For several months now, I have been introducing Barack Obama to my parents through conversations about his positions, speech videos, and whatever other means I could. My dad is pretty ambivalent about politics and my mom displays a little bit of passion about certain topics but is also largely uninterested. In the end, I doubt I could persuade either of them to vote, much less vote for Obama. It saddens me that neither of them feel inclined to participate in their most basic democratic right. Regardless of their decision to vote Republican or Democrat, I would like to see them take an interest.
For some time, I have thought it possible that my mom could be a supporter of Barack Obama. It is evident now that she is no longer a candidate for this position. Today, she mentioned that she doesn't like Obama because she "doesn't trust him" and "doesn't like the vibes she gets". Is there a more pathetic excuse?
I don't think there is. This opinion seems to have been developed over the last month or so, following bombardment of e-mails from my grandma and other conservative family members and participation on an online forum consisting of largely conservative members. The premise that one should vote for president or choose not to vote based on a "feeling" is the reason we have dealt with 8 years of idiocy. Disagreement based on issues and values is one thing. Disagreement based on "gut feelings" is...frustrating. I find it intellectually dishonest and repugnant that people think that a gut feeling is enough when deciding the future of the country.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Coming soon...
Barack Obama satirical piece. I am not sure that this sort of this will be a strong piece but I am going to give it a shot. May be up tonight, but definitely by Thursday.
Some more Boston Legal commentary on abortion
This snippet of conversation comes from an episode and is discussing the outcome of a female rape victim who successfully sued the Catholic hospital doctor that refused her RU-486 (morning-after pill) based on the "conscience" clause under Massachusetts state law:
Julie Bowen: She said that she would never even consider it (abortion).
Candace Bergen: What's the alternative? Having custody battles with your rapist? Sorry, that was really tasteless.
Julie Bowen: It's all tasteless. The more science comes up with alternatives to the misery of abortion, the louder the opposition.
Candace Bergen: 'Cause it's about power. It's always been about power.
****
It is about power, isn't it?
Julie Bowen: She said that she would never even consider it (abortion).
Candace Bergen: What's the alternative? Having custody battles with your rapist? Sorry, that was really tasteless.
Julie Bowen: It's all tasteless. The more science comes up with alternatives to the misery of abortion, the louder the opposition.
Candace Bergen: 'Cause it's about power. It's always been about power.
****
It is about power, isn't it?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Boston Legal - Alan Shore takes on abstinence-only
Recently, I have started watching Boston Legal from its first season. Between the obviously liberal commentary (I mean, it is Boston, not Boise) and the sarcastic humor, it is an eminently watchable show. In the clip below, James Spader as Alan Shore rails against abstinence-only sex education. I am all for pushing back the idiocy that is abstinence-only.
****UPDATE****
Because the video was removed from Youtube, I looked around and found the text of Alan Shore's closing. It is below:
The Chicken & The Leg - 10/9/07
Scene: Judge Clark Brown's Courtroom
Adam Jovanka:
Your Honor, I think we all agree that fifteen is too young to be having sex. Is there anyone here who takes issue with that? Sometimes, when the right answer is no, you say no. You don't start tinkering with morality to coincide with logistics. Kids need to hear no, not here's how, just in casebut no. Abstinence was the right answer here. If she hadn't had sex, she wouldn't be H.I.V. positive.
And even if you are so determined to opt for pragmatism, abstinence is still the right answer. Since the implementation of this policy, the teen pregnancy rate has gone down 30%. More and more kids are choosing not to have sex. And that's good. Whether they get sick or pregnant or not. And if parents disagree, by the way, they can choose to teach their kids about condoms and birth control pills and diaphragms. But once the school starts doing so, come on, you're implicitly telling the kids it's expected of them to be sexually active. And many start doing so because they feel all their friends are. Sure, we can pass out condoms. But it is simply more responsible, more moral and yes, more safe to practice abstinence. That's what we should be telling them. And this school is.
Alan Shore:
This case isn't about teenage pregnancy. She didn't get pregnant. She got H.I.V. I can see why you would want to make it about teenage pregnancy, since, well, actually I can't. The United States had the worst teen pregnancy rate of any industrialized nation. And contrary to what Mr. Jovanka would like us to believe, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggests using condoms or teaching students about condoms makes them any more inclined to have sex.
None. They're already inclined to have sex and have been since early puberty. They're simply going to do it, we all do it. Birds do it, bees do it. Educated fleas do it. One day, Your Honor even you¦
[Slamming of gavel..]
Yes, the fact is this case has nothing to do with the efficacy of abstinence only programs. This case is about religion, politics and federal funding. Our present administration, in blind service to the religious right, has transcended the separation of Church and State and consistently implemented a faith-based political and moral mandate. And now that same policy has been passed on to our educational system. If schools teach abstinence only, they get federal funding. If they teach any other type of sex education, they don't. And as a result, the students in these abstinence only programs aren't being taught the truth about that magnificent technological marvel, the condom.
That's not a dirty word, Your Honor. Condoms.
[Judge slams gavel again.]
They first came on the scene some 3,000 years ago in Egypt. For centuries they wert merrily along in modified forms warding off syphilis, gonorrhea, preventing unplanned pregnancies, until science and medicine eventually caught up and the pill became a much more effective, less intrusive contraceptive. Penicillin and other antibiotics were miracle cures for gonorrhea and syphilis. The poor humble condom languished. And then came AIDS, this terrifying new disease that panicked the world. For many years, it has been fatal, gruesomely so in every case. There was no vaccine, no cure, no treatment. But there were condoms, and they worked. They were safe, time-tested, easy to use, and they protected both partners. The condom is arguably the single most important invention of the past 2,000 years. In fact, it has been said without exaggeration that the health of the world depends on them. Now one would think that the obvious choice would be for schools to tell their students as much. But Abby's school, indeed all schools, that teach abstinence only, have chosen to lie. They teach that condoms are ineffective at preventing pregnancies, which is a lie. They teach that condoms are ineffective at prevent disease, which is a lie. Some of the literature actually compares using a condom to playing Russian Roulette, which is a frightening, despicable, unforgivable lie.
Alan turns and smiles at Abigail.
Abby Hold has H.I.V., which in all likelihood will develop into AIDS. We've sort of
forgotten about AIDs in this country. Treatments have improved dramatically. Drugs are keeping people alive for many years after they become infected. But the Grim Butcher's bill for this pandemic still keeps growing and growing. 65 million people worldwide have become infected.
One time unprotected sex can kill you.
A condom can save you.
It is inconceivable, that every child in the world isn't taught that. We should be in criminal court this very moment, trying this obscenely duplicitous school for conspiracy to commit murder.
Ah. But frankly, I have no stomach for that. I think of the horror that has been inflicted on this fifteen year old girl, and I'm just so profoundly sad.
I can point out the evils of this corrupt system. I can tell you have effective condoms are, the lives they save and on and on and on but words seem to be these hollow, useless things rattling around in this courtroom. Because ultimately the lies this school told Abby Holt may, will probably kill her. They have certainly altered her life forever. And in the face of that, all I can think of is: why?
[Alan sits down next to Lorraine, speaking to Lorraine.]
Alan: I give long closings.
****UPDATE****
Because the video was removed from Youtube, I looked around and found the text of Alan Shore's closing. It is below:
The Chicken & The Leg - 10/9/07
Scene: Judge Clark Brown's Courtroom
Adam Jovanka:
Your Honor, I think we all agree that fifteen is too young to be having sex. Is there anyone here who takes issue with that? Sometimes, when the right answer is no, you say no. You don't start tinkering with morality to coincide with logistics. Kids need to hear no, not here's how, just in casebut no. Abstinence was the right answer here. If she hadn't had sex, she wouldn't be H.I.V. positive.
And even if you are so determined to opt for pragmatism, abstinence is still the right answer. Since the implementation of this policy, the teen pregnancy rate has gone down 30%. More and more kids are choosing not to have sex. And that's good. Whether they get sick or pregnant or not. And if parents disagree, by the way, they can choose to teach their kids about condoms and birth control pills and diaphragms. But once the school starts doing so, come on, you're implicitly telling the kids it's expected of them to be sexually active. And many start doing so because they feel all their friends are. Sure, we can pass out condoms. But it is simply more responsible, more moral and yes, more safe to practice abstinence. That's what we should be telling them. And this school is.
