2 Days...

Here are some random thoughts and questions with two days to go:

• As much as I appreciate the extra hour that comes with Daylight Savings time, I bet the candidates and the press enjoy it so much more. It has been a long, hard battle for both sides.
• How are there still undecided voters? We have been inundated with information, debates, facts, lies, and negative ads for months now. Make up your damn mind, the suspense is killing us.
• If Ralph Nader ruins this for us, I think he should be forced to be Bush's new roommate when he leaves Washington.
• Where has Ann Coulter been? I mostly read Texas newspapers, but even before they stopped printing her stuff, she was all over talk shows and the news. The only time that I have heard her name mentioned this year was in the tragic case of Ann Pressley, the anchorwoman who was beaten to death in her home in October. Pressley played Coulter in "W."
• If Sarah Palin really donates all of her campaign clothes to charity after the election, we are about to start seeing some really sharp dressed poor people.
• Dick Cheney endorsed McCain yesterday. Isn't that a little bit like getting Satan's stamp of approval? Obama said, "I'd like to congratulate Sen. McCain on this endorsement, because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy." Wow, I wonder if you actually have to shoot somebody to win Cheney's endorsement.
• I never really appreciated Bill Clinton until he was gone. It's been kinda fun having him around again. I'm sure, of course, that all of his supporters are getting tired of having to lock up their daughters, but, hey, everyone has to sacrifice.
• McCain was just on "Larry King: Live." Topics included techniques for keeping punks off your lawn, the best brands of prune juice, and their lives during the Civil War. Those were the days.
• This election could help bring back "Celebrity Death Match." Of course, there's Obama vs. McCain. but think of the other possibilties. Colin Powell vs. Joe the Plumber. Hillary Clinton vs. Sarah Palin. Michelle Obama vs. Cindy McCain. Bill Clinton vs. Ted Stevens. Oprah vs. Elizabeth Hasselbeck. The possibilities really are endless.

Quotes of the Week

Liz Carpenter, former press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson and Hillary supporter, in the Dallas Morning News:

"Hillary has made scores of speeches supporting Mr. Obama. If she can get over her loss, so can we. Any Democrat who considers supporting John McCain must count the cost of such a vote: Four more years of Bush policies, the continuation of the war in Iraq, expanded tax cuts for the rich, no progress in health care reform, right-wing Supreme Court justices and a vice president who is profoundly unprepared to be president. Sarah Palin is against everything the women's movement stands for: She may be female in gender, but she's a good old boy at heart."

Maureen Dowd's screenplay, "The Maverick Wears Prada," in the New York Times, about the Republican wardrobe scandal. In the end, Palin goes AWOL, and McCain doesn't want to find her, saying:

"For my End of Days, I'd prefer to finish the race with Lieberman."

Arnold Garcia in the Austin American-Statesman, on Palin and McCain's claims that they are average people:

"Maybe we ought to be asking ourselves this question: Do you want the people who are only "average" running the country? Do you really want that cigarette-sucking loudmouth on the next stool running health policy? Or that "average" slug in the next cubicle running foreign policy? Don't you want people making the big decisions to be above average?"

Rachel Maddow, responding to state senator senator Kit Bond (R- Missouri) who said this at a Sarah Palin rally: "(Obama) said,...I want judges who have a heart, have an empathy for the teenage mom, the minority, the gay, the disabled.'"

"A couple things, first, a Republican complaining about mistreatment of the Constitution after these last eight years? It's kind of like Colonel Sanders arguing for chicken rights. Second, if a judge has empathy, that's not legal? And third, forgive me here but, the gay? Senator Kit Bond warning us off of compassion for the gay? You know it's not catching, right? It's not like the measles."

John McCain, coming to the realization the Joe the Plumber may have stood him up:

"Joe`s with us today.
Joe, where are you?
Where is Joe? Is Joe here with us today?
Joe, I thought you were here today.
All right. Well, you`re all Joe the plumbers, so all of you stand up and say..."

