So John McCain has named the Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential selection. Supposedly she is all about ethics and overhauling government but, apparently those ethics apply to everyone but her. She’s under state investigation for firing the public safety commissioner because he wouldn’t fire her former brother-in-law from his job as a state trooper. That doesn’t sound very ethical to me. And sure she’s only under investigation but, investigations do happen for a reason. And that is also the vindictive image that hurts women.
If the undecided women of this country by into this there is no hope for us. There was no substance to her speech. It was a lot of talk about nothing. She makes appearances with Senator Ted Stevens a man who also supports her and is currently under indictment and will go on trial next month for ethics violations. Seems to me if you were really about ethics reform you wouldn’t want anything to do with someone in trouble for ethics violations.
It’s sad that the Republicans have no history for women to stand on and they have to try and steal ours. That should be a sign to women that just because there’s a woman on the ticket they aren’t going to be any friendlier to you. A woman on the ticket doesn’t mean there will be any real change in government. She’s a woman who clearly works against women’s interests. People can get all pissy with me but, if you’re anti-women’s right to choose you’re against women’s interests.
A lot of people seem to think the Vice President isn’t very important. Sorry but, a person who is next in line for the White House should the President be out of commission at all is important. What people need to understand is that even if the President has a small surgical procedure the office is signed over to the Vice President. Should something happen the Vice President would be charged with decision making. Do you think someone who’s highest level of office is Governor for 18 months can make those decisions? If McCain were unable to assume the duties of the Presidency for a prolonged period of time do you think she could really assume those duties? Do you think she would be able to deal with other governments? They wanted to make readiness an issue early on well ya know what I take that clear to the VP. And no way is she ready.
I’m all for a woman VP and if they wanted to pick a woman that’s great. But, it does seem to me that there are Republican women more equipped for the job.
I just hope women will pay attention to the actual views of the Republican ticket. That they will not be working for your best interest. Especially your health and I don’t just mean on the choice issue.
Tonight was the big night. The night Barack Obama made his case for change. And what a case he made. He laid it all out there answering all the questions about what change he will bring.
He went straight after McCain and what they see differently. I particularly liked the part about McCain being willing to follow Bin Laden to hell but, not to the cave he lives in. I don’t think you can make a stronger statement about what mission our military should have been accomplishing all this time.
My favorite part of the speech was when he went after McCain and the Republicans on the subject of patriotism. For too long they have been aloud to get away with that crap that if you don’t agree with them you aren’t patriotic. That is intolerable. Standing up for what you believe is patriotic. What people don’t realize is that there is more to the 1st Amendment than just free speech and freedom of religion. There is also apart in there about petitioning the government. That is there so you can descent so you can say hey I don’t agree with that. So don’t you dare tell people that they are unpatriotic. It is absolutely patriotic to use your Constitutional freedoms. He was completely correct in saying patriotism has no party.
Obama laid out all the things he wants to change. He maid it very clear that he in fact has a plan. He has a plan to change things for the better here at home. And to help us get our credibility with the world at large back.
If the undecided voters were really listening and paying attention they can no longer say they don’t know what Barack Obama is about. They can not say they don’t know what kind of change he will bring. They can’t say he doesn’t know the issues facing our country. They can’t say they don’t know where he stands on those issues. And they certainly can’t say he doesn’t know where he stands on those issues. And they should know exactly why he’s better than the other guy.
He said everything he needed to say and made the biggest statement possible for why he should be President. Hopefully the undecided voters were at least listening. I hope they at least gave Obama a chance to sway them tonight. And I hope that when all is said and done they will vote for change.
History became official yesterday when Barack Obama was formally nominated as the 2008 Democratic Nominee for President. Throughout my life there have been all kinds of little things that have happened that may or may not make it into the history books. However, yesterday was one of those moments when you can say for certain, “That’s one for the history books.”