Alan Shore:
This case isn't about teenage pregnancy. She didn't get pregnant. She got H.I.V. I can see why you would want to make it about teenage pregnancy, since, well, actually I can't. The United States had the worst teen pregnancy rate of any industrialized nation. And contrary to what Mr. Jovanka would like us to believe, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggests using condoms or teaching students about condoms makes them any more inclined to have sex.
None. They're already inclined to have sex and have been since early puberty. They're simply going to do it, we all do it. Birds do it, bees do it. Educated fleas do it. One day, Your Honor even you¦
[Slamming of gavel..]
Yes, the fact is this case has nothing to do with the efficacy of abstinence only programs. This case is about religion, politics and federal funding. Our present administration, in blind service to the religious right, has transcended the separation of Church and State and consistently implemented a faith-based political and moral mandate. And now that same policy has been passed on to our educational system. If schools teach abstinence only, they get federal funding. If they teach any other type of sex education, they don't. And as a result, the students in these abstinence only programs aren't being taught the truth about that magnificent technological marvel, the condom.
That's not a dirty word, Your Honor. Condoms.
[Judge slams gavel again.]
They first came on the scene some 3,000 years ago in Egypt. For centuries they wert merrily along in modified forms warding off syphilis, gonorrhea, preventing unplanned pregnancies, until science and medicine eventually caught up and the pill became a much more effective, less intrusive contraceptive. Penicillin and other antibiotics were miracle cures for gonorrhea and syphilis. The poor humble condom languished. And then came AIDS, this terrifying new disease that panicked the world. For many years, it has been fatal, gruesomely so in every case. There was no vaccine, no cure, no treatment. But there were condoms, and they worked. They were safe, time-tested, easy to use, and they protected both partners. The condom is arguably the single most important invention of the past 2,000 years. In fact, it has been said without exaggeration that the health of the world depends on them. Now one would think that the obvious choice would be for schools to tell their students as much. But Abby's school, indeed all schools, that teach abstinence only, have chosen to lie. They teach that condoms are ineffective at preventing pregnancies, which is a lie. They teach that condoms are ineffective at prevent disease, which is a lie. Some of the literature actually compares using a condom to playing Russian Roulette, which is a frightening, despicable, unforgivable lie.
Alan turns and smiles at Abigail.
Abby Hold has H.I.V., which in all likelihood will develop into AIDS. We've sort of
forgotten about AIDs in this country. Treatments have improved dramatically. Drugs are keeping people alive for many years after they become infected. But the Grim Butcher's bill for this pandemic still keeps growing and growing. 65 million people worldwide have become infected.
One time unprotected sex can kill you.
A condom can save you.
It is inconceivable, that every child in the world isn't taught that. We should be in criminal court this very moment, trying this obscenely duplicitous school for conspiracy to commit murder.
Ah. But frankly, I have no stomach for that. I think of the horror that has been inflicted on this fifteen year old girl, and I'm just so profoundly sad.
I can point out the evils of this corrupt system. I can tell you have effective condoms are, the lives they save and on and on and on but words seem to be these hollow, useless things rattling around in this courtroom. Because ultimately the lies this school told Abby Holt may, will probably kill her. They have certainly altered her life forever. And in the face of that, all I can think of is: why?
[Alan sits down next to Lorraine, speaking to Lorraine.]
Alan: I give long closings.
Women's National Beat-Up-The-Opponent Association
Another year, another brawl in Motown. This time its the women kicking some ass, including the uber-talented Candace Parker.
Yet another basketball brawl in Detroit
For the heck of it (REVISED):
Candace Parker throws down SECOND dunk in WNBA history
The first dunk in WNBA history:
Lisa Leslie slams
Yet another basketball brawl in Detroit
For the heck of it (REVISED):
Candace Parker throws down SECOND dunk in WNBA history
The first dunk in WNBA history:
Lisa Leslie slams
Thursday, July 10, 2008
John McCain squirms when asked about birth control
The reporter explained that McCain voted against a bill in 2003 that would have required health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control. “Is that still your position?” she persisted.
During the awkward exchange, with several lengthy pauses, McCain said he had no immediate knowledge of the vote. “I’ve cast thousands of votes in the Senate,” McCain said, then continued: “I will respond to—it’s a, it’s a…”
“Delicate issue,” the reporter offered, to a relieved laugh from McCain.
“I don’t usually duck an issue, but I’m—I’ll try to get back to you,” he explained.
----John McCain squirms when asked about birth control
Delicate issue? DELICATE ISSUE? There is no issue here. If I can get medication to give me a hard, throbbing penis for hours on end (not that I need it), it seems damn humane to provide medication which ensures that a woman can maintain her current life until she so chooses the time has come to become pregnant.
What is it about providing birth control through insurance that makes Republicans so queasy? Is it the absence of the penis that offends them so? Or is it yet another mechanism which denies women the opportunity to make decisions for themselves?
The fact that John McCain is uncomfortable with the questions speaks volumes. No wonder Barack Obama is blowing him out by nearly 20 points in poll after poll of registered female voters, with double-digit leads in most subgroups. He ducked the issue because he is a coward. He knows that an answer approving of his prior vote would further diminish his already meager showing with females.
I hope that the next time the topic comes up, the reporter doesn't let him off the hook. I want to see John McCain squirm. I want to see him run through possible answers in his mind and then stutter through a feable answer. I want John McCain to be forced to explain why he doesn't support women. I want John McCain to explain why he only cares when it is personally expedient for him (nice job ditching that first wife for a drug-addict trophy wife, John).
****UPDATE**** 7/10/08 @ 3:30 a.m.
Just came across a related article on Feministing.com which I was unaware of until just a couple of minutes ago and which I was unaware of when I first wrote this post. Any readers interested in viewing the article on Feministing.com should click here (link opens into a new window.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Re: Comment posted in response to "mythology of Jesus" blog entry
"Museum ethics controversy":
Please correct me if I am wrong, but what you seem to be proposing is that there is a calculated effort to misrepresent the facts surrounding the life of Jesus. If you are still reading this blog, please let me know the intent of your post.
I will say this: I am personally in favor of any finding that shakes the foundations of the mythology surrounding Jesus. All of the extraneous BS that detracts from the core message of Jesus' philosophical teachings diminishes any power his credited words may have. I am strongly in favor of a world free of the superstitious, unfounded beliefs of religion.
When religious philosophy is used to improve one's own life and the lives of others, and not for the exclusion of those without similar faith or creed, lifestyle choices, and other variables, I have minimal issue with religion. It is when religion comes with, as it often does, a message of hate, intolerance, and greed that I dismiss it completely as a viable source of knowledge.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but what you seem to be proposing is that there is a calculated effort to misrepresent the facts surrounding the life of Jesus. If you are still reading this blog, please let me know the intent of your post.
I will say this: I am personally in favor of any finding that shakes the foundations of the mythology surrounding Jesus. All of the extraneous BS that detracts from the core message of Jesus' philosophical teachings diminishes any power his credited words may have. I am strongly in favor of a world free of the superstitious, unfounded beliefs of religion.
When religious philosophy is used to improve one's own life and the lives of others, and not for the exclusion of those without similar faith or creed, lifestyle choices, and other variables, I have minimal issue with religion. It is when religion comes with, as it often does, a message of hate, intolerance, and greed that I dismiss it completely as a viable source of knowledge.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I post this because I can...
This clip initially caught my eye because this woman is quite cute. It turns out that she is not only quite cute, but she is talented, humble, gracious, and a good person. It has been a long time since I have seen that much pain etched in someone's eyes, though. The impact of her father leaving her family behind is so evident, it is startling.
Jessica, sorry about the Christian upbringing and that bastard of a father.
Jessica Price singing "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt will launch in a new window.
Jessica Price
Jessica, sorry about the Christian upbringing and that bastard of a father.
Jessica Price singing "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt will launch in a new window.
Jessica Price
Another cute, kinda-talented kid from America's Got Talent (with funny captions)
The person that posted the video added some pretty funny captions to the video when the girl isn't singing.
