Chris Cristie announced he would not seek the Republican nomination for president because he was advised he had no time to build the infrastructure he would need to succeed and his decision had nothing to do with him just being humble and not wanting power. It was just too late.

And now Sarah Palin has also dropped out of the race. She gave her decision a lofty spin but it is really because, as a non elected mover and shaker, she can influence her base, bear no responsibility, and make millions, as she has been doing, with speaking engagements. It’s a winning combination. Why mess with it? Incidentally, “bear no responsibility” is the hallmark of her character. News voices keep saying she has star power and if she would just take two years off and bone up on the essentials, she could sweep the country. A major personality and character change, I think, would first have to take place. She has to want to rely on knowledge instead of an endearing wink and sound bites. I don't see it happening.

That leaves Romney, who is more moderate than the Right Wing likes (and also, despite his good looks, very dull indeed) and Huntsman and Perry. Huntsman is the least offensive, and that is precisely why he won’t get the nod to run. Don’t forget, McCain, who at one time was not a bad choice for the presidency, could not get the nomination because he was too reasonable, had no religious base, and actually held some positions that did not make the Left cringe. And the second time he tried, he got the nomination only because he agreed to have Sarah Palin as his running mate. Sarah, the dream of the nut cases who are now dominating the Republican Party. McCain really wanted Lieberman, who had run with Al Gore as a Democrat. The Democrats (for their own convoluted reasons) did not support Connecticut Senator Lieberman in his bid for re-election, so he ran as an Independent and won. I can’t say I was thrilled that he would run with McCain on a Republican ticket since that is tit-for-tat politics and doesn’t help the country.

Perry gives prayer breakfasts (I think that he personally is as religious as a sea turtle) and is milking that segment of the party because he thinks his success lies there.

Meanwhile, I listened to an interview Terry Gross of NPR had with C. Peter Wagner. He is currently the president of Global Harvest Ministries and the Wagner Leadership Institute, which trains leaders to join in a movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, an organization Wagner also helped found. The mission of this group is to convert everybody to Christianity. Everybody. Nothing wrong with other religions, mind you, but they are not the true religion. Just us Christ people. And, of course, we support Israel, because they, too, will one day accept Ja-uh-zuz, instead of the Messiah they are waiting for.

Wagner believes Japan is being run by demons, because the sun goddess slept with the current emperor and she is a bad demon. He also thinks demons possess those of us who are irreligious and do not accept Jesus Christ. Members of the NAR are trained to be on the lookout for those possessed by demons. There was a lot more – it all blurs in my mind. He didn’t say he supports Rick Perry, but one of his people helped organize that prayer breakfast. Cagey fellow, for all his mindless fantasies. He was careful to give reasonable answers insofar as his premises were based on insanity.

Terry did a masterful dance of asking him questions in a way that would not annoy him and at the same time reveal who he is. I could never do what she does. I would have vomited all over him … (end of interview).

On other matters … Steve Jobs died and is being praised by world leaders and in the media, as well he might be, because he changed the world and his inventions have reached into every aspect of daily life. It is also dismaying and saddening to think that you can have this genius, be this successful, and still not be able to beat an illness that takes you too soon.

And our personal saga … This morning, Edward burned his breakfast egg because he forgot about it and then he wanted to sulk and finally I persuaded him to let me fix his breakfast. Now I am cleaning out the burned egg pan he used and maybe it will recover and maybe not. I smelled the burning egg but he overcooks all his food, so I was not concerned and I was on my hands and knees in the living room cleaning up kitty vomit. Max loves to eat the plants on the pool deck. He is usually okay but this morning he did not come to wake me, nor did he want his early wet food, so I started looking around for vomit. And why, I ask, will he not vomit on a small area rug I have under the piano chair (to prevent rug marks), but right next to it on the wall-to-wall carpet that I can’t wash in the machine? Max is still not himself.

I continue to have intermittent residual headache and mild balance symptoms, very low key and I am blaming the fact that I wake up 3 or 4 times a night with hot you-know-whats. My doctor said I should use the ceiling fan and cover with just a sheet, but going back to sleep is not the problem. I use an ice pack that works well and I am soon asleep again. But I am not getting any stage 4 sleep because of the interruptions in the cycle. So I wake up exhausted. My massage therapist suggested 1200 units a day of vitamin E, so I am trying that.

xx, Teal