When it came to speeches last night I was intrigued by several. Including some that a lot of people might have missed. I really enjoyed Senator John Kerry’s speech when he compared Senator McCain to candidate McCain. I really wish that one had been in prime time. Hopefully a lot of it will make the rounds to the undecided voters. It was very interesting hearing about how candidate McCain is against bills that Senator McCain wrote. Always interesting to hear considering how much the Republicans try to make it out that changing your mind on something is bad. (The rest of the world of course knows that it’s okay to admit you were wrong.)
Former President Clinton gave a pretty good speech. I think he could have attacked McCain a little more directly but, I liked how he attacked the Republicans overall. That lays the ground work for helping win some of the Congressional and Senate races this fall. It was very smart of him to again point out how good things were when the Democrats ran things and how the Republicans through it all away. That the Democrats had this country on a great path and it was all wasted.
I especially liked when he called McCain and his party buddies extremists. That part about how for decades they had all these plans that were going to do so much good for the country but, they could never implement them. And that now we all know just how much “good” those plans really do. All those plans do is keep the rich, rich and make them richer while hurting the people who work to make the rich all their money. That is exactly why we have got to take back this country.
As for Senator Biden I was very impressed with his speech. I was also impressed with him overall. I still have some worries about whether he hurts or helps with certain groups of voters but, those worries are smaller now. I think anyone who writes bills to stop violence against women is going to help with women voters. Clearly this is a man that cares about women. He is also a man who cares very much about family and that is always a plus.
He too did some comparing of Senator and candidate McCain so that helps. While he probably still could have gone a little harder at McCain and how similar he is to Bush I feel he did a good enough job of getting the point across. I’m always for a little hardball in politics. I don’t enjoy out right smear campaigns where things that don’t matter are brought up or things are twisted almost to the point of being lies. However, I think we can play hardball by really hitting at how McCain doesn’t really seem to know where he stands on anything. He’s clearly changing his views on things just to get elected and that is an area we can attack and that is exactly what Biden did last night.
One more big speech to go and I’m pretty sure most of the world will be watching that one.
Through the course of this election season we have heard a lot about if Barack Obama is ready to lead or not. This question seems rather stupid. It’s not like he just up and decided to run for President one day having never been in office before. The man knows politics.
Sure maybe he hasn’t been in the Senate for decades and doesn’t have a ton of foreign policy experience. But, he has been in the Senate. The last two Presidents were Governors and then moved to the White House. How much more experience could the have had. And I for one say that President Bush clearly was not and still isn’t capable of leading.
Hillary has seen things from the view of the First Lady and from the view a Senator. Is she ready to lead? Answer is, possibly. John McCain has been in the military and the Senate, is he ready to lead? Answer is, possibly. Barak Obama has been a state Senator and a federal Senator, is he ready to lead? Answer is, possibly.
The truth of the argument is that you don’t know if someone is ready to lead until they do it. Just because he served in the military doesn’t mean that McCain can lead this country. Now I’m not knocking his service. It’s a great thing to serve your country. I just don’t know that, that is an absolute in judging readiness to lead.
Leading isn’t always about whose been around longest or has the most experience in something. It’s about who can work with others and get others to follow them. Perhaps there was a time when that was McCain back when he really was a maverick. Today though at this point in time it’s Obama who is that person. I think people in federal and state governments are ready to work with him to better this country. And I think he’s the candidate who is most likely to listen to other people to come up with solutions. That is what is important and that is what makes him ready to lead.
Tonight was the night everyone had been waiting for. The night Hillary Clinton the former presidential candidacy hopeful would speak. The night she could help or hurt the party. The night she could make it about her and her historic run or about Barack Obama and his historic run that still continues. I think a lot of people thought she would make it about her. Well, they thought wrong.
