Hey, I used to really admire and respect John Glenn. At this time, I have lost all respect for him. Or maybe I should put it this way: I admire and respect what John Glenn the astronaut used to be, but not what John Glenn the partisan Democrat Senator has become.

I gave John the benefit of the doubt on his involvement with the " Keating 5 "; I am remembering that correctly, right?

I even used to give him the benefit of the doubt in his highly partisan and irrational dealings while ranking minority member on Fred Thompson's Senate Campaign Finance Hearings. To see him wasting the commitee's time spewing out the standard Whitehouse spin-excuses-lies about the illegal influx of Asian money not flowing into DNC coffers made me really think about his credibility. I kept thinking about his unpaid Keating 5 related debts that total in the millions, I believe.

I then heard about his possible mission into space on board the Space Shuttle. Could this be payback for his highly partisan antics at the Senate hearings? He obviously really wants to be back in space again. Also, the only record he holds, is first American in orbit. Alan Shepard was the first American in space and will always be remembered as such. The first human in space was a Russian. Where does that really leave Glenn in the record books? Even I believe that " oldest human in space " may hold up for a while.

I still gave him the benefit of the doubt after the Red Chinese connection was finally revealed ( I felt this vindicated Thompson and made up for all the unaccurate DNC criticism he had taken ). I find it hard to believe that Glenn didn't have the same information that Thompson had before the truth finally came out in public!

I have now completely lost all respect for Glenn. Not only is he indeed seem to be headed into space, but his campaign coffers are now alleged to have recieved illegal Asian money from Pauline Kanchanalak and her associates. This certainly looks like he was already aware of his own Asian connection, and just protecting himself by his ludicrous antics as ranking member.

If all this turns out to be true, then his ticket on the shuttle is the incredible payoff for a " hatchet job " well done!

I just can't continue to ignore these things and give him the benefit of the doubt any more. Shame on you, John Glenn.

- Bongo ( orbit this... )