Ohio: Iraq

Presidents wake up every day wondering whether terrorists will attack Americans and whether they will be judged to have failed to protect the homeland if that happens.

Presidents make decisions.

Members of Congress make speeches.

Is that unfair? Perhaps a little. Presidents can hem and haw and speechify with the best of them, and lawmakers sometimes take courageous, politically unpopular stands and cast votes that could cost them their jobs come the next election.

But being president has to be, no contest, the loneliest job in the world -- just look at the way they age (see the before and after photos of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as recent examples) during their time in the White House.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Dennis Kucinich wants to kill federal funding for an immense traveling video game exhibit that acts as an Army recruiting tool by letting kids as young as 13 play soldier in modified Humvees armed with realistic weapons.

The 19,500-square-foot game called "Virtual Army Experience" is recognized as the world's "Largest Traveling Game Simulator" in the upcoming "Guinness World Records 2009: Gamer's Edition."

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It includes six life-size vehicles fitted with modified laser guns and surrounded by more than 70 flat screens.

As my latest Twitter message says, if Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who gave the GOP response to Preisdent Obama's not quite State of the Union last night, is the great shining hope of the GOP, then I like our chances.

As an example of "wasteful" spending in the stimulus bill, Jindal singled out $140 million for Volcano monitoring. I don't know about you, but I find it odd that the so-called pro-life party is knocking volcano monitoring. After all, it is estimated that volcano monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey during the Mount Pinatubo disaster in the Phillipines of the early 1990's saved some 20,000 lives.

Madame Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, and the First Lady of the United States:

I've come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly and directly to the men and women who sent us here.

I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has - a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family.