Kaitlyn Maher on America's Got Talent
Kaitlyn Maher on America's Got Talent
Very touching clip from America's Got Talent
Sometimes, things catch me off-guard and bring a tear (or two) to my eyes. This clip is from America's Got Talent, a 9 year-old autistic boy named David Militello* sings amazingly well.
*The only other person I have heard of with the last name was a Yankees pitching prospect named Sam Militello. I think still have his 1993 Score Select rookie card somewhere in a box. He, like Brien Taylor from 1991, never panned out.
Also, Jerry Springer seems to be a good human being, which you wouldn't guess from his choice in daytime TV shows. He is also a very knowledgeable political commentator (having watched him a couple of times sitting in for Alan Colmes on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes).
David Militello on America's Got Talent
*The only other person I have heard of with the last name was a Yankees pitching prospect named Sam Militello. I think still have his 1993 Score Select rookie card somewhere in a box. He, like Brien Taylor from 1991, never panned out.
Also, Jerry Springer seems to be a good human being, which you wouldn't guess from his choice in daytime TV shows. He is also a very knowledgeable political commentator (having watched him a couple of times sitting in for Alan Colmes on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes).
David Militello on America's Got Talent
This is who is reporting what is happening in Iraq?
Occasionally, a small, unimportant news story catches my attention and I experience a reaction that I wasn't expecting.
Lara Logan is, from what I can tell, a respected reporter with regard to foreign affairs. Coincidentally, she was engaged in an affair with a married man who happens to be a state department contractor.
My reaction has nothing to do with the matter of infidelity. Let me get this straight...you, Lara, are a reporter noted for covering the Iraq conflict and you are bumping decently attractive uglies with a married contractor who has a monetary interest in Iraq. Biased much?
Have the common courtesy to remove yourself from the situation in one way or another.
Lara Logan Had Affair with Married Iraq Contractor
Lara Logan is, from what I can tell, a respected reporter with regard to foreign affairs. Coincidentally, she was engaged in an affair with a married man who happens to be a state department contractor.
My reaction has nothing to do with the matter of infidelity. Let me get this straight...you, Lara, are a reporter noted for covering the Iraq conflict and you are bumping decently attractive uglies with a married contractor who has a monetary interest in Iraq. Biased much?
Have the common courtesy to remove yourself from the situation in one way or another.
Lara Logan Had Affair with Married Iraq Contractor
Unexpected consequences of human consumption
Parts of the article linked to below are kind of dry but, on the whole, interesting nonetheless.
Naturally occurring elements going extinct?
Naturally occurring elements going extinct?
Alex Rodriguez and sports talk radio
I listen to sports talk radio nearly every day. The amount of time I listen varies day to day, depending on the events of the sports day. There are, by my count, 4 stations which I can listen to and I will be damned if I haven't heard, on each and every station, way too much talk of Alex Rodriguez/Madonna/Cynthia Rodriguez/divorce. If any of the limited number of my readers happens to run a sports talk radio program or station, please, for the love of god...SHUT THE HELL UP!
I get it. A Rod loves Madonna (it must be the Kabbalah, because it isn't the face), Cynthia loves Lenny Kravitz (and who wouldn't?), Guy Ritchie loves Madonna (who loves A Rod...anyone think, like me, that his sweet stroke doesn't come through in the clutch in the bedroom too?), and everybody is getting a freaking divorce. I don't listen to sports talk radio for news and opinion on A Rod's extracurricular relationship status. I listen for commentary and news about the latest scores, trades, games, and stories.
If I hear one more comment about A Rod and his relationships, I will be forced to listen to NPR and that is not a step that I want to take.
I get it. A Rod loves Madonna (it must be the Kabbalah, because it isn't the face), Cynthia loves Lenny Kravitz (and who wouldn't?), Guy Ritchie loves Madonna (who loves A Rod...anyone think, like me, that his sweet stroke doesn't come through in the clutch in the bedroom too?), and everybody is getting a freaking divorce. I don't listen to sports talk radio for news and opinion on A Rod's extracurricular relationship status. I listen for commentary and news about the latest scores, trades, games, and stories.
If I hear one more comment about A Rod and his relationships, I will be forced to listen to NPR and that is not a step that I want to take.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Randy Jackson's laughter makes me laugh hard...
This clip is an American Idol audition by some guy named James Lewis. Paula and Randy die laughing and I, in turn, laugh uproariously every time I watch this clip. It is worth your time to watch the entire clip.
James Lewis' terrible American Idol audition
James Lewis' terrible American Idol audition
Some favorite Saturday Night Live bits...
Punched
Dick in a Box
More Cowbell (Remix)
Alec Baldwin's Schweaty Balls
Dick in a Box
More Cowbell (Remix)
Alec Baldwin's Schweaty Balls
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Christopher Hitchens undergoes waterboarding (and my thoughts on the issue)
Over the past year or so, I have thought, both to myself and aloud, that it would be interesting to experience waterboarding. I thought that it would be intriguing to see what Republican congressman dismiss as "no big deal" and promote as an "enhanced or aggressive interrogation technique." Now, I think that I will pass on ever experiencing it.
Vanity Fair approached Christopher Hitchens about his willingness to experience waterboarding first-hand. Below are 2 links. The first link is to the article concerning the events and the second link is to a video clip of approximately 4-5 minutes, during which Hitchens is waterboarded.
Thoughts:
It is not enough to say that the United States wants to be a leader in human rights. It is not enough to mouth empty promises in the hopes that these promises will be enough to convince others of our sincerity. It is not enough to settle for the same tired excuses for failing to hold our country to a higher standard. The truth is, the sooner people understand that the United States is not infallible in all areas, that it is a perfect country in all facets, the sooner we can move from a nation with false notions of itself to a nation with real issues, best intentions, and a humane approach to meeting the challenges presented by the current threats against our safety.
How can we chastise Cuba, China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other nations on their human rights record and not reasonably expect to be met with cynicism? I do not mean to say that the United States has the deplorable human rights record throughout its history that these countries have. What I mean to acknowledge is this: Great leaders recognize their strengths AND their weaknesses and learn to play to their strengths while shoring up their weaknesses through strong support. Great leaders understand that they will mess up from time to time and that the perceived "weakness" of admitting an error and taking steps to change is actually much better than burying one's head in the sand and hoping that everything will go away.
I have had it "up to here" with the excuses people make for our country. I don't criticize the United States because I believe that this is a terrible country. I simply realize that even the best people (and countries) stumble from time to time and what I yearn for is the realization of America's potential. I, too, believe that the United States, when standing up for the rights and values of the people, is indeed the "last, best hope" for humanity.
Vanity Fair approached Christopher Hitchens about his willingness to experience waterboarding first-hand. Below are 2 links. The first link is to the article concerning the events and the second link is to a video clip of approximately 4-5 minutes, during which Hitchens is waterboarded.
Hitchens writes about waterboarding demonstration and torture
Video of Hitchens being waterboarded
Thoughts:
It is not enough to say that the United States wants to be a leader in human rights. It is not enough to mouth empty promises in the hopes that these promises will be enough to convince others of our sincerity. It is not enough to settle for the same tired excuses for failing to hold our country to a higher standard. The truth is, the sooner people understand that the United States is not infallible in all areas, that it is a perfect country in all facets, the sooner we can move from a nation with false notions of itself to a nation with real issues, best intentions, and a humane approach to meeting the challenges presented by the current threats against our safety.
How can we chastise Cuba, China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other nations on their human rights record and not reasonably expect to be met with cynicism? I do not mean to say that the United States has the deplorable human rights record throughout its history that these countries have. What I mean to acknowledge is this: Great leaders recognize their strengths AND their weaknesses and learn to play to their strengths while shoring up their weaknesses through strong support. Great leaders understand that they will mess up from time to time and that the perceived "weakness" of admitting an error and taking steps to change is actually much better than burying one's head in the sand and hoping that everything will go away.
I have had it "up to here" with the excuses people make for our country. I don't criticize the United States because I believe that this is a terrible country. I simply realize that even the best people (and countries) stumble from time to time and what I yearn for is the realization of America's potential. I, too, believe that the United States, when standing up for the rights and values of the people, is indeed the "last, best hope" for humanity.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sweet Moby tune...
