Nice to hear some Texans are able to get flu shots:
At least nine Texas lawmakers, including Sen. John Cornyn and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, got quick and free flu shots from the Capitol's attending physician days after the government announced a vaccine shortage, aides confirmed Wednesday.
Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, also was among those who got shots even though they didn't meet vaccine candidate criteria suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It's uncertain how many of Washington's 535 House and Senate members got shots. Last month, Capitol attending physician John Eisold issued a memo recommending lawmakers, their aides and other congressional workers get vaccinated because of their "numerous interactions ... with people from all over the world."
It's true, I hear the Men's Club in DC is bringing in new talent from Eastern and Central Europe every day.
Most of the shots were given on Oct. 6 and 7, days after the CDC announced flu shots would be reduced by nearly half this year. The CDC urged that vaccinations should be reserved for young children, those with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, senior citizens, nursing home residents and health care workers. Neither Cornyn nor any of the Houston-area lawmakers who got the shot met those guidelines.
On Friday, several lawmakers sought to distance themselves from any perception of preferential treatment, particularly as older people stand in lines for shots around the country as elections approach.
This ought to be good...
Some lawmakers said they weren't aware of the vaccine shortage when they got the shot. Some said they qualified because of age or medical conditions. Others, including DeLay, a Republican from Sugar Land, believed getting the shot was justified.
"The House doctor recommended that members get the flu shot because they would be in a position of carrying or passing along the virus," DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella said. "Particularly in this season of (campaign) visits to nursing homes and senior centers, we can't afford to take that risk."
The "meeting" issue is brought up again later in the article, and I think it's crap. Convince me that politicians ever interact with the great unwashed masses in the grocery store, or at the gas station, or in a fricking Denny's, and I'd have a little more sympathy. Meeting with the lobbyist from Glaxo Wellcome in a private room where any virii are probably going to get killed by cigar smoke doesn't count.
"But never mind that, Pete. Surely there's some angle that an undecided voter/moron like me can use to help them pick a presidential candidate, yes?"
President Bush, in an interview with Reuters, said he would not get a flu shot and did not think healthy lawmakers should either.
Democrat John Kerry issued a statement Wednesday criticizing Vice President Dick Cheney, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for getting shots. Cheney, who has a heart condition, and Snow, who is 65, meet CDC guidelines.
Damn it. Guess you still can't decide.
And I wouldn't worry about Cheney. Every time someone brings up his heart conidition or age, I just remember Rhah's words to Taylor in Platoon:
Wrong? You ain't never been right, about nothing! And dig this you assholes, and dig it good. Barnes has been shot seven times and he ain't dead! Does that mean anything to you, huh? Barnes ain't meant to die! The only thing that can kill Barnes is Barnes!
The only thing that can kill Cheney is Cheney. I firmly believe that.
This has nothing to do with flu or the Cheney Undead. But I wanted to be the first to congratulate you and your St. Louis Cardinals on your fine season and your National League pennant.
As a citizen of Red Sox Nation, I say only this:
It is ON.
Good luck, Pete.