By MICHAEL SCHENKLER
This recent picture of me, was taken in Queens with a US
President and a senatorial candidate. Now, of these two New Yorkers . . .. . . I have the fondest memories of his Presidency past, and the
greatest expectations for her future career in public service.
Thanx, Bill!
Good luck, Hillary! |
It’s not the main subject of
this column, but I’m still a Bill Clinton fan. The man did wonders for our country
and has shown a couple of warts that make him human. He’s one of us.
Enough already! Enough investigations,
witchhunts and accusations of office spending and furniture stealing. Enough threats and
recriminations.
The guy was a damn good President. Say
"thank you" and let’s all get on with our lives. If we big city folks are
prepared to give George Dubya a chance, why can’t the Republicans in Congress allow
Clinton to move on in peace?
We welcome him to New York, invite him to
Queens and believe he is going to be exciting and wonderful for our City.
His selection of an office in Harlem
demonstrates that Bill is a giant step above the arrogant elitists who continue to throw
stones. It’s great for our City, great for him and an affirmation of sorts, for us
children of the ‘60s.
We’re not defending the Rich pardon.
We don’t know enough about it. What we do know is the country was lucky to have Bill
Clinton for the past eight years.
New York is very lucky now.
Welcome home, Bill.
This column is basically to introduce you
to Madeleine Kane my new online friend from Bayside. Excerpts from her "Dubya’s
Daily Dairy" and her story are below. Read it and go visit her website. If you enjoy
politics and humor, you’ll enjoy her.
TERM LIMITS: Lighthearted column or
not, I can’t leave, even for one week, the outrage I feel at the City Councilmembers
who are attempting to overturn the term limit referendum passed by the people to allow
themselves the chance to run again. We’ve been hammering this point home and intend
to do so not only until they vote on the vile bill, but as long as the jokers who favor
this violation of the people’s will remain in public life.
Elected officials are placed in office to
carry out the people’s will. In this case there can be no doubt; the people have
voted twice for council term limits.
Any elected official violating the
people’s trust and trying to overturn term limits without bringing it back to the
people by referendum, must be viewed as an enemy of the people.
Last week, our front page showed the seven
offending Councilmembers from Queens on a "Wanted" poster. We affirm our belief
that these seven and their compatriots care not for the people of Queens or for the City
and only for their own political careers. They must be remembered and branded as
anti-democracy and enemies of the people.
These self-serving Queens Councilmembers
are: Julia Harrison, Helen Marshall, Walter McCaffrey, John Sabini, Al Stabile, Juanita
Watkins and Tom White.
Remember them!
Oppose them!
WRITE THE TRIB: We’ve received
lots of email in support of our last column attacking the term limit repeal. Here are some
excerpts:
• "This is the kind of article
that makes me stand up and cheer while reading it."
• "To have more fun try to find
out if they did anything to help in trying to pass the term limit change proposal in
1996."
• "Good column."
• "Well-said, Mike. I’m
fowarding this out."
• "Wow, you’ve certainly
told hem! This is hot stuff, Mike. Really good column!"
• "Keep fighting this . . . you
WILL BE HEARD!!!! Just wish there were more and louder."
ACK: Just came back from visiting
our old friend, Tribune founder Congressman Gary Ackerman. He has been one
hip public servant.
No longer! Gary had a hip replaced last
week and is presently in rehab, learning how to jog again.
He’s cheerful, doing well and expect
him to be back kicking up a storm in Congress and the district, shortly.
It's Bush's Bayside Ghostwriter?
When you ask someone for a brief bio and
you get it back with a warning, you begin to wonder. Such was the case with one Madeleine
Kane of Bayside.
You see Mad(eleine) is a humor writer. She
and I chatted online sometime back. I thought she was clever enough and deserved to be
exposed to our readers.
Although I’ve read some of her stuff,
it was not until her "Dubya’s Daily Dairy," that I knew, she was a kindred
spirit. Sarcasm and humor are the most effective tools of the political writer. And this
oboist turned lawyer turned humor writer has decided to pen George
"Dubya’s" dairy.
I asked "MadKane," if I could
share some of her stuff with our readers. She agreed. I then requested a "very, brief
bio." I got back a tirade about lawyers, Massapequa and teaching music that began:
"Warning: Most people think I’m
making this up, but I fear that I’m not."
