Say what you want about Bill Clinton. "It's the economy, stupid" was perfect in its simplicity and in its accuracy. And it still holds true today, according to a recent survey as reported by CNN. Survey says that less than 50 percent of those polled support a second term for GW Bush. Is it just me or are similarities to 1991 a little to...well, similar? Some may argue that history is not doomed to repeat itself. We'll find out soon enough. The New Hampshire primary is just 333 days away.

Just when you thought they'd gone away. The KKK is back in the news, having decided to take up the cause of keeping women out of Augusta. Does that mean everyone else is safe for a while?

I knew this was coming, despite my naive assumption (see Jan. 6 post) that they couldn't repeat the premise. Some version of Joe Millionaire will be back, according to FOX. As long as they get the ratings, there is no escape. I said it when the first reality show appeared - just warn me before they air The Running Man...for real. Because these guys will do anything for ratings.

The same notice contained good news about "24" and its return for a third season. I still think Jack's daughter Kim should have been attacked by the cougar. Would definitely have been more interesting than the story line with Kevin Dillon.

So it's official. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is hanging up her stake at the end of the season. The funny thing? I'm not that upset really. And if you had any idea what I've done to be sure I kept Tuesday nights at 8 free over the past seven years, you might understand how truly shocking my lack of outrage is.

All together now: Bruce was robbed! Norah Jones for Album of the Year? Puleeeze. Yes, she's good and she's new but there is no way anyone will convince me that the Grammy's aren't rigged -- or maybe it's just no place for a guy more blue collar than blue blood. Springsteen gave voice to feelings some of us weren't even aware we had after Sept. 11 - whether you lived in Montana or Manhattan. It's a crime his gift to millions was not honored as it should have been.

The Grammy's #45 opened with Simon & Garfunkel singing "Sounds of Silence." As a writer, I know how powerful words can be. But there's nothing like music to give even the simplest of phrases awesome power.

The outrage will be endless here if Springsteen isn't given his due tonight. And who out there thinks Dustin Hoffman flubbed Springsteen's name by accident or was he paying tribute to one of the great avenues of NYC - Spring Street? I prefer to think his flub was intentional. Let me know if you have any Springsteen tickets you want me to take off your hands.

One of my favorite movies is The Natural. And Glenn Close's character at one point says this to Roy Hobbs: "I think we have two lives. The life we learn with...and the life we live with after that." Because of an outrageous mistake, 17-year old Jesica Santillan will have neither. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

The poor teenager who was given a heart and lung of the wrong blood type was described as "a lucky little girl." Not sure about you but I'm a believer in luck (particularly the luck of the Irish) and her story is not my definition of luck. Having a second heart and lung to transplant at all may be considered lucky - but she certainly hasn't been. I hope it all turns out well for her (and her family and friends.) And at what point will our health system stop making what appear to be easily avoidable mistakes? Now's a good time, I think. Okay - just stop it. And Duke should be worried about something other than the PR fallout from all this.

I was all ready to post about Dick Gephardt's announcement yesterday. But I instead kept getting a "server cannot be found" error whenever I tried to access Blogger yesterday. And they said the Google purchase would have no impact. But now all appears right with the world.

So rather than talking about the announcement which was buried news yesterday (almost as much as Lieberman's announcement was last month,) Time's Jay Carney lays out a pretty good argument for how and why Gephardt could win the Democratic nomination. I'm not sure I buy it. I worked for the Dukakis-Bentsen campaign in 1988 and believe me there is no love lost when it comes to Gephardt. I don't think he fights fair.

This is always good to read - hackers break in, gain access to millions of credit card numbers but it's really just their idea of harmless fun. The geek version of playing around. I know no system is full-proof but after all this time, it shouldn't be this easy.

I swear this isn't the Joe Millionaire Sucks weblog but it seems to be the primary thing that pisses me off lately. So I must confess: I watched the last five minutes of Joe Millionaire last night. I know it went against everything I've stood for but my husband was sure that one of the remaining dolts was actually a transvestite. So I watched - I am only human after all. Instead, I watch helpless as two of the stupidest people on the planet were given one million dollars. When I think of how many different ways that money could be spent to better conditions for others, I lose all powers of speech. And if anyone doesn't think that entire exchange between the one in the royal blue dress and the underwear model idiot was scripted, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.

Almost 35 million people can't be wrong, or can they?

