Before you head out tonight, go to SgtHook and visit. He's looking to hit 50K before 2004 and he's heading for Afganistan - so the least we can do is click him.


Now, I don't mean to go into a nostalgia thing, but William McKenzie at the Dallas Morning news is urging me into it by comparing Dean's Candidacy with John Anderson's.

For you youngsters who don't remember Anderson, he ran as a sort of liberal Republican against Reagan in 1980. I worked for him, in a more idealistic time for old AWA. Plus, I was still young, just out of the Army and the word was Dutch was gonna take on the Rooskies on his first day in office. After he blasted the Iranians off the map.

But who really cares about John Anderson anymore, except I think McKenzie gets it right when he said Anderson's campaign was about ideas (50 cent a gallon Gas tax to fund social security was the biggie), while the Duck's got none - only positions. No, I want to talk about a more important thing that happened in 1980. Wrestling!

You see, to me, 1980 meant political action, just like it does today. And for political action in 1980, no one wrestled better than Bob Backlund, the WWF champion. Bob's big move was a cross-face chicken-wing. Wow, now that has some political fodder for today, doesn't it? Howard the Duck's cross-faced on about 10 different issues, that's for sure, and Gen Clark's sure no Chicken, but he's got that chicken-heel vibe going on. But you know, Backlund was a great champ, basically the man before Hulk Hogan took the Fed to new heights (after a transitional Championship by the Iron Shiek). But in 1980, just like today, you had a man who wasn't champion yet, but was up and coming. He was breathing down the necks of men like Giant Baba and Harley Race and Dusty Rhodes. Ric Flair - the Nature Boy! Howard the Dean is hoping he's the Nature Boy of today. He's nodding toward the Nature nuts, of course. He's got the white hair thing happening.

But Howie - as asage once said, "To be the Man,. You Gotta Beat the Man." If you want to beat Dubya, you better have an idea or two, but you better come out choppin', like old 'Natch. Because Dubya's gonna make you job. And that's the bottom line. (need more cliches?)

AWArulz

So, like many Internet Wrestling Fans (known as the IWC), I often suspect a conspiracy. Are they holding Benoit down – or does he not become champ merely because he’sactually 4 feet 6 inches tall? Is Vince in bed with Linda? (confirmed, at least twice) Is Brock Lesnar really The Next Big Thing? He’s Big, He’s a total thing (I met him once, he’s totally a large and in charge person), and according to Goldberg, he’s NEXT.

So, I wrote about Howard the Duck and his conspiracy therories regarding The President’s Energy task force and Dean’s own task force. So, I got to thinking. Dean’s accusing Dubya of getting contributions for his rich oil buddies – while he, Dr. Howard the Duck, gets his only from “The little guy.” Howie, Midget wrestlers are so 1999 (except Gilberg!)

So, I had a look I found this article (http://rutlandherald.com/hdean/41687) that gives a bunch of contributors to one of Dean’s PACs and started compared names on it to leaders of Vermont power companies. I found interesting stuff there, Batman!

There were a series of $5000 donations, which is the upper limit for an individual in a year.

I found Robert Young of Proctor (a suburb of Rutland,) who is almost certainly the head of Central Vermont Public Service. I said to myself, AWA, you’re on the trail of a biggie. Nope. The rest of the bunch is just garden variety leftist wackos. But interesting.

The Berndts are on the list, and they are Greenpeacers. They have done lots of left-leaning stuff and run a maple farm in Vermont. David Bohnett is Mr. Geocities (the founder – so blame all the pop-ups on him) and quite the left-winger. Victoria Buffum is a patron of the Arts in Burlington, Vt - also involved with the Folklife center and other society stuff. Her name is big in society pages, so one would think old money. Kathy Levinson founded e*trade and is an outspoken voice for Lesbians and gay pride, although I don’t know anything personally about her. Steven Rockefeller is a Professor of Religion at Middlebury College in Vermont and buddies with George Soros and, of course, a Rockefeller. E.W. Stetson is a "filmmaker" who produced one art film with his wife (Jane) in 1999 called Letters to my Mothers Early Lovers. Jane's got the same credits. Apparently, she's got some bucks and has been in Real Estate. Raymond Tye is Chairman of The United Group, an alcohol distributor, which also makes the United Liquors donation make sense. Richard Tarrant is chairman of IDX systems Corp, a technology firm. He and his wife are big-timers in University of Vermont and are into Horses. Young and the Liquor donations are covered. Other than the other two $5000 contributors, where are those “little guys”?

On the $2500 donations, Ken Squier is a racing announcer who owns a radio station in Waterbury. He gave Rep. Bernard Sanders and Anthony Pollina a show. He wanted a liberal show for his station. Let's see: Looks like it didn't make it. Too bad. Oh, Ken, I like D.W. better. Boogity, Boogity, Boogity.