Tonight Hillary Clinton was everything those of us who believe in her, know her to be. Tonight she was not Hillary Clinton presidential hopeful, she was not Hillary Clinton the sore loser, she was not Hillary Clinton the spiteful bitch. She was, Hillary Clinton the former first lady who knows what it takes to win. She was, Hillary Clinton the Senator who knows what she and the party have fought for. She was, Hillary Clinton the woman who inspired so many women to get out and vote. She was Hillary Clinton the one person who could sway her supporters back to Barack Obama. She was Hillary Clinton the Democrat.
I’ve made no secret of my support for Hillary during the primaries. I was pulling for her state after state and supporting her decision to not throw in the towel when she was only down a couple hundred delegates. And tonight she proved to be everything I supported. I’ve known from the beginning that if she lost she would rally behind our nominee and the party. I had no fears on that. And tonight she made it very clear why we must elect Barack Obama.
I think one of the most important parts of her speech was reminding people what it was she has fought for and what she would fight for had she become President. And then reminding people that those things are what all Democrats want for this country and that the only hope of getting them is with a Democrat in the White House. Sure he’s going to need help from the Congress and the Senate but, I don’t think that will be an issue in the first few years.
Tonight Hillary made it clear to all her supporters that you need to support Obama. Maybe you can’t get out and support him as visibly and vocally as you did Hillary. That is okay because when he needs your support most is 2 months from now when you mark your ballot. That is when he and this country need your support.
She was right to ask if oursupport was only for her or if it was for change? If it was for our future, our childrens future, if it was for our health, or was it just for a woman President. As for me it was and is about the future. It is about hope and change. I wanted Hillary because as I’ve said before I am a woman and I want a woman president. I’ve always believed either of them would to a great job as President.
So now it is time for all other Hillary supporters to join with me, join with Hillary, join with those who already support Barack Obama, and show that you want change. Say you will give your vote to the Obama/Biden ticket because you want your children to have the hopes and dreams you had as a child and the belief that those hopes and dreams can come true.
There is a truly great family in American politics and that is the Kennedy’s. In one way or another they have influenced the course of this country for decades. Unfortunately we can only look back and wonder how great things could have been had John and Robert not been assassinated.
I just finished watching Senator Kennedy give his speech at the Democratic Convention and the inspiration and idealism of that family still lives. When a Kennedy speaks I think everyone listens. Even Caroline Kennedy was inspiring in the way only her family can be. If only this country could find their way back to the idealism of the days of John Kennedy.
At 30 the Kennedy I have always known is Edward but, I know my history and I’ve seen some of John’s speaches and I’ve always wondered when we would have another John. Honestly I believed someday it would be John Jr. That someday he would give and realize his destiny and enter the political arena in earnest. My hopes and some of my dreams were crushed the day his plane went down.
When Obama gave that speech in 2004 I felt the inspiration and hope I thought would never happen in politics again. I have only felt flashes of that during his campaign and it is my great hope that, that feeling will come through Thursday night when he accepts his nomination. I am inspired by the change he can bring. I hope he can live up to it and can see it through. History is not kind to the true change bringers in the world.
I will throw my support behind him and try to encourage any undecided person I know to vote for him. If anyone who is undecided out there that is older and knows the power of change that has always come with the Kennedy’s I hope they will listen to Senator Kennedy and vote for Obama.
It’s important to note that even with the loss of John and Bobby we still owe a great debt of gratitude to them for this moment in history. All three brothers were instrumental in the civil rights movement. Without them and their bravery and their support back then we probably wouldn’t be witnessing this now. This moment in history could be years if not decades off if not for the Kennedy’s support back then.
I know they are not solely responsible for that change. But, they were people of power who were willing to stand up and fight for what they felt was right. They stood up and fought for an equality that people were willing to kill to stop. They lent their power and voices to an equality they knew was right and would make this country stronger. And they and everyone they fought with for that equality are being rewarded and proven right. Now it is up to the next generation of Kennedy’s to take that torch and support the next great battle for equality in this country. It is time for them to stand along side those being denied equality and lend their power and voices to the fight. It is time for us all to take the inspiration and get loud and fight for everything we have been promised as Americans.
