This Land is Your Land

I’m feeling reflective today, after Wednesday night’s republican debate, on the “viable” candidates and their hair, which to me, represents some of their own substance.

Let me set the stage.

Today, I take my mom to the ENT doc in Kyle. I steel myself with granola, stuff a newspaper into my backpack and remember to take out the trash. My mom is in her eighties, but moves like someone much younger. If you were to ask her, she would let you know in a flash, she prefers younger company. Today, that’s me.

This will all take place in the early morning, a round trip to and from Austin. As I drive and wait, I will chew metaphorically on the Republican debate, and keep thinking about how much hair is present on most on the candidates. I’m glad I saw these debates, because the entertainment value was high.

Although the debates were focused on Mitt Romney and Rick Perry sparring, there were also wonderful moments from other candidates. Ron Paul, while lacking hair, delivered what I felt were the most honest comments of the evening. I saw why Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are good friends; they could be sisters, and look like they have the same hairdresser. In fact, no matter the party politics, women are now asking their hairdressers for the "Bachmann look."

Both senators, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman, were polished and well prepared to respond to their questions. If hair could speak, theirs would not conflict with their performance Wednesday night. Newt Gingrich, beautiful silvery hair, rose above the fray to expound on his former contributions and, amazingly enough, credit Barack Obama for his part in the capturing of Osama Bin Laden. And Georgia businessman, Herman Cain, was extremely well spoken, direct and practical. I would follow him anywhere, but for his lack of hair.

As for Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, they appeared substantially presidential looking while making strong, yet vague statements about how they would create jobs in our struggling economy. Without a doubt, both had great hair to support all comments.

Frequently questions were answered in a way to highlight a point a candidate wished to deliver to the audience, regardless of the question. And so, questions were often not answered.

I am of course, skipping over much of the debate, but this is, after all only a blog, and, like Wednesday night’s debate, lacks in real substance. There’s nothing profound here, but in Texas, still putting out fires, we want solutions. I still see a drought ahead not only for Texas, but for our country.

What are you thinking about this week’s debates? I’ll be playing “This Land is Your Land” today on my piano.