Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Remember the Alamo

Here we are at the OK Corral, to mix metaphors.

I posted this comment on Joe’s blog the other day, anent some conversation about how hard the press can be on Mrs. Clinton:

“The English magazine "The Economist" has been covering the primary campaigns in detail from the start. I remember a piece from Nowheresville, Iowa, way back then.

Mrs. Clinton's headquarters were under orders not to talk to the press -- they wouldn't even tell the poor Englishman where he could get some lunch.

The Obama headquarters smiled, sat him down, gave him coffee, and provided him with the address of a local bank manager, an Obama supporter, whom he could interview for his story.

Journalists are human. Treat them like that -- and win a few primaries -- and you'll find them speaking kindly of your candidate.

This is a small example of the meticulous attention to detail that Obama's campaign has shown throughout. I think it augurs well for his ability to run an administration.”

I mentioned the anecdote from the Economist to my sister at the time. She said the Clintons are notoriously suspicious of the press.

We’ll have plenty of politics tomorrow. Enough for now.

Knit-related

The visit to K1 Yarns was a great success, marred only by my feeling not-well which was due, I fear, to an excess of Joy on Laetare Sunday. I’ll have to remember to be careful on Easter day.

Helen and I expected to find the Fishwife good company. She exceeded expectations. I keenly look forward to meeting her again soon. She is a serious vegetable gardener, amongst other accomplishments. I bounced some questions off her and got some interesting tips.

And the shop is great – highly recommended. A great collection of yarns, assembled by one who knows and loves and knits them. (She was there.) No Rowan in sight. She makes a specialty of yarns produced in Scotland. Forget scratchy Harris tweed in a selection of earth colours – I bought these two skeins of lace-weight cashmere and silk from “old maiden aunt”.


(Theoretically, ownership of “Knitting New Scarves” justifies expenditure on two skeins of any beautiful yarn: “I’ll knit a scarf.” In fact, the book doesn’t have any lace weight patterns. I’ll have to fall back on Victorian Lace Today.)

And there’s a table, and comfortable chairs. British LYS’s were very slow to add that feature.

I was still feeling a bit fragile last night, and was tempted to retreat to sock-knitting. But Senator Obama needs me, I feel, in this moment of crisis, so I picked up the rest of the stitches for the second sleeve of Theo’s gansey and started downwards.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:34 AM

    You are my first blog click every morning--I look forward to the political "coverage" as much as the knitting!

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  2. Anonymous2:36 PM

    Gee, wonder why the Clintons are wary of the press. Can you think of a reason?

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  3. Anonymous5:49 PM

    The new shop sounds wonderful, I wish it had been there last year! Not that we didn't have a good time in HK, but I think we would have had more fun there. I sure would have bought more yarn, it sounds like they have some lovely stuff! Where in the Graasmarket is it? We spent a lot of time walking through there, we've eaten in an Italian Restaurant there and a couple of our favorite pubs are in that area... it would have been great to send the others on to the pub and spend time relaxing with yarn...of course I did plenty of relaxing with beer. LOL

    My friend Elaine might be in Edinburgh in May and was asking me about yarn shopping, I can now tell her about K1, maybe you can meet her there!

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  4. The Clintons certainly have every reason to be wary of the press, but did they not think that hostility would be returned with hostility? It's much like Hillary's declaration that she would, unlike Obama, continue not talking to Cuba and Iran. Because we've seen how fruitful that approach has been over the past several decades.

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  5. I can see why the Clintons are wary of the press, but you can also be courteous.

    What joy to find a yarn shop that exceeds expectations! It sounds like you truly had a splendiferous time.

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