It's Maureen Dowd Day!

Ahh Maureen, I hope you keep writing your terrific political columns for a very long time and when you're through, I hope you bequeath your job to me.

I love the way you intertwine issues each week (Spain, Al Quaeda, Kerry v. Bush) and make any rational human reading your column clearly see that Bush is an idiot, republicans are wrong (at least about most major issues at the moment) and we stand a much better chance if we elect a democrat this time around. I love that you also don't hesitate to point out democratic flaws. I love that you worked Pride and Prejudice into your political analysis, seamlessly creating a connection between Bush, Kerry and Jane Austen's fictional characters.

It seems to me, that having a job like Maureen Dowd's would be the perfect marriage of my journalism training and experience, with my political obsession and I wouldn't even have to pretend to be a neutral observer. Of course, I've found that even though I enjoy espousing my political views in writing and intimate conversation, I am not really comfortable cheering at rallies. I'd much rather be on the press risers. But I bet Maureen goes on the press risers if she's at a rally. Also, I bet she still isn't ethically supposed to make campaign contributions because of her job. It's the perfect position -- the perfect straddling between journalist and person with opinions.

Note to self: Seek political columnist job, even if it means being political reporter again first.