Kay Hagan (D- North Carolina) gives Elizabeth Dole (R- North Carolina) a biblical bitch slap, after Dole put out an ad that seems to suggest that Hagan said that there was no God:

"Sure, politics is a tough business, but I approved this message because my campaign is about creating jobs and fixing our economy, not bearing false witness against fellow Christians."

Michael Goldfarb, a McCain aide, failing miserably at the guilt by association game. Check out part of the transcript:

Sanchez: Now, is the -- I need to parse this out as best I can from you, Michael. The fact that John McCain's organization gave $448,000 to this group that was founded by Mr. Khalidi, is there no reason for some to be critical of as well just as some might be critical of Barack Obama for being at a meeting with some girl read a poem for example?
Goldfarb: Look. You are missing the point again, Rick. The point is that Barack Obama has a long track record of being around anti-Semitic and anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric.
Sanchez: Can you name one other person besides Khalidi who he hangs around that is anti-Semitic?
Goldfarb: Yes, he pals around with William Ayers.
Sanchez: No, no, the question I asked you is that can you name one other person who he hangs around with who is anti-Semitic? Because that is what you said.
Goldfarb: Look, we know there are people who Barack Obama has been in hot water--
Sanchez: Michael, I asked you the name one person. One.
Goldfarb: Rick --
Sanchez: You said he hangs around with people who are anti-Semitic. Okay. Khalidi and name other people that we all know about?
Goldfarb: And Rick, we both know who number two is.
Sanchez: Who? Would you tell us?
Goldfarb: No, Rick, I think we all know who we are talking about here.
Sanchez: Somebody who is anti-Semitic that he hangs around with.
Goldfarb: I think we all know who we are talking about.
Sanchez: Say it.
Goldfarb: I think we all know who we're talking about, Rick.
Sanchez: Well, you say that his policies differ from Barack Obama and many other people, and either way, we have the leave it at that.

Dear Joe the Plumber,

You have had your fifteen minutes, now please shut the hell up.

You have implied that Barack Obama is anti-American, and you are the one that started this whole socialism thing. Now, I see a picture of you in the paper this morning, standing in front of a row of U.S. flags agreeing that a vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel.

I was one of the people who thought that it was unfair that you were attacked because of the attention that McCain gave you during the last debate. I didn't think it was fair that your background was investigated and personal information about was published in newspapers and on the Internet.

Now the gloves are off, Joe.

You don't agree with Obama, fine. But please stop throwing out these buzzwords for hateful, ignorant people to latch on to. You sparked the "Obama is a socialist trend" and now people who have no concept of what socialism even is are practically calling for his head. This is the kind of behavior that prevailed when good old Joe McCarthy was running the show, and I thought we were past that. Apparently not.

Now you are an expert on Israel? Wow, the Republican Party must do one hell of a job of teaching foreign policy. Did you have the same teacher as Sarah Palin? Can you see Israel from Ohio?

Anyway, while I originally thought that it was a low blow to go after you, Joe, I am going to suggest that you are anti-American. Here's why:

You apparently don't pay your taxes. It is our obligation as Americans to pay taxes, why should you be any different? Furthermore, why should you be concerned about Obama's tax plans if you aren't going to pay them anyway?

You're not even real. Your real name is Samuel Wurzelbacher. You're not a licensed plumber. "Joe the Plumber" is a character that John McCain invented to win votes (kind of like Sarah Palin). You were used by the Republican Party and are now making an ass of yourself by playing along (kind of like Sarah Palin). When this election is over, you will be chewed up and spit out by the same people who made you famous (kind of like Sarah Palin).

You're bald. Maybe you're a skinhead. Are you a Nazi, Mr. Wurzlebacher? Are you secretly hoping that Obama's impending win will doom the nation of Israel? Are you anti-Semitic, Joe?

