Who will be the 2012 nominees be?

Looking to the future, I am starting to wonder who we will see on the ballot for 2012. I tried doing some research to answer my question but I only ran across some unscholarly websites or blogs. All across the board on my research I saw that the main topic of discussion was how people thought Palin would be on the ballot. I even found an interesting website PalinAsPresident.us it kind of resembled a child's computer... I wont say anything else but you should check it out. Since I was unable to find any scholarly results from research who do you all think will be on the ballot for 2012? Depending on how Obama's 4years as president go I think he will definitely be up for re-election next year and accompany Sarah Palin on the ballot.

Working with Associated Press

On election day, I was able to work for Associated Press and help research and write a broadcast about interesting voter facts for each state. Since election day I have been trying to track down the guy I worked with and get a copy of the broadcast, but I havent been successful. Luckily, going through my email I found a few of the facts I wrote so I wanted to share them with you all.

• McCain found support from voters in Nevada who are most concerned with terrorism and energy policy while Obama found support from voters most concerned with health care.
• McCain was supported in Iowa by voters who found experience and shared values as the most important quality. Obama was favored for his desire for change and how he cared for citizens.
• Due to the double in Hispanic voters between 1990 and 2005 California has switched from a Republican to a Democratic state. Four years ago Democrats held an 8-point advantage, now they hold a 12-point registration advantage over Republicans.
• Obama united many different types of voters concerned about the nations economy through his campaign for change in his birth state of Hawaii. He was supported by democrats, 7 in 10 independents, 1 in 4 republicans, and almost half of conservatives.
• Republicans won another victory in Idaho with four electoral votes for McCain continuing the legacy since 1964. Obama was able to make a close margin through his appearance at the Boise State University's Taco Bell Arena where he rallied 14,000 people, which won the democratic caucus on Feb.5.]
• Voters in Colorado favored McCain because he shares their values and has more experience. Born-again or evangelical Christians or those that approve of Bush's presidency favored McCain as well.

Still compaining

Today, December 4th makes it officially a month since election day but I still hear so many people complaining about Obama as president elect. Compared to the Bush/Gore election in 2004, this was clearly not a close victory. I'm so tired of hearing people still complaining and not respecting Obama as president. The other day I was visiting with extended family and the whole time my parents and family were talking about the election remarking on how they think that Obama just won because he's an effective speaker and won over the younger population. When they asked me who I voted for, I told them Obama. Then they were just like its because shes young. I was so insulted that people are so close-minded and think that we are not informed of issues. This is just one of the many times throughout the past couple of weeks where I still hear people making comments that Obama won because he's black or because he moved people through his speaking. If McCain were elected I would have dealt with it and learned to respect him as president, but I am so tired of people being so close-minded about him and regurgitating the same information about why they don't like him.

President Elect and My White House visit

I just wanted to share with everyone that i had the chance to have a private tour of the White house over this past weekend. As you can imagine it was SO busy. I found out some interesting things. As i was on the tour i was observing that changes to the House we being made for our president elect, Obama. It was soo excited. An insider explained to me some charges that were being made like a family list of foods and meals they eat regularly, all the way down to what the girls favorite food were. They were also making changes so many other ways. Another insider, part of the design team explained her excitement for continuing her job in the white house to work with the Obama Family... Over all it was soo cool to have the opportunity to be there in the transition between two presidents!

All of a sudden, I like Sarah Palin

I am appalled at the media for being so negative toward Sarah Palin. She does not deserve this type of scrutiny. The Republican Party picked Sarah Palin and now they are blaming her and pointing the finger along with the rest of the country. It's really sad because I actually think that within the next 8-10 years Sarah Palin will be a formidable candidate for VP or President or some other national political office. She's a smart woman who was not properly handled by her campaign.  I think we focused so much on her mistakes that we did not get a chance to appreciate what she stood for and her accomplishments.

Sick of negativity!!!!

Since last night I have heard a few very negative things about Obama. I understand that no one likes to lose and you may not be happy with the results, but there is no need for hatred. As upset as McCain supporters are, they need to realize that democrats went through the same thing in the past two elections... so you guys are not alone nor oppressed. Things don't always turn out the way we would like for them to but life does and will go on!!... So stop acting like the world is coming to an end! We have just been through eight years of what some would call the worst presidency in history, and guess what?... we're all still here!!! I know you all wouldn't want anyone to bash McCain if he had won so please don't be a hypocrite.