I have never been a big fan of Moby but I enjoyed this particular song immensely.
"Alice" - by Moby
"Alice" - by Moby
This is what a "tool" sounds like when leaving a phone message
"The Douchiest Phone Message in History"...keep listening, it gets better as the message goes on.
Good news for this guy - he can touch himself while looking at pictures of him touching himself.
http://view.break.com/527579 - Watch more free videos
Good news for this guy - he can touch himself while looking at pictures of him touching himself.
http://view.break.com/527579 - Watch more free videos
Women cry in the presence of Barack Obama
I might, too.
Watch the video from 1:30 to the end. Just one more reason to like Barack Obama. Link below.
Watch the video from 1:30 to the end. Just one more reason to like Barack Obama. Link below.
Monday, June 30, 2008
One of the many reasons I enjoy sports...
The remarkable skill and the exuberant reaction of Tiger Woods...
Tiger Woods - 2008 U.S. Open Final Round, 18th Hole putt
I don't think it gets much better than that fist pump.
Tiger Woods - 2008 U.S. Open Final Round, 18th Hole putt
I don't think it gets much better than that fist pump.
Thoughts on liberalism
During a conversation Saturday night, the person with whom I was speaking said that he had rarely spoken with somebody who could explain why they were a liberal. I didn't take the opportunity to explain my position but after mulling it over for the past day, I thought it was worthing sharing some thoughts.
John F. Kennedy described someone who is liberal as "someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties - someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad."
I think that conservatives/Republicans/Fox News have turned "liberal" into a buzzword for all the evils of the world. I have adopted the term "progressive" as a better means of describing my political philosophy because I think the term illustrates what the core of true liberalism is. It is about effecting positive change in ways which benefit the whole, rather than select individuals.
My progressivism isn't about spending money for the sake of spending money, domestic and foreign policies which weaken our country, protectionist isolationism, deliberate redistribution of income merely for the sake of giving the government more money to throw around. It is a belief that each individual should have the best opportunity to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," with the recognition that not all individuals start with the same footing and opportunities. It is not about limitless resources to all individuals or limitless advantages only to those with limitless resources, it is about recognizing that people must be given the best opportunity to realize their full potential.
There is, undoubtedly, criticism to be found for the position that I have staked but it is not enough to simply assume that everyone, on their own, will be fine. Government, at its purest, would seem to exist solely because of and for an empowered citizenry.
My progressivism recognizes that progress comes from the top-down (government to the people) and from the bottom-up (individuals influence the government). Change your life, change the country, change the world. Progress.
John F. Kennedy described someone who is liberal as "someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties - someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad."
I think that conservatives/Republicans/Fox News have turned "liberal" into a buzzword for all the evils of the world. I have adopted the term "progressive" as a better means of describing my political philosophy because I think the term illustrates what the core of true liberalism is. It is about effecting positive change in ways which benefit the whole, rather than select individuals.
My progressivism isn't about spending money for the sake of spending money, domestic and foreign policies which weaken our country, protectionist isolationism, deliberate redistribution of income merely for the sake of giving the government more money to throw around. It is a belief that each individual should have the best opportunity to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," with the recognition that not all individuals start with the same footing and opportunities. It is not about limitless resources to all individuals or limitless advantages only to those with limitless resources, it is about recognizing that people must be given the best opportunity to realize their full potential.
There is, undoubtedly, criticism to be found for the position that I have staked but it is not enough to simply assume that everyone, on their own, will be fine. Government, at its purest, would seem to exist solely because of and for an empowered citizenry.
My progressivism recognizes that progress comes from the top-down (government to the people) and from the bottom-up (individuals influence the government). Change your life, change the country, change the world. Progress.
Classic Carlin
I had the pleasure of watching George Carlin on my 21st birthday. Although he was getting up there in age and his act had some lulls, he was funny as hell. Carlin died last week but I thought I would post some of my favorite Carlin bits. Enjoy!
Pro-Life is Anti-Woman
Sanctity of Life
Seven Words You Can't Say on Television
Modern Man
Kudos to a brilliant comedian.
Pro-Life is Anti-Woman
Sanctity of Life
Seven Words You Can't Say on Television
Modern Man
Kudos to a brilliant comedian.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Songs I have been listening to lately...
So Contagious - Acceptance
Somewhere In Between - Lifehuse
That's What You Get - Paramore
Try Again - Aaliyah
Can't Let It Go - Goo Goo Dolls
Somewhere In Between - Lifehuse
That's What You Get - Paramore
Try Again - Aaliyah
Can't Let It Go - Goo Goo Dolls
Friday, June 13, 2008
John McCain Can't Remember... (Instance #1)
In honor of John McCain's epic flip-flopping and the derailment of the "Straight Talk Express", I am beginning a first-of-its-kind-on-this-blog series entitled "John McCain Can't Remember..."
John McCain Can't Remember What He Said About Social Security
John McCain Can't Remember What He Said About Social Security
I wish I could be as racist as Fox News...
Not!
Fox News Declares Michelle Obama Barack's "Baby Mama"
I personally can't wait until Fox News becomes more and more irrelevant without a Republican president. I find the tone of their network coverage appalling and, save for Alan Colmes, I don't care for any of the people at Faux News.
Fox News Declares Michelle Obama Barack's "Baby Mama"
I personally can't wait until Fox News becomes more and more irrelevant without a Republican president. I find the tone of their network coverage appalling and, save for Alan Colmes, I don't care for any of the people at Faux News.
Tim Russert Dead at Age 58
I don't know who will sit in Tim Russert's chair on Meet the Press or during NBC debates, but I do know that he can not be replaced. I enjoyed Russert's thorough questioning, political analysis, and journalistic acumen and I will miss him on Sunday mornings. His death is a very sad loss.
Tom Brokaw Announces the Death of Tim Russert
Tom Brokaw Announces the Death of Tim Russert
Keep repeating this until November...
America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth. This was the moment—this was the time—when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves and our highest ideals.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth. This was the moment—this was the time—when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves and our highest ideals.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Winds of Change
If you have been paying attention to the political horizon over the last couple of years, it is likely clear that a storm has been brewing in this country. The last 8 years have brought us trillions of dollars of federal debt, one underfunded and undermanned war, one war entered into under false pretense and exaggerated intelligence, illegal domestic wiretaps, suspension of habeas corpus, bitter partisanship, runaway corporate mismanagement, reduced individual buying power, steeply rising energy prices, record home foreclosure rates, record home price reductions, skyrocketing college tuition costs, millions more people without health care coverage, completely ignored domestic infrastructure, declining belief that government cares about its citizens, severely reduced international support for the United States, and many other issues.
The dark thunderclouds of anger at the last 8 years...they bring with them the winds of change. I don't think that this will be a simple summer storm. This has the feel of major, life-changing event. These aren't ordinary winds, gusts bringing sideways rain splashing against windows. These are F5 winds, laden with destructive force and deadly objects, crashing through the windows of the current political landscape, laying waste the outdated infrastructure of the last 8 years and the complacency of ignorance.
Progressive change is on the horizon, led, not by a messiah, but by a man who seems to be acutely aware of his limitations, humble in the recognition of the importance of his task, cool in the face of adversity, strong in the face of history, and remarkably intelligent in his perception of the world around him. We have tried it the conservative way and we see that it has reaped what it has sown. The corruption and lies are appalling and it seems that many people now realize that it has given them little, if anything, unless they had plenty to begin with.
I welcome the progressive winds, the massive movement begun by a self-described "skinny kid from the south side of Chicago."
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
- Barack Obama
The dark thunderclouds of anger at the last 8 years...they bring with them the winds of change. I don't think that this will be a simple summer storm. This has the feel of major, life-changing event. These aren't ordinary winds, gusts bringing sideways rain splashing against windows. These are F5 winds, laden with destructive force and deadly objects, crashing through the windows of the current political landscape, laying waste the outdated infrastructure of the last 8 years and the complacency of ignorance.
