No Help For Ensign

Perhaps Senator Ensign should have saved that mistress hush money for his re-election campaign.

As lawmakers rollout their campaign fundraising totals for the first quarter of 2010, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has little to boast about: the embattled senator's re-election campaign took in just $50 in contributions -- all of which came from a single donor.

Fifty. Dollars.

...D'OH!

Ensign's Mommy & Daddy "Gifted" Mistress $96K

Senator Ensign, it just gets more and more embarrassing for you, doesn't it?

Politico: Sen. John Ensign's parents shelled out big bucks to pay off their son's mistress, the latest twist in an unfolding scandal that has upended the political career of the one-time rising GOP star.

...On Thursday, Ensign's attorney said that the senator's parents gave Doug Hampton, Cynthia Hampton and their two children gifts worth $96,000 in the form of a check. The attorney, Paul Coggins, said that each gift was limited to $12,000 and "complied with tax rules governing gifts."

Seriously, John? Your mommy and daddy tried to pay off your mistress and her family? Sort of makes Governor Mark "Juan Peron" Sanford look like a stand up guy.

Obama Shakes Hand - Civilization Collapses

This past weekend, President Obama met with South American leaders at the fifth Summit of the Americas to discuss international relations and it seems that the Obama haters have their panties in a knot over the fact that the President shook hands with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Senator John Ensign, Republican of Nevada, said on CNN that it was “irresponsible for the president” to be seen laughing and joking with “one of the most anti-American leaders in the entire world,” referring to Mr. Chávez.

Shaking hands with an anti-American leader? Surely, that's never happened before. As leader of the free world, you wouldn't want to appear weak and have a dialogue with "anti-Americans." I mean, diplomacy is one thing, but shaking hands? That's out of the question.

So, when you're in a room with thirty-three leaders from other countries for "diplomatic" purposes, what do you do? Walk across the room and slap Chavez in the face and call him a potty mouth? Take off your shoe and smash the heel of it on the desk?

For all the bluster from the ever increasingly marginalized right wing, doesn't it seem like President Obama is coming out smelling like a rose in all of these meetings? Everyone likes him, everyone wants to be seen with him, everyone wants to rub the Obama belly and get a little piece of that "­¡Si Se Puede!" mojo to increase their own popularity at home. Hell, he even got a gift of a 36 year old book from Chavez (a cheap photo op for Chavez to be sure, but you take what you can get).

This new (and back to the real definition of) diplomacy can only help the new administration and America as we reach out to our neighboring countries and solidify previously strained relationships that can have far reaching effects in the continuing process of protecting our nation.

That's a far cry from the last eight years of cowboy diplomacy.