There are still days when I stop dead in my tracks and think to myself: My God George W. Bush was an idiot. Did we really let that happen… not once but twice? Margaret, do you ever have thoughts like that? I mean it’s not like we didn’t know it. We watched it happen. Had we really become so disconnected from our government or otherwise unable to control our elected officials?

George Bush didn’t even have the simple command of the English language that we would expect from a high school graduate much less a Yale scholar. Misunderestimated? The human being and fish can coexist peacefully? Put food on your family? Is our children learning?

But maybe I’m being too hard on the guy. After all, he did have his hands full with taking us to war and all. And understanding the subtle relationship between nouns and verbs – not to mention the complex differences between lungs and gills – really is a lot to ask from a Yale graduate.

But now we have a smart, well spoken, well intentioned statesman in the oval office and you would think someone – to use a phrase from my son-in-law – “found a turd in the punch bowl”. Rush and company actually think it is a bad thing that he is so popular around the nation and around the world. They make fun by calling him the Messiah and a Rock Star. The very idea of a nation united behind its leader is just more than they can stand.

Margaret, I know you hate that part about a turd in the punch bowl, but even you have to admit someone really needs to light a match in the Republican cloakroom. The smell is getting to be too much.

Under Bush we became a nation that condoned torture. America. Pro-torture. It really happened. But now the United States is seeking a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. This is a departure from the Bush administration, which was often critical of the group. Did you know that? I didn’t. Never in my life did I imagine that we didn’t have a seat at that table much less a President who was evidently proud of that accomplishment.

Susan Rice, Obama’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, says the council needs to be “balanced and credible” to help people suffering from abuse and oppression around the world.

“The U.S. is seeking election to the council because we believe that working from within, we can make the council a more effective forum to promote and protect human rights,” she said in a state department release.

Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell recently told a reporter that he didn’t think Americans really wanted Obama to shut down Guantanamo. Rush Limbaugh is still saying if Obama fails, America wins. Honestly folks, it really is time to start paying attention again. We elected Obama and that was a very good thing, but I am only now just fully realizing how bad it had gotten in this country. Roll up your sleeves because President Obama is going to need all the help he can get.

When Rush Limbaugh stands up, we need to insist that he sit down. When Ann Coulter writes a book, we need to let it collect dust on the shelf. When Mitch McConnell tells us that torture is still needed, we need not be shocked – we need to be outraged. And when Cheney offers an opinion we need to hide the punch bowl and direct him to the nearest men’s room.

Actually Mitch, now that I think of it, you’re right. We’d like to keep Guantanamo open, but we would like to replace its current occupants with you, Cheney, Rush and that Cantor kid from Virginia.

An America for human rights and a President who prefers to take the time to know what he is talking about before he speaks… I just hope I don’t wake up from this marvelous dream.

Sleep well Margaret. Tomorrow we have a lot of work to do. Really. I mean it.