No? Well, you have to admit that these allegations of being anti-American are inflammatory and don't paint a very pretty picture of you, Joe. They are probably also false. But, for an uninformed person reading this, this might sound plausible. This is what you (and others, many others) have done to Senator Obama. By planting the seeds of fear in ignorant minds, you have helped create an unstable, distrustful environment in America. Come on, Joe, we've had enough of that. It's time to come together.

You are in the public eye now. Don't be like every other ignorant jackass that only spews talking points and knows nothing of the facts (once again, kind of like Sarah Palin). If you disagree with Obama, that's great. That's what makes America so wonderful: we can have respectful and informed disagreements without having to provoke fear or incite violence.

Sincerely,

Everyone who is tired of listening to ignorant, empty words.




***UPDATE*** Okay, I was only joking that Joe is a skinhead, but apparently I am out of touch with what people are talking about, because there is a ton of stuff out there that he is a "raging skinhead plumber." This is likely just due to his bald head, but I still stand by my intial request that he shut the hell up.

McCain Gets Picked On

According to the Center for Media and Public Affairs, Jay Leno and Dave Letterman have made fun of McCain or Palin 475 times since September 1, compared to 69 times for Obama and Biden. Some feel that this is unfair, and provides further evidence that the "liberal media" is a threat. They think that late-night TV hosts should pick on both candidates equally. McCain and Palin supporters really can't see what's so funny.

Really?

Just look at the way the candidates carry themselves. Obama seems to glide across a stage, and we all know how eloquent he is. McCain shuffles a bit, and appears disoriented at times. Let's just face it, he's old. Even McCain jokes about his age. I'm sorry, but old people are funny.

How about when McCain jokingly called that kid a "little jerk?" Am I the only person who envisions him on his front porch, in his robe, shaking his fist, screaming at kids to get the hell off his damn lawn?

What about the fact that he skipped past many seemingly qualified candidates to select Sarah Palin, a caricature of a real person, as his running mate?

Speaking of Sarah Palin, I could literally go on all day, but I'll just give you a few reasons why she is such a great target. Let's start with the whole being able to see Russia from her house thing.

Then there's the accent. One common fact that we have learned from both the Clinton and Bush presidencies, it's that regional accents get a lot of play on Saturday Night Live.

The interviews. Sure, she's done better recently, but those first two interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric were priceless.

The Bridge to Nowhere. "I said 'thanks, but no thanks' to the bridge to nowhere." No, you didn't! Even after this Palin claim was widely accepted to be false, she hammered it home. That kind of cluelessness, or outright deceitfulness, is pretty funny, although she probably could have taught Bill Clinton a thing or two about sticking to his lie.

The guns. There's a reason that all of the animals in Wasilla, Alaska run like the wind when Palin comes home: because she will hunt them down and kill them. Check out Betty White calling Palin "one crazy bitch," after noting that Palin is shooting down all of McCain's messenger pigeons, thus disrupting campaign communications.

There are many more things that I could list, but you get the idea. Most of these jokes are all in good fun, of course, but I think comedy is an outlet. I think a lot of people feel that the country has been run by a gang of bullies for the last eight years, so why not pick on those who have picked on us? Maybe the Republican Party has been targeted as the primary butt of the joke for a reason: they deserve it.

I don't think I have heard a better explanation of this as the one Wanda Sykes gave on the Tonight Show when describing the differences in the Democratic and Republican conventions. Here's what she said:

"Well, you know, I watched the convention. You know, watching
the Democratic Convention, it felt like America. You know, it
looked like America. It was hopeful and it was positive and, you know, everybody
holding hands. And then I watched the Republican Convention. It was like
watching a meeting in Dr. Evil's lair."

I think the argument here is that the Republicans are out of touch with the people, and for this, they have been laughed at...continually. I, for one, do not feel guilty about this at all, and if by some chance, the fact that McCain and Palin have been picked on more is what causes them to lose, so be it. They brought it upon themselves.

