Extreme makeover

The Republicans hope their convention
Will bury the bones of contention.
The platform's not new
But, with mod'rates on view,
They will dish up a Bush reinvention.

GOP's opening scene carefully scripted
USA Today, 8/29/04

No child left?

A letter to Mr. Bush from Cleveland:
There's a need, in your deed, you ignore
By focusing just on a "score;"
And any excuse
That permits such abuse,
Mr. Bush, like our children, is poor.

Your "compassion" is simply unkind.
For you can't feed a child's hungry mind
By leaving unfed
His body instead.
Now that's when a child's left behind!

Cleveland rates as big city with highest poverty rate
Ohio News Network, 8/27/04

NB: Mr. Bush made no mention of these census statistics on his visit to Ohio the very next day.

Took the hypocritic oath?

For thinking outside of the box
What compares with those Abu Ghraib docs?
It seems that the medics
Weren't tortured with ethics
Like prisoners were tortured with shocks.

US army medics accused in abuse
BBC News, 8/20/04

Paved with good intentions

Want to feel your political oats?
Well, then put on your hats and your coats
And get in the swing.
State that freedom will ring
While you're hitting the road Driving Votes.

Annul result

San Francisco's the city that carried
The banner for Love, free and varied;
But now the state court
Has erased that support
If your gay and you thought you were married.

California High Court Voids S.F. Gay Marriages
NPR 8/12/04

Bin Laden who?

Iraq's such a hotbed that now we
Are faced with Abu al-Zarqawi;
But the man is well hid,
So that what we forbid
Only heightens the threat to Allawi.

Purported Zarqawi threat against Iraqi PM
MSNBC 8/7/04

Kellen Wins High!

Many thought there was really no tellin'
As to whether the Browns would sign Kellen,
But for forty odd mill
Seems the team has the will
Now to buy what the young man is sellin'.

Browns, Winslow finally agree
The Plain Dealer, 8/11/04

I spy...

So now Bush has announced Porter Goss
To become CIA's current boss;
But, with this appointment,
The fly in the ointment
Is: is this a gain or a loss?

Bush Nominates Rep. Goss to Run CIA
The Washington Post, 8/11/04

Fragile peace

When vi'lence erupts like a geyser,
It won't really take an advisor
To tell the Marines,
In Najaf, this means
The mood is al-Sadr, but wiser.

Marines report 300 insurgents killed in Najaf
CNN International, 8/6/04

Athletic supporters exposed!

To host this biennial clash
Cities needn't do anything rash.
For it's easy, you see,
When you know I. O. C.
Stands for major Infusion Of Cash

Olympic agents 'who sell votes'
BBC News, 8/3/04