My friend RD passed along the fact that Maureen Dowd has a great column today in the New York Times titled Pass the Duct Tape (free registration required). He also told me he heard a guy in Connecticut is shrink-wrapping his entire house to prevent leaks - not sure if it's cheaper than a new roof or if he's really paranoid. The guy in CT that is - not RD.

So viewers are outraged that Joe Millionaire didn't make the final selection Monday night -- and omigod, they have to tune in next Monday for the "real" finale. How perfectly fitting. I have just one small favor to ask: for everyone that was pissed off at FOX for their deception, turn your TV to any other program Monday night. Give FOX the worst ratings its ever received. You won't miss anything really - all the entertainment shows will have the clips and you can get any information you need right online. Come on, who's willing?

I have nothing against Croatia personally. But how is that the U.S. is knocked out of Davis Cup contention early for the second time in three years? By a country that's never made it to the finals. This is a rhetorical question, really.

I watched the Michael Jackson documentary last week. Once on, I felt compelled to watch - sort of like watching an accident happen over and over again. CourtTV 's The Smoking Gun has done it again and has published deposition papers from the child abuse case Jackson settled almost 10 years ago. I can't swear that it's authentic but at least one news organization says it is (for whatever that's worth.)

Dick Gregory wants to Change the Name of the Russell SOB. I don't condone or agree with Russell's civil rights record. But I think history is what is being attacked here. He served in Congress from 1933 through 1971. My dad was a government official in the Kennedy Administration (and he still considers himself a New Dealer) when he met with Russell once to discuss location of a water laboratory in Georgia. According to my dad, Russell and so many others of that time were anti-civil rights. Maybe even personally racist. But Russell and the rest of them were recognized for a lifetime of service and many realized they were wrong and changed their votes.

If Gregory prevails, we should review the names of every building named since 1964 and change it if the person voted against civil rights at any time. As my dad points out, this would eliminate Robert Byrd, the Senator from West Virginia who it is said once belonged to the Ku Klux Klan and now has many edifices named for him in his grateful state. And what of Howard Baker of Tennessee? Baker was one of the finest men to ever call himself Senator. He and Byrd sponsored the bill to name the building for Russell. And it passed 99 to 1, and that one was honored later when SOB #3 was named for him -- Phil Hart of Michigan. I'm all right with making sure no buildings are ever named after Trent Lott but that's another story. And my Dad says don't be too sure about that either.

It got my dad thinking. Maybe they'll have to change the name of the Dirksen SOB too. His was a sorry civil rights record...until the end when his vote helped pass the bill. And what about the Rayburn and Cannon and Longworth buildings over on the House side? All named for Speakers of the House - ALL of whom opposed civil rights legislation in their day. And what about the monuments, streets, parks and schools named after Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington? Honest Abe emancipated the slaves only because he needed troops and wanted to show the Irish mob in New York that the Civil War wasn't about freeing the slaves. It was about saving the Union. George Washington owned more slaves than almost anybody (although they were freed upon his death - not sure what that means exactly but you can look it up.) And Jefferson. Well, don't get me started about Jefferson.

Dick Gregory should focus his attention on real issues that will benefit and improve race relations around the world and conditions for African-Americans in this country. Now that would be a worthwhile effort.

I know I'm a little late on this one but bear with me.

Cokie Roberts has been named to the presidential Council on Service and Civic Participation. She was nominated by George W. Bush. She is a political commentator for ABC News, which the ABC News story declines to mention.

So it's up to the good ole' Cleveland Plain Dealer to explore the conflict of interest question. And this is okay with everyone?

Leona Helmsley claims she's been robbed which makes it even harder for me to be outraged that a jury awarded another litigious-happy cipher millions of dollars. Okay maybe he was subjected to unfair firing practices - who the hell hasn't?

What a time to be away from my computer. I haven't had the ability to post until tonight. My prayers and thoughts are with the families of those seven astronauts who died Saturday. I can't imagine their grief.

I remember thinking as I was hearing the coverage and the journalists saying over and over again that there's no evidence of terrorism. And I kept thinking, It's the Faulty O-Ring, Stupid. I know everything's different after Sept. 11, but I remember January 28, 1986 and exactly what I was doing as if it was yesterday. I just hope they find the cause of Columbia's disintegration without worrying more about blame and politics. And did anyone else notice that Palestine, Texas was one of the areas over which debris fell? With the first Israeli astronaut aboard. Too weird.