Dear Republicans...

Listen guys, I really don't want you to win this election. I think you have had your turn, and you screwed things up big time. But, do you know that you haven't lost yet? With all of the buzz about Sarah Palin "going rogue," anonymous members of the McCain campaign have been coming out of the woodwork pointing fingers. Can't you at least wait until the election is over until you start the blame game?

I'm not going to complain, because every pointed finger and every accusation is a nail in your coffin. However, you guys are really starting to plan for the loss. Here is what one McCain aide (who is said to be a former member of Mitt Romney's campaign) said:

"Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012. The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney. He's in charge on November 5th."

Okay, even when things are going badly, I think it is best to maintain a positive appearance. The above quote is just one example of how you guys have abandoned hopes of winning this race. However, when the day is done, I am still a strong Obama supporter who chuckles just a little bit every time I see something like this. If you guys want to hand it over to us, that's great. The Democrats have been laughed at in recent years for the uncanny knack for blowing elections, but it looks like the tides are turning.

Thanks for doing all the work for us,

Tiff

P.S.: Since you're throwing in the towel, did you really have to put the Jeremiah Wright ads back on the air up north? It's just making you look silly.

John McCain's Top Ten Mistakes

The Dallas Morning News printed "McCain's 10 worst ideas" (from foreignpolicy.com) today. Here they are:

Creating a League of Democracies- This could undermine the U.N., according to Thomas Carothers in the July/August issue of Foreign Policy)

Calling for a gas-tax holiday- This would potentially increase demand, which would raise the price of gas, and wouldn't really save us that much money.

Flip-flopping on immigration- McCain was once (to quote Tina Fey as Sarah Palin) pretty "mavericky" on the issue. Now, he sticks to the typical Republican line, "securing borders first," without actually addressing the causes of illegal immigration.

Supporting abstinence-only education and the global gag rule- Okay, people, your kids are having sex. There, I said it. There is no reason that they should suffer for the rest of their lives because they were never taught how to be safe.

Drilling our way out of the oil crisis- One, haven't we destroyed the environment enough? Two, the oil that we drill for today will not make its way to our gas tanks anywhere in the immediate future. By the time that happens, we should have those flying cars that they have been promising us forever.

Balancing the budget through victory in the war on terror- McCain is against setting a timetable for getting out of Iraq, and once said that we would be there for 100 years, if need be. So, it's kinda hard to understand how we are going to save money here.

Making the Bush tax cuts permanent- This is something he has flip-flopped on, as well, saying in 2004, that he did not support the Bush tax cuts "because of the disproportional amount that went to the wealthiest Americans."

Calling for 45 nuclear power plants- This is another plan that will not really have an impact in the immediate future. Sure, we need to be looking toward the future, but there are other avenues to explore.

Backing cap-and-trade without a 100 percent auction- McCain's plan could lead to some businesses getting "sweetheart deals."

Requiring a three-fifths majority to raise taxes- This has not had great results at the state level, so probably wouldn't work federally.


So, these are McCain's 10 worst ideas? I agree that these are all bad ideas, but I think I can do better. Did they really not mention Sarah Palin? With all due respect to the writers at Foreign Policy and their serious journalism, here is my (humorous) take on some of McCain's worst ideas.

Hugging Bush. Seriously, Senator McCain, have you never heard of a side hug?



Using Joe the Plumber's name in vain. Okay, Joe may or may not have been recruited by the Republicans to ask the question heard 'round the world. That's not really important. Joe, if in fact that is his real name (which, as has been recently revealed, is not), has had all of his dirty laundry aired to the public. We know all of his secrets. He's not a licensed plumber, he owes back taxes, and he feels pretty when he puts on his wife's nightie. Who cares? Shouldn't we be worrying about the important things, like the fact that our economy is falling to pieces?

Referring to Obama as "That One." Besides being condescending, this remark pissed a lot of people off. McCain probably did not mean to be insulting, but this reflects poorly on his people skills. I would prefer a president that can be confrontational without being childish.

