doing their stupid oath taking, there is a lot of work to be done before Americans understand the relationship between accountability, accounting, needs, revenue and strategic planning. This nation faces critical financial issues that need something more than we've seen in the past 12 years.

      The first trick Obama needs to clear is how to move forward-truly building a structure that will embrace the House Republicans and bring them to cooperation, or to bulldoze over them.  Here again, if his guru David Axlerod had been more forward thinking the campaign would have rolled in a flood of House Democrats. Instead he faces a Republican majority who spent the last two years doing a dance of insanity and obfuscation.  This nation needs genuine problem solving.  That would be problem solving ahead of political advantage.

      So someone needs to take Mitch McConnell to a heavy metal funk bar, dose him on some mind altering elixir and turn him into a roadie for 50 Cent until he cries uncle. The Senate filibuster rule needs to change.  

      John Boehner should be chained to a stake like a dog and spend a week in a Mississippi shack eating gruel and watching how people in poverty struggle to stay alive.

      I don't know how Obama is going to transverse the perils that led us to gridlock, but he is the Chief Executive and he needs to evince a leadership that will lead to a new way of doing the nation's business. But it takes the other side willing to help.

      The 2014 mid term could/should be a Democratic priority. They need to find a way to win the house and hold the Senate.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS QUESTION

       African American, Latino, women  and young voters are the apparent alliance that put Obama back into the White House.  Republicans-how does that picture jive with your party?  Truth is Latino voters will continue to play a powerful role in American politics.  There are pockets of the nation where the Asian voting patterns hold power.

        Many women have made it abundantly clear that their bodies, their health and their well being are theirs and that politicians who don't understand may not get their vote. I am not implying that women vote only on such issues, but some do.

      It is healthy for all Americans that more women will now serve in the Senate.  Again it is matter of perspective.

Don't be surprised to see the 2016 field fill with Latino faces of both parties.  

AND FINALLY VOTER SUPPRESSION IS WRONG

      Voter fraud and cheating is as old as the Republic. Still is wrong and this year we saw evidence of voter suppression.  A political operative pal sent this along to demonstrate. BEWARE-this might make you laugh. But it might also make you think.  Now there's a good start for the next cycle.  Thinking.

                                          

THE NEW AUDIENCE FOR ALL OF THOSE
CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS

   Well done complements to John King of CNN and Chuck Todd of NBC for their masterful work with touch screens that help crunch and illustrate the returns in last night's coverage. It was a great blend of interpretative journalism and technology.  

    See you down the trail.

ELECTION NIGHT INSIGHT & A PROPER RESPECT

EXERCISING THE FRANCHISE

THE LONGEST NIGHT

    Election night broadcasts were my favorite.  It was all "in the moment," unscripted, spontaneous and adrenalin ripped. 

      Starting out I covered campaign or party headquarters, grabbing interviews and reporting on the numbers as received by the partisans.  Later I would be at the anchor desk, cutting back and forth between field reporters, network feeds, interviewing candidates, moderating our analysts and reporting the numbers.  Hundreds of people worked behind the scenes in a kind of full court press involving satellites, trucks, remotes, control rooms, computers, results and always the story was changing.   

      Some good journalists faltered in that kind of rapid fire circus, but I loved it.  Ad libbing was no problem, and as long as the technology did what it was supposed to be, it was thrilling.  

       As a senior news executive I directed those hundreds of 

people in that army of journalists and technology.  I'd pace on the top tier of our multi leveled central control room, roam into the studios and work with our anchors and analysts or stand in my office watching 4 television sets and a computer screen.  It was an ultimate adrenaline pump.

      There was a time when I was brought back as the "senior analyst" meaning the old guy on the set who "had been there and done that."  Think Tom Brokaw, today.

       This evening I'll probably drive Lana crazy with my channel hopping, computer searching, texting, and phone calls with people around the country.  It will be fun, with

no pressure, but I think perhaps the greatest thrill was my very first election night, covering a mayors race.  At the end of a long night, our radio anchor had us all looped together in a "talk back" debrief where we shared our impressions.  I remember driving home that night thinking, "Man, I've arrived in the big time!"

    

A GREAT CITY 
AND HOTEL

Yesteday's post was a bit of slap dash, iphone based view 

of the Fairmont. Both it and San Francisco deserve a more deliberate treatment.

 GREAT VISUALS

creative window designs

See you down the trail.

CHASING HISTORY AT NIGHT

AT LARGE IN THE FAIRMONT

WITH AN IPHONE

     It is an icon of 20th Century history in San Francisco. Built after the turn of the century, it survived the 1906 earthquake and fire and prevailed as a symbol of the new San Francisco and evolved over the years to become one of the world's leading historic hotels.

    I roamed around with an iPhone breathing in the history of a place that hosted meetings that established the United Nations, where Tony Bennett first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," where every president since Taft has stayed, where world leaders convene, where show business greats perform, and the setting for several movies and television series.

    These are just quick photo notes, dark, shaky, soft focus and all, that will go into my writing file "scene bank." Please consider these "working notes", shot on the quick simply to capture a mood or moment that I can later conjure in my writing. Here's a quick look, starting with a view of the Bay and Alcatraz from our room.

 The Grand Ball Room where history has been written.

 The roof garden where secrets have been shared.

 THEN, THERE IS THE TONGA

Opened in 1947, the Tonga Room is a premiere Tiki motif

that has entertained and fed generations for 65 years.

It remains a popular spot for tourists and devotees. 

This room is near capacity or with waiting lines most nights.

The Island Boys, the most recent of entertainers who perform on a moving boat on what was the hotel's original pool.  The evening is complete with several thunderstorms and rain showers each evening.  Here kitsch meets history.

THE WEEKENDER-GETS MY VOTE & WHAT A CLOUD

ADAPTABILITY & GRACE

      As we endure the final weekend of this campaign year we offer a video of a truly courageous man with real grace. 

ARCHIVE SNAPS

      

 REEL THOUGHTS

 CLOUD ATLAS

    Wachowski sibling films; Matrix-trilogy, V-for Vendetta and now Cloud Atlas have something more than an exotic locus, dynamic story arc, rich characters, tense drama and large action.  Their cinema realities, full of fantasy, have a coiling truth quest that make the films seem to be springboards for discussions of theology, spirituality, meaning and purpose.

    Cloud Atlas is many things, including a venue for extraordinary acting. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Susan Sarandon, Bae Doo-na, Keith David, Ben Winshaw and Zhao Xun all play multiple roles and do so extraordinarily well augmented by mind-boggling make-up, wardrobe and special effects departments. 

     The film is a kind of cross between a Rorschack test and a Terrence Malick epic.  You can see many things in a directorial weave that requires you to pay attention. Fascinating, dazzling, intriguing, inspiring and just plain entertaining even if some leave confused while others believe they have been given one more clue to the purpose of life and the meaning of the universe. I leave wanting to talk with my philosophy major buddy and friends who are PhD's in theology. It would be great to have beer with 

Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer. What were they trying to say?

     It is a stimulatingly great 164 minutes that seem to fly by. There are precious few film makers who can hold you there for almost 3 hours, without an awareness of the hours going by. 

A TRIBUTE NOW TO THE 

EFFECT OF THOSE POLITICAL ADS

See you down the trail.