Television at its Best

Two items on TV this weekend that were worthy of the medium. Three, really, if you count the Olympics.

I hope you caught retired Army Colonel Andrew Bacevich on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS this past Friday. Bacevich, currently a professor at Boston University, focuses with laser-like precision at some of the core problems of the United States today. It requires more audacity than I have, and Lord knows I have more than my share, to summarise Prof. Bacevich's positions. But I do urge you to go out and read his book,The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism and think! I look forward to doing the same. (And here are some more works by Prof. Bacevich.)

Pastor Rick Warren hosted individual conversations this past Saturday night, seen on CNN, with the presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama, and the presumptive Republican Presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain. Of course, Pastor Warren asked questions from a religious perspective, and while I believe religion really has no place in government, I appreciated the fact that he did not play that petty and disgusting game of "gotcha" that debate moderators engaged in previously. Pastor Warren did not play to the lowest common denominator. There was no attempt to titillate. There was no attempt by Pastor Warren to show how much smarter he was than either candidate. It was refreshing and informative.

Finally, the Olympics. I love this quadrennial display of pure athletic skill and grace. Sure, there are events that don't belong on a world stage, such as beach volley ball. But the power, grace, strength, and speed on display is truly magnificent. So, Bravo! Mike Phelps! Brava, to the American female gymnasts. And "Well Done!" to all the competitors who gave their all in the water and on the field.