It's been almost three weeks since the inauguration and I'm just now starting to see Obama's face in my head when they mention "the President" on t.v. It seems too good to be true.
Bush & Obama met in the Oval Office today. Just 71 days to go!
Obama took a walk through his old Hawaiian neighborhood today.
This is Obama's response to accusations by the McCain campaign that his tax policies are socialist:
"It's true that I want to roll back the Bush tax cuts," Obama said. "John McCain calls that socialism. What he forgets, conveniently, is that just a few years ago, he himself said those Bush tax cuts were irresponsible. He said he couldn't 'in good conscience' support a tax [cut] where the benefits went to the wealthy at the expense of 'middle-class Americans who most need tax relief.' That's his quote. Well, he was right then, and I am right now."
Source: LA Times
The big news of the day was that Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver accused Catholic groups that support Obama of doing a "disservice to the church".
On my way home from mass, the thought occurred to me that Catholics have a moral obligation to choose the candidate who is most qualified. Obama has demonstrated that he has the intellect needed to address the very complex issues facing our country right now.
I'm no theologian, but I don't want vote for a candidate just because they're pro-life. Been there, done that.
Please get out and vote early! Early voting in Utah starts Tuesday, October 21st and runs through Friday, October 31st.
Go here to find your early voting location: http://www.voteforchange.com/index_obama.php.
Why am I starting to feel sad? Because this is the most I have ever become involved in a political campaign. Ever! And in 3 weeks, it will come to an end.
I know there will be much to do if Obama is elected, but the experience of being involved in this campaign has been quite amazing.
I didn't know I had it in me to dedicate this much of my time to supporting a candidate for President. It also has been incredible to see the dedication of so many other supporters.
Yes WE Can!
What McCain doesn't understand is that in the midst of this current global financial meltdown, politicians don't have the luxury of politics as usual.
What Americans want right now is a leader who can show empathy for those that are hurting, demonstrate the intellect and resolve to get the job done, and calm in the midst of emotional upheaval.
Obama has done all three.
The last time our country went through a recession it was the early 1990s. As I prepare for this one, I remembered what got me through the last one - credit cards!
My credit cards allowed me the ability to not really feel the pain of the recession. My lifestyle and Christmas shopping list didn't change one iota.
But this time around, credit will be more difficult to obtain. And not only that, with the higher rates credit companies will be charging, many may decide to just forego them.
With the proposal to purchase mortgages, McCain just lost his conservative base support, albeit not entirely.
Conservatives have always been leery of McCain. He changed that by picking Sarah Palin. Though she has turned out to be somewhat of an airhead, Palin Power lives on.
But this idea of the government getting into the mortgage market business is already showing to be a very unpopular idea and to conservatives it smells of the pre-election McCain they didn't much like.
The GOP's party platform was approved earlier this month at the convention. Part of it discussed rebuilding homeownership. If the Republicans truly believe in the free market as stated below, they cannot approve the bailout. (See http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/Economy.htm)
Rebuilding Homeownership"We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself. We believe in the free market as the best tool to sustained prosperity and opportunity for all."
Rebuilding Homeownership
"We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself. We believe in the free market as the best tool to sustained prosperity and opportunity for all."
The first day of the GOP convention has just ended. What surprised me most was the lack of diversity among those in attendance, though I did see an African-American security person tell people to move aside. Lots of cowboy hats and an Abraham Lincoln look-alike.
CNN has a live stream if you don't want to have commercials nor hear any commentary.http://www.cnn.com/video/live/live.html?stream=stream4
If you don't want the commercials and the commentary, you can watch the DNC Convention live online. Full-screen and excellent quality. Here's the link:
http://gallery1.demconvention.com/
Former U.S. Representative Jim Leach (R-IA) gave a great speech on the first night of the DNC Convention. He laid out the reasons why the "Republican Party has broken with its conservative heritage." You can read the full transcript here.
The party that once emphasized individual rights has gravitated in recent years toward regulating values. The party of military responsibility has taken us to war with a country that did not attack us. The party that formerly led the world in arms control has moved to undercut treaties crucial to the defense of the earth. The party that prides itself on conservation has abdicated its responsibilities in the face of global warming. And the party historically anchored in fiscal restraint has nearly doubled the national debt, squandering our precious resources in an undisciplined and unprecedented effort to finance a war with tax cuts.
From Michelle's brother, Craig Robinson, in his speech tonight:
If you're looking for a political analysis based on his playing, here it is: he's confident but not cocky, he'll take the shot if he's open, he's a team player who improves the people around him, and he won’t back down from any challenge.
10. I was taking a nap. I wanted to be in top form. As you can see from my performance, it worked!
9. I was watching the Olympics. That Misha Phelps is an excellent swimmer!
8. Interrupt my suppertime? I don’t think so.
7. I was working on my weekly Presidential radio address.
6. Kept mulling over whether to use sandal or stick in my “dirt in the cross” Christmas story.
5. My motorcade was held up by the local paparazzi.
4. I don’t usually work weekends.
3. I got caught up in prayer for Georgia and Florida.
2. Me? Follow the rules? I’m a maverick!
1. My friends, I’m a P.O.W. How dare you question my integrity!
Contrary to what Rick Warren promised, McCain was not in a "cone of silence" during Obama's interview, unless you consider his secret service detail a "cone of silence". In fact, McCain did not arrive at the church until half an hour into Obama's interview. What would keep him from watching the interview or being told the questions in advance by his campaign staff?
I have never seen McCain this prepared for an interview. No hemming and hawing. No long pauses. As if he knew what he would say in advance. Unlike Pastor Warren, I simply cannot take McCain at his word that he did not find out the questions in advance.
Watch Rick Warren try to explain this away during a CNN interview.http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/08/17/rick.warren.forum.interview.cnn