Progressive change is on the horizon, led, not by a messiah, but by a man who seems to be acutely aware of his limitations, humble in the recognition of the importance of his task, cool in the face of adversity, strong in the face of history, and remarkably intelligent in his perception of the world around him. We have tried it the conservative way and we see that it has reaped what it has sown. The corruption and lies are appalling and it seems that many people now realize that it has given them little, if anything, unless they had plenty to begin with.
I welcome the progressive winds, the massive movement begun by a self-described "skinny kid from the south side of Chicago."
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
- Barack Obama
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Hillary Clinton Concession Speech Part 2
Together we will work. We’ll have to work hard to get universal health care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man, and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we need to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help elect Barack Obama our President.
This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions:
Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we answered that one.
And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama has answered that one.
Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more perfect union.
Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.
I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all the way – especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.” Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad, thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs too.
All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future.
Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America.
- Hillary Clinton
June 7, 2008
Washington D.C.
We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help elect Barack Obama our President.
This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions:
Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we answered that one.
And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama has answered that one.
Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more perfect union.
Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.
I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all the way – especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.” Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad, thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs too.
All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future.
Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America.
- Hillary Clinton
June 7, 2008
Washington D.C.
Hillary Clinton's Concession Speech Part 1
Thank you so much. Thank you all.
Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.
I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”
To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.
To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”
To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.
18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.
Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years.
I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.
The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.
Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.
I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.
In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.
Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.
I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.
We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.
We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared.
We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.
We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families.
We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.
You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.
We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House.
We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.
Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.
It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard.
So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.
Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.
I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”
To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.
To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”
To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.
18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.
Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years.
I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.
The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.
Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.
I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.
In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.
Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.
I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.
We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.
We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared.
We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.
We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families.
We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.
You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.
We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House.
We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.
Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.
It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard.
So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Back to blogging again.
I have been slacking when it comes to posting new blogs recently. I have a couple that I will be putting up this weekend, concerning Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Sex and the City. Some additional links will likely follow as well. Thanks to all for your continued readership. Stay tuned for more!
This is our moment. This is our time.
Barack Obama
June 3, 2008
St. Paul, MN
Tonight, after 54 hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.
Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Thousands of miles have been traveled. Millions of voices have been heard. And because of what you said—because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another—a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.
I want to thank every American who stood with us over the course of this campaign—through the good days and the bad; from the snows of Cedar Rapids to the sunshine of Sioux Falls. And tonight I also want to thank the men and woman who took this journey with me as fellow candidates for president.
At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office. I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better. They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.
That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she's a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.
We've certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who's shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning—even in the face of tough odds—is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children's Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as first lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency—an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.
There are those who say that this primary has somehow left us weaker and more divided. Well I say that because of this primary, there are millions of Americans who have cast their ballot for the very first time. There are independents and Republicans who understand that this election isn't just about the party in charge of Washington, it's about the need to change Washington. There are young people, and African Americans, and Latinos, and women of all ages who have voted in numbers that have broken records and inspired a nation.
All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply. But at the end of the day, we aren't the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn't do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment—a moment that will define a generation—we cannot afford to keep doing what we've been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say—let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.
In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.
Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.
It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush 95 percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.
It's not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college—policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.
And it's not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians—a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isn't making the American people any safer.
So I'll say this—there are many words to describe John McCain's attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush's policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.
Change is a foreign policy that doesn't begin and end with a war that should've never been authorized and never been waged. I won't stand here and pretend that there are many good options left in Iraq, but what's not an option is leaving our troops in that country for the next hundred years—especially at a time when our military is overstretched, our nation is isolated, and nearly every other threat to America is being ignored.
We must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in—but start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. It's time to rebuild our military and give our veterans the care they need and the benefits they deserve when they come home. It's time to refocus our efforts on al-Qaida's leadership and Afghanistan, and rally the world against the common threats of the 21st century—terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. That's what change is.
Change is realizing that meeting today's threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy—tough, direct diplomacy where the president of the United States isn't afraid to let any petty dictator know where America stands and what we stand for. We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That's what the American people want. That's what change is.
Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It's understanding that the struggles facing working families can't be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. It's understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand, as they did when Bill Clinton was president.
John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy—cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota—he'd understand the kind of change that people are looking for.
Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can't pay the medical bills for a sister who's ill, he'd understand that she can't afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass a health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That's the change we need.
Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can't even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he'd understand that we can't afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future—an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. That's the change we need.
And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he'd understand that we can't afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That's the change we need in America. That's why I'm running for president.
The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon—that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.
Despite what the good Senator from Arizona said tonight, I have seen people of differing views and opinions find common cause many times during my two decades in public life, and I have brought many together myself. I've walked arm-in-arm with community leaders on the South Side of Chicago and watched tensions fade as black, white, and Latino fought together for good jobs and good schools. I've sat across the table from law enforcement and civil rights advocates to reform a criminal justice system that sent thirteen innocent people to death row. And I've worked with friends in the other party to provide more children with health insurance and more working families with a tax break; to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and ensure that the American people know where their tax dollars are being spent; and to reduce the influence of lobbyists who have all too often set the agenda in Washington.
In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.
So it was for that band of patriots who declared in a Philadelphia hall the formation of a more perfect union; and for all those who gave on the fields of Gettysburg and Antietam their last full measure of devotion to save that same union.
So it was for the greatest generation that conquered fear itself, and liberated a continent from tyranny and made this country home to untold opportunity and prosperity.
So it was for the workers who stood out on the picket lines; the women who shattered glass ceilings; the children who braved a Selma bridge for freedom's cause.
So it has been for every generation that faced down the greatest challenges and the most improbable odds to leave their children a world that's better, and kinder, and more just.
And so it must be for us.
America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth. This was the moment—this was the time—when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves and our highest ideals. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
June 3, 2008
St. Paul, MN
Tonight, after 54 hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.
Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Thousands of miles have been traveled. Millions of voices have been heard. And because of what you said—because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another—a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.
I want to thank every American who stood with us over the course of this campaign—through the good days and the bad; from the snows of Cedar Rapids to the sunshine of Sioux Falls. And tonight I also want to thank the men and woman who took this journey with me as fellow candidates for president.
At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office. I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better. They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.
That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she's a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.
We've certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who's shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning—even in the face of tough odds—is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children's Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as first lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency—an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.
There are those who say that this primary has somehow left us weaker and more divided. Well I say that because of this primary, there are millions of Americans who have cast their ballot for the very first time. There are independents and Republicans who understand that this election isn't just about the party in charge of Washington, it's about the need to change Washington. There are young people, and African Americans, and Latinos, and women of all ages who have voted in numbers that have broken records and inspired a nation.
All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply. But at the end of the day, we aren't the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn't do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment—a moment that will define a generation—we cannot afford to keep doing what we've been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say—let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.
In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.
Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.
It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush 95 percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.
It's not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college—policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.
And it's not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians—a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isn't making the American people any safer.
So I'll say this—there are many words to describe John McCain's attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush's policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.
Change is a foreign policy that doesn't begin and end with a war that should've never been authorized and never been waged. I won't stand here and pretend that there are many good options left in Iraq, but what's not an option is leaving our troops in that country for the next hundred years—especially at a time when our military is overstretched, our nation is isolated, and nearly every other threat to America is being ignored.
We must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in—but start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. It's time to rebuild our military and give our veterans the care they need and the benefits they deserve when they come home. It's time to refocus our efforts on al-Qaida's leadership and Afghanistan, and rally the world against the common threats of the 21st century—terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. That's what change is.
Change is realizing that meeting today's threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy—tough, direct diplomacy where the president of the United States isn't afraid to let any petty dictator know where America stands and what we stand for. We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That's what the American people want. That's what change is.
Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It's understanding that the struggles facing working families can't be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. It's understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand, as they did when Bill Clinton was president.
John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy—cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota—he'd understand the kind of change that people are looking for.
Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can't pay the medical bills for a sister who's ill, he'd understand that she can't afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass a health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That's the change we need.
Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can't even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he'd understand that we can't afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future—an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. That's the change we need.
And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he'd understand that we can't afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That's the change we need in America. That's why I'm running for president.
The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon—that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.