The Election

Well it is sad to see that its over but it was a very historic night. I have been in with this campaign snese the New Hampshire primaries and i had a great exerience. There were things that I felt could have been changed but what is done is done. The media basically gave the presidency to Barrack Obama. So i felt it was pretty unfair with everything that happened but what is done is done. I may not have liked the outcome but i will always respect the presidency of the United STates and would hope that the rest of America will. That is something that i think everyone needs to start doing, both republican and democrat, conservative and liberal.

CONGRATS OBAMA!

I think that we all need to be grateful that we witnessed this historic election. I volunteered for the Obama campaign this weekend and it was wonderful to see how many people have come out to vote for the first time and how many people have volunteered. He could not have done it without their help! Also even if you are not an Obama supporter, this is historic! I am proud of our state and happy in general !

NADER

Did anyone see Ralph Nader's responce on FOX 5?? It was horrible and uncalled for.

McCain and Obama

I think that both of their speeches we great. I know that a lot of McCain supporters feared Obama as the president, but McCain's speech seemed encouraging to all Americans. He rallied for us to support the next president! I think that was extremely cordial on his part! I am happy for Obama and Sad for McCain! Obamas Speech was extremely empowering and i hope that change dose come to our country! CONGARATS BARRACK!

Obama's speech

His speech was amazing. Saying to the republicans that he didnt have there votes but he is willing to help them out also, but they have to remember he is the president, and it is a give in take situation. I believe America made the right choose in voting for Obama as president. He is going to do alot of good for our country and he isnt going to stop until the job gets done. Looking at the people in the audiance, Obama is their insperational, and they believe in him and know he is going to help them out.

I am very excited to what our future is going to bring and what change is going to be done in the next four years.

YAY OBAMA

An Amazing Moment in History

As I watch Barack Obama speak, I'm thinking about what an amazing campaign this has been. There's much ahead to do, and now we must work to unite this country so we can move forward. Lots of work to be done. It's been great to share this journey with our learning community.

How's everyone doing right now????

McCain's Speech

McCain's concession speech could not have been better! He was so gracious and thankful to his supporters. He was so respectful to try and prevent his crowd from boo-ing Obama & Biden. I am an Obama supporter 100% but the speech made me wish that no one had to lose. Congrats to McCain & Palin for a fantastic race! Each of them has still made history.

WOW! I am absolutely speechless! What a priceless moment in history! Virginia, Florida, & Colorado... That's AMAZING! Congrats Barack... you deserve it :)

OBAMA

I am very excited that Obama has won presidency, and I am very impressed by the difference between the two with Obama having 324 electoral votes and McCain had 145, it was obviously a land slide.

For this being my first time voting, everyone I voted for had won tonight so that is very exciting.

I think what really helped Obama win this election is the younger generation (18-24). Every time they showed people on tv talking about the voting where college students. So Obama is already starting a change by getting the younger generation to express their civic duty by getting out there and voting.

Results as of now

I agree Gabby this thing is sooooo exciting and is on the edge of your seat excitement. I wish it was over and we knew who our president is. But I believe Obama has closed in the gap and widen his chance on winning this thing. He just needs CA and one other state and he is done, which is more than likely going to happen.

What I find interesting is that VA is still undecided. I believe McCain will more than likely win the state, but there is obviously some concerns which is interesting.

I thought it was interesting that North Carolina is still up in the air and undecided. Especially since it seat in the senate has been switched from Republican to Democrat.

Freaking out!!

This is sooooooo crazy guys! I'm freaking out....Ive never been so excited and anxious about this! ahhh I almost have to stop watching cnn, fox, cspan... two in half-three hours and we will know who the next president is!!!!

