Who's The Boss..????
Republicans Refuse to Honor Springsteen! GOP Calls Murtha a Coward! AP - Bruce Springsteen famously was "born in the USA," but he's getting scorned in the U.S. Senate.
An effort by New Jersey's two Democratic senators to honor the veteran rocker was shot down Friday by Republicans who are apparently still miffed a year after the Boss lent his voice to the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
The chamber's GOP leaders refused to bring up for consideration a resolution, introduced by Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Jon Corzine, that honored Springsteen's long career and the 1975 release of his iconic album, "Born to Run."
No reason was given, said Lautenberg spokesman Alex Formuzis. "Resolutions like this pass all the time in the U.S. Senate, usually by unanimous consent," he said.
Telephone calls to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's office seeking comment were not immediately returned. [full article]
Two words Senator Frist - "poor form!" Rest assured, Ron Silver and Bruce Willis can now bank on the same treatment in this tit for tat town. In a lot of ways, D.C. is just still a small Southern town. Whites live on one side, poverty stricken blacks in another. Gossip is king with everybody saying one thing and then doing another. Back home in Smalltown, U.S.A. the same guys selling used cars on TV are now selling a used war on C-Span and FOX News, and still lying and over charging just as much.
Next I am just waiting for local honkey tonk style fights to erupt on the House floor and spill out into the parking lot. Congress certainly is feuding these days. Just yesterday, it got pretty tense with an explosion of angry words and personal insults being aimed at Rep. Jack Murtha, a former Marine Corps colonel and decorated war veteran, when a new representative called him a "coward." [Watch in Quicktime] I think the only reason he didn't haul off and hit her was because she was a woman. Semper Fubar!
Also, I miss the hustle and bustle like you find in New York, Chicago or other cities. After rush hour, it gets pretty sleepy down here. And talk about ancient blue laws, supermarkets can't sell beer and wine, it is challenging to find a liquor store open after 9PM or a bar serving much later than 1 AM. Being a hard chargin' and hard working Irishmen, I often desire, one might say require, a snort of Jameson chased with a pint or two to help me unwind after a late night at the office, especially at the end of the week. I woke up today smellin' like Jersey...just kidding, Bruce.
Is this solely an Irish gripe or is having a stiff drink readily available day and night important only to us? Someone emailed me this list of "What it means to be Irish" can anyone else relate?
1) You will never play professional basketball.
2) You swear very well.
3) At least one of your cousins holds political office.
4) You think you sing very well.
5) You have no idea how to make a long story short
6) You are very good at playing a lot of very bad golf.
7) There isn't a huge difference between losing your temper and killing someone..
8) Much of your food was boiled.
9) You have never hit your head on the ceiling.
10) You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling.
11) You're strangely poetic after a few beers.
12) You're, therefore, poetic a lot.
13) You will be punched for no good reason...a lot.
14) Some punches directed at you are legacies from past generations.
15) Your sister will punch you because your brother punched her.
16) Many of your sisters are Catherine, Elizabeth or Mary....and one is Mary Catherine Elizabeth.
17) Someone in your family is incredibly cheap. It is more than likely you.
18) You may not know the words, but that doesn't stop you from singing.
19) You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking.
20) "Irish Stew" is the euphemism for "boiled leftovers from the fridge."
21) You're not nearly as funny as you think you are, but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency. 22) There wasn't a huge difference between your last wake and your last keg party.
23) You are, or know someone, named "Murph".
24) If you don't know Murph, then you know Mac, if you don't know Murph or Mac, then you know Sully, and you'll probably also know Sully McMurphy
25) You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.
26) Your parents were on a first name basis with everyone at the local emergency room.
27) And last but not least... Being Irish means... your attention span is so short that ... oh, forget it.
2) You swear very well.
3) At least one of your cousins holds political office.
4) You think you sing very well.
5) You have no idea how to make a long story short
6) You are very good at playing a lot of very bad golf.
7) There isn't a huge difference between losing your temper and killing someone..
8) Much of your food was boiled.
9) You have never hit your head on the ceiling.
10) You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling.
11) You're strangely poetic after a few beers.
12) You're, therefore, poetic a lot.
13) You will be punched for no good reason...a lot.
14) Some punches directed at you are legacies from past generations.
15) Your sister will punch you because your brother punched her.
16) Many of your sisters are Catherine, Elizabeth or Mary....and one is Mary Catherine Elizabeth.
17) Someone in your family is incredibly cheap. It is more than likely you.
18) You may not know the words, but that doesn't stop you from singing.
19) You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking.
20) "Irish Stew" is the euphemism for "boiled leftovers from the fridge."