On the $1000 donations, I got tired, but did notice The Gartner family has big money and does the whole community give-back thing. They're all over the arts in vermont. Old Money, one would think. Elliot Hahn Chairman & President Andrx Corporation, which is a pharmaceutical company. Don't see him in the community, but he's into access to affordable drugs for south Florida.

Yeah. Grass roots.

AWArulz

Howard the Duck trips me out. He's banging on Dick Cheney chairing Dubya's commission on energy a couple years ago, but it seems he had a very similar, private-meeting group on energy his own self in the state of Vermont. I just posted about this on the Wienerboard, so I thought I would share that with you all here.

This reminds me a lot of the old deal people used to put to Hogan. Yeah, he's a politician, he holds people down, he's a bastard. That young kid, Hunter, deserves a push.

Oops, now it's Trips who is getting the Hogan rip.

I figure that Hogan, and Trips and every other guy who has carried a Fed has been in this position, as have most executives. Just like Bush needed some feedback about how to do energy, Dean needed it. In all likelihood, if we checked 50 states over the last 20 years and the Fed (and for that matter, other countries), we'd find similar commissions founded for similar issues, be it energy, transportation, resources and other stuff.

and I suspect there are people (although I don't think Bush's commission is guilty of this) who have benefited from these commissions. Did I mention that neither's energy commission stopped the lights from going out last August. But Howard the Duck was closest to it!

and of course, Dean, like Hunter, is going to say he never did it, but that Bush, like Hogan, did.

and of course, there ARE some benefits to such commisions. Contributions to PACs for Dean include names like Robert Young, CEO of Central Vermont Public Service Corporation.

In the serious world, as Randy would say, without so much as an ooh-yeah, you gotta help out for all the people in Iran who are going through it. It's the right thing to do and, I know, I know, they'd do it to us if they could, but it's still the right thing to do. Heaping burning coals upon their heards and all that. I suggest helping through World Vision or through other agencied. Here's a page (Disasterrelief.org) that links to many agencies, all who are well known and will use your money for its intended purpose.

Sometimes, taking your vitamins and saying your prayers isn't enough - you gotta do.

AWArulz

Since it's Christmas and the end of the year and all that (and a bag of chips), it's time here on Rasslin' Republicans, to find those amazing correlations between your favorite Pro Wrestlers and well known politicos. Why? Why Not? It beats coming up with good content or looking for links all over the web. I can just make this stuff up. For some reason Blogspot is FREAKING about me using a table, so I will convert...




Howard Dean -- I see him as a Paul E Dangerously type - not afraid to get upset, not afraid to use a little profanity. Not afraid to stretch the truth when the need arises


Dick Gephard-- Do you remember back when DX was going strong and Road Dogg would kinda hang back and do nothing (because Shawn was THE man) and just insert a new thing every once in awhile, with no new ideas of his actual own - that's our Dick


Joe Lieberman--Rey Mysterio, Jr, while he was "in" the LWO. Never wanted to be there, but he was kinda forced. A good guy in a bad situation.


John Kerry--Sgt Slaughter, but now, not back when he was kicking Iraqi butt


Wesley Clark--Guy's a basic chicken heel. Ted Dibiase or Ric Flair here. Knows how to ride with the best and knows how to tell a tale or two. Probably kiss-stealin' too - all those years in the service. You can get a girl for 5 bucks a month in some of those places.


Al Sharpton--Now is there any question that Rev Al is the reincarnation of the famous Rev Slick? He needs his own Akeem to settle the hash of these other bothers, brother!


Dennis Kucinich--I am giving Kucinich the Barry Horiwitz memorial award for best jobber


Carol Moseley Braun--Moseley-Braun is an interesting one, because she claims how close she is to winning, although she's only polling like .000000001 of a percent. For that kind of confidence in the face of insurmoutable odds, I think we'll have to compare her Zach Gowen


John Edwards-- John likes to yell and scream when he's "wronged", and plus, I need him to be a total jobber, so I am giving him the Iron Mike Sharpe award. Even though it's bit of a slam on Mike Sharpe


Don Rumsfeld -- Guy reminds me of VKM. Doesn't EVER think he's wrong. Books a little loose at times, but takes the lion's share of the credit when good things happen. Pretty effective though


Colin Powell -- Jimmy Hart. Talks, talks, talks some more, delivers messages. Talks. Once in a great while, up on the apron to interfere, but not enough.


Dubya -- Ric Flair back in the 80s. Unbeatable and knows it. Willing to try about anything and take anyone on. Small, but cocky.



