Wednesday, March 19, 2008

THE Ohio State Buckeyes win BIG...and it's only March

All-America quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the nation's top college football prospect, ended his prolonged recruitment Wednesday by announcing he will sign with Ohio State.

Pryor unzipped a jacket to reveal a white OSU T-shirt and put on a black Buckeyes hat during a press conference from his high school.

Pryor (6-5, 235) is the Parade and U.S. Army All-American Bowl national Player of the Year. He chose Ohio State over finalists Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State.
Every day that passes means it's one day closer to football season.

O-H, baby.

I-O.

Why the Rev. Wright situation is a gain for Obama

By now everyone knows that Barack Obama's longtime preacher said stuff.

Some of it was tinfoil theories:

The Government created AIDS to kill people of color.

Some of it was racial resentment bubbling to the surface:

The U.S. of KKKA.

And some of it was the unabashed truth that no one wants to face:

9/11 is America's chickens coming home to roost.

But there are several things that make this particular "scandal" a non-issue for Barack at worst, and a net gain at best.

Lets review them, shall we?

1. The best possible response to this situation is the one that Barack himself gave in his race speech on Tuesday. It is the same response that anyone (including myself) gives when someone that they cannot separate themselves from, for whatever reason, says something of which they disapprove.

But what is even greater about Barack's response is that, because it is the common-sense response, it is the last thing I ever expected to hear from a major political candidate in my lifetime.

Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely.

But the truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man.

I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.

This part of his speech both touched me deeply and made me ashamed. I remember quite clearly the moment I realized that my Grandmother was racist. Barack's refusal to disassociate himself from his longtime friend at the moment when it seemed overwhelmingly expedient to do so, when it seemed that Rev. Wright may have the power to cost him the nomination (okay, my last post reveals that I know the nomination process to be over) or the general election, made me realize that my half-assed attempts to not speak to my Grandmother over her comments was not only cowardly, but watching Barack's very public stand, stupid as well.

2. As much as the Republicans would love to use this against Barack in the general election, they simply cannot. Why?
  • Rev. Wright (and I can't believe Democratic circles aren't jumping all over this) is a former US Marine. That's right, this man took up arms for our country. Ask yourself this: If, as Hillary and (undoubtedly) the republicans would have us believe, actions speak louder than words, don't Rev. Wright's actions in the Marine Corps speak louder than "God damn America"?
  • The Republicans are awash in insane, babbling, and astonishingly ignorant religious figures. Even their nominee isn't immune to it, having accepted the endorsement of John Hagee.
Now, I've already heard some conservative hack justifying McCain's relationship with Hagee as somehow "better" because he doesn't personally know the guy, and just accepted an endorsement while Barack has known Rev. Wright for 20 years.

But, any rational mind with more than 5 minutes to consider the issue, (especially if they've seen Barack's speech, which you can, here. I highly recommend you do so) will come to the conclusion that if anything, Barack has every reason in the world to stand by Rev. Wright, the man who married him and baptized his children, and McCain's only excuse for having any association with Rev. Hagee at all is political expediency.

Barack can compare himself to everyone in this country that has ever heard a loved one say something offensive. McCain has absolutely no excuse.

3. The Muslim rumors are dead.

There are only so many times the members of the public dumb enough to believe Barack is a closet Muslim can hear a man associated with words like: pastor, congregation, and church before they abandon the notion.

His detractors can't have it both ways, he's either a member of a church, or he's a Muslim.

Presto! No sustainable controversy, and the death of a stupid rumor.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Actually, hope DOES change everything

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Please steal this post from me and spread it far and wide

I'm serious. I would like as many of you as possible to steal this straight from here, put it on your blog(s), email it to everyone you know, tell them to forward it to everyone THEY know, print it out on cards and send them/give them to strangers and acquaintances, post it as a flyer on a telephone pole, etc., etc., etc.

Thanks in advance.

Subject: The Real Truth About Barack Obama!

As enthusiastic volunteers in the Barack Obama campaign for the Presidency, we have put together a list of facts about Barack so that you will know the truth about him. Please follow the links we have included for documentation of these facts. If you value the truth as we do, please spread this information via email, blog, or any other means, to everyone you know.

  1. Did you know that Barack Obama is a devout Christian? He has been a member of the same United Church of Christ congregation for 20 years, and was married there to his wife Michelle in 1992.

  2. Did you know that Barack Obama often leads the US Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance?

  3. Did you know that Barack Obama is a strong friend of Israel and has spoken out strongly against anti-Semitism?

  4. Did you know his grandparents from Kansas were part of the "Greatest Generation?. His grandfather served with Patton's Army during World War II, and his grandmother, a real "Rosy the Riveter", worked in a bomber assembly plant back home.

  5. Did you know that Barack Obama was opposed to the war in Iraq from day one, before we invaded, even while he was running for the Senate, and knowing his opposition might be politically unpopular?
    "I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars." --Barack Obama, 2002

  6. Did you know Obama favors transparency over secrecy in our government? Did you know that Obama worked with Republican Senator Tom Coburn to pass one of the strongest government transparency bills since the freedom of information act? He's calling it Google for Government and you can see the results at www.usaspending.gov. Sen. Obama has also released his own tax returns for public review.

