1 Boring Old Man

I live in the mountains of north Georgia. While not born here, I am a Southerner, and have lived my adult life in the State of Georgia by choice. I’m what one might call a proud Southerner. While I’m anything but a representative of the prevailing politics here, that’s not why I’m saying this. In the Waxman Hearings today, Representative Westmoreland from Noonan, Georgia was as intense an embarassment to this State and part of the country as I’ve ever felt. If the people of Noonan insist on electing a Republican, that’s their right. I don’t live there and have nothing to say about their reason for electing whomever they want to elect. But I’d appreciate it if they would elect someone who is able to present himself at least as well as the dogs on hee-haw or the Deputy in The Dukes of Hazzard. I want to apologize for Georgia for sending Mr. Westmoreland to Washington. Every place needs minimum standards. He doesn’t rise to those standards.

I liked Henry Waxman. He’s obviously on my wavelength, but he handled himself extremely well. And I would like for the Representative from New Hampshire, Mr. Hodes, to consider a run for the Presidency – sometime soon.

I know why Patrick Fitzgerald declined to testify and I respect his decision, but boy would I love to put him up against Representative Tom Davis, who might as well be considered the lawyer for the Bush Administration [He’s the one that referred to Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald as "Fitzpatrick"]. Fitz would have taken him apart like a freshly plucked fryer getting ready for the pan.

But my main reaction to the hearings surprised me. Two career Civil Servants in charge of security testified. They struck me as solid citizens. They had never been asked, nor had they felt called on to investigate the C.I.A. Leak. No action of any kind had ever been initiated in response to this case. I found myself sitting in my living room with tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn’t expect that.