Classy

Back in the day, our 42nd president visited the forward deployed naval forces in Yokuska, Japan. His staff set up a meet and greet opportunity aboard the USS Independence and the call came for a limited number of air wing volunteers to trek down from their base in Yamato-shi for to bask in the dazzling grandeur that was Himself. This was to be in an intimate setting, space was limited. No more than a handful of personnel per squadron could be accommodated. So act now.

Before it’s too late.

(Is this thing on?)

Somewhat disturbed by the howling silence on the net that came in reply to this offer, a bevy of heavies re-emphasized that President of the Whole Frabbing United States of America was crossing the ocean sea for to visit, and by-God the US Navy in the form of Carrier Air Wing Five would be there to grip of the presidential hand and peer into the presidential visage, smiling authentically as they did so. If no volunteers were to come forward on their own accord then they would be notified of their selection.

Our CO at the time was a man who could never be mistaken for a fan of the 42nd president. Although careful never to let his true feelings show, he made it clear that we were to respect the office being held and the will of the American people, even if we did consider the current occupant to be a snake in a suit, a scoundrel, a scalawag and no kind of gentleman. Being one of those “follow me” types, he swallowed his aversion and led the charge down to Yokuska himself, returning with frank admiration for the president’s charismatic political gifts.

“He’s good,” the skipper had to admit, grudgingly. “Damn good. The guy looks you in the eye and tilts his head a bit while he’s talking and for a moment there you just know you’re the most important person in his world and it doesn’t matter what he’s saying, you just want to agree with him.”

So today we learn what you get when you extract Bubba’s oozing charm from the family brand of take-no-prisoners ambition:

ABC News has learned that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has registered the names of two Web sites with the express goal of attacking her chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

It’s the first time this election cycle a presidential campaign has launched a Web site with the express purpose of of launching serious criticisms on a rival.

Votingpresent.com and Votingpresent.org are domains hosted by the same IP address as official Clinton Web sites, such TheHillaryIKnow.com, which was launched with much fanfare this week.

The Clinton campaign intends to use these new Web sites to paint Obama as cowardly.

Must be part of the effort to show her softer side.

Update: The Obamanon is running on a plank of binding up the nation’s wounds, but if you look at the range of folks from both the left and the right who’ve found common cause on this topic, you’ll recognize that it’s actually HRH who is the uniter.