  7. Did you know that after graduating with honors from Harvard Law School, Barack practiced civil rights law and also taught Constitutional Law for 10 years at the University of Chicago, one of the nation's best law schools, where he was consistentl y rated by his students as one of their best instructors? Did you also know that he was the first African-American elected pres ident of the prestigious Harvard Law Review?

  8. Did you know that Barack Obama is an outspoken advocate for women's rights and has been a principled defender of the civil rights of women?

  9. Did you know that despite the grueling schedule of running for President, Senator Obama remains a devoted family man, making time to do things like pick out a Christmas tree with his wife and two young daughters, or hurrying home to spend Valentine's Day with them? Did you know he hasn't missed a single parent-teacher conference while running for President?

  10. Did you know that Barack Obama has a stellar environmental record, including having the highest rating from the League of Conservation Voters (96%) of any Presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican?

  11. Did you know that Barack Obama has been an elected legislator longer than Senator Clinton?

  12. Did you know that Barack is a member of all of these Senate Committees: Foreign Relations; Veteran's Affairs; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Homeland Security and Government Affairs?

  13. Did you know that Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become law, and has introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted since he joined the Senate in 2005?

  14. Did you know that Senator Obama sponsored legislation working together with Indiana Republican Senator Richard Lugar, to keep Americans safe by keeping dangerous weapons out of terrorist hands? The two senators also visited the former Soviet Union to inspect the decommissioning of nuclear weapons. Sen. Lugar said of Sen. Obama, "He does have a sense of idealism and principled leadership, a vision of the future."

  15. Did you know that Barack Obama is the only candidate running for president who voted against using cluster bombs in Iraq and the only candidate who supports banning the use of landmines?

  16. Did you know that, as an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama succeeded in passing legislation requiring the videotaping of police interrogations, gaining the respect and support not only of fellow legislators but that of the police, who had initially opposed the legislation?

  17. Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton were all younger when they took office than Barack Obama will be?

During election season many emails are circulated about the candidates. Some are true, some aren't. It's often difficult to determine the truth. We encourage you to visit the following non-partisan sites that do a good job of fact checking the candidates.


http://www.snopes.com/

http://www.factcheck.org/



Source for HTML version (and the history of this project): The Obama Viral Email Project

Additionally, if you receive an email smear about Barack Obama, the Obama campaign wants you to forward it to:

watchdog@barackobama.com

They are keeping tabs; please forward it on if you get one.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

I'm sure this isn't great first-ever post material but...

I don't think that us Democrats are going to have to decide whether to vote for Hillary or not. I think this race is, and has been for a little while now, quite over.

Not only do I think that Hillary has no chance mathematically or otherwise, to win the nomination, I think she knows it. I think Hillary realized earlier than most of us that the nomination is probably not going to go her way. How do I know this you ask? Easy. She's been making her way through the natural series of steps one must negotiate upon the death of a dream for a while now.

1) Anger? "Shame on you Barack Obama!" Check.

2) Denial? "Its not really losing if you were expected to lose." Check.

3) Bargaining? "Tell you what. You can me on my ticket." Check.

I don't even want to imagine Hillary door-to-door rocking, but I think the temp job will involve selling something....

"It's Barack Obama people, it sells itself."

I'm sure this will get me taken off of blogrolls, but...

I agree with TeacherKen.
We began this campaign season with enthusiasm and hope. Many Americans were drawn to the Democratic party as one of hope, of the possibility for something different. To be sure, some were dissuaded by the lack of meaningful action in the Congress to end the war and the other depredations of this administration. Still, for more than a year it has been clear that the enthusiasm this season was on the Democratic side - it was visible in new registrations, in money contributed, in the size of crowd, and as the primary season began in participation in primaries and caucuses. We could look at the Republican field of all white men and a Democratic field that included white men, a woman, an Hispanic, and a Black. On their side the candidates had to maneuver so that the did not antangonize A Republican base which still supported the President. As a result we heard candidates urging doubling of Guantanamo, how tough they were on terrorists, or being willing to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. No one on the Democratic side was arguing in a similar fashion.

And now? I think some actions place a candidate beyond the pale. I recognize that for each of us we will draw the line differently. In sorrow I have reached a point where I cannot support Hillary Clinton. Her willingness to accept a campaign that uses half-truths and in some cases outright dishonesty is not what I am willing to accept in our leadership. I cannot reward in any fashion a candidate who is willing to denigrate a Democratic opponent and imply that he is not ready to be president. In light of a statement only a week before that she was honored to be on the same stage as him, I can only look at THAT statement in light of the later statement, and read it as an attempt to manipulate people in order to gain a political advantage.

If she does not believe he is qualified to be commander in chief, she should have the courage to say so to his face. And it is shameful what we have seen, including the remarks from General Clark in recent days which you can read for yourself.
The behavior of the Clinton campaign has of late made me embarassed to be a Democrat. I cannot, and WILL NOT, vote for someone or some thing with which I so vastly disagree.

I will not accept a Democratic candidate who would rather endorse a Republican over a fellow Democrat.



I certainly will not accept a candidate who is more concerned with their own future than the future of the country.

Rest assured, I will be voting in November, no matter who the Democratic Presidential candidate may be. But I can write in a name for every seat I vote for, and I will certainly do so in certain cases, under certain circumstances, should they come to pass.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

So I know you are all sick of hearing it













And again, just in case you missed it...