A HODGEPODGE CANESSA COMMENTARY: FROM GUNS TO THE NHL

The Canessa Commentary

By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

It’s been a pretty slow news cycle this week, so here’s one of those hodgepodge editions of The Canessa Commentary.

• Former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who resigned after an affair, is planning on running for Congress — for a seat he once held. Looks pretty clear the GOP hasn’t really learned from the election of 2012.

• U.S. Rep Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., said recently the comments made by Todd Akin, that a woman rarely gets pregnant from “legitimate rape,” were “partly true.” Gingery is a former OB-GYN. Let’s just say I wouldn’t want my daughter — if I had one — going to this OB-GYN.

Isn’t it bad enough one person believes this? And now there are two?

Hell, what I am thinking — there are probably thousands of RWNJs (Right Wing Nut Jobs) who believe it.

• Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., gave one of the most lackluster State of the State addresses I’ve ever heard. He recapped exactly what we already knew — that New Jersey was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, and that the federal government continues to be slow in coming through with aid.

What Christie didn’t say was what he’d do to get the funds quicker, how the state would aid cities and people affected by the storm — or anything else for that matter, like lowering one of the nation’s largest unemployment rates.

He’s been great on the national scene. He’s been wonderful standing up for the people who were hurt most by the storm. And quite frankly, I’ve never seen a Republican more willing to stand up to the establishment — John Boehner, that is — than Christie.

But his address was meatless. He offered no specifics. And in a state where people are hurting from the storm and so much more, he truly failed when he had a tremendous opportunity to lead and comfort.

• The NRA recently met with Vice-President Joe Biden, and the NRA says the meeting was “useless.”

I will never understand how, in this nation, an organization that has 4 million members could have as much clout and power as it does. Perhaps I am just naïve here. But in general elections, if every NRA member voted Republican — and let’s face it, they probably do — it still wouldn’t matter.

And yet they’re still seen as all-powerful and almighty.

And it’s not just the NRA. There are tons of special-interested organizations in this country with smaller memberships — the ACLU comes to mind — that just have way too much clout and influence over policy.

Not holding my breath this will change anytime soon.

• I’m a big fan of older TV programs — started watching 1994 “ER” episodes in 2009. So it won’t come as much of a surprise that I just started to watch the old NBC show “Third Watch.” I never realized it back in the day — I did watch the show from time to time when it was new — but the show (some of the same production team) is basically “ER” on the streets. Similar background music. Similar themes. Similar terminology.

Regardless, the show is tremendous — and if you’re ever looking to catch up on old shows, this is one, for sure, to give a try.

• Speaking of TV shows, “The Good Wife,” CBS Sundays, gets better each week. Julianna Margulies is incredible in the lead. But this season has been made even better by guest appearances. First, it was Maura Tierney, who briefly worked with Margulies on “ER.” On-going, Michael J. Fox defies the odds with his Parkinson’s by playing an amazing role on the show. And Nathan “Joe” Lane, who went to the same high school as I did — St. Peter’s Prep (he the class of ’74, I the class of ’92, and yes, his birth name is Joseph — has been nothing short of stellar, as he often is in any role he plays.

Nathan Lane, left, with Christine Baranski, in 'The Good Wife.'

• As much as I was/am angry with the NHL, its players and its owners, I must admit to being excited for the start of the season. Though the schedule isn’t yet out, I’ve read the NJ Devils open on the “road” on Long Island against the Islanders on Jan. 19, and open at home on Jan. 22 against the despised Philadelphia Flyers.

After the first lockout, I was at the first Devils game of the 1994-95 season — in Hartford, Conn., against the Whalers. But it’ll take free tickets for me to step into an NHL arena this year after the third lockout in 17 years.

I’ll watch the games online or on TV for sure — but no in-person games.

I’ll be very curious to see what the attendance numbers are like across the league.

• Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Should be a good Sunday of NFL football. Let me know who wins, eh?

LaPIERRE'S REMARKS FOLLOWING NEWTOWN

LaPIERRE

The text of NRA's Wayne LaPierre's remarks following the shootings in Newtown, Conn.

Good morning.

The National Rifle Association -- 4 million mothers, fathers, sons and daughters -- join the nation in horror, outrage, grief, and earnest prayer for the families of Newtown, Connecticut, who have suffered such an incomprehensible loss as a result of this unspeakable crime.

Out of respect for the families and until the facts are known, the NRA has refrained from comment.

While some have tried to exploit tragedy for political gain, we have remained respectably silent. Now, we must speak for the safety of our nation’s children.

WHY DOES THE NRA HOLD SO MUCH POWER?

Perhaps I am just naive to the power of the dollar -- but I will never get it how the NRA, with 4 million members, holds as much power as it does, while other organizations, with considerably more members -- sometimes millions more -- don't. Wayne LaPierre of the NRA refuses to back down on his adamant belief that gun laws don't need changing in this country. So how cares what he and the NRA believe. In the greater scheme of things, LaPierre and his 4 million members can buzz off. Do they really make that much of a difference at the ballot boxes?

LAWRENCE O'DONNELL GETS IT – LaPIERRE DOESN'T

FACEBOOK AND TWITTER – A BLESSING & A CURSE

Man do I love Facebook.

Man do I love Twitter.

Wow do I hate Facebook.

Wow do I hate Twitter.


It hit me hard today. Among my 1,200 friends on Facebook -- much more so than Twitter -- are hoards of bigots and assholes. Among them are people I've never met before, and now know, for sure, I'd never want to meet.

Among those 1,200 (it's likely fewer than 1,200 now, actually) are people who absolutely don't get it that 20 children and seven adults were murdered in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14 -- and they don't get it that something, somehow, needs to be done to fix this.

As much as social media has been a blessing in so many ways -- hell, I met my half-sister and half-brother on Facebook for the very first time -- it's a curse, too. And as much as I appreciate the free-flow of ideas and opinions, perhaps I am just getting to old to accept that someone -- many someones -- think Wayne LaPierre, of the National Rifle Association, is a hero of some sort.

I saw his presser. You saw his presser.

A hero. Really?

NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF NRA PRESSER

It's always intriguing to see how the newspapers cover press conferences differently. The headlines. Above the fold or below? Does it make the front page?

Here, then, is a look at how some major dailies handled the presser. Two things stick out.

First, the N.Y. Post took a pretty strong view that the presser was, let's just say, out of line.

And the Boston Herald didn't see much merit in it at all, apparently.

More front pages after the jump. Click below to see them.