You need to put in a few also-rans, never-rans and a few "who the hecks" as well



Al Gore --Doesn't Gore give you an all-over Hulk Hogan vibe? He's out of the limelight for once and needs to be back in, and I mean BAD. So He makes speeches dissing Dubya (Well, ya know, Mean Gene, when the Megamaniacs go wild on you, whatchagonna do?), snuggling up next to The Duck (Can you say N-W-O) and even turning his back on a trusted Ally in Loserman (I don't believe the lovely Ed Leslie was ever allowed in the NWO). Gore - Hogan - switched at birth. Al needs to get a dye job and grow a 'stash.

Hillary Clinton -- I really can't decide if she is Brock Lsnar as the next big thing or Nathan Jones as the over-hyped never a big thing. But Hillary better catch the wave soon, cause, like Brocky, she's got the Mojo, but like Nathan, she don't wanNa show her real skills

Dick Chaney -- Gotta give Chaney the Arn Anderson "enforcer" memorial award for being a butt-kicker who never wanted the top spot.


Jeb Bush -- Think this is the Brock award on the Republican side. He is the next big thing. You heard it here 1st - 1st set of brothers to be president back to back.


Evan Bayh -- Totally screwed. A Lib playing a conservative, wanting the top job, but willing to play for the second spot. Strong, hard, but never a chance to play for the top job, because he's not from a "big-enough" state. Technically, very good. Hello, Chris Benoit


Arnold Schwarzenegger -- It's SID! But less understandable. Just like Sid went away to play softball, Arnold's gonna go make a Movie - you watch

AWArulz

You know what I enjoy thinking about during this end of the year time? Orange alerts. I’m thinking of a time in the WWF when Ted Dibiase was THE MAN, probably the best chicken heel of all time. He surrounded himself with all sorts of enforcers. Virgil, of course (not exactly the best enforcer of all time, but hey…), and later Mike Rotunda in the guise of I.R.S, Bam Bam Bigelow, Tatanka, Jimmy Hart was around, as well as the Ultimate Enforcer (No, not that ultimate one) Andre the Giant. Sid Eudy, Sean Waltman and, I think even old King Kong Bundy were around as well. I think The Million Dollar Man intro’d the Taker as well.

You’re saying, AWArulz, what does this have to do with Orange Alerts. Heck, I dunno. I just wanted to talk about the Million Dollar Man. No, actually, I thought it was interesting that as we come down to an important date or two, trouble heats up. Whether it’s Christmas or New Years’ Even in Al Qaeda, they look for the big Feuds. Screw stuff like In Your House or Saturday Night’s Main Event. We’re shooting for Wrestlemania. When guys like Savage and Hogan started sniffing around looking to mess big Ted up, he gathered his troops around him, told ‘em that the bad guys (in his mind, anyway) were a’comin’ and to protect him (and he needed it after his spine was messed up).

I think that’s all Ridge is doing. Like Ted, Tom is rallying the troops. Heck, doofuses like Sid Eudy and Bam Bam never needed to get crazier and more ready to fight. Same goes for our great cops and Coast Guard and border guards. But just like Ted, Tom’s tweaking the knobs. Sid, I am sure, shot an extra shot of Steroids when Ted turned up the juice and good coppers (and I know, I useta was one) get just a little more wired up when the Watch commander gets all stern and intense with them.

Ah well. Later this weekend, I am going to post my Politician to Wrestler: Switched at Birth comparisons. If you have any, drop me an email. They don’t have to look alike, just have a similar gimmick.

Gimmicks are all there is:

AWArulz

Well, you know, Mean Gene, I don't know what they're saying, brother, when they say the power of the mega-maniacs is dwindling. Yeah, Terry, I know what ya mean. Sure, Gaddafi is letting down his guard and basically ticking off Syria and all the other terrorist nations. Saddam's outta there and Osama? Well, he's still talking, just like Rev. Slick even after his charges had been ousted from one match or another. Ok, maybe he's not talking. Al-Jezeera says the tape Al-Arabiya aired is one they already aired. Hey, it's a feud between Arab rivals. We haven't had this since Sgt Slaughter turned Pro-Iraq and then eventually faced the Iron Sheik in a "loser leaves the Persian Gulf" match. Or something like that. Then there's Iran. Those losers are already signed up to allow inspections, which is a good thing. Wish they'd just keep out of Iraq. Which is like saying "I wish the rest of Evolution wouldn't come down to the ring during the Flair Vs. HBK match. Because, Lord Knows, Randy Orton has to prove he can do a neckbreaker.