VOTE BABY VOTE

EVERYONE GOOOOOO VOTE!!!! YAY

Too Cool... You must SEE!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEKNAZbn9p0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4TIitZpqv4&feature=related

Steelers 23... Redskins....6

Well, the Redskins lost, so could that mean we will have a new party in the White House??? I guess we have to wait and see if the legend continues...

tomorrows election

I am actually kind of excited to vote tomorrow, I think a lot of it has to do with this class, if it was not for it I probably would not have much interest in voting. I have finally come to a decision on who I plan on voting for tomorrow.
This past weekend I worked all weekend and I stay the night at my job ( I am a nanny) and at night time I tend to read news articles on my phone and this past weekend they were all related to the candidates doing their last minute speeches for the states who are still undecided. An article I found interesting was on the state on Montana. In the past century Montana has been voted as a republic state all but two elections. This year Montana is undecided and the call is very close with 46% Obama and 44% McCain and 9% undecided. The reason why they were talking about Montana is because Montana can either really help one candidate pull a head and possibly win the electoral votes or vice verse.
The one thing I have notice most today is the media ads. When I was in the car every other radio commercial was one of the candidates ad. On the tv almost every commercial was an Obama ad, and on the news that is all they talked about and if you save your I voted sticker you can recieve a lot of free stuff from the community from ice cream, starbucks, and burritos.
I plan on watching the voting turn outs and what state votes Obama or McCain around 9:00pm. After my 10:30 class I am heading home to vote, and my predictions for tomorrow nights victory is 52% Obama 46% McCain and 2% Green Party.

The Day Before

Its the day before the election and the school seems to be really excited about tomorrow. Everyone is wearing their voting stickers and pins! I can only imagine what the rest of the country and world is doing right now. I voted three weeks ago and I have been so excited to see what the outcome is going to be. I feel like what I am about to say people will judge anyway but you cant please everybody right? I think that both cadidates are really qualified to be the next president of the United States. McCain has been through it all and its almost like he deserves to be president because of all he has given to the country. Obama is an inspiration to a lot of the younger generations and he understands what and how the country needs to make it a better place. They both are here because they want the opportunity to work for Americans and help get us out of the economic crisis and move forward with the war. I am a bit worried for after the election because there will be people upset because there can only be one president. I am worried about the violence that might occur and the hatred that people will have towards the next president. I am not sure how anyone else really feels about the 'aftermath' of this long, gruling process, but I would like to know that I am not the only one concerned with this issue and how everyone else feels...

A bunch of thoughts before the choice is made

I woke up this morning thinking about this entire election process and how far we have come. I thought of Hilary Clinton coming to George Mason today and I thought about the ‘what ifs’ for this election. What if Senator Barack Obama chose Hilary for his VP? And I went into great detail in my mind what would have happened. All of the Hilary Supporters would have gone crazy, and been so happy that she would have a chance. A lot of Obama supporters would have said that was a bad call, but most would have supported him because they love him through thick and thin. The next spur of thoughts that went through my mind was what would Republicans say about him choosing Hilary Clinton? They would say that she does not have enough foreign affairs experience. They will criticize her clothing style and say that her pant suites won’t hide the fact that she still is a woman. They will say that Barack Obama just chose her because she is a woman and that he should have chosen someone more qualified for the job of VP. They also will probably say that the two of them together are just too inexperienced to lead the country out of the current economic crisis. The two of them will not be able to get us out of the war either. They need to wait another four to eight years for them to gain more experience. A lot of Americans will compare Senators McCain experience to Senator Obama and Clintons experience and say that McCain has more combined experience than the two of them combined. Basically they would get on Clinton’s case just as hard as they are getting on Palin’s case about most of the issues that they media is playing out for the public- from hair to her experience and credibility. I feel that despite my bias, there is no such thing as the perfect candidate for presidency every has their faults. It is impossible to please all of your voters 100 %. So no matter what move the candidate makes, there will always be people who are not going to like the decision and complain/ make a big deal over it.

Raine's frustration

I know no one in our class is going to agree with me, I know I stand in the minority as a college student who is a republican. And I'm sure how I feel is how many democrats would feel about if McCain was in the lead.

I am worried about the lack of experience Obama holds, who is close to becoming President. I don't see that he is qualified at all to be President. He has only had two years in the Senate. When did two years make some one qualified to run a country. He lacks any experience. I would rather have a Vice Presidential candidate with less experience than have a Presidential candidate with no experience.

As i was the person who stood up and advocated McCain yesterday in class, I wanted to provide a link to a little youtube clip explaining what I was talking about yesterday with Obama's economic plan. I hope people take a look at this and think for a minute if they really think Obama's plan will help the economy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM3Ls8NNc5Q

And for those people that want out of Iraq now, good luck with voting for Obama. I am currently watching CNN, and they just stated that Obama is not going for any sort of radical change. He will not be able to get rid of the 12 billion dollars that is going towards Iraq. He is now in agreement with Bush's pre-emptive policy if necessary as well. Sounds like nothing is going to CHANGE like he claims it will.

