Recent Shootings

This week's news included two candidates, both Republicans, trying very hard, metaphorically or for real, to join Tricky Dick's Deadeye Gun Club.

Mike Huckabee decided that shooting over reporters' heads was a good idea. Honestly, I have no problem with that. As a wee one, I was always the kid who threw darts over other people's heads and stuff like that. I'm a regular guy, though. Wise presidential candidates should always remember that media types can't think in more than one dimension (you know, getting both sides of the story). I doubt they know the difference between, say, shooting birdshot over someone's head or shooting a 30-06 at an animal with a playground full of kids 200 yards behind it. You don't get kudos for demonstrating mad gun skills in front of reporters who know nothing of hunting. You only get kudos for pointing a gun in someone's compass direction if you actually shoot over them and drop a bleeding bird carcass right onto them.

Fred Thompson, meanwhile, has been shooting himself in the foot. A few readings tells me that Fred Thompson would be happy to put up with being married to the American people if there's something in it for everyone, and he's therefore more interested in being president than in running for the office. Um, wow. I mean, that's okay. He's probably being more honest than a lot of people running for office, and thinking like that will not make him a bad leader. But you just can't get elected saying stuff that sounds anything like like "I don't want to be President, other people just put me up to it."