Speaking of our favorite chicken heel, Saddam, according to The Sunday Express, a London Paper, (I am thinking it's a Bill Aptor rag), Saddam was captured by the Kurds, then drugged and handed over to the US. Cause Usay was a little free with his maleness while he was alive, if you catch my meaning. Usay was a jet-plane flying, limousine-riding, Kiss-stealing son of a gun. I believe those days are over for him. Flair too, I think, if he needs Randy Orton to get heat for him. Heck, Usay's getting heat for Saddam and he's dead. That's no cheap pop. And it seems Saddam was no cheap Pop either. 750 big ones is good pocket change. Unless your initials are VKM.

AWArulz

Don't you love heel Vs Heel Fueds? I was thinking the other day that my favorite heel Vs. Heel fued of all time was back in the early NWO days. Big Kev, Scott and Hollywood would beatdown and tag anyone, heel or face and there wasn't a think anyone could do about it. Even though Giant and Flair were the uber-heels (How DO you make a unlout in HTML anyway?), The NWO (at least for awhile) were the over-uber-heels.

Speaking of heel-vs Heel Fueds - are you keeping track of the Howard the Duck Dean and Godfather Bill Clinton one? In his latest post on Deanforamerica, Howie says the Clinton era is over. HAH! Howie is desperate to be Clinton. Small and backwater state governer. Check. Cool greying hair. Check. Liberal as all get out. Check. Look at this article from William Saletan if you doubt the man called AWArulz, kiddies. Wait till The Godfather sizes up Howie and finds him wanting.

Don't blame me if we discover Howie a bit groggy in the middle of a primary somewhere, with H-I-L-L-A-R-Y witten on his back in black spray paint.

AWArulz

Do you think that maybe Howard the Duck Dean and the rest are just doing typical heel rants? Dennis Kucinich is reported as saying he has a great chance of winning the primary in Ohio and says he thinks he has a great chance of winning the presidency. That's like when heel Barry Horowitz used to say he had an excellent chance of pinning Randy "Macho Man" Savage back in the day. Howard Dean says he is going to go to the capitals of the "foreign countries ...[Bush} has alienated" Yeah, yeah, yeah... I remember when Bischoff said how he was going to unite the Locker Room against the NWO - but pretty soon, he did a heel turn - is it possible Howard the Duck is about to turn FACE? That would be quite the swerve, wouldn't it.

Saddam's sarcastic, right? A guy I know suggests torture, but not me... Have him watch old "Natural disasters" tag team matches, preferably against teams like the Beverly Brothers. Ok, I guess that would be torture too. Watching Fred Ottman work would be torture for me, anyway. I miss the Shockmaster!

AWArulz

nothing today. Missed Raw last night! :(

Come on! A classic battle of the face and heels had the blow off of a long-running fued today. Dubya, the classic face, playing fair, but chasing, chasing and finally finding and pinning the classic Heel, let's call him Mr. S. H. Have you ever noticed that the heels don't have a problem being all public and out there when all their buddies are around, but when the face has kind of got him in the bull's eye, they run for cover.

This whole Dubya/Saddam thing kind of reminds me of a classic heel/face fued between Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorf back in the day. Orndorf had his pals who would help him out. I think maybe Ted Dibiase and Mr. Perfect might have been in his camp and they would lure the Hulkster into the ring after cutting a promo on him backstage with Mean Gene. Then they would beat him down and run like crazy. But eventually Pretty Paul and the Hulk ended up in a cage match when Hulk got the Legdrop 'o doom and a 1-2-3 for the clean blow-off victory (I think so he could fued with Savage). Mr. S. H. took Dubya's legdrop like a champ, didn't he? The 4th is Dubya's legdrop while the 101st is the Big Boot after he Hulks up.

Dubya kinda looked like he was coming down from a Hulk-up today. I dug it. New Fued coming for Dubya. Back to the tag-team handicap match against Al and Queda? I hated those guys - they got a lot of heel heat.

AWArulz

OK, so it's clear. Repulicans and Democrats and wrestlers are all alike, right?

You got your heels in wrestling. Now it depends on what party you support in politics that determines your heel or face status and ol' AWA is conservative to the core, but have you ever seen a time when the Prez had more heel heet with the Democrats? Dubya hate is rampant and I suppose it's for the same reason people hate Trips - he's in the middle of each and every storyline, he either always wins or makes it out like the other guy cheated and he's got a posse of heavy hitters around him.

AWArulz

alright, I am going to get this going in the next few days. If you run into this, I'll have something up soon. With Howard the Dean getting out in front and all the rest nipping, it's time to thing about what crazy thing he'll say next. And it requires a long post. Long. But I can't wait to see Howard job to Dubya. He's gonna tap so hard it's gonna make his arm hurt. We can only hope the Ref isn't distracted.

AWArulz