My apologies if I offended any one. Everyone has an opinion. Many people get to voice theirs for Obama during class. Im open to criticism as well.

Lack of Resources

I just read an article on USA Today online about polling locations and lack of resources, especially in Virginia. According to the article, resources are lacking in predominately minority and lower class communities. It's an interesting subject to consider, while the article also makes mention that minority and younger people are more likely to vote for a candidate such as Barack Obama because of his more liberal ideals. The article goes on to mention that long lines due to lack of resources could cause many to just get fed up and go home. It makes you wonder if there is a giant conspiracy happening to keep minorities and young people from waiting at the polls!!!!

Matt went to McCain Rally

On Saturday October 18th i went to the MCain Rally in Woodbridge Virginia. It was the first rally i had been to sense the New Hampshire trip. It really borught back some old memories of standing in line and waiting to see the candidate. I thought it was really fun to hear the chants that were said "NOBAMA" and "DRILL BABY DRILL" There were women dressed up like Srah Palin with teh same hairdue and the glasses. They had people such as Phil The Brick Layer and Rose The Teacher, who were basically playing off Joe The Plumber. It was a fun time. the speakers were Gilmore (running for Senator) Fimian (running for Congress) and the county representative Corey Stewart. It was quite an experience to go. I once again got to meet John McCain. That night i watched T.V. and was only able to see a little bit of what he said at the rally and not the key points of the speech. i think if you have not been to a poltical rally you need to go. You are able to learn more about a candidate and about what they sya than just by watching it on T.V.

McCain Roasts Obama

McCain is actually funny here...

Obama Roasts McCain

I thought this video was really funny. I am also going to post McCain roasting Obama.

Colin Powell Endorses Obama YAY! :-)

What do you all think about Colin Powell decision to endorses Senator Barack Obama?

Politics and Sports

It's not everyday that I see something about politics on my favorite website-ESPN. I was a little shocked that the Obama campaign had bought out 30 minutes of air time for a special presentation. I was even more shocked to see that Obama had purchased the air time for 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM on October 29th-Game four of the World Series-possibly the final game of the World Series. In some ways this is a brilliant move by Obama to catch viewers right before an important night. In some ways it can be annoying, as a die hard baseball fan who does not a team in the World Series I am kind of annoyed that on a sacred night in baseball politicians are trying to cut in. As much as I love politics I do not want to see Obama for thirty minutes especially when Phillies when hopefully loose.

The Last Debate

Well, we've made it through the fourth debate - what are your thoughts on it? Pretty personal all in all.

All in favor say "I"; all opposed say "Nay"

Is it just me or does it bother anyone else when politicians get attacked for how they voted on the Iraq war? This was brought up again tonight by John McCain when he was asked a question about the Iraq surge to which his reply made mention of Barack Obama making the wrong decision when voting against the war (mind my paraphrasing). There have then been other times when Obama has attacked McCain’s vote in favor of the war.
Now, I don’t know much about politics, but I do know elected officials have limited psychic abilities. They make decisions that are right (according to them) at the time and do so having been given substantial evidence by the president and/or whomever else. Having noted that,

How then could ANYONE have been able to foresee the current economic devastation that seems to be partly a result of the war?

How then could ANYONE have been able to foresee what seems to be our defeat in Iraq?

How then could ANYONE have been able to foresee the immense number of American and Iraqi casualties that have resulted from this war?

How then could ANYONE have been able to foresee the length of time we have spent in Iraq?


Unless someone consulted Ms. Cleo about what was to come, we can’t go around blaming politicians for the way they voted way back when. We also have to take into consideration that there was a point in time when false information about Iraq was spewing about—anyone remember the issue of Iraq possibly having WMD or the rumor that some of the 9/11 hijackers were possibly from Iraq? If I was a politician and I was told such things (along with other information, of course), I’m sure it would affect my vote.
It seems to have become commonality in this election and in the previous 2004 presidential election to attack politicians mainly for voting in favor of the war now that we’ve seen the catastrophe that has resulted from it. Does this mean that had we achieved victory in Iraq, politicians who voted against the surge would then be attacked for making a bad decision and not having enough confidence in their nation and their troops? Maybe it’s just me, but to be ambiguous is only human.

