Questions and Answers

A number of questions have been asked of TNB recently--sometimes by readers and sometimes just by him. Following are a sampling of such questions along with answers in italics.

• Was there really an earthquake in the cemetery where Col. McCormick is buried when his Chicago Tribune endorsed Barack Obama, first Democrat ever? No, that rumbling occurred when jeans wearing Sam Zell took over his office.
• Is Sarah Palin really angling to be a TV star, especially with her new $150,000 wardrobe paid for by the Republican National Committee? Yes, look for her to show up sooner or later on FoxNews. She is far more charming and no more ignorant than most of their present commentators.
• Why do very few political ads (TV, print media, flyers, etc) indicate which party the candidate, whether for national or local office, belongs to? The obsession with attracting independent or "swing" voters has overwhelmed party identification. True believers know anyway; others may be shocked to see the name of the political party next to the candidate's name on the ballot.
• Was the last plane leaving for the Dominican Republic when Alfonso Soriano (to whom the Cubs still owe about $100 million) flailed helplessly at the last pitch of the pitiful Dodgers playoff series? Yes, he and some other overpriced players were concerned that Washington politicians would really "spread the wealth" by somehow voiding their contracts like the effort to rein in excessive CEO pay. Talk about excessive!
• Will John McCain, he of the "no earmarks/freeze on spending" platform, lend his support to GOP Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, who in his tough Kentucky reelection campaign, has openly boasted about how much "pork" he has brought to his State? No, although Kentucky is a reliable red state, McConnell and indeed many Republicans running for election have kept their distance from McCain, as if he were (gasp) the dreaded George W.
• When mercifully the long campaign finally ends on November 4, will The Normal Blog cease to publish? Of course not--TNB will go back to reviewing movies and commenting on a host of social issues like the rudeness of people, the selfishness of people and many more significant matters you've been waiting to read about.