All this call for change - aren't the candidates capable of doing this now as senators?

The other night on one of the channels, I heard Former Speaker Newt Gingrich remark that any of the three candidates could walk the walk right now in Congress in their positions as Senators. Of course, since Obama and Clinton are far junior to McCain, he implied that really only McCain could gain from this, and in reality, probably had more to lose by trying. Moral of this snippet? It seems to imply that the Senate has no real power. Perhaps, perhaps not. I couldn't find this transcript, but he makes this same general point here. See generally Gingrich Warns of GOP Catastrophe.

I was speaking to one of my friends in Ohio, who is a minority, who made an interesting argument that Obama could either be the greatest president ever, or run an administration with Carter-esque results. And while fifty years down the road, history may judge both Carter and Bush favorably, the immediate impact if he screws up could deter future minorities from succeeding. He argues that Obama is better off as VP for a few years. I have to give his argument more consideration, but his point was interesting enough. I found a similar argument online (although I can't find it now; I think it was an op-ed piece somewhere).

I do want to write about some interesting legal articles I've come across the past few days; perhaps I will have more time to get to them over the weekend. But, just in case, here's a snippet:

Snipes Trial Offers IRS Perfect Script. I wonder which Court of Appeals clerk is going to get to play with this one?

Recusal-Go-Round Continues at West Virginia Supreme Court. My judge pointed this one out to me the other day as an example of how not to do things if I ever become a judge. Bottom line: What a mess.

And finally. Secrets of the Great Seal Revealed. Despite the conspiracy theorists' beliefs, National Treasure is merely a fiction. I would think that the real truth lies somewhere in the middle, but closer to what the government says. After all, our national bird almost was a turkey.

Tags: senators apparently powerless to do change, national bird of us almost a turkey, obama v. hillary