Left I on the News

USA Weekend yesterday had a cover story on Jimmy Buffett. I wouldn't have even read it except my brother is a Parrothead (fortunately bad taste doesn't run in the family :-) ). I was surprised to read that Buffett describes himself as "an old hippie" and a "Southern radical" who supports Obama and campaigned for Carter and Gore.

On specific issues, here's what he had to say:

He has been opposed to the war in Iraq since the beginning. "Anybody who makes policy in this country oughta have to walk by the Vietnam memorial on the way to work," Buffett says.

OK, so Buffett was opposed to the invasion of Iraq, and we can surmise from his quote about the Vietnam memorial that he thinks that war was a tragic waste (after all, few people would make a comment like that about a World War II memorial). So what is the next question the author, Ann Oldenburg, asks?

So why not vote for Vietnam vet John McCain?

HUH? Buffett should vote for a man because he participated in a war Buffett thinks was a tragedy, McCain who was a strong advocate of both that war and the invasion of Iraq, both of which Buffett opposed, McCain, who is still one of those people who thinks the U.S. could have "won" if only we hadn't stopped bombing and killing and being killed? Is she a compete moron or does she only play one in USA Weekend?

Unfortunately, Buffett blew the chance to respond intelligently to her moronic question, which is why the title refers to "double 'huh'." Instead of pointing out that he is opposed to everything McCain stands for, all he says is:

"I respect John McCain, but it's old stuff. John McCain is older than I am!"

Sorry, Jimmy, if that's the best you can come up with, you'd better stick to singing and avoid interviews on political topics.