Despite what the good Senator from Arizona said tonight, I have seen people of differing views and opinions find common cause many times during my two decades in public life, and I have brought many together myself. I've walked arm-in-arm with community leaders on the South Side of Chicago and watched tensions fade as black, white, and Latino fought together for good jobs and good schools. I've sat across the table from law enforcement and civil rights advocates to reform a criminal justice system that sent thirteen innocent people to death row. And I've worked with friends in the other party to provide more children with health insurance and more working families with a tax break; to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and ensure that the American people know where their tax dollars are being spent; and to reduce the influence of lobbyists who have all too often set the agenda in Washington.
In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.
So it was for that band of patriots who declared in a Philadelphia hall the formation of a more perfect union; and for all those who gave on the fields of Gettysburg and Antietam their last full measure of devotion to save that same union.
So it was for the greatest generation that conquered fear itself, and liberated a continent from tyranny and made this country home to untold opportunity and prosperity.
So it was for the workers who stood out on the picket lines; the women who shattered glass ceilings; the children who braved a Selma bridge for freedom's cause.
So it has been for every generation that faced down the greatest challenges and the most improbable odds to leave their children a world that's better, and kinder, and more just.
And so it must be for us.
America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth. This was the moment—this was the time—when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves and our highest ideals. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Short video concerning waterboarding from Amnesty International
This is courtesy of Andrew Sullivan's blog at TheAtlantic.com. Definitely worth the watch (the video is just about a minute long).
Our Vice President Says This Is a "No-brainer".
Our Vice President Says This Is a "No-brainer".
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Random thoughts of the day...
- Rush Limbaugh has every right to broadcast his ignorant, intolerant, ethically challenged views on a daily basis. I have the right to scoff and laugh at those who accept the words of Rush Limbaugh as doctrine.
- Hillary Clinton has every right to continue her bid for the Democratic nomination. If she ends up winning the nomination, I will be disappointed that Barack Obama did not win the nod for a moment or two and then I will throw my support behind her as the Democratic nominee. If she doesn't win the nomination and John McCain wins the presidency, I will hold Hillary Clinton responsible for 4 more years of the same level of presidential incompetency we experienced under Dubya from John McCain.
- Serving in the military and suffering torture for 5 years makes you no more patriotic than the next person. Thank you for your service to our country, John McCain. I regret that you endured the pain and agony of torture. Those events do not make you any more patriotic than I or the next person and they do not qualify you for the office of the President of the United States.
- Enough of the media trumping up Barack Obama's "bitter" comments and lack of a flag lapel pin. Let's make this about the real issues and recognize the truth for a change. For far too long, we have been numbed and dumbed down because the discourse in this country focuses on the unimportant. Barack Obama is not an elitist but he may be too good, too intelligent for the stupid voters of this country. People that want "somebody that they would drink a beer with" are the reason this country has had to endure 8 disastrous years under George W. Bush.
- Hillary Clinton has every right to continue her bid for the Democratic nomination. If she ends up winning the nomination, I will be disappointed that Barack Obama did not win the nod for a moment or two and then I will throw my support behind her as the Democratic nominee. If she doesn't win the nomination and John McCain wins the presidency, I will hold Hillary Clinton responsible for 4 more years of the same level of presidential incompetency we experienced under Dubya from John McCain.
- Serving in the military and suffering torture for 5 years makes you no more patriotic than the next person. Thank you for your service to our country, John McCain. I regret that you endured the pain and agony of torture. Those events do not make you any more patriotic than I or the next person and they do not qualify you for the office of the President of the United States.
- Enough of the media trumping up Barack Obama's "bitter" comments and lack of a flag lapel pin. Let's make this about the real issues and recognize the truth for a change. For far too long, we have been numbed and dumbed down because the discourse in this country focuses on the unimportant. Barack Obama is not an elitist but he may be too good, too intelligent for the stupid voters of this country. People that want "somebody that they would drink a beer with" are the reason this country has had to endure 8 disastrous years under George W. Bush.
Phrase of the day...
"Sodomize intolerance."
Thanks to Judd Apatow and gang for yet another priceless line, this time in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Thanks to Judd Apatow and gang for yet another priceless line, this time in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Done being fat
Being fat isn't just about the physical. It is easy to look in the mirror and see that things have gone awry. The results are evidence in and of themselves. It is more difficult to consider the psychological and emotional reasons and effects that come from and influence that body in the mirror, as well as the effects that body in the mirror has on the person.
I ate because the food I was eating tasted good. I ate because there was nothing else to do. I ate because I needed a secondary activity to keep me focused on the first, whether it was reading a book, watching a movie, or some other adventure in laziness. I ate because I'd had a bad day and there was no better way to stave off a bad mood than a double-scoop of ice cream. I ate because there was something missing in my life and double-cheeseburgers, well, surely, they could fill that void. I ate because I didn't need a reason to do it and not having to justify it was good enough for me.
When I started to gain weight, I was mired in a pool of uncertainty about where I came from, where I was going, who I was, and what I wanted from life. That pool was (as still is, to some extent) a quicksand of unhappiness. Food was a magical thing that wouldn't tell me no, wouldn't judge me for my own perceived limits and failings, wouldn't require me to account for my own actions. The truth? Food let me down big time. I let myself down big time.
***********************************************************************************
"I carry it well."
"You look fine. Love yourself for who you are."
"You don't need to change."
These are some of the things that you tell yourself, that others tell you when you are fat. Only the second sentence of the second statement above is true. Loving yourself for who you are is very important but when you don't love who you are on the outside, it is a struggle to love who you are, because of what you feel on the inside. When you are unsatisfied with yourself, it is difficult to imagine that others could be satisfied with what you have to offer.
You see, when you are fat, you don't get the education, you don't get the jobs, you don't get the relationships or the girl because you don't choose to live. You hold yourself back because being fat becomes an easy excuse not to do anything. Eventually, excuses don't suffice.
The turning point comes when you realize that you cannot continue to live fat. You cannot continue to feel winded after a flight of stairs or when you bend over to tie your shoe. It comes when you become tired of seeing that shirt that would look great on you if you weighed 50 pounds less or that pair of jeans that would fit so nicely if you could fit into a waistline 6 inches smaller. It comes when you are fed up with the too-warm feeling that comes from being overweight and is experienced regardless of season. It makes summers hell.
There are other moments which build upon each other. I wouldn't wish that stab of shame that comes from realizing that this is what you have done to yourself upon anyone. It's actually not uncommon to feel that stab of shame a few times throughout the course of a day. You see, being fat isn't just about being fat. It became, for me, the defining characteristic of who I was, what I was about. It wasn't really about what others said or did to me, rather the things I imagined others thought to themselves about me. When weight impacted my confidence, it served to magnify other uncertainties and sometimes snowballed.
When I think about my struggle with being overweight, I am reminded of lyrics from "Simon" by Lifehouse:
Locked inside
The only place
Where you feel sheltered
Where you feel safe
You lost yourself
In your search to find
Something else to hide behind
...
Refuse to feel
Anything at all
Refuse to slip
Refuse to fall
Can't be weak
Can't stand still
Watch your back
Cause no one will
You see, the getting fat and being fat...they are like that. For me, a traditionally private person, the struggle came when I was hurting and uncertain about some aspects of my life and I wasn't sure who I could turn to, what I could do about them. When I didn't reach out, I left myself with only me to turn to and that...that is not healthy. I could chase thoughts around inside my had, where nobody could judge me, for as long as it took but that didn't solve the root of the problem. I am a proud person and getting over the idea that vulnerability was equivalent to weakness was one that I struggled with greatly and an idea that I still do from time to time. What I am trying to say is that food was the antidote for the unhappiness I felt, the moments of loneliness, the numbness that I felt occasionally. As things changed and I developed closer friendships I changed for the better but the old habits and behaviors still remained.
I have sworn many times that I would change my habits, lose the weight, become healthier and happier. This latest effort cannot be more of the same. I need a victory, for my health, my mind, and my life. The impact on my life has become too much for me to continue to tolerate. The moments of insidious self-doubt that are compounded by my issues with my body, times of uncertainty clouded by image issues that have no business dictating what I do in life must go.