Blowing off Letterman. Is it just me, or did Letterman absolutely lay the smackdown on McCain? I know that most people laughed at Letterman's reaction to McCain canceling his initial appearance on the show, but check out the transcript. He interrogated McCain about Sarah Palin, McCain's negative campaigning tactics, and much more. Here's part of it:

DL: No, no. I’m just getting started! Now she’s (Sarah Palin) also, she’s the one, I think who says that Barack Obama pals around with terrorists. Has she in fact said that at rallies?
JM: I don’t…yes. And he did. And refused to acknowledge the fact.
DL: Who did he pal around with?
JM: William Ayers who said on 9/11 that he wished that he’d bombed more. OK? His wife was on the Top 10 of FBI’s Most Wanted.
DL: But this all took place…when he was active, Barack Obama was eight years old.
JM: Eight years old. And Mr. Ayers in 2001, September 11, 2001, said, “I wished I had bombed more.” It’s an unrep—
DL: But what is that relationship?
JM: It’s all we need to know. Senator Clinton said, “We need to know about the relationship.” First he said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. And so it’s a matter of trusting the word of someone.
DL: I know. I know.
JM: That’s all.
DL: But you will also admit that we cannot really control who we interact with in our lives 100%.
JM: How long we interact with them and how we interact with them…But the point in this campaign is the economy, the economy and the economy.
DL: But did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?
JM: I met him, you know, I mean…
DL: Didn’t you attend a fund raiser at his house?
JM: Gordon Liddy’s?
DL: How about that Tina Fey?
JM: I know Gordon Liddy. He paid his debt. He went to prison, he paid his debt, as people do. I’m not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy. And his son, who is also a good friend and supporter of mine.
DL: But you understand that the same case could be made of your relationship with him as being made with William Ayers.
JM: Everything about any relationship that I’ve had I will make completely open and give a complete accounting of. Senator Obama said that he was a guy who lived in the neighborhood. OK, it was more than that.
DL: They served on a committee at one point.
JM: Yes, that gave $230,000 to ACORN which is now involved in what may be one of the great voter frauds in history. It could be. We need to know.
DL: Are they double dating? Are they going to dinner? What are they doing? Are they driving cross country?
JM: Maybe going to Denny’s. Who knows? The Grand Slam…
DL: Now she said “pals around with terrorists.” OK, so alright. Let’s say we give her William Ayers. He was eight and William Ayers was 29. But they palled around.
JM: There’s millions of word said in the campaign. Come on!
DL: But that’s where we live. In politics, isn’t it?
JM: Millions of words. Yes indeed. Look, let’s…

Drum roll, please...

Sarah Palin! If you have read anything that I have posted here, you know how I feel about this woman. She is horrifyingly unqualified and is just a pretty face recruited to reel in uneducated voters. I'm not going to go on and on about Palin (right now), but even McCain has to question his decision for her to be his running-mate when he sees how she is dragging his numbers down.

Honestly, I wanted to list Sarah Palin as every one of McCain's mistakes, but I felt it might be a bit redundant. After all, people vote mostly for the person at the top of the ticket, and the race is between McCain and Obama. The point is, McCain has made mistakes, as has Obama, and I choose to make fun of McCain. See? This is democracy in action, or maybe perhaps its just boredom in action...

Republicans for Obama

Several high-profile Republicans (or maybe recovering Republicans) have endorsed Obama in the past few weeks and months. Perhaps the two biggest surprises recently have been the endorsements of Former Bush Secretary of State, Colin Powell and Former Bush Press Secretary, and son of Carole Keeton Strayhorn (former Republican Texas State Comptroller who ran against her party in the 2006 gubernatorial election) Scott McLellan. These Obama Republicans have often been dubbed "Obamacans" by some. Republicans for Obama includes a comprehensive lists of some of the most important Republican and conservative endorsements. This list includes Powell, McLellan, and several other elected officials, government officials, and columnists, along with their reasons for supporting Obama.

