Jeb being Jeb
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush said Ronald Reagan and his father, George H.W. Bush, would find themselves out of step with today's Republican Party because of its strict adherence to ideology and the intensity of modern partisan warfare.
"They got a lot of stuff done with a lot of bipartisan support that right now would be difficult to imagine happening," he said.
Still, he was careful to emphasize that he believes the modern-day Democratic Party is equally dug in on ideological and partisan grounds, saying: "This dysfunction, you can't say it's one side or another."
And he said President Barack Obama has failed to live up to his promise to be a transcendent leader, specifically pointing to his failure to embrace the advice of the bipartisan deficit panel he created, the Simpson-Bowles commission.
But that didn't stop conservative bloggers from bashing Bush for being a turncoat.
Jeb always was a bit of a rebel.
Joan being Joan
Joan Rivers, the big-mouthed comedian with the frozen face stretched tighter than a snare drum, is the latest to be upset with President Obama for wanting to increase taxes on the richest Americans.
"I think if I work very hard, I should be able to gather the fruits of my labor," Rivers said.
Despite her comments, Rivers added that she's not interested in "making a political statement" and explained why she hates politics so much.
"They're all a bunch of garbage," Rivers told Politico. "I'm definitely in favor of a monarchy because they're there, they look good and they always have good gift shops when you leave the palace."
Rivers would be perfect in a monarchy because she's a royal pain in the tuchus.
Obama Girl being ... ?
Amber Lee Ettinger, widely known as "Obama Girl" during the 2008 presidential campaign, said she is "not as excited as I was the last time, that's for sure."
The model/actress became a national celebrity after starring in the viral YouTube video "Crush on Obama."
"Barack Obama was definitely the first 'Internet president,'" she said, describing her experiences during the last cycle as "quite a roller coaster ride."
This time, however, Ettinger won't say if she still supports Obama.
"At this point I'm keeping that to myself," she said. "If I'm not making videos, I'm not sure it's anyone's business who I'm voting for this time around."
Ex-presidential perks
Here's a great retirement perk if you can get it -- the unlimited expense accounts of former U.S. presidents, all of whom would be doing very nicely without taxpayer-funded help.
In fiscal year 2010-11, the four living ex-presidents had a combined $3.8 million in taxpayer-paid expenses, including these particulars: $579,000 in office rent for Bill Clinton (who has an estimated net worth of $38 million), $80,000 in phone bills for George W. Bush (net worth of $20 million) and $15,000 in postage for Jimmy Carter (net worth: a relatively modest $7 million).
How things have changed since Harry Truman left office. His only government payment was a $112-a-month Army pension.
More bucks for Beck
Glenn Beck will remain a force in radio for at least five more years. The conservative firebrand has inked a new five-year, $100 million deal with Clear Channel's Premiere Networks.
The pact, roughly double the size of the previous five-year deal he signed in 2007, is a vote of confidence for the syndicated "The Glenn Beck Program," which regularly lures 10 million listeners a week.
How did that Don Henley song put it? "We all know that crap is king."
