Generally the daily news is pretty serious stuff - budgets, disasters, politics, automobile crashes and murders. And amidst all the dead-serious work being done now in Washington, politicians are being especially serious. But I was struck today by the several unintentionally humorous items I saw (not even counting the comics page).
Senator Judd Gregg is a serious fellow and worthy of our respect, yet when he says (speaking for the Republicans) "We don't think prosperity can be provided by a government that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much", I can't process that unless I take it as an attempt at comedy.
Speaking of comedy, Gregg's serious mind is usually reflected in serious, down-in-the-mouth photos as well. But I was struck by how much he physically resembles a real comedian, specifically, the fellow who once played in West Wing on TV and now plays (I had to think a moment where I'd seen him lately) the ex-husband in "The New Adventures of Old Christine." It began to feel a little eerie when I found out his (the comedian's) name is also Gregg - but I can find nothing in either's biographies that suggests they are related.
Another normally serious fellow was also playing for laughs yesterday: House Minority Leader John Boehner allowed himself to be photographed presenting the Republican "alternative budget" -- all 18 pages of it. Granted, the whole thing was trumped up just to be able to offer a photo op, and the Republicans know it would be wasteful spending to do a full-blown alternative budget. Still, it looks silly. They should have resisted the urge to produce an outline.
On the Democratic side, the Administration's nominee to head the federal personnel system, one M. John Berry, was approved in hearings yesterday. It's interesting that Mr. Berry's last job was as Director of the National Zoo. As a former fed myself, I have to wonder if they're trying to tell us something.
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