There is the occasional apology to the Republican Party.

Richard Riordan (former mayor of L.A.) said, "I'm still a Republican, but I still will always vote for the person who I think will do the best job."

However, for the most part, the prevaling theme seems to be that Obama is a unifier who will work with both parties toward the common goal of improving our nation.

Michael Smerconish (columnist for the Philadelphia Enquirer) said, "...an Obama presidency holds the greatest chance for unifying us here at home and restoring our prestige around the globe."

Susan Eisenhower (Ike's granddaughter) said, "Given Obama's support among young people, I believe that he will be most invested in defending the interests of these rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of this nation as a whole."


Some others cite McCain's "temperament," and lack of judgment, especially in selecting Sarah Palin to be his nominee for VP. Others believe that McCain will be an extension of the disaster that has been the Bush administration.

Whatever the reason, there are some Republicans switching teams. Democrats flocking to the polls to vote for Reagan in the 80s were part of the reason that Reagan had such success. I don't think that Republicans will come out in droves for Obama, but having a few high-profile party members come out for Obama helps to eliminate fear, in the minds of some voters, that Obama is an unthinkable choice.

I was attacked by an old white guy in a suit.

Ok, so I was at the ATM the other night, and an investment banker who had apparently lost everything robbed me at knifepoint. And, if that wasn't bad enough, as he was leaving he turned back and saw the Obama sticker on the back of my car. Ummm, then he said something like, "You're gonna be McCain's now," and punched me in the face. Or the back of the head. Okay, he punched me in the back of the head, and as I was lying facedown on the pavement, he carved a "J" into my cheek. Wait, he punched me in the face, and carved a "J" into the back of my head, or my cheek. Maybe I wasn't at the ATM at all. Okay, so I was leaving work the other night when a crazy old man carved Sarah Palin's initials into my forehead, stole my car, kidnapped me and took me to Alaska...so I could see Russia. I swear.

Wait, maybe that didn't happen.

However, Ashley Todd, a McCain volunteer from Texas (why are all the crazies from Texas?) claimed that she was mugged at knifepoint in Pittsburgh while at the ATM. The attacker, a tall black man with patent leather shoes, stole Todd's money, and was leaving the scene when he saw that she had a McCain sticker on her car. Apparently, this angered the assailant so badly that he punched Todd in the back of the head, and carved a "B" on her cheek. After refusing medical attention, Todd received quite a bit of attention. For starters, she received calls from McCain and Palin themselves, wishing her a speedy recovery. Also, she received lots of attention from law enforcement when some of the details of her story didn't quite make sense.

As of yesterday, the media and police are saying that the whole story is false. Todd carved the "B" on her own face, and according to The Smoking Gun, she posted the message, "Stubbornly searching for a bank of america to avoid ATM fees" to Twitter right before the attack. And shortly after, she mentioned that she had been on the "wrong side of Pittsburgh." I suppose that she thought this would set the scence for a made-up mugging...

So this girl is crazy and her story is fake, and a little comical. Still, this just underscores the point that some of us have been making all along, that most attacks on Obama from McCain supporters (not McCain himself) are based on race and fear, and not his politics. Think about it. I'm sure that there are some people who believed that this "attack" actually happened. Maybe Ashley Todd thinks that if some people believe that she was attacked by a rabid Obama supporter, that they will be afraid of similar attacks.

My God, if Obama is elected, maybe people like the guy with the knife and patent leather shoes will run the government. I bet this attacker was a Muslim, as well.

Anyway, I didn't really get mugged by an old white guy in a suit, but maybe, just maybe, if enough people believe that I did, I will get a call from Obama...

Rolling Stone Interview with Barack Obama

The latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine features a half-hour interview with Obama about "how George W. Bush screwed up, why John McCain turned ugly, and what he's learned from Bill Clinton." The interview captures both Obama's enthusiasm and exhaustion, and, of course, outlines Obama's plans for Iraq, the economy and the White House.

