Ladonna Reaves's Blog

Best wishes to Barack Obama!

SweetThang — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:03:06 EST

Best wishes to Barack Obama as he takes the Oath of Office today! I wish that I could be there in Washington DC to see it but I have to go to work. Congratulations and Best Wishes!

Let me leave you with this musical selection, "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RssIN3ustUw

Tomorrow is the Big Day Everybody! Are You Ready!

SweetThang — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:14:57 EST

Tomorrow is the Big Day! the inauguration of Barack Obama. I didn't ever think in my lifetime I would ever see what I'm about to witness tomorrow. My parents didn't think they would live to see this either. I wish my grandparents had lived to see this day. As well as my great grandparents and those ancestors that came before them. For they endured the brutality of the middle passage, toiled in the cotton fields, and lived through the unfairness of segregation.

I wish some of my heros such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks could be here to see this day.

I wish that Ray Charles was still alive so that he could be invited to the inauguration to sing this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghz4_kikLkE

As the Bush administration comes to a close, I would like to dedicate a Ray Charles song to the Bush administration as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDalo-ObM14

If you still want to go to the inauguration, you still have a chance.

SweetThang — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:59:44 EST

If you live in the Detroit area and you still want to go to the inauguration, you still have a chance. U.S. Representative John Conyers is raffling inauguration tickets. You have until 5:00 PM, Friday, January 2, 2009 to enter the drawing.

http://www.freep.com/article/20081230/NEWS15/81230042/1001/rss01

Conyers office to raffle inauguration tickets

By TODD SPANGLER • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF • December 30, 2008

WASHINGTON – With his office getting crushed with requests for inaugural tickets, U.S. Rep. John Conyers has decided to give his out via a lottery.

Conyers’ spokeswoman, Karen Morgan, says the Detroit and Washington offices will be taking requests until the close of business – about 5 p.m. – on Friday, Jan. 2, with the winning names to be drawn Saturday.

Winners of the inaugural tickets will be notified by phone or email.

To date, the Detroit Democrat’s office has received about 2,500 requests from people – mostly in his district – for some 8,000 tickets to see Barack Obama inaugurated Jan. 20 as the first African-American U.S. president.

Each congressman gets 190 tickets – and some of Conyers’ are already spoken for – so the office is trying to limit requests to two tickets each, though in some cases more might be awarded.

Those interested should call Conyers’ office in Detroit at 313-961-5670, or in Washington at 202-225-5126, to leave their requests. And they should be sure to leave their name, address, email and telephone number, too.

Front Pages of Newpapers Highlighting Obama's Victory

SweetThang — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:33:05 EST

Here are the front pages of the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and the Times-Picayune. I went around to three stores before I could find any newspapers. These are collector's items. People were buying them by the stack full. I purchased a stack of them for myself.

http://media.freep.com/documents/freep11052008/index.htm

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA!!!!!!

SweetThang — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:23:27 EST

Lets give a Big Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama!!!! Wow!!! This feels more like New Year's Eve than a presidential election. My relatives are calling me on the phone. I'm have been calling relatives. People are driving through the streets blowing their car horns. This is a historic moment. The United States of America as we know it is going to change. I can't help but feel that I played a part in this victory. I am not a political person and I never been involved in a presidential campaign. I volunteered and I wonder if the phone calls I made or the doors I knocked on helped make a difference.

I tried to post some fireworks to celebrate, but I'm not that good at computers or html code. So I will just post the links below for you to see them.

http://www.amazing-animations.com/animations/fireworks20.gif

http://www.amazing-animations.com/animations/fireworks21.gif

My Voted Counted!

SweetThang — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:05:18 EST

I voted at Pershing High School today. Everybody was there from the barely 18 year old, first time voting group, all the way up to senior citizens. Plus everyone in between. It took nearly two hours for me to get through the line. I got there at about 10:15 AM and by the time I was done voting, it was 12:00 noon. The senior citizens, my parents included, got to go straight to the front of the line so they wouldn't have to stand in the long line. Lucky them! After voting, I went and got something to eat. I passed by Van Zile Elementary School, another polling place, and there were about 200 cars parked in front of the school. So in all my years of voting, this is the largest voter turn out I've ever seen. In past elections, it took me no longer than 20 minutes to vote but today was nearly two hours.

