I try to read up on both sides of the political tension wire. Down and dirty right-wing stuff is presented here in Atlanta on the pages of the “Sunday Paper”, which looks as though it is trying to compete with “Creative Loafing.” Here you will find a column by Lisa Baron. I think it’s meant to be on marriage, at least that’s the title.

Dear friends* called my attention to a recent article called “Boredom breeds trouble when playing the singles game.” Among other things, this article tells the story of a bored Lisa Baron (nee Gimbel) trying to amuse herself while her husband (99X’s Jimmy Baron) is out of town. After ruling out any neighbors with children for socializing, she decides to drink an alarming amount of alcohol (a running theme) with her neighbor’s 25-year old son.

Like a good neighbor, he was there.

As the night progressed, I completely lost track of time. One empty beer can, six bottles of wine and fifth of scotch down, it was 11:00 pm. I heard the door unlock and in walked Jimmy. It turns out that he was able to take an earlier flight home and wanted to surprise me. Boy, was I surprised, but so was he. Why was his wife entertaining young men in his living room? I stumbled over to the door to greet with a big, sloppy hug and accompanying kiss.

Trying to explain the scene, the words came out of my mouth painfully slow. I wanted to make sure that my half-soaked brain had correctly told my mouth which words to use. “Hi honey. I’m entertaining.” I assured him that there was no need to overreact. He said that if I wanted to see overreacting, I should come home from a trip and find him drunk on the coach with a 25-year-old.

Lisa Baron has previously worked as press secretary to Georgia Rep. Saxby Chambliss, and for Ralph Reed for three years, who she left temporarily to work on George W. Bush’s inaugural committee. It looks as though she might also have been a spokesperson for the Florida republican party (in 1999) as well. What her larger background story is, I couldn’t say, but considering that her husband is reportedly a vegetarian and animal rights activist, she probably does have a fairly interesting marriage.

She’s back with Reed as “communications director” during his run for the office of Georgia’s lieutenant governor.

Why would the PR voice of the way-way-way ultra-right pseudo-christian con-artist Reed engage in and publically admit to such behavior, especially in such a forum and in a column on marriage? Let me call your attention again to the amount of alcohol and to the astounding inappropriateness of her behavior – and then remind you once again, or maybe twice, or three times again (like T did) of her position as the voice of Ralph Reed. Ralph Reed, folks. Ralph Reed.

My friends and I are weirdly fascinated. I don’t know Lisa Baron – she doesn’t really seem so much a slimy creature as, say, Ann Coulter, but what on earth is she thinking? Is it time for some sort of intervention?

I’ve been told (no claim on the truth status, it’s a rumor) that Ralph Reed is referred to as “Damien” – even by some of his cohorts. Can you just see him in the “Omen” movies, chanting “Sanguis bebimus corpus edimus Satani…”

Ok, that was gratuitous. He is scary to me, like Terry Randall or is it Randall Terry? Like Eric Roberts, or is it Eric Rudolf? These are the guys that might secretly have the middle name “Wayne.” It doesn’t help that Reed has always looked strangely familiar to me. Anyone know where he keeps his portrait?
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*T and P would want to remain anonymous, I’m quite sure.