M is indulging in some snide, pomo cultural experience right this second: watching American Idol. It’s really, really bad. I find it enormously discouraging that such a deliberately public display of idiocy and embarrassment is so popular. We are all a part of this monster.

On the other side, I rolled out 90 quality minutes running this afternoon, and my legs feel golden. Very encouraging. Another month of foot and bike base-building, through the recovery from the Red Hot, then intensity work pushing through March and the Rim Ride. The overarching concern is to balance intensity and dedication with fun, and be conservative enough to not get hurt, fitting it all into the race schedule. All good thus far.

Last running day until next week.

This saturday M has traffic school (my fault, and a story for another time), so I’ll be pulling AM driving duty to Flag, then hitting up 4 hours at the nordic center. Sunday is the Quadruple Bypass down in Phoenix; my first trip down south not involving the airport. Should be an excellent day out with the big crew.

On to the politics: the SOTU was quite pedestrian, an inversion of last year’s with some smooth talking thrown in for the start. Jim Webb’s response, however, brought down the house:

“Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions [social stratification and the robber barons]. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves “as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other.” And he did something about it.

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. “When comes the end?” asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.”

As Mark Shields said, “a star was born.”

Terse, eloquent in a simple way, blunt, unlaundered and unafraid. I can only hope that the dems run a campaign that way. Richardson/Obama, baby.

On a final note, demonstrating on just how much of a nerd I am, I couldn’t help but tear up last night. Pelosi is a majestic figure, and witnessing a woman sitting behind the president during the SOTU for the first time in over two centuries is fantastic. I do feel guilty, but I just don’t like Hilary that much.

Looks like I’ll be fitting a new chain and fitting the monkey for the weekend tomorrow. Over and out.