Well, what did you think?

I wonder what you all thought about tonight's debate. What do you think of the Town Hall format? Was it effective? Did you learn anything knew?

How do we keep focused on those ideas that are important in this election without getting bored with the whole process?

I'm curious about your perspectives.

THIS IS YOUR NATION ON WHITE PRIVILEGE AND POLITICS

I read this at random ad thought it was something that we all could think about especially since in regards to politics and the up coming election. Please read, and tell me what you think. Thanks


September 13, 2008, 2:01 pm
By Tim Wise

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll “kick their fuckin' ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don’t all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you’re “untested.”


White privilege is being able to say that you support the words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance because “if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me,” and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the “under God” part wasn’t added until the 1950s--while if you're black and believe in reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), you're a dangerous and mushy liberal who isn't fit to safeguard American institutions.


White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.


White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto is “Alaska first,” and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she’s being disrespectful.


White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you’re being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college and the fact that she lives near Russia, you’re somehow being mean, or even sexist.


White privilege is being able to convince white women who don’t even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a “second look.”


White privilege is being able to fire people who didn’t support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.


White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic fluid, and still be viewed as a great mom whose commitment to her children is unquestionable, and whose "next door neighbor" qualities make her ready to be VP, while if you're a black candidate for president and you let your children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're irresponsibly exploiting them.

White privilege is being able to give a 36-minute speech in which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent, while laying out no substantive policy positions on any issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague about what he would do if elected.

White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God’s punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you’re just a good church-going Christian, but if you’re black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you’re an extremist who probably hates America.


White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a “trick question,” while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O’Reilly means you’re dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.


White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep school, then to Yale and Harvard Business School (George W. Bush), and still be seen as an "average guy," while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then Occidental College, then Columbia, and then Harvard Law, makes you "uppity" and a snob who probably looks down on regular folks.

White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average from Yale (W.), and that's OK, and you're still cut out to be president, but if you're black and you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be trusted to make good decisions in office.

White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you then go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly 20 years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called "terrorist fist bumps."

White privilege is when you can develop a pain-killer addiction, having obtained your drug of choice illegally like Cindy McCain, go on to beat that addiction, and everyone praises you for being so strong, while being a black guy who smoked pot a few times in college and never became an addict means people will wonder if perhaps you still get high, and even ask whether or not you may have sold drugs at some point.

White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you dangerously naive and immature.

White privilege is being able to say that you hate "gooks" and "will always hate them," and yet, you aren't a racist because, ya know, you were a POW, so you're entitled to your hatred, while being black and noting that black anger about racism is understandable, given the history of your country, makes you a dangerous bigot.

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the "lesser adversities" faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole “change” thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain…


White privilege is, in short, the problem.

VP Debate

So, what are your thoughts about this debate? Any big surprises????

So what are your thoughts about Debate 1?

Thanks to the Debatewatch group for all your help tonight with the first event. You were great.

So what did everyone think about this debate? Who is everyone saying won? Does it matter if there is a winner? What's most important here? Would love to hear what you think.

Obama vs Pakistan

I used to be an Obama fan,
And then he brought up Pakistan.
My homeland he wants to invade,
This in turn has made me afraid.
His decision and comments were quite offensive,
Not to mention his plan sounds expensive.
“If Pakistan does not fully commit to helping the USA,
It’s then that military force will be displayed.”
He did not say this word for word,
But nonetheless, his statement was absurd.
Pakistan has been an ally for quite some time,
Alongside the U.S., partners in crime.
Mr. Obama, your plan will not work,
Chaos will erupt, people will go beserk.
Innocent lives will be lost,
And if that doesn’t matter to you, consider the cost.
I used to be your biggest supporter,
Until you said you wanted to cross the Afghan border.
So many invasions already in play,
I sit back and watch, in utter dismay.
I’m glad I watched tonight’s debate,
Now before I vote I must contemplate.
Do I want 4 more years of Bush-like reign?
Or dare I vote to have my Pakistanis slain?
This election has hit close to home,
But until I decide who to vote for, I must end this poem.

