INSTEAD OF BASHING BUSH, MAYBE WE SHOULD SIMPLY IGNORE HIM!!!

It's easy to be a Bush basher. On both sides of the aisle. The loyal to the Democratic party side because the other guy is a Republican. The loyal to the Republican party side, because President Bush is the strangest "Republican" lifetime Republicans like me have ever seen.

The party of fiscal responsibility is being led by a guy who acts like an insecure frat boy who's trying to impress the college homecoming queen by spending money he doesn't have to win her affection.

Iraq? He should have listened to his daddy. Quagmire, baby! Like his infamous, "Bring it on!", they did! And the quagmire warning? It is!

Three people have recently come back from Iraq. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and Senator John Warner, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee.

All three say our troops are doing a great job. But the Iraqi government isn't using the U.S. military buildup to reach a political solution to end the war. The problem? The failure to compromise. If that sounds familiar, all we have to do is go back to the beginning of this ill advised venture when our (then) top General said we needed several hundred thousand more troops to help accomplish what the Bush administration wanted accomplished. Instead of agreeing with our General or coming up with a compromise of some kind, our General was fired. The latest advice? Get some different Iraqi political leadership. Quickly! To no one's surprise, this advice is being ignored by the Bush administration.

On or about the 11th of September, U.S. Ambassador Crocker and the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus will issue a progress report.

Exactly what they'll say we don't know, but know this! If the report is favorable regarding our mission, it will be praised by the Bush administration. If the report is unfavorable, based on previous experiences, it will be ignored by the Bush administration.

If that happens, the temptation to be a "Bush Basher" will be front and center, but my feeling is that we should take the high road. A little more than a year from now we'll be done with this crowd. Instead of being a basher or a decider which is what President Bush claims to be, let's be what Bush is and be an ignorer. For the next 14 to 16 months, let's hope the time flies fast and ignore the guy we voted into office because he seemed like he'd be fun to have a beer with.

ELVIRA ARELLANO IS SAYING SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE AGREE WITH:

Elvira Arellano is the convicted criminal who was in this country, illegally, twice. She had a child while she was here, she stole a Social Security number while she was here and a couple of days ago, instead of getting a prison sentence, she was deported for the second time. While most law abiding citizens disagree with her way of doing business, Ms. Arellano has been saying something that is resonating with her detractors. She keeps talking about Mexico being "her country". According to letters to the editor in the major L.A. newspapers and e-mails written to me, law abiding citizens are saying, "We hear you, Ms. Arellano. Mexico is your country. Stay there!"

TELEVISION STUFF:

I want to give a shout out to reader/listener Patrick K. Gallagher of Long Beach who wrote me a very passionate e-mail about television and films. His thoughts about films are for another time, but he agrees with our praise of FX's terrific new television series, "Damages", starring Glenn Close. Tuesday nights at 10 and repeated throughout the week. Great show!

Lifetime made a couple of minor schedule changes with their Sunday night tripleheader. "State of Mind" has moved from 9 to 8, "Side Order of Life" has moved from 8 to 9 and "Army Wives", while staying on at 10, will show its season finale this coming Sunday. "Army Wives" has already been renewed for next season and I'll be shocked if "State of Mind" and "Side Order of Life" aren't also renewed.

I've seen both episodes of David Duchovny's new show "Californication", Monday night at 10:30 on Showtime. It's not for everyone, but I like it and it's now on my "must watch" list. Mary Louise Parker's "Weeds" precedes "Californication" at 10. I love Parker and think she's one of the sexiest women on the planet, but I don't have the same favorable opinion of "Weeds" that most other critics do.

There's a brand new show on Fox tonight called "Anchorwoman" that's being savaged by critics which means that I'll watch it!

Speaking of Fox, we'll close with a quote from "American Idol" judge, Paula Abdul, who, according to the tabloid Globe, was asked, "If someone had a gun to your head and you had to sleep with fellow American Idol judge Randy Jackson or Simon Cowell, who would you choose?" Paula Abdul's reply was, "I'd have to pick Randy because Simon would be too busy yelling out his own name during sex!"

EDITOR'S NOTE: Don't forget! You can HEAR this blog! The links to the stations broadcasting today's blog can be found at the bottom of my links section which is to the right of what you're reading now. It's the last links.

IF YOU READ THIS BEFORE PICTURES HAVE BEEN ADDED, COME BACK! PICTURES WILL BE UP SOON!

A new blog is written every morning, Monday through Friday and is posted between 7 and 7:15, Pacific Time, sometimes earlier. Questions and comments can be sent to scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I do write back.

TOMORROW: I'll tell you what I think of "Anchorwoman" and anything else that makes me say, "Whaaaat?!?"