Okay Folks, it's 7:00 AM in Michigan!

SweetThang — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:06:41 EST

The polls are now open so...

GET OUT THE VOTE!!!!!!!

McCain Supporter Denies Candy To Children Of Obama Supporters On Halloween (VIDEO)

SweetThang — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:25:23 EST

I figured I'd share this with you all.

This lady really needs to get a grip. Denying the babies Halloween candy if their parents don't support the right candidate. This is the mind set we are up against.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/mccain-supporter-denies-c_n_140075.html

My Deepest Sympathy goes out to the Obama Family

SweetThang — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:03:23 EST

I am deeply saddened by the loss of Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. What makes it even more sad is that it happened the day before Election Day. Tomorrow is going to feel so bittersweet. I am going to keep the Obama family in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm going to expose Unknown User.

SweetThang — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:02:02 EDT

By examining Unknown Users writing style, I have a feeling that Unknown User is Willneverforget. He goes by the name Willneverforget on the message boards at Black Voices. He posts the same, repetitive, anti-Obama drivel over there.

Barack Obama's Grandmother is very ill. :-(

SweetThang — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:45:58 EDT

Let's say a prayer for Barack and his grandmother.

(((Barack Obama)))

(((Madelyn Dunham)))

Please read the following article.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081021/ap_on_el_pr/obama_grandmother

Big ballot boo-boo: Osama for president?

SweetThang — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:55:26 EDT

Everybody! Read your ballots carefully because there is more trickery going on. They will do this mess and then the ballots won't count. So check, double check, and triple check your ballot.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=728326

Big ballot boo-boo: Osama for president? Rensselaer County gaffe makes national news after absentee ballots misspell Barack Obama's name By BOB GARDINIER, Staff writer
First published in print: Saturday, October 11, 2008

TROY — It could have been Ovama or Ofama. Or even Olama.

But with one "s" the Rensselaer County Board of Elections turned a single wrong letter into a national embarrassment Friday.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's last name is spelled "Osama" on some 300 absentee ballots mailed out this week to voters in Rensselaer County hilltowns.

Is it a Freudian slip, intentional gaffe or a mistake? Voters are sure to have opinions, and one politician pointed out that the letters "s" and "b" are not exactly keyboard neighbors.

"Of all the letters to hit by mistake," County Democratic Chairman Tom Wade said. "Unfortunately it is a mistake which negatively impacts our Democratic candidate for president."

The typo was first reported Friday on timesunion.com, and quickly grabbed national attention.

"It was crazy, everybody across the country called," said Edward McDonough, the county's Democratic elections commissioner. He said calls came in from The New York Times, the New York Post, Daily News, Wall Street Journal and Court TV.

McDonough said he was one of the people who received a misspelled absentee ballot at home, and he didn't even notice it.

Elections officials on both sides of the aisle insist a simple typographical error caused the national embarrassment. "It was a mistake innocently done," McDonough said. "We catch almost everything."

Republican officials were apologetic. "We have three different staff members who proof these things and somehow the typo got by us," said Republican Commissioner Larry Bugbee. "We really apologize."

On Row 1A, Barack Obama's name is spelled Barack Osama — a name bearing an unfortunate resemblance to terror mastermind Osama bin Laden - but further down on the Working Families line it is spelled correctly.

The Obama camp took the controversy in stride.

"We're glad officials are working to correct this error and we assume it won't happen again," Obama spokesman Blake Zeff said.

McDonough said the absentee ballots with the error went out to voters in Brunswick, Nassau, Sand Lake, Schaghticoke and Schodack. Three voters called to report the error.

By day's end, officials decided to issue new ballots to all 300 voters. They realized some people might cross out the misspelling and write in the correct spelling.

"Election law is quite clear that any corrections done on a ballot will nullify the vote, so to be safe, we re-issued them," McDonough said.

One Sand Lake resident who caught the misspelling, and who asked to be anonymous, was skeptical. "It's a little suspicious and at least grossly incompetent," the voter said.

District Attorney Richard McNally said the incident is unlikely to produce a criminal investigation.