McCain suspending the debates

So I heard this morning that John McCain wanted to suspend Friday nights debates to deal with the economic crisis in Washington. I wanted to start a new post seeing what other people thought about this. I think that this is a bad move on McCain's part. I watched a video where Obama responded to this and he made a very good point when he said- "with only 40 days left for the American people to decide who will be responsible for leading our economic future -- it is more important than ever that the scheduled debate takes place." I agree with this, I think that the America people need to hear from our candidates now more than ever, so that they will know what the future holds for the economy of the country. I also agreed with Obama when he said, whoever wins the election and becomes President is going to have more than one serious issue going on a time and he needs to be able to handle it all.
I'm sure we will talk about this in class, but what does everyone else think??
Joanna

Obama switching VP

I know we brought this up in class., but i felt that it needed to be discussed. I heard that Obama may change his Vice President to Hilary and get rid of Biden. This i feel is something that will hurt him in his campaign for the presidency. It is not fair to Biden nor to Hilary. I think it will hurt the campaign because it shows that he can't make the right decisions which i think is one of the big points that alot of people are still uncertain about choosing him for president. Going back to his lack of experience and his 130 no votes while in the state legislature. This i feel would hurt him. I am sure that is all rumor and hope that he would not change his VP selection. I also feel it would be a major problem for companies who have made the Obama/Biden buttons and shirts for the campaign.

Give me some feedback
-Matt Webster

Ayers & Obama

Last week on September 11th i was watching the television and while watching some of the commercials there was a commercial that was put on about Obama and his ties to terrorists. I first thought, here we go again, they are linking his name to Osama Bin Ladin, but i was wrong. This commercial told of his ties to a terrorist group that was led by americans during the 1970's. this terrorist group was called Weather Underground. this group bombed the capital the pentagon and police stations. One of the leaders (William Ayers), who was a higher up within the terrorist group, was put on trial but acquitted due to false survelience put on by the FBI. Ayers is a professor today and admits to his doings, claiming that he "did not do enough" and also that he "has no regrets." I did some research and found that Ayers has helped Obama sense the start of his campaign in Ayers own home. Obama has defended him by saying that is ayers is repectable and mainstream. They both served together on the left wing board in CHicago.

I was wondering why the media has not gotten far into this information. They made a big deal about petty things such as Obama's relgion and the lipstick on the pig saying. I personally would have thought that something like this would be far more mainstream than reverend wright.
The link to the video that i saw on Sept 11th is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=talF7A-7MyM and it was not made by the Mccain campiagn but by american issues project. Why have not that many people heard of this?

fact check

My friends dad is a reporter for AP and as we were talking about the election he mentioned something to me called Fact Check which compares what the candidates say to what really happens. He emailed me an example of a fact check that him and some of his co-workers composed. So I just wanted to post it here if any one is interested in looking at it.