I guess Obama was just interested in chipping the mold for himself as opposed to completely smashing it for the future. He had such a chance to really change politics in this country and he blew it. He sure talked a good game but, I guess he doesn’t believe as much in what he’s saying as he wanted us all to believe.
I really didn’t think he would pick Clinton as his Vice President. However, I really hoped him and his people would be smart enough to pick a woman. I wasn’t counting on that happening though. I really am not that happy with his VP pick and it’s not because I feel Biden can’t do the job.
Sure he helps Obama with his supposed foreign policy weaknesses. But, he hurts him and the party in other areas. First he hurts us down the line. Should we win in November and then again 4 years from now we’ll be back at square one 8 years down the road. I do think if we end up with a younger president the party and voters will be looking for a younger person down the road. I just think he should have found someone a little younger.
He also hurts in gaining the Hillary supporters. I for one will still be voting for Obama. I put my being a woman above most things when it comes to voting and I’m not going to vote for someone that would take away my rights. I’m ashamed of women who would consider voting for McCain because they are angry Hillary didn’t win the nomination. I think those women would be easier to win over with a female VP or even just a younger one who may better understand younger women and their needs. Someone whose wife would probably help them understand that. If he can’t win them over he will have no one to blame but, himself.
While Biden is Roman Catholic and that may appeal to the Hispanic voter I still think he won’t reach them the way Hillary did. That’s going to make winning them over harder. So if he slips with them and doesn’t get them to the polls for the Democratic ticket he’ll have no one to blame but himself.
And lastly this hurts us in the south. I worry this ticket may now be seen as too northern a ticket. If he can’t win the south he’ll have no one to blame but himself.
Hopefully Bill and Hillary will be able to get out and really rally the people the way they always have. They’ll get the women to realize that Obama is the best bet for their family and their health. And I really hope they’ll get the south to swing back our way. Some of those southern states were really close during the primaries so we really need to get those who voted for Hillary to stay on board with us and vote for Obama.
There really hasn’t been a lot to write about so far but, lately the Obama campaigns lack of campaigning in Colorado is getting on my nerves. When it comes to wanting to win Colorado it seems they’ve been a lot of talk and very little action. For weeks it seemed the other side was coming out with at least one new ad a week and they were on during everything I watched. Yet there was pretty much nothing from Obama and there aren’t really any other groups going after McCain here at the moment.
I don’t really mind that there isn’t anything coming from other groups yet. What bothers me is that Obama is losing ground here because they totally dropped the ball. The McCain campaign has been attacking both Obama the person and his basic platform. Still nothing from Obama. And now that they have finally gotten off their butts and released a new ad it’s one ad and it’s about his energy policy. Which is fine since a big focus of the McCain campaign is to make it out like Obama’s ideas are the reason for high gas prices. The problem is it’s not enough considering how much the other side is coming after him and trying to steal votes here. I don’t want to see some down and dirty campaign but, they do need to go after McCain the way he’s coming after them.
If they want Colorado’s electoral votes they better start playing like they want them.
And in other stupidity…What is this crap of Obama possibly picking a Republican for his VP? That is completely unacceptable. I don’t know how real the possibility of that is but, the fact that it has even been considered is just wrong. He’s already having some issues winning over the die hard Clinton supporters and he (and the people around him) think a Republican would be a good idea for VP. Why don’t you just hand the Presidency to them for a third straight term. I am very dismayed by the fact that it seems the idea of a female VP is completely gone so hearing this kind of talk is even more disheartening.
I would probably still vote for Obama however, I would not be happy about it. I would still vote for him one because I know that he signs or vetoes things not the VP and two not voting for him would make me a hypocrite. I would however, not actively support him though. I don’t think anything could be more of a slap in the face to all his supporters than picking someone from the Republican party. If you want to go outside the party find an independent candidate. I think that would be a great step.
It’s time for the Obama Campaign to stop the stupidity and play to win.
