This is kinda' funny:

Vladimir Putin 'wanted to hang Georgian President Saakashvili by the balls'

With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.

Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”

Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

Reagan was already suffering Alzheimer symptoms when he was elected President. The press helped cover it up by not reporting gaffes. I'm not saying that Palin is not awful and unqualified. I think we tend to overlook how awful and unqualified some of the people we have had in the past were.

Reagan was already suffering Alzheimer symptoms when he was elected President.

I've heard that. I've also read quotes of Reagan from that time where he seems in possession of his faculties. So I'm curious - how bad were his symptoms then?

I do remember the "Trees cause most pollution" quote. And back then I was appalled that he thought ICBMs could be recalled after launch....

So I'm curious - how bad were his symptoms then?

Mainly really appalling gaffes - some of them got reported on back pages, but most of them got skipped on grounds that "that's just Reagan being Reagan, and people don't care about that stuff anyway". Part of it was the pushback from the rightwing, where anytime a gaffe was quoted the press got angry phone calls, and letters. In all fairness Reagan could keep it together for long periods. He did well in the debate with Carter, though having Carter's briefing book certainly helped with that one.

If you watch Reagan-era SNL, all the jokes are about how he can't remember anything and/or has no idea what's going on around him. It's kind of creepy in retrospect.

I just got an email from David Plouffe/Obama telling me that:

For the first time, transition efforts won't be financed with donations from Washington lobbyists and PACs -- which means we'll need to keep asking for your help.

a) huh

b) I was just thinking this morning how nice it was not to be inundated with emails asking for more money.

I still remember talking to a co-worker who was a big fan of Reagan's - before the Alzheimer diagnosis was made public - when he'd gotten a book signed by Reagan. He was so thrilled, because he could tell it had been signed personally. He said something along the lines of "you know how I can tell he signed it personally?" and I snapped back with "by the drool marks?" sigh ... the diagnosis was made public later, so I felt kind of bad about it.

I just heard they were giving campaign staffers a month's pay as a bonus, because they have so much extra money.

I could wrong on this, but I think "Obama for President" may have extra money, but the DNC, nsm.

I just heard they were giving campaign staffers a month's pay as a bonus, because they have so much extra money.

I think by law they can't use any campaign money towards the transition, though. OTOH, I didn't realize that the president elect had to fund his transition. I would think it would be in the best interests of the country to make sure a transition went smoothly.