The Temperature at Which America Freezes

Please see Standard Paragraph. Most Americans seem to agree.

At 32 (!) % approval, the President thrashes about in the quicksand. Also Americans are increasingly identifying themselves as leaning to the Democrats, AND there is an interesting small difference in this between registered voters and everyone contacted, again favoring Democrats, which is a little unusual. It sugggests that Republicans are discouraged.

Gallup is a fairly conservative poll; the Fox poll has him at 33%; the very best case scenario for the Administration is Rasmussen Reports, which has him at 40%, because they use a wider split, with strong and somewhat approval or disapproval. As they point out, the strong disapproval alone, at 42%, is greater than Bush's total approval.

I'll be headed to Yakima - the wonderland that is Yakima - for the Democratic State convention in June; what was most fun at the district caucus was arguing about whether the demand for the impeachment platform should include Cheney first. Also, Maria Cantwell put in an appearance and turned a much farther left crowd to her simply by mentioning Ted Stevens and his Chia pet CEO, Mike McGavick. She followed an emotional, angry but understandable speech from a decorated Iraq vet Marine running in the primary, running to her left on the war. I've seen nothing like this since I was a little kid, in 1972.

Meanwhile, our local political columnist Joel Connelly, a Democrat yet anything but a leftist, roasts the Alaska leadership.

And now for poor Mark Begich comes the horrible task of rebranding Anchorage.

"Wild About Anchorage" wasn't the worst slogan in history, certainly better than Say WA (shudder). But I would be neglecting my duty as a gentleman satirist if I didn't jump in:

"Come Anger the Bears"

" 3 Wal Marts, Better Average Architecture"

"Get Paid for Resenting the Government"

"Mars Needs Women"

"Get Anywhere You Don't Want to Go in 15 Minutes"

"Free Rides Live Here"

"T-111 WOW!"