Our Bayside resident, St. John’s Law
graduate, who grew up on Long Island and became a starving musician, has been writing
humor for more than a dozen years.
She tells us, "I started writing as an
escape because I hated being a lawyer. I think I got hooked on it initially because
it was another way to be on stage which I enjoy doing as an oboist and because it was a
legit way to exercise my sarcastic nature."
Her credits include: the NY Times,
Newsday, Family Circle, Chicago Tribune, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Miami Herald, Houston
Chronicle, the L. A. Times Syndicate and Knight-Ridder/Tribune. Online,
she started with an AOL humor feature back in 1996 and launched her own website,
MadKane.com in 1999.
Well, she’s on this page because,
Madeleine is "Raising Kane" with her new online feature revealing the innermost
secrets of our new President. We think you should check out "Dubya’s Daily
Dairy." at: www.madkane.com/bush.html
Here’s our edited, condensed version
of selected days from MadKane’s Diary:
Jan. 20, 2001
Dear Diary — Poppy says I haveta keep a diary of my Prezidency. Every night at 9:30
before my lovely wife Laura and I turn in I’m supposed to write something about my
day . . . He’ll fix it later on . . .
Today was really cool. I was sworn in and
everything and now I’m the real Prezident. Take that Alfred Gore!
MadKane
|
Jan. 22, 2001
Dear D — I wanted to make a big speech today about how the economy is even worse than
we thought because of C’s mess and that unless my tax reduction plan is past right
away the market will crash even more, oil guys will starve etc. But they said no. I argued
with them and they finally said maybe next week. I offered to start writing the speech
myself but Dick said just consintrate on your diary.
They made me introduce my educashun plan
today. Didn’t want to. It’s full of stuff about tests. I never liked tests.
Gotta go now. Time for makeup sex with L.
Jan. 25, 2001
Dear D — Boy am I P-Oed! Am I allowed to say that? Must ask Dick. Am I allowed to say
Dick? Hahahaha! Good one!
Maybe I’ll get to see it [the White
House website] some day if they ever give me my computer back. Just cause I sent a couple
of emails I shounta is no reason to be so mean to me.
Jan. 29, 2001
Dear Diary — Decided to switch diary writing from bedtime to first thing in the
morning — as soon as I get to the Oval Office. It’ll give me something to do.
Poppy looked at last week’s diary and
wasnt plezed. He just shook his head and muttered something about wishin Jeb was here.
Wonder what he meant by that.
Jan. 30, 2001
Dear Diary — Just found out Ashcroft still isn’t A G yet. Hillary’s been
making trouble for him instead of combing her hair. But Dick says keep the faith. By the
time we’re though investigating her ethics she’ll be baking cookies in jail.
Probly chocolate chip.
I’m real excited about my first trip
abroad as Prezident. I can already taste the burritos.
Just love Mexico — I get to practice
my Spanish there. And maybe sneak in a visit to the ranch.
Jan. 31, 2001
Dear Diary — Dick says my faith based plan is getting a better than expected
response. That’s great news! If only the lawyers didn’t cut out my favorite part
— making Christianity the official US religion.
Feb. 1, 2001
Dear Diary — Hallelujah! It looks like the Senate will finally vote for Ashcroft
today. (I prayed for him at this mornings National Prayer Breakfast.) Any minute now all
13 of my Cabinet appointments will be approved. Or is it 14? 12???
Feb. 5, 2001
I spent a lotta time with Democrats this weekend. Didn’t wanna. Don’t much like
Democrats after all those mean things they said about me while I was beating the pants off
Gore. But Poppy says I havta make nice with them so they won’t notice we’re
doing stuff they don’t like.
Feb. 13, 2001
But he [Dick] was right about those Damn Dems and my tax package. They’re already
making trouble and startin up again with that richest one percent business. I thought I
heard the lasta that one when we got rid of Gore. But no! I sure wish theyd stop talking
like that. Percents make me dizzy.
Feb. 15, 2001
That’s it for today. It’s 11 am — gotta get me to the gym.
Feb. 16, 2001
Dear Diary — Gotta keep this short — I’m off to Mexico today. Meetin with
President Fox at his ranch. Not sure what he’s got planned, but anybody with a ranch
is okay by me. Plus his names real easy to pronounce.
Check out MadKane’s site at: www.madkane.com. She’ll make you laugh and think.
