Monday, February 11, 2008

Mid-Stream Horse-Change

So, she’s changed her campaign manager, has she? Could it be she’s rattled?

It’s sort of funny that the Hillary camp actually seems to be complaining that Obama has better organisation. Hey, this is her third presidential campaign, she’s supposed to be the competent one who knows how things are done. He’s the new kid on the block, remember? whose inexperience will let him down.

I’m sure running a campaign is not exactly the same as running a country, but I suspect there are parallels.

Janet, you may be sure I am knitting the Obama sweater with great industry, except for taking yesterday off. It’s Theo’s gansey, and I have decided, after that happy weekend, that I will go ahead and put OHB in seed stitch on the lower right sleeve. Whatever happens from here on out, Obama is more than a footnote to the story of ’08. And this is the sweater, remember, which Theo has promised to wear to have his picture taken with Obama. He can point the initials out. (“They’re backwards because she was knitting from the top down…”: it’ll be what they call a Talking Point.)

I had a happy day’s scarf-knitting yesterday – Stacked Wedges from “Knitting New Scarves”. Manos yarn is silky when it’s pure wool. Manos Silk Blend, which I am using, is beyond sensuous. (I had to look that up; I got it confused with “sensual” once on a philosophy exam in my very distant youth.)


I chose a needle appropriate to the yarn, and the result is distinctly narrower than the pattern expects. It would have been easy enough to adapt, by casting on any odd number of stitches. However, I don’t think it matters. Helen’s is narrow too (although perhaps not quite as narrow as mine) and it’s stunning. The important thing is to make it generously long.

The pattern is fun, and easy. So easy, that the difficulty is remembering where you are in it.

I hope to crack the button thing today. Maybe I’ll have a Donate-to-Obama button in the sidebar soon.

I was grateful for, and appalled by, the comments yesterday on health care. It is depressing that you think neither Democrat can crack it. I remember – I wish I had it now – an excellent New Yorker article during Hillary’s first attempt, explaining that she was bound to fail because of the insurance companies and the way they worked. Quite apart from their profits, the cost of all those people who process claims must be prodigious.

5 comments:

  1. Wedges is looking fab.

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  2. Anonymous12:33 PM

    I have to admit I've called Hillary "Lady Macbeth" for years. Someday her tale of desire and ambition will be staged as an opera! Meanwhile, I'm thrilled to see Obama as a bright beacon of change! Primary day here tomorrow, so fingers are crossed for him!

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  3. Anonymous6:01 PM

    I should have figured that was the button you were so determined to launch on your blog. You did it!!!

    I do hope someone with a camera catches the look on Obama's face as he peers at Theo's sweater cuff and makes out his own initials in seed stitch.

    And now, for your amusement, another video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs

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  4. One of the things I notice on all the (knitting) blogs I read as people are discussing the race, and often also in the news items they link to, is that it's always 'Obama' 'McCain" - and 'Hilary'.

    Why is it that women so often seem to be differentiated like this? It's not as if Bill is also running (however involved he may be in the campaign), so I don't think there's a valid argument for reducing confusion.

    In fact, Jean, you don't really do it - but many commenters and blogs to which people link do. I find it diminishing and unnecessary.

    Am I paranoid?

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  5. Anonymous4:17 AM

    Today I glanced at a newspaper headline that referred to "Clinton" and I immediately thought of Bill, not Hilary. I can't be the only one who has that connection imprinted.

    The tilting scarf looks like a lot of fun.

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