Here are some of the highlights.

RS: The campaign has taken a nasty turn in the past few weeks. Has it changed your opinion of McCain personally, the way he's run his campaign?
Obama: I just think he wants to win. And I think he's decided that the environment's not a good one for Republicans, so he's going to do what he thinks is necessary. I am surprised that he would hire people who are aonnected to the same kind of destructive politics that bush directed at him in 2000.
RS: Were you disturbed by the disdain he exhibited toward you during the first debate?
Obama: No. I think that's a sign that we must be doing pretty well.

RS: Is there anything you feel you can learn from him (Bill Clinton), as a candidate and as a person?
Obama: Oh, I've already learned a lot from him...Bill Clinton did a lot to make Democrats seem like they were in touch with the ordinary aspirations of a great number of Americans. That, I think, stopped the hemorrhaging of independent voters and Reagan Democrats into the Republican Party, and gave us the space and the opportunity to start reaching out to them. So I'm still in debt to Bill Clinton for what he accomplished.

If you're in the White House and could install any one play toy--bowling alley, water polo--what would it be?

Obama: Basketball court. If we can get an indoor basketball court, I'd be happy.

Obama on education: One of the ironic things about the war in Iraq, as well as this Treasury rescue plan, is that it reminds us that when we feel a sense of urgency about something, we spend an awful lot of money. And the amount of money required to educate every child and send them to college pales in comparison to the amount of money that we're spending on things that could have been avoided had we made better decisions.

Obama on being underestimated: No point in having them see you coming.

Random interview quotes: GQ says I'm pretty well-dressed, but Michelle scoffs at this because she sees patches on my pants.

...this is going to be a transistional moment for the United States. We have these moments periodically. Obviously, I wish that the Bush administration had not run things into the ground so bad, but no matter what, we would have had some big decisions to make (at the beginning of his potential presidency).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While there is really nothing new in this interview, and while it probably won't change any minds, it's still a good read. The interview took place on Barack and Michelle Obama's 16th anniversary, and Obama jokes about the present that he got for his wife, saying that she may or may not like it. Plus, Obama's admission to owning a worn-out pair of shoes and patched pants provides a nice contrast to the extravagant Republican wardrobe.

Also, as a broke and struggling college student, I enjoyed reading more about his plans for education, which include a $4,000 tuition credit in exchange for 100 hours of community service. I think this is a fair exchange, and will provide young people with a more balanced college experience.

This is the first of what will probably be many rants during the next few weeks...

**Disclaimer: For those of you that are tired of hearing me bitch about politics (specifically about Republicans), please do yourself a favor, and don't read this. I don't really care if you read it anyway, but I just need to blow off some steam. This way is better than telling the first person that I see at work, or school, or whatever, and risking offending someone.**

I have seen several things in the past few days that have really pissed me off. Here they are.

1.) Blatant Racism Directed Towards Barack Obama

The late Barbara Jordan once said, "One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves." That was 1994.

Fast forward to 2008. A man holds a monkey doll with an Obama sticker at a McCain rally. Another man screams "kill him" when Obama's name is mentioned. At another rally, a woman insists that Obama is an "Arab," despite McCain's half-hearted attempts to convince her otherwise. At Sarah Palin's speaking events, things are getting even nastier and, apparently, speaking out against racism is not something that she has rehearsed.

I am not suggesting that McCain himself is a racist, but by taking his campaign negative, abandoning the issues, and questioning not only Obama's character, but seemingly his very essence, McCain has basically invited the crazies and the racists to come out of the woodwork. It is probably for the best that the congresswoman is no longer around to see how little progress we have made.

2.) Sarah Palin Shutting Down a Protester

At one of Palin's rallies the other day, some guy yelled out something, probably about the war in Iraq. She responded by saying something like, "Bless your heart, my son is fighting in Iraq for your right to protest."

