If you're watching the first season of West Wing, you can skip past anything with Mandy. That'll help.

Was there ever an explaination for her disappearance? Or was she like Chuck Cunningham?

Both Obama and Biden's seats will be filled by the governor of their respective states. Biden may not resign from his position until after he's made veep, which would allow a Dem governor to replace him.

Gee, that's going to be tough, what with the Vice President being in charge of running the senate... t eyeroll

If Lieberman wants to stay an Independent, then he should lose his party senority, IMO, He can caucus with whomever he likes but he can't be a committee chair.

Yeah, absolutely.

I did make some food -- a chicken puttanesca made up thing, with pasta. I will check back in at 9, when I'm sure to be starving again.

I snacked. (There were sesame sticks at Walgreen's. I HAD to have them.)

Trudy, there was never any explanation of her disappearance or even reference to the character ever again.

I had...cereal for early, before-rehearsal dinner. I shall likely be munching afterwards.

I had extra-spicy Turkey Helper for lunch. It was extra spicy because I wasn't aware there was no sieve-top for the garlic flake container when I started to sprinkle it on. It was at least 6 tablespoons worth, and of course it landed in such a way that it was useless to try and scoop it back in.

However, it turns out that that much garlic really works for this sort of sauce, much more than I would have expected....

Oh, I hate that! I have one spice like that, with no shaker, but of course I can't remember which one it is...

Hey, has anyone found that Newsweek with the big election story on the newstand?

Should I think that not seeing means it hasn't arrived at the store yet, or that it has sold out?

The last chapter has a Nov 17th issue date.

sumi, we have a subscription and our Newsweek came in on Saturday, which means it should hit the newstands this week.

I just drove off from McDonalds without my food. The kids got their happy meals but I'm making a sandwich at home.

If Lieberman wants to stay an Independent, then he should lose his party senority, IMO, He can caucus with whomever he likes but he can't be a committee chair.

I am rarely a centrist but...

No. He SHOULD have lost his "party seniority" (and the seniority that counts is not necessarily to the party, but to the years of service, right?) but in 2006 it was convenient for the Dems to leave him in their caucus with all of the privileges that entails because he was tipping point.

Now that he isn't, it's too late, IMO, to strip him of those things because they didn't when it would have made the most logical sense. 57 seats is a nice fat lead, but 1/3r of all of them will be up for re-election in 2 years and there is no guarantee that the Dems won't need Leiberman again in the very near future.

So I guess the public spanking might feel like the right thing, but it might not be right politically in a long term perspective.