DENVER (AP) _ Sen. Barack Obama's formal nomination Wednesday as the Democratic candidate for president brought with it praise for Obama and a barrage of renewed attacks on his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain. Some were on point, others missed the mark.
Some examples:
VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SEN. JOE BIDEN of DELAWARE: "Barack Obama will bring down health care costs by $2,500 for the typical family, and, at long last, deliver affordable, accessible health care for all Americans."
THE FACTS: Obama's health care plan does not provide for universal health care coverage. He promises to make it affordable and would require children to be covered, but not adults. Estimates of how many would remain without insurance vary. Hillary Rodham Clinton said during the primaries that Obama's plan would leave 15 million people uninsured.
FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON: The Bush administration "took us from record surpluses to an exploding national debt; from over 22 million new jobs an increase in working family incomes of $7,500 to a decline of more than $2,000; from almost 8 million Americans moving out of poverty to more than 5 and half million falling into poverty _ and million more losing their health insurance."
THE FACTS: Clinton, helped by a decade-long economic expansion, recorded four straight years of budget surpluses. They ended in 2001, whittled away by a recession that started that year, and the cost of fighting terrorism after 9/11 and President Bush's tax cuts. Bush has recorded some of the highest deficits in history in dollar terms including a record $413 billion imbalance in 2004.
The Census Bureau reported this week that median household income grew by 1.3 percent last year to $50,233, the third straight annual increase. It still fell short of the previous peak, reached in 2000, when inflation is included. The bureau said the number of families living below the official poverty threshold last year was 12.5 percent, not statistically different from 2006. But the latest report covered 2007 before the current economic slowdown had begun to take its toll.
BIDEN: "Because Barack made that choice, 150,000 more children and parents have health care in Illinois. He fought to make that happen.
THE FACTS: Obama did none of this single-handedly, but as a member of the Illinois Senate. He helped expand an existing children's health insurance program. He also helped pass legislation to raise the income threshold for eligibility and make the temporary program permanent.
_SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER of WEST VIRGINIA: "John McCain has served his country with honor. But his refusal to change course even in the face of the failed policies of Bush-Cheney is reckless and will not keep us safe."
THE FACTS: After the U.S. led the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, McCain initially said he had no doubt U.S. forces would be "welcomed as liberators" in Baghdad. But McCain changed his mind after visiting the Iraqi capital later that year. Back in Washington, he began calling on the Bush administration to send more troops to beat back an insurgency that was responsible for spiraling violence. That put him at odds with the White House, most Republicans and military leaders. McCain's position jeopardized his presidential campaign, but he put on a brave face, telling audiences he'd "rather lose an election than lose a war."
In January 2007, Bush announced he was sending 20,000 more troops to Iraq. They have been credited with helping improve security in Iraq.
_FORMER SECRETARY of STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: "Sen. McCain says that American troops should remain in Iraq perhaps as long as they have been stationed in Korea and Japan, as if there were no difference in history, religion or culture between our friends in Asia and those in the Middle East."
THE FACTS: Democrats have made much of McCain's "100 years" comment at a town-hall meeting earlier this year in New Hampshire. It was in response to a questioner who had challenged him about President Bush's view that U.S. troops could be in Iraq for 50 years.
"Maybe a hundred," McCain said. "We've been in South Korea. We've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That'd be fine with me as long as Americans, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. Then it's fine with me. I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting and equipping and motivating people every single day."
McCain also has said he envisions victory in Iraq and the return of most U.S. troops by January 2013 _ the end of his first term if elected. He also says withdrawal should be based on security conditions in Iraq, not hard deadlines.
_REP. CHET EDWARDS of TEXAS: "In the last two years, Sen. Obama helped pass the new GI education bill."
THE FACTS: The GI bill became an issue during the presidential campaign because it illustrated a stark difference between the two candidates. Obama, a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, supported the bill; McCain, a veteran himself, did not. Each side accused the other of playing politics with the issue.
The bill, part of a larger war funding bill President Bush signed into law, increased education benefits for troops and veterans. McCain, siding with the Pentagon, said he opposed it because the enhanced benefits could encourage people to leave the service early during a war. McCain and Republican colleagues proposed a bill to tie increased benefits to length of service. Obama showed up for the Senate vote; McCain, who has missed more than half the votes in the Senate during the current Congress because he was campaigning, did not.
_SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID of NEVADA: "Sen. McCain and the Republicans have centered their answer to our vital energy needs on one solution: offshore drilling. Sen. McCain calls for it in every speech ... White House analysts, congressional analysts, and the oil industry all agree that offshore drilling won't add one drop to our energy pool for at least 10 years... Will it do any harm? The answer is, we just don't know, and neither does he."
THE FACTS: Reid is correct when he says opening areas of the U.S. coast, now off limits, will produce no new oil for years; energy experts predict seven to 10 years. McCain has acknowledged the time frame, but argues it could have a psychological effect on oil markets if the U.S. commits to more production. Many experts believe such an effect would be temporary and likely do little to lower prices.
___
Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn in Detroit and Marty Crutsinger, H. Josef Hebert and Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.

McCain Palin Rally in Fairfax

Not sure if I am posting this correctly or blogging correctly so here goes anyways!

I was able to get to the McCain Palin rally which was on wednesday of last week. It was AMAZING to see how many people were there, literally tens of thousands of people. The whole place was insane.

Somethings I noticed was that both Palin and McCain used parts of their acceptance speeches in there speech. I got kind of frustrated with this at first and was talking to my mother about all of this. She mentioned that not everyone watches the acceptance speeches; which i thought was appalling! Just kidding! But that is very true. A lot of people do not watch all of these speeches and vote based merely upon the candidate's party. I don't think uniformed voters should vote, sounds a little harsh I know, but people should vote for what they think will be best for their country! Not just who ever is running for their party of choice.

