1.) Do you even recognize America anymore? — Six NFL teams do NOT have cheerleading squads. TheDC’s Caroline May reports on this national disgrace:
“Six teams in the National Football League, however, do not officially have cheerleaders. In fact the upcoming Super Bowl will be played between a team with cheerleaders (the New England Patriots) and a team without (the New York Giants).”
Most of the evidence of American decline is weak. This piece of evidence, however, is striking.
2.) Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind — The counter-revolution begins at Occupy DC? TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports:
“The National Center for Public Policy Research has acquired a permit to ‘reclaim half of Freedom Plaza — one of the two public parks overtaken by the Occupy D.C. mob — for the next five weeks,” according to a flier being circulated by the think tank and obtained by The Daily Caller. In the ‘Occupy Occupy D.C.’ brochure, the organization invites supporters to, ‘Join us for our kick-off pro-free market, pro-family and pro-freedom rally and help us take back the park.’”
Hopefully, the Freedom Plaza counter-revolutionaries are up-to-date with their vaccinations.
3.) Olbermann continues to kill it — if “it” is defined as his career — America’s moral conscience isn’t getting along with his latest employer Current TV, according to reports. Now, TheDC’s Jim Treacher points out that ads promoting the little-watched cable network’s primetime line-up don’t even feature him:
“This is a bold new advertising strategy on the part of Current TV. How do you get people to watch your struggling cable channel? Remind them as little as possible that you hired Keith Olbermann.”
Wherever Keith goes, he quickly becomes reviled by those he works with, even has he draws relatively good ratings for whatever network he’s on. But there are only so many bridges you can burn. When his career at Current TV comes to an end — as history suggests it soon must — Keith can sleep soundly knowing he will still be able to perform his circus act in the solitude of his basement to the cardboard cutouts of celebrities he wishes were his friends.
4.) To win in November, it might not be the best idea for GOP to double down on the country club image — National Journal has put together its list of the most likely running mates for Mitt Romney, should he win the Republican nomination. Unsurprisingly, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is ranked as the most likely choice. But TheDC’s Matt Lewis says Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who goes unmentioned by the National Journal, should certainly be in contention:
“In short, I’m betting on Rubio or Christie. But there’s another dark horse who deserves some veep love: Sen. Pat Toomey. A Toomey pick would excite tea party conservatives — and simultaneously provide the ticket with a mature, experienced spokesman. What is more, he’s from Pennsylvania. He’s an electoral choice and a governing choice. Don’t count him out.”
In second place on National Journal’s list is Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. Romney-McDonnell would be a stellar combination — to model for a country club brochure. Not so sure that that’s the best image for the GOP to project going into November, if their goal is to win.
5.) Poll of the Day — Rasmussen Reports: 29 percent of likely voters say America is heading in right direction (highest number since May 2011) while 64 percent say America is on wrong track.
6.) BIRTHDAYS! — The late hotelier Howard Johnson turns 115; the late author and philosopher Ayn Rand turns 107 (h/t John Galt) ; the late Israeli diplomat Abba Eban turns 97; bounty hunter and Hawaii’s finest resident Duane “Dog The Bounty Hunter” Chapman turns 59.