Personal Asides:

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Very Gently As Not to Offend, Carol Marin Figures Out Why Jesse, Sr. Has Gone to Syria: Congratulations…Sunday’s Political Shootout: Dorothy Brown and Carol Pankau…Congratulations to Frank Nofsinger for Buying a Student Scholarship to My Course…Jim Edgar and Rep. Ray LaHood Sign Up as Guest Lecturers for Off-the-Record Roosevelt University Course.

Marin and The Great Pouting Buddha.

It has taken a long time since she began her column two years ago, but Carol Marin has carefully, gently eased her big toe into the ice-cold water of political controversy: something she is paid to do—but moreover, has tentatively and with great diplomacy, risked her liberal credentials to possibly offend The Great Pouting Buddha: the Reverend…ahem…Jesse Louis Jackson, senior. She said in yesterday’s column that it just could be that Jackson decided to go to Syria because Barack Obama was getting such good press in Africa. You see, there should be only one black man getting international press and it ain’t the upstart Obama. Thus we see the…ahem…Reverend manipulating an invite to go to Syria at the same time. And the slavish Democratic newspaper of record, of course, has to send yet another correspondent overseas to cover The Great Pouting Buddha while the Washington editor is busily covering Destiny’s Tot.

So obedient is the Democratic Newspaper of Record to its marketing scheme…young audience…minorities…young women writing “I-I-I” in the style of it’s all about me…young men doing the same it’s all about me…stereotypical black commentary hearkening back to the familiar civil rights days with which white liberals are more comfortable…in toto: liberal-slightly more liberal-exceedingly liberal-extremely liberal…ultra-liberal…that it had to do back-flips to placate The Great Pouting Buddha who wanted to even up the score with Destiny’s Tot.

This column was the first sign that Marin will do something besides swing the incense-burner at favored li


Guests on my Political Shootout show will be Dorothy Brown, clerk of the Cook county Circuit Court and prospective candidate for Mayor of Chicago opposing Richard M. Daley…and State Senator Carol Pankau, the Republican candidate for State Comptroller. Two articulate and courageous women. Terrific. That’s Sunday at 8 p.m. on WLS-AM (890).

Frank Nofsinger of Connecticut.

Frank Nofsinger of Connecticut, a regular Wanderer reader and frequent correspondent to this Blog has contributed a $250 student scholarship to a young person to attend the “Influencing the System” course at Roosevelt University starting September 7th. I just want to say to Frank that when and if I publish “Flashback” you will indeed get a personally autographed copy. We were both Minnesotans at about the same time—in Rochester, too! Like me he has a beautiful wife named Lillian. Thanks so much, Frank.

Jim Edgar and Rep. Ray LaHood Sign Up.

Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar has signed up as a guest lecturer for my Roosevelt University course. He was discuss The Executive department. As one of the most popular politicians in Illinois history who could easily have defeated Rod Blagojevich had he run, the ex-governor is noted for his own full-time participation in academic affairs at the University of Illinois. We welcome him to the special faculty of this course. Students and yours truly will have a great opportunity to grill…er…question the former governor who was also head of the National Governors’ Association. He and I have been dueling friendly sparring partners but there is no doubt that I would have voted for him gladly had he determined to run.

Congressman Ray LaHood, Peoria Republican, will discuss the federal Legislative Department on October 5. A member of House Appropriations, he is so skilled in parliamentary procedure that he is called upon whenever the operation of the House runs into choppy waters. He learned his skills as a top staffer for Congressman Bob Michel, the longtime House Republican leader. Congressman LaHood is one of the senior leaders of the House and gave serious thought to running for governor earlier this year. Another one whom I would have been proud to vote for.