I seldom post and video clips of Olbermann's special comments because, frankly, they're all exceptional and I don't want to be in the position of being MSNBC's wire service.  But for this, I have to make an exception.  This is a stunning summary of Bush's disastrous legacy with the added bonus of proving that he lied about giving up golf.

Apologies for the two-part video - I couldn't find it in a single clip:

Irony: /'aI.r .ni/, noun - particularly striking examples of incongruities observed in everyday life between what was intended or said and what actually happened:

A powerful federal arts commission is urging that the sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. proposed for a memorial on the Tidal Basin be reworked because it is too "confrontational" and reminiscent of political art in totalitarian states.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts thinks "the colossal scale and Social Realist style of the proposed statue recalls a genre of political sculpture that has recently been pulled down in other countries," commission secretary Thomas Luebke said in a letter in April.

Hillary and David Duke would be so proud.  I especially love the not-so-subtle comparison between MLK and Sadaam Hussein. 

The commission at least seems to tacitly admit the "Social Realism" behind the design itself.  Fact is, the establishment was never (nor are they today) comfortable with the man that Dr. Martin Luther King actually was.  Instead, they like to repackage him in kinder, gentler terms.  But let's be clear about this - Dr.  King was a fighter - his weapon was non-violence - the sword that heals - but it was a weapon nonetheless - and infinitely more effective in its coercive force than Thor's Hammer itself.

This is a man who shed blood - actual blood - fighting for a just and equal society.  He lost literally everything in the process.  And while he made great strides, a half-century later, a prominent and respected women running for president of the United States still feels comfortable enough to publicly extol her supreme whiteness over her opponent. 

Despite the Clinton's blatant race-baiting, I've no doubt that Dr. King would have continued to love us, love this country, and continue his campaign for universal justice.  But you better believe he'd be stoic, firm, and yes - mad as hell. 

A few years back, I had the pleasure of working closely with a few of Dr. King's chief strategists who have continued down the path he set even today.  I seem to recall one of the mentioning the importance of keeping the history real.  Without such efforts, they quip, fifty years from now Martin Luther King will be a white man.

Or if the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has their say, something a little more like this:

In all the hooplah and jubilation of my love affair with our soon-to-be President Obama, it's hard to remember that there actually is a world going on outside Clintonian drama.  Enter the 21st Century GI Bill:

This legislation would substantially increase the educational benefits available to service members who have served since September 11, 2001. It would cover the cost of tuition of up to the most expensive in-state public school and provide a living and book stipend, so new veterans can focus on their educations and readjusting to civilian life. The new GI Bill would also provide more equitable benefits to National Guardsman and Reservists, who have made up about a quarter of our fighting force in Iraq. And educational benefits would be linked to the cost of college, so they would keep their value over time. It is, in short, the right thing to do for the men and women who have made such a tremendous commitment to our country.

Please oh please let's make anyone opposing this go on record as fighting against the only significant support our troops have received from their lying administration.  The only thing that would make me happier is to see Mr. AWOL-in-chief try to veto!