"Both sides are saying this is an honest mistake, so unless we find out otherwise, I don't see it going that way," McNally said.

Rensselaer County is the only county in the state that prints ballots in-house.

"It saves the taxpayers a lot of money," McDonough said.

Wade said it might be time to rethink that practice.

Bob Gardinier can be reached at 454-5696 or by e-mail at bgardinier@timesunion.com.

Sarah Palin really has her nerve!

SweetThang — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:17:02 EDT

I take that back. She doesn't have nerve. She has gall.

Says Obama will diminish the prestige of the presidency. Yet, this is somebody who says "doggonit" during an interview and can't pronounce the g's at the end of her words.

Also says Obama is far out of mainstream America. Yet, her running mate can't even mention "middle class" during his speeches or debates. So who do you really think is out of the mainstream?

Here is the article. I will let you read it for yourself:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14429.htmlPalin: Obama not telling ‘total truth’By ANDY BARR | 10/9/08 2:28 PM EDT Text Size:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin attacked Barack Obama Thursday for not being honest about his association with 1960s radical William Ayers.

“Barack Obama hasn’t told the American people the total truth about that, about his association with Ayers,” Palin said on conservative radio host Laura Ingraham’s show. “Doggonit, he fails to tell the American people with candor and with truthfulness what his associations are and we have to know.”

Palin blamed the media for not providing what she characterized as the same level of scrutiny to Obama that it has applied to her and running mate John McCain.

“I don't see the other ticket being asked to be truthful and give details,” Palin said.

“Some in the mainstream media are saying that, well, we’re taking the gloves off unfairly. No. You know there are only, what, 26 days to go. We gotta start getting answers to these questions that are paramount here so that voters have a choice in front of them that is based on truthfulness and candor. They deserve it.”

The Alaska governor told Ingraham’s listeners that if those questions were being answered, voters would find Obama “out of the mainstream,” adding that the Illinois senator would diminish “the prestige of the United States presidency.”

McCain sounded like a broken record all during the debate

SweetThang — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:11:52 EDT

All throughout the debate in the answers to various questions. All night long, McCain said "I understand..." , "I understand...", and "What Obama doesn't understand is...".

Just like "maverick" was the buzzword in last weeks debate with Palin. In this debate the buzzwords are "I understand..."

I also think that Tom Brokaw had a bias toward McCain. He would let McCain speak longer than his alloted (sp) time. But he would cut Obama off when his time was up.

Don't Believe the Hype!

SweetThang — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:23:41 EDT

As we approach the final weeks of this presidential campaign, don't fall for any of John McCains's okey doke, trickery, or tomfoolery. Now that Barack Obama's lead is getting larger, John McCain is probably going to launch a whole slew of attack adds. He will probably bring up Rev. Wright. He will say that Obama is really a Muslim. Repeatly use Obama's middle name. He will also bring up Obama's alleged connections to convicted money launderer Tony Rezko. So if you see or hear any of these attack ads on TV or radio, either turn it off or change the channel.

The VP Debate

SweetThang — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:32:47 EDT

I tuned in to the VP debate last night. From viewing several of her interviews in the past couple of weeks, I really thought Palin was going to stumble and stutter. She did better than I expected. She practiced and rehearsed and had her answers all written out. However, Biden still won the debate. In spite of all of Palin's practicing, she still didn't answer the questions she was asked.

I was counting on my hand the number of times Palin said "Maverick". I'm glad that Biden nipped all of that "Maverick" mess in the bud. I was viewing the debate with a group of other people. When Biden said that Dick Cheney was one of the "Most Dangerous" vice presidents we ever had, everyone started laughing. I mean it's true. You can't even go hunting with the man.

So overall this debate was a victory for Biden. This debate highlighted Biden's experience and Palin's inexperience. So my advice to Palin is get more experience and get to know about America outside of Alaska before even thinking about running for Vice President.

Slide Presentation!

SweetThang — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:56:33 EDT

Here is a slideshow a coworker emailed to me. Enjoy!

http://mysistagirl.com/myalbum.html

McCain Abandon's Campaign in Michigan YAY!!! ...I Mean Awww! That's Too Bad!

