If you were a Jack Ryan fan as I was, in spite of finding Tom Clancy novels too military oriented, you will recall the rough and tumble political and spy dramas well worth your time. You will likely recall what a plane did to the Capitol (Debt Of Honor) while the president was delivering a message to a joint session of congress. That event took place in a book well before 9/11, which always amused me afterwards when people would say they could never fathom planes being used for such nefarious schemes. I still recall where I was when I read that part of the book as it was such a pulse-racing ending. Classic Clancy!
There has been a ‘traditon’ where one of the current members of the president’s cabinet stays far away from the joint session of congress in case a Clancy novel comes to life. That person then fills a leadership vacuum. I do not mean in any way to make light of the times in which we live, but am always on the hunt to find out who would lead the nation should hell break loose.
Attorney General Eric Holder is the cabinet member who will not attend tonight’s presidential speech.
By custom, one member of the cabinet is designated to go to — as we say these days — “a secure location,” in case that person is needed to carry on as head of the government. Since 9/11, the stay-away is typically a member of the national security team.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
you make me ill
you want to sound liberal and then you often write of that creepy nixon and now you say you read clancy and his war books
face it you are not one of us and never will be
Welcome to our planet of multi-dimensional thinking.
Can I count on you to be a continuing reader?