“Bless Her Heart!”

Okay, not to be mean, but…. (which is what my East LA friend, Pam, always says right before she says the meanest thing)… Anyway, if you are going to be offended by a rather partisan view of a certain Alaska woman recently in the news, feel free to bail right now.

But resolutely Christian novelist/essayist Anne Lamott, whose work I happen to love, had an essay in Tuesday’s Salon Magazine in which she….um….vented a bit about her feeling regarding this election season.

If you too like Anne Lamott, and/or are in a venting mood yourself, you’ll definitely want to read this puppy.

If you don’t feel like venting against one or two members of the Republican slate, just pass on by. Reading this particular essay is likely to make you feel irritable.

Here’s a clip:

I have …..decided not to even say this woman’s name anymore, because she fills me with such existential doubt, such a sense of impending doom and disbelief, that only the Germans could possibly have words for it. Nor am I going to say the word “lipstick” again until after the election, as it would only be used against me. Or “polar bear,” because that one image makes me sadder than even horrible old I can stand.

I hate to criticize. And I love to kill wolves as much as the next person does.

Oh, yeah, and after you read it, in answer to your question: Barrel McRaven

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While we’re on the subject (and looking desperately for something— anything —-that might temporarily distract us from our white-knuckle fear about the ever-worsening debacle that, this morning the Wall Street Journal called the worst crisis since the 30’s, with no end in site), here is another essay, this time from Alaska representative Les Gara.

Gara writes with humor and fury about what has happened in his state since the McCain people began trying to manage the bi-partisan legislative investigation that has come to be known as Troopergate. The essay is posted at Mudflats.

Here’s a clip:

Since Monday the McCain camp has stepped up its personal attacks against Alaskans. They’ve continued their D.C.-style tactics against neighbors in this small state. The game plan is to find an excuse to stop our Legislature’s Troopergate investigation, and hide evidence McCain’s folks really don’t want to surface before November’s election. It’s been a little Karl Rove, and parts Laurel and Hardy. How else can you explain the following?

Last week the Attorney general’s office promised state witnesses would comply with subpoenas the Legislature issued last week. Tuesday the Governor’s Attorney General flip flopped, and announced that state witnesses wouldn’t comply because, well, and I’m paraphrasing here – he’s changed his mind. And in what has to be an idea hatched after a 4th Martini at Chilkoot Charlie’s, Governor Palin’s attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the ethics claim she filed against herself two weeks ago. Yup. She really filed a complaint against herself. Tuesday she said she’s discovered, after a thorough investigation of herself, that she’s done nothing wrong. Does anyone know how to get a hold of Jon Stewart and Tina Fey?

Read on….it’s worth your time and attention.