SweetThang — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:50:18 EDT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081002/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_30McCain abandons efforts to win Michigan

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers 39 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - In a major concession, Republican John McCain has abandoned efforts to win Michigan, a Democratic-leaning battleground state the GOP presidential candidate had hoped to capture. Republican officials with knowledge of the strategy said the GOP nominee is removing staff, curtailing advertising and canceling visits to the Midwestern state, which offers 17 electoral votes.

Resources will be sent to Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and other competitive states.

News of McCain's decision came as Democrat Barack Obama prepared to take the stage for a rally at Michigan State University, his third event in the state in five days. If he knew about McCain's plans, Obama didn't mention it and continued to criticize his rival's economic policies as just a continuation of the Bush administration philosophy.

"My opponents' philosophy isn't just wrongheaded, it reveals out how out of touch he really is," Obama told more than 15,000 who gathered on a chilly fall afternoon.

Word of the strategy change also came as attention was focused on the vice presidential debate between Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden.

Democrat John Kerry won Michigan in 2004, but McCain had identified it early on as a potential target, particularly in light of Obama's troubles with white working-class voters. But the terrain in Michigan was never friendly. It has a Democratic governor, and Republican strategists said the state's poor economy and McCain's association with the unpopular President Bush proved too much for the GOP nominee to overcome.

Those problems, they said, became more acute for McCain in Michigan following the Wall Street collapse.

That doesn't bode well for a Republican trying maneuver in an increasingly difficult political environment.

The move came as McCain struggles to gain traction with the financial crisis consuming the presidential campaign and commanding voters' attention. Polls nationally and in key states show the Democratic nominee with a lead, one that some McCain backers fear and Obama supporters hope may hold.

One GOP official said McCain's campaign made the decision to pull out of Michigan on Wednesday night, and conveyed the orders to staffers midday Thursday.

Earlier, a local news station reported that McCain canceled a trip to the state next week without explanation. Then, Democrats and Republicans who track the campaign's advertising said the Republican did not buy airtime for Michigan for next week, though he did so for every other state where he's been on the air. And, there was no indication that the Republican National Committee would continue running ads there either.

It's costly to run advertising in the state; McCain's campaign was spending $1 million a week in the state. But polls showed a backward slide for McCain in the economically ailing state where he is closely aligned with Bush.

One month before the election, the Electoral College map continues to shrink as both sides adjust their strategies daily as they seek the best possible state-by-state path to the 270 votes needed for victory.

Earlier, Obama abandoned efforts in Alaska, Georgia and North Dakota after boasting about running a 50-state campaign, though he succeeded in making traditional Republican strongholds Indiana, North Carolina and Virginia competitive. Both sides are battling it out in those states where public polls show Obama ahead or tied.

A McCain aide said the campaign is opening up a front in Maine, which Kerry won four years ago and which offers four electoral votes. His campaign checked advertising rates in media markets there this week.

McCain really needs to stop! ... Just Stop!!!!

SweetThang — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:43:32 EDT

Here is an article I read on Yahoo!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081002/pl_politico/14207

McCain laments selection of Ifill

Mike Allen Thu Oct 2, 10:05 AM ET

Hours ahead of the vice presidential debate, Sen John McCain (R-Ariz.) criticized the selection of PBS's Gwen Ifill as moderator because she is writing a book called "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama."

“Frankly, I wish they had picked a moderator that isn’t writing a book favorable to Barack Obama — let's face it," McCain said on "Fox & Friends." "But I have to have confidence that Gwen Ifill will handle this as the professional journalist that she is. ...

"Life isn’t fair, as I mentioned earlier in the program."

Ifill is moderator and managing editor of "Washington Week" and senior correspondent of "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer." She is viewed as one of Washington's fairest journalists.

The propriety of her selection as moderator for tonight's debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) was questioned by conservatives after the Drudge Report drew attention to her book, to be published in January.

McCain took a different tack the day before, telling Fox News in another interview: "I think that Gwen Ifill is a professional, and I think that she will do a totally objective job because she is a highly respected professional. Does this help that if she has written a book that is favorable to Senator Obama? Probably not, but I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job. And I have that confidence."

