When Real Life Trumps Politics

Many of you may or may not be aware of this. A massive tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta around 10 pm local time last night. It caused major damage to several sections of downtown, inflicting significant structural damage to the CNN Center where my childhood best friend works. It destroyed homes, potentially the one where I lived for most of a year. I'm not sure the status of the home where my friend lives, either, but I am literally praying it was not destroyed.

The only network covering this live is CNN. Fox is beating up on Barack, instead. I have to say, shame on Fox News for not reporting on an utter catastrophe where human lives and safety are and will continue to be at stake. This is far more important that the Obama versus Clinton beatdown. I'm laying aside politics for today until I find out whether or not he is okay.

I do not know where my friend is and his status. This may or may not be due to the fact that the power is likely out in his apartment, there is massive structural and tree damage around the location, and that he has only a cellphone. I'm not sure whether the cell towers are down too.

I find it hard to focus on politics today when I don't know whether my friend is alive, injured, or even dead. No fatalities have been reported, but the Fulton Cotton Mill, recently converted into a loft, has been flattened like a pancake. The top four floors have caved in. I drove by that building on my way down Boulevard at least twice a day for nearly a year.

I am scared, worried, and anxious right now. I don't have to go to work for another three hours and I am on pins and needles desperate to hear something, anything, from him. He and I grew up together and might as well be brothers.

I know many of you are not the praying kind, but I am, and right now I ask for good thoughts and prayers.

No reported fatalities thus far, but 27 homes have been reported destroyed and there have been injuries reported as well.

I don't know what else to say.