Okay, let me first say that I support our troops 100%. That is precisely the reason that I would like to see them out of Iraq. We are not fighting for our saftey, or for our rights; we are fighting because Bush wanted to fight.

I hear people say that our soldiers are dying in Iraq so we can have free speech, or so that we can listen to dirty music, or whatever conservatives are complaining about at the moment, and this is a great soundbite in support of the war. But think about it critically for a moment. Iraq did not attack us on 9/11. Plus, and this is what gets me the most, our right to free speech was granted in 1791 when the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. Freedom of speech is not something that we are fighting to obtain; we already have it, and it has been around a long time.* Has Sarah Palin never heard of the 1960s? Or the 1970s?

While I admire her son (and Joe Biden's son) and every other person who has chosen to serve in the armed forces, I would rather see them home. They are fighting because people who have had everything handed to them their entire lives decided that they would fight. It's not about free speech or any other American ideal.

*Proof: an anti-war poem written in 1933, "The Unknown Soldier" by Billy Rose. Part of it goes: "I wonder if the kings, who planned it all/ Are really satisfied?/ They played their game of checkers/ And eleven million died."
I guess history really does repeat itself.

3.) Shut Up and Sing

I watched "Shut Up and Sing," a documentary about the aftermath of Natalie Maines's (of the Dixie Chicks) comment that she was ashamed that President Bush was from Texas. First off, this happened in 2003, when his approval ratings were sky high. People went crazy. They burned Dixie Chicks CDs, held protests, and made death threats. One old hillbilly made a remark to the effect of "Free speech is great as long as you don't criticize the government." That's what the Nazis said.

Anyway, Bush is doing so great in the public opinion arena lately, so the Dixie Chicks have mostly been forgiven. But I am still appalled that people freaked out so much. I hate to say this, but their fans (probably about the same demographic as NASCAR fans) are ignorant. I am from the South, but many Southerners make my skin crawl. True, I have a bit of an accent, but I don't think like a Texan at all. I have to question the intelligence and overall competence of a person who, in 2008, is still afraid of those who are different from themselves. Speaking of that...keep reading.

4.) Rebel Flags...Everywhere

If I never see a confederate flag again, I would be just fine. People who wear them, have them over the gun rack in their truck, or have tattoos of them say that it's not a racist thing, it's a historical reminder of the South. Ok, you ignorant hick, what was the Civil War about? Southerners thought they had the right to own people and use them as workhorses. Oh, that is something to be proud of. I want someone to explain to me exactly what Southern pride is, and why it has nothing to do with racism because I don't buy it. So you like country music, ride horses, and have a Texas drawl? Okay, but why must you revive a symbol that should have died a long time ago?

Oh, and by the way, the South probably isn't gonna rise again...Someone told me that the other day, and I wondered what that meant. I hear it all the time, and I know where it comes from, but really, the only literal meaning that I can take from that is that Southerners want to own slaves again. That's really the only thing that they lost in the Civil War and haven't gotten back...
Ignorant, inbred rednecks...

5.) Sarah Palin...In General

Okay, she's pretty. She's a hockey mom, with 75 children, that can see Russia from her house. Good for her. She is also barely literate and completely incompetent. You people are afraid of Obama? Imagine life with Sarah Palin in the White House. Imagine Dick Cheney, only not as smart, and continually winking at you as she screws you over. If anything were to happen, and McCain was unable to lead, this woman would be our PRESIDENT. I don't think that people realize that. Most people think that the VP is unimportant...until they have to step up and lead. Sarah Palin's looks or parental status do not qualify her to be the leader of the free world.
We can't take another four years of this...we would have the same president with a different accent.

Ok, I'm done and I feel much better, until I have to watch Fox "news" at the gym, or read an editorial that pisses me off. In that case, as Sarah Palin would say with a wink, I'll get back to ya!