I know that I have so much to offer those I come in contact with and this in general and I will not be held back because of an isses that I can do something about. This isn't just about body image, this is about feeling WHOLE, about feeling in sync physically and mentally, about not being ashamed of how I look when I can control it. Failure is not an option and cannot be an option. Success is subjective and I have not defined success as of yet, but I know that with each passing week, as the scale displays a smaller number that the week before, my resolve strengthens, my confidence grows, and I know that I am one step closer to conquering what has been, for me, a lifestyle choice that has brought me great unhappiness.
***********************************************************************************
There are probably some things that I forgot to touch on which I may address in the future. Until then, let this be a record of how I feel about my weight and where I am headed...probably more in depth about this subject than I have gone in some time. I don't think this will become a trend but the truth is that there are things that I am going to be doing differently because I feel like I am wasting my life, wasting my potential by leaving it untapped. Potential only gets you so far, you need only ask Darius Miles about that. I know that when I have it together, I can be scary good. I want to be scary good again.
I ate because the food I was eating tasted good. I ate because there was nothing else to do. I ate because I needed a secondary activity to keep me focused on the first, whether it was reading a book, watching a movie, or some other adventure in laziness. I ate because I'd had a bad day and there was no better way to stave off a bad mood than a double-scoop of ice cream. I ate because there was something missing in my life and double-cheeseburgers, well, surely, they could fill that void. I ate because I didn't need a reason to do it and not having to justify it was good enough for me.
When I started to gain weight, I was mired in a pool of uncertainty about where I came from, where I was going, who I was, and what I wanted from life. That pool was (as still is, to some extent) a quicksand of unhappiness. Food was a magical thing that wouldn't tell me no, wouldn't judge me for my own perceived limits and failings, wouldn't require me to account for my own actions. The truth? Food let me down big time. I let myself down big time.
***********************************************************************************
"I carry it well."
"You look fine. Love yourself for who you are."
"You don't need to change."
These are some of the things that you tell yourself, that others tell you when you are fat. Only the second sentence of the second statement above is true. Loving yourself for who you are is very important but when you don't love who you are on the outside, it is a struggle to love who you are, because of what you feel on the inside. When you are unsatisfied with yourself, it is difficult to imagine that others could be satisfied with what you have to offer.
You see, when you are fat, you don't get the education, you don't get the jobs, you don't get the relationships or the girl because you don't choose to live. You hold yourself back because being fat becomes an easy excuse not to do anything. Eventually, excuses don't suffice.
The turning point comes when you realize that you cannot continue to live fat. You cannot continue to feel winded after a flight of stairs or when you bend over to tie your shoe. It comes when you become tired of seeing that shirt that would look great on you if you weighed 50 pounds less or that pair of jeans that would fit so nicely if you could fit into a waistline 6 inches smaller. It comes when you are fed up with the too-warm feeling that comes from being overweight and is experienced regardless of season. It makes summers hell.
There are other moments which build upon each other. I wouldn't wish that stab of shame that comes from realizing that this is what you have done to yourself upon anyone. It's actually not uncommon to feel that stab of shame a few times throughout the course of a day. You see, being fat isn't just about being fat. It became, for me, the defining characteristic of who I was, what I was about. It wasn't really about what others said or did to me, rather the things I imagined others thought to themselves about me. When weight impacted my confidence, it served to magnify other uncertainties and sometimes snowballed.
When I think about my struggle with being overweight, I am reminded of lyrics from "Simon" by Lifehouse:
Locked inside
The only place
Where you feel sheltered
Where you feel safe
You lost yourself
In your search to find
Something else to hide behind
...
Refuse to feel
Anything at all
Refuse to slip
Refuse to fall
Can't be weak
Can't stand still
Watch your back
Cause no one will
You see, the getting fat and being fat...they are like that. For me, a traditionally private person, the struggle came when I was hurting and uncertain about some aspects of my life and I wasn't sure who I could turn to, what I could do about them. When I didn't reach out, I left myself with only me to turn to and that...that is not healthy. I could chase thoughts around inside my had, where nobody could judge me, for as long as it took but that didn't solve the root of the problem. I am a proud person and getting over the idea that vulnerability was equivalent to weakness was one that I struggled with greatly and an idea that I still do from time to time. What I am trying to say is that food was the antidote for the unhappiness I felt, the moments of loneliness, the numbness that I felt occasionally. As things changed and I developed closer friendships I changed for the better but the old habits and behaviors still remained.
I have sworn many times that I would change my habits, lose the weight, become healthier and happier. This latest effort cannot be more of the same. I need a victory, for my health, my mind, and my life. The impact on my life has become too much for me to continue to tolerate. The moments of insidious self-doubt that are compounded by my issues with my body, times of uncertainty clouded by image issues that have no business dictating what I do in life must go.
I know that I have so much to offer those I come in contact with and this in general and I will not be held back because of an isses that I can do something about. This isn't just about body image, this is about feeling WHOLE, about feeling in sync physically and mentally, about not being ashamed of how I look when I can control it. Failure is not an option and cannot be an option. Success is subjective and I have not defined success as of yet, but I know that with each passing week, as the scale displays a smaller number that the week before, my resolve strengthens, my confidence grows, and I know that I am one step closer to conquering what has been, for me, a lifestyle choice that has brought me great unhappiness.
***********************************************************************************
There are probably some things that I forgot to touch on which I may address in the future. Until then, let this be a record of how I feel about my weight and where I am headed...probably more in depth about this subject than I have gone in some time. I don't think this will become a trend but the truth is that there are things that I am going to be doing differently because I feel like I am wasting my life, wasting my potential by leaving it untapped. Potential only gets you so far, you need only ask Darius Miles about that. I know that when I have it together, I can be scary good. I want to be scary good again.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Writer's block interlude
I have been sitting here trying to write something profound and nothing is coming. In the absence of a stream of opinion, I thought I would share the lyrics to my favorite song. Those who know me in the real world may find it suprising that the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" is the number one song on my list but that doesn't change the facts.
Iris
by Goo Goo Dolls
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
And you bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
(break and solo)
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
Personally, "Iris" hits close to home lyrically on a couple of different levels. Throw in the beautifully assembled music, sweeping strings and charming acoustic guitar and the necessary ingredients for in place for "Iris" to catch me and tug me in a way that no other song can. There are several songs from Lifehouse that have a similar effect but nothing like "Iris."
I may go into more detail about this at a future time, however, it is time for me to pack it in for now.
Iris
by Goo Goo Dolls
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
And you bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
(break and solo)
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
Personally, "Iris" hits close to home lyrically on a couple of different levels. Throw in the beautifully assembled music, sweeping strings and charming acoustic guitar and the necessary ingredients for in place for "Iris" to catch me and tug me in a way that no other song can. There are several songs from Lifehouse that have a similar effect but nothing like "Iris."
I may go into more detail about this at a future time, however, it is time for me to pack it in for now.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sam Harris blog discussing religion and Obama hits the mark
Anyone reading this blog who is not familiar with Sam Harris may not appreciate his work as much as I do. I found this blog on Huffington Post to be interesting and on the money, per usual. Click on the title of this blog entry to view his thoughts.
RE: Spitzer comment
Comment posted to previous blog:
Anonymous said...
Im not sure I'd say calling her at fault is in regards to a woman fulfilling a mans need as much as it is a general statement that in a relationship if one isn't emotionally or physically fulfilled they will go elsewhere man or woman. Though I do agree he was wrong and at fault it is an unfortunate fact that a signifcant other may stray if not happy which is usually for many reasons and some fault can be placed on the other if they purposely didn't attempt to maintain their relationship.
March 13, 2008 10:41 PM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response:
I understand the nature of your argument, and I know that Bill Maher had a similar thought process regarding the issue. It is true that there will be some in relationships who will, rather than leave the relationship, step outside of the relationship to fulfill needs that are not being fulfilled in their current relationship, whether physical, emotional, or whatever the need may be. My post was in response to specific comments made by Dr. Laura and echoed by others which placed much of the blame on the shoulders of Mrs. Spitzer and diminished the responsibility of Mr. Spitzer.
I did not take much time to address Mrs. Spitzer's possible role because I do not know the intimate goings-on in the Spitzer household. I felt it fair only to address the notion that the female is somehow more responsible than the cheating male (and I would make the same argument in the case of a female cheating on a male) for his actions.
