I imagine you saw the big news in the New York Times. The whole Benghazi thing was exactly what the talking points said they were when then-UN Ambassador Susan Rice went on the five Sunday talk shows to read the message.

It is a relief to know that the 2016 campaign has officially commenced with an attempt to inoculate former SecState Clinton against charges of ineptitude in office and subsequently dissembling before Congress. I was moderately surprised to hear a version of this from now-National Security Advisor Rice make the same claim to 60 Minute last week.

More talking points, I thought at the time, and now my impression is confirmed by the lap-dogs at the NY Times. I mean really.

It is a bit much to believe that al Qaida had nothing to do with the murder of four Americans, including the sitting US Ambassador, that the anniversary of 9/11 had nothing to do with it, that coordinates in the Consulate Annex were not pre-surveyed by the bad guys, or that something very strange was going on in terms of a CIA-run weapons transfer operation from Qaddafy’s arsenal to those creeps in Syria was not the proximate cause of the military attack.

This is going to be a long campaign, and I think I am tired of it already. Sic Transit Gloria and all that crap. What a year- but I won’t try to top Dave Barry on that:

The man is a genius, but with the material he has available to lampoon, I suppose it is only natural that he pushes all the buttons.

Or maybe my mood was colored by the restlessness I felt from being stuck in the house through the day-long rain storm that buffeted Refuge Farm. I could spin a fascinating story about cleaning out the garage and moving articles of furniture around, but come on. That is about as interesting as old scandals and the prospect of much more nonsense about everything to come.

One thing that comes out of this very odd and somewhat depressing year is the fact that friends are good things to have.

Here is the Amen Corner on Buffalo Night at the Willow last Friday:

(The Amen Corner at Buffalo Night, held on the last Friday of December, 2013: Back row, left to right: John-with-an-H, Jon-without, Senior Executive Jerry, my deputy at the GDIP Staff, front row, L-R: Barrister Jerry, Vic, Lovely Jamie, Jim’s prospective in-law, Jim’s-brother-in-law, The Lovely Bea (TLB) and Old Jim himself. Photo by Jasper Malig.)

Sic Transit Gloria, Muni, you know? Happy New Year!

Copyright 2013 Vic Socotra
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