21) You're not nearly as funny as you think you are, but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency. 22) There wasn't a huge difference between your last wake and your last keg party.
23) You are, or know someone, named "Murph".
24) If you don't know Murph, then you know Mac, if you don't know Murph or Mac, then you know Sully, and you'll probably also know Sully McMurphy
25) You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.
26) Your parents were on a first name basis with everyone at the local emergency room.
27) And last but not least... Being Irish means... your attention span is so short that ... oh, forget it.
I like #25, but first have to work like a terrier to uncover them.
Finally, I am playing nothing but Springsteen on my iPod this weekend. Why is that, Senator Frist? Because he is the Boss, that's why you SOB (sweet old boy)! Wanna fight?
Cheers,
PJ
posted by Patrick J. Fitzgerald at 11/19/2005
13 Comments:
Its good to let everything out. As for the Boss I met him in school in Asbury Park New Jersey no he wasn't the Boss just playing music. He inspired so many generations to love this country. To bad the Senators haven't done as much for this country as Bruce has. As for Irish well I'm always Irish on March 17th isn't everybody. Rep Murtha spoke from his heart and he had the guts to say what needs to be said now its up to us americans to stand up. Fitz just take the time today to look at all the things we have and leave the bad things until Monday. Life changes everyday that the good thing about living, you don't know whats coming. What is a pod?
Frist needs to be tarred and feathered.
An iPod holds music. You can take your old-school CDs, suck the music into your computer, then suck it into your iPod. This is all legal (as long as you have bought and paid for the music in the first place). Then you can take your iPod out skiing, walking, driving, to the office, wherever, and it won't skip and it'll play songs in random order (so you can hear "Tom Joad" right after "Rosalita"!) or in order or you can build your own mixes and all sorts of cool things.
I knew Patrick J. Fitzgerald was a cool kid with an iPod. Even if he is Irish.
Mr. Fitzgerald,
I could show you some 'Southern hospitality' with an 'Italian flair.' Give us Southern belles a chance. :.)
Life down here is easy and slow below the Mason Dixon line. I could understand this could be a culture shock for a Yankee such as yourself. I have traveled to Chicago on many occassions for business and it is very different from here that is for sure.
If you like to unwind for good pint of Guiness after a long week of getting the bad guys, Annapolis has good restaurants and pubs . I recommend the Rams Head Bar in Annapolis on West Street. Good music , entertainment and great crab cakes.
I think you probably would enjoy Annapolis. Also Annapolis has some good Irish restaurants and pubs by the city dock. I believe there are two if my memory serves me correctly--O'Brien's and Riordan's.
There is also an Irish pub near Union Station in DC by this hotel. I cannot remember the name of it off hand. My ex-boyfriend and I use to go there on occasion. He sure had that Irish temper HE HE!, but noone could beat an Italian temper hands down! LOL!
Well I hope our Southern ways could grow on you while you are here in the DC area :.)
Hmmm...this is indeed a complete mystery.
Do you think that Bruce might be the hapless victim of mean-spirited Republican squares who don't like rock music or dancing?
Is this where I come to burn my rock 'n roll albums and find Jesus?
Share the thoughts on the boss being a former long-term Jersey girl.
Yes, you can take the girl out of Jersey and the Jersey out of the girl.
? PJF. How about POTUS 08? Serious.
The Boss should run for president.
The name is Katherine Neill and I began life in Chicago (Mum's hometown). Murphy's Bar - okay in Honolulu, but still - is down the street and my last boyfriend was named Mac.
My iPod is loaded, I'm rockin' now even though only a Jersey Girl at heart. Jack Murtha just became Hero #2 after PJF. (Calling Dick Cheney on his FIVE deferments and W on his service to Alabama - I am giddy with joy from so many men who "get it".)
And I have a new grandchild, a California Girl, could I give more thanks this holiday, for her future and ours?
Mahalo Kitty,
I too watched in awe as Jack kicked some ass on C-Span last night. I have always respected him and often wondered why he is not better known.
Jack, you need to continue to roar loudly and more often.
Frist has a lot of nerve to not honor the Boss. As a New Jersey native, I find it amazing that Frist can not honor a man who has been an icon for decades when Frist's backyard needs cleaning. First, Frist's diagnotic examination of a videotape of Terri Schiavo and now his selling his stock illegally.. Personally, Frist should be kicked to the curb...
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The Irish pub near Union Station is the Dubliner and a good place to go to get some decent beer. So I've been told. I'm a hard cider girl myself.
Also the Dubliner has a good shepard's pie. Ummmm. Pie.
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