I Want A Damn Debate

When I first got on-line this morning headlines were still saying the debate was questionable and just a couple minutes ago I saw that it will go on.  Well it’s a damn good thing.  And honestly everyone knows that this had nothing to do with McCain wanting to save the country and everything to do with him trying to save his slipping campaign.

I think everyone knows there’s a good chance this debate will have a lot of questions about the economy and he’s scared to talk about it.  Obama is much more versed on the subject and has had a plan to hopefully turn it around since the beginning of his run for the White House.  McCain has no idea what he’s going to do and he didn’t want to go toe to toe with someone who did.

I think he was still hoping that he’d be able to get the debate cancelled.  And I wouldn’t be surprised if he was behind that lame stunt the GOP pulled last night.  The bailout was very close to being worked out and then suddenly they decide they want a new plan and they aren’t going to negotiate on it.  Seriously that just seems desperate.  Like if a plan goes through then he has to debate but, if they are still working on it he can continue to try and get out of it.

Lets be real here folks unless he is actually in the room working on the plan he isn’t needed there until the vote.  If there’s people holding out and making a stink he has a phone and can call them to discuss it.  McCain was hoping Obama would cave but, he didn’t and he was right not to.

Not that I really cared if Bush spoke the other night but, he did in an attempt to calm the nation and say we will get this back on track.  Did he do that affectively?  I don’t know.  And at this time we do need to see the people who could be our next leader talking about what they think should be done and what could be done to continue fixing things down the road.  If you can’t step up to the plate now, how can we count on you to do it when you are running the country?

So the debate at this moment will go on.  Mainly because Obama didn’t back down and pretty much forced McCain’s hand.  I’ll be watching with great interest and it’ll be interesting to see comments from people afterwards.

The “ready to lead” Question

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.

Follow Hillary

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.

The Inspiration Lives

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.

Campaign Stupidity

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.

Why Decry The Truth

So we have another “controversy” over statements made by a big wig in one of the Democratic presidential candidates campaigns. (Please note that I have not seen the video so I don’t know how it actually game off and have only seen edited quotes so I do acknowledge that sometimes things don’t come out as well as they seemed when we formed the thought in our head.) This time it’s Geraldine Ferraro saying that Obama’s race is partially responsible for him being in this position. And him and his campaign have flipped out about it. My question is: Why is everyone so afraid of the truth? And why are they acting like it’s a bad thing to acknowledge it?

Considering the fact that in South Carolina Obama spent a good chunk of time playing to the more religious part of the African-American community (not the overall Democratic religious community at large [at least that's how all the media showed it]) it’s a little disingenuous and less than honest of him to now be all offended at the notion that his race has anything to do with the tightness of this primary run. The fact that when people look at both him and Hillary they see something vastly different than what we’ve had before is a huge part of this years nomination. It’s why people who haven’t participated before are getting out there and voting. It’s why the youth of American are excited about this years potential candidates.

America is suppose to be a country where our differences are celebrated. Where those differences are what makes a strong and great nation. At least that’s what we are taught when we’re young. And that is what the idealists among us believe about this country. It is the uniting of all our differences that is a big part of Obama’s platform. Denying the differences doesn’t help bring us together. So why is he acting like his race has nothing to do with his success in this process? No one is saying it is the only reason he is where he is, whether it be in the Senate or as the current leader for the nomination. You must be able to acknowledge the differences to accept them.

Until now when people have looked at the front runners for either party during the nominating process all they’ve seen are generally old (with a few exceptions) white men. And they are normally very well off white men. (Let’s face it no poor or lower middle class person would stand a chance at the moment.) But, this year we have a white woman and an African-American man duking it out for the Democratic nomination. So lets all just accept and admit the truth, things are this tight because of gender and race.

I really don’t know how things would be if this was Edwards and Obama or Edwards and Hillary. I doubt it would be as tight with either of those two versions of nominees but, I honestly don’t know which one would be ahead in either version.

However, if you took the three of them and made them into the same thing. Whether that be making them all women or all men of one race, you’d be looking at a primary where I believe Edwards would be ahead. The reason I say that is that his age would be younger than that of Hillary while his experience would be more than Obama.

Obama said that Hillary would be offended if someone said she’s where she is because of her gender. If they said that, that was the only reason she was where she is yes she might be offended. But, I highly doubt she’d deny that her gender plays some part in her success. So lets just be honest for a minute. If Obama was white his speech at the convention in 2004 probably wouldn’t have been as powerful. And people would just see another white guy saying the same things now.

I for one am extremely proud as an American, as a Democrat, and as a woman that this year we have two very viable candidates that are not white men. I am proud that we are showing the country and the world that the American dream of being anything you want is actually true. That neither your race nor your gender will keep you from having a real chance at being President. I do not think we should in anyway deny the truth. We should embrace the truth because once you do, that is when it truly becomes a non factor.

Down To 2

So the Democratic candidates are down to just two. I have to say I was a bit surprised John Edwards didn’t hang in there through Super Tuesday. The upside of him dropping out is that Hillary and Barack are more focused on establishing stronger stances on the issues rather than attacking each other.

I have to say previously I wasn’t real confident in Obama because it seemed like all the sound bites I was hearing were his standards or attacks on Hillary. After watching some of the debate last night I feel much more positive about him since I got a clearer picture of his issues and ideas for change. However, I’m still a Hillary supporter. Some of that is because I know the influence she had on her husbands Presidency so I know that with a lot of the same views there’s a lot of good she can bring about. Some of it is also that I am a woman and I feel there’s a lot of things (espeically in health care) that are overlooked for woman. I feel in those area’s Hillary can greatly impact for the better the future for the woman of this country both yound and old.

That doesn’t mean that I think Barack wouldn’t advance certain things for woman I just think Hillary would fight harder for it. And at the sametime there are things that Barack would probably fight harder for. That’s just how it is with politics. Who you are and where you come from will always influence the level you will fight at for different things.

Whether it’s a Clinton/Obama ticket or Obama/Clinton ticket I still think the Democrats offer the best chance for real change. This is because you’re getting a vastly different view than what the Republicans offer. All the Republicans ever have to offer are older rich white men. We are most likely going to over a ticket of a woman and a racial minority. Yes she is an older woman but, a woman none the less.

I think if America is serious about change they have to look at the difference in the views automatically brought to the table by the Democratic ticket. A Republican ticket that will be made up of people who clearly have no desire to break from the Bush Administration policies will only bring about more hardship for this country and it’s citizens. Perhaps what they have to offer will become more clear when it gets down to just two candidates for them and it certainly will become more clear once the candidate is chosen. However, I don’t really see them offering any real change or anything that will actually help fix things in America.