Vice President Joe Biden

As all eyes today were on Rod Blagojevich’s toss out of the Governor’s mansion in Illinois, newly-sworn in President Obama was expressing disbelief and frustration over the incredible and what he refers to as ’shameful’ bonuses head honchos on Wall Street treated themselves to, even as the economy was dropping in value faster than Blago’s political career. With bonuses totaling over $18 billion dollars, I think we’re all ready to take a hatchet to the pedestals they’ve placed themselves on.  They’d be wise to remember the higher the pedestal, the harder the fall.

President Obama said, in part, “…what we’re going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and some discipline and show some sense of responsibility”.   Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner nodded his head as these words were delivered.  He also said the American public has a huge problem with helping the financial sector as a whole recover from the black pit it’s found itself in, all the while continuing its spending spree, courtesy of the higher-ups who believe their charmed lives on the high hog are untouchable.

Vice President Biden, in classic Biden style, said he’d like to “throw these guys in the brig”.  Yeah, well…take a number.

During his speech, Obama promised to speak directly with those who received these bonuses.  He reiterated the fragile state of trust between the government, corporate America and the general public.  In fact, that might be too generous.  At this point, especially with today’s headlines announcing the unanimous decision to oust Blagojevich, the now almost certain division over the $800 billion stimulus planned passed by the House and the several companies that announced even more job cuts, I’d go so far as to say it’s beyond fragile; in fact, ‘non-existent’ might be a better description.

Earlier this week, he managed to block Citigroup, who’s received billions of dollars as part of the bailout, from purchasing a new corporate jet.  He’s also announced no further money will be doled out for these companies until there’s a satisfactory accounting of how the first round of funds was spent.

Odds are, there are no laws that prevent these people from accepting these huge bonuses; still, there’s no doubt they’ll feel the heat with every dime of it they spend.  For now, the biggest threat they’re facing is the almost certain scolding they’ll be receiving, courtesy of the new president.

Links to business lawyers, lawyers.

Since the announcement was made last week regarding the Democratic veep pick, Joseph Biden, we’ve all been wondering just who will John McCain choose as his running mate? What about former U.S. Senator Fred Dalton Thompson? We know that Joe Biden is a lawyer-turned-politician, and so is Thompson. After a brief run for the Republican ticket earlier this year, he announced in late January that he would be dropping out of the presidential race. I, for one, was disappointed. Since then, we’ve heard very little from the versatile Alabamian.

Thompson was admitted into Tennessee’s State Bar in late 1967. He wasted no time making a name for himself among the legal elite. He was a member of the Senate’s Watergate Committee during the scandal that helped define the 1970s and is credited for more than a few of the infamous (or not so infamous, depending on your stand) questions and statements that are in high school history books everywhere, including the question, “What did the president know and when did he know it?” during one of the hearings. After that, he continued his work as an attorney and specialized in white collar crimes in Washington DC.

His transition into politics was as smooth as his southern drawl. In fact, it was the defense he provided a parole board member in the late 1970s that paved the way. It was controversial, but Thompson was said to have stood strong, despite the evidence that included bribes, wrongful terminations and a multitude of other charges. In the end, his defense of Marie Ragghianti resulted in her employment being reinstated and back pay being awarded.

His lobbying efforts on controversial issues, including abortion, earned him respect in some circles and impressive salaries.

Even if one has no interest in politics, has no idea the differences between Democrats and Republicans and has no idea of what a “lobbyist” might be, odds are, everyone has seen his face and name across the opening credits of any of Dick Wolf’s Law & Order series. As you might expect, he plays the tough southern D.A., Arthur Branch. Political preferences are inferred in the Law & Order brand, but you know, or you’re at least pretty certain, that Jack McCoy is a Republican, Lennie Briscoe was most likely a Democrat and so on. But with this character Fred Thompson plays so well? You have no doubt whatsoever of his political affiliation. His quiet and slow demeanor while his A.D.A’s are fluttering about over some ruling they’ve just been handed lends a certain humor, and the less he says, the funnier it sometimes is.

Fred Thompson has been successful in his legal, political and acting careers. Some might say his most successful achievement is as a member of the legal community. Despite his being my favorite Law & Order character, I have to agree that a fine attorney would make an incredible vice president candidate. McCain and Thompson have a history together and looking at their past voting trends, you realize they would make a powerful run for the White House. Two attorneys running opposite campaigns with the same goal? Sounds like an election year to remember….provided John McCain agrees with my suggestions, of course.