Thank you for your continued interest.
Anonymous said...
Im not sure I'd say calling her at fault is in regards to a woman fulfilling a mans need as much as it is a general statement that in a relationship if one isn't emotionally or physically fulfilled they will go elsewhere man or woman. Though I do agree he was wrong and at fault it is an unfortunate fact that a signifcant other may stray if not happy which is usually for many reasons and some fault can be placed on the other if they purposely didn't attempt to maintain their relationship.
March 13, 2008 10:41 PM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response:
I understand the nature of your argument, and I know that Bill Maher had a similar thought process regarding the issue. It is true that there will be some in relationships who will, rather than leave the relationship, step outside of the relationship to fulfill needs that are not being fulfilled in their current relationship, whether physical, emotional, or whatever the need may be. My post was in response to specific comments made by Dr. Laura and echoed by others which placed much of the blame on the shoulders of Mrs. Spitzer and diminished the responsibility of Mr. Spitzer.
I did not take much time to address Mrs. Spitzer's possible role because I do not know the intimate goings-on in the Spitzer household. I felt it fair only to address the notion that the female is somehow more responsible than the cheating male (and I would make the same argument in the case of a female cheating on a male) for his actions.
Thank you for your continued interest.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
A thought on Dr. Laura and Eliot Spitzer...
Did you know that when ahusband sleeps with a woman who is not his wife, it is his wife's fault? According to Dr. Laura, the likely reason that Eliot Spitzer cheated on his wife was because he needed validation, to feel like a man. Let's be honest...if he wasn't getting it at home, well, he was obviously going to get it from somewhere, because that is what husbands do when they have bitchy, naggy, unsupportive wives. Is there no end to the steady stream of absurdity pouring from the lips of conservative talk radio hosts?
Eliot Spitzer paid thousands of dollars to have sex with a prostitute on multiple occasions over the past several years. His actions were solely his own, the motivation behind his actions secondary to his behavior. What he did was wrong, no doubt. Through his choices, he has tarnished a political career that could have one day taken him to presidential candidate status, humiliated himself, his wife and his family, and committed a grave disservice to the people of the state of New York.
In blaming the wife, Dr. Laura once again espouses a view that places women in a role subordinate to men, to take care of the needs and desires of men. Such a view minimizes the responsibility of the individual committing the adultery. in this case Eliot Spitzer and, consequently, lays blame at the feet of Mrs. Spitzer. Now, it is entirely possible that Mrs. Spitzer is an evil, bitter woman who is unsupportive, critical, harsh, and does not show the least bit of love to Mr. Spitzer. It is ultimately irrelevant, and seems more likely that Mr. Spitzer is simply a man driven by his own ego, as so many in his position often are, to pursue the next rush and responsible for his own actions, answerable to the people of the state of New York, the Democratic party, and, most importantly, his wife. You see, the responsibility of maintaining and nurturing a healthy relationship/marriage falls equally on both individuals in the relationship. For whatever potential negatives on the part of Mrs. Spitzer, Mr. Spitzer is alone in his role in the relationship and in that he, and he alone, failed miserably, not Mrs. Spitzer.
Eliot Spitzer paid thousands of dollars to have sex with a prostitute on multiple occasions over the past several years. His actions were solely his own, the motivation behind his actions secondary to his behavior. What he did was wrong, no doubt. Through his choices, he has tarnished a political career that could have one day taken him to presidential candidate status, humiliated himself, his wife and his family, and committed a grave disservice to the people of the state of New York.
In blaming the wife, Dr. Laura once again espouses a view that places women in a role subordinate to men, to take care of the needs and desires of men. Such a view minimizes the responsibility of the individual committing the adultery. in this case Eliot Spitzer and, consequently, lays blame at the feet of Mrs. Spitzer. Now, it is entirely possible that Mrs. Spitzer is an evil, bitter woman who is unsupportive, critical, harsh, and does not show the least bit of love to Mr. Spitzer. It is ultimately irrelevant, and seems more likely that Mr. Spitzer is simply a man driven by his own ego, as so many in his position often are, to pursue the next rush and responsible for his own actions, answerable to the people of the state of New York, the Democratic party, and, most importantly, his wife. You see, the responsibility of maintaining and nurturing a healthy relationship/marriage falls equally on both individuals in the relationship. For whatever potential negatives on the part of Mrs. Spitzer, Mr. Spitzer is alone in his role in the relationship and in that he, and he alone, failed miserably, not Mrs. Spitzer.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Hillary Clinton
Just a brief reaction to a couple of news items involving Hillary Clinton…
First, with regard to Hillary’s eyes filling with tears and voice trembling with genuine emotion responding to a question in New Hampshire, I must say that I appreciated the side that I saw. Often, Hillary strikes not only me, but many others, as being overly calculating and shrill. I feel that it is truly refreshing to see something as real and revealing as her emotional response, particularly from somebody that some view as the devil incarnate.
Sean Hannity, conservative talk radio host and co-host of Hannity and Colmes on Fox News, spends a great deal of time harping about liberals but he has a particular fervor when it comes to discussing Hillary and Bill Clinton. Former Clinton advisor Dick Morris was on H&C tonight and when discussing the “breakdown”, he implied that this was something that might be indicative of what America might expect from its president during a crisis situation if Hillary were to be elected this November. Hannity didn’t hesitate when it came time to jump on that bandwagon.
There was another instance today where protesters at a Hillary rally carried signs reading “Iron my shirt” and shouted that same slogan aloud before being escorted from the rally by police. Hillary responded by dismissing them and making a joke of the situation. Where has my thinking about these two incidents led me?
…
Forgive me for putting words into the mouth of Dick Morris when I say that what he left unsaid was that Hillary would become an emotional wreck when faced with a tough situation. Is that because she is a woman? If so, what hasn’t he learned about women and what hasn’t he learned about Hillary Clinton? I would say that men and women alike are just as likely to fall apart at any given moment. Let’s get past this idea that a woman is likely to crumble at the first difficult situation. In particular, Hillary Clinton hardly strikes me as somebody who doesn’t know how to deal with pressure and difficult situations. She has been involved in politics for over 30 years and has had to deal with the wrath of Republicans for many years on a national level. She hardly seems to be in need of a blankie and a good thumb-sucking session.
I guess that I really don’t need to add anything about the protesters. Their idiocy speaks for itself (at least, I hope it does).
First, with regard to Hillary’s eyes filling with tears and voice trembling with genuine emotion responding to a question in New Hampshire, I must say that I appreciated the side that I saw. Often, Hillary strikes not only me, but many others, as being overly calculating and shrill. I feel that it is truly refreshing to see something as real and revealing as her emotional response, particularly from somebody that some view as the devil incarnate.
Sean Hannity, conservative talk radio host and co-host of Hannity and Colmes on Fox News, spends a great deal of time harping about liberals but he has a particular fervor when it comes to discussing Hillary and Bill Clinton. Former Clinton advisor Dick Morris was on H&C tonight and when discussing the “breakdown”, he implied that this was something that might be indicative of what America might expect from its president during a crisis situation if Hillary were to be elected this November. Hannity didn’t hesitate when it came time to jump on that bandwagon.
There was another instance today where protesters at a Hillary rally carried signs reading “Iron my shirt” and shouted that same slogan aloud before being escorted from the rally by police. Hillary responded by dismissing them and making a joke of the situation. Where has my thinking about these two incidents led me?
…
Forgive me for putting words into the mouth of Dick Morris when I say that what he left unsaid was that Hillary would become an emotional wreck when faced with a tough situation. Is that because she is a woman? If so, what hasn’t he learned about women and what hasn’t he learned about Hillary Clinton? I would say that men and women alike are just as likely to fall apart at any given moment. Let’s get past this idea that a woman is likely to crumble at the first difficult situation. In particular, Hillary Clinton hardly strikes me as somebody who doesn’t know how to deal with pressure and difficult situations. She has been involved in politics for over 30 years and has had to deal with the wrath of Republicans for many years on a national level. She hardly seems to be in need of a blankie and a good thumb-sucking session.
I guess that I really don’t need to add anything about the protesters. Their idiocy speaks for itself (at least, I hope it does).
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