One thing that I thought was really cool about the McCain Palin rally was the fact that they had 2 strongly dedicated democrats speak on McCain's behalf. One was a small business owner from Richmond. She had heard McCain's speech about what he would do for cutting business taxes, such as eliminating the second to largest business tax, I believe, to help benefit businesses around the country. This in turn could create more jobs and help our economy grow. She claimed this is why she was voting for McCain. The other speaker was an avid Clinton supporter. This was the woman that I guess started all of the controversy by making the lipstick on a pig quote. I completely agree that the Media took this and ran with it, creating such a big deal out of nothing. However, the Clinton supporter made the argument that she would vote for McCain because he chose an experienced woman that has accomplished a great amount of things in her time as governor. She said that when she sat down with the McCain campaign and suggested that he pick an experienced woman as his running mate, they were very receptive and welcomed this idea while the Obama campaign rejected this idea.

Of course not everyone is going to agree with me since I have such strong conservative beliefs, but I agreed with the Clinton supporter on Obama's poor choice in running mates. I felt that if his campaign, which is so strongly about change, should have picked a fresher face than Biden. Biden has been in congress doing the same things for over 20 years. I do not see change being brought by Biden, just the same things that have been happening in congress for years.

So thats my thoughts on the McCain Palin Rally. Loved it, was super excited to be there. I apologize it took me this long to finally get on here and blog about it. Would love to hear other people's opinions on it!!

McCain's Speech

Well...well...well...where to start? Did anyone see his backdrop of the white house? what a selling point? or the people who randomly were shown by the camera i have NO IDEA what they did but I have a feeling it wasn't good considering security escorted them away! Anyways I thought that McCain's speech was acceptable, considering I am an Obama supporter. However, I really enjoyed how he, or whoever wrote his speech, talked directly to the undecided voters. I think that the way he worded it "...I intend to earn your trust..." or something like that. I thought the way he addressed Obama was respectful and honorable, just like I thought Obama did a good job of honorably mentioning his opponent in his speech. He said "we are very different...but despite our differences, we are Americans which means more to me than any other!...but don't get me wrong we will win this election." I also think he did a good job of targeting the Obama/Biden comments of "the next 4 years cannot be the same as the last 8." He said something along the lines of let's get this country back on track/road and bring change to the white house. He talks about change a lot! I don't know much about McCain or his campaign but when I hear "CHANGE" i think of Obama, so I'm not sure how I feel about him "stealing his slogan" if you will. I thought he did a very good job talking about Gov. Sarah Palin. "She has experience..." and he named several, which I thought proved and showed the world WHY he choose her as his running mate. I liked how he said "She doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down...I'm honored to have introduced you to her...but I will be even more honored to introduce her in the white house." I thought that was a great symbolic display of his trust and confidence in choosing her as his running mate! He also mentioned President Bush but only for a moment but I thought that briefly talking about him was what he needed to do! I think Sen. John McCain said what he needed to say. And for being an Obama supporter I think that McCain just made this election look like it will be a close one!

Sarah Palin- VP

I think that people are giving Palin a hard time about the whole family thing. Yeah she has a family, but then Obama does too, and he is running for President. Is it an issue because she is a woman? If that is the case that is just absurd. Obama has two young girls at home, is he even really around for them in their young age? Palin has three kids who are older, practically raised, but if she need to be in the home then so does Obama.

Sarah Palin...?

Ok I'm a little confused... I do not understand McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. While she may be honored to have been chosen, I am concerned about her focus and dedication to the job in the months to come. If you had a 4 month old baby and a grandchild on the way wouldn't you want to spend the majority of your time at home with your family?
Also, one of the biggest complaints by the Republican Party about Barack Obama is the fact that he doesn't have much experience. But does Sarah Palin have any more? Infact, most of America didn't even know who she was until McCain introduced her as the next Vice President.
The other day my dad brought it to my attention that 9 times in the past something has happen to the president and the VP has had to take over. So taking into account McCain's age, you just have to ask yourself that in the off-chance that something tragic were force McCain out of presidency, is Sarah Palin really the person you want to run your country?

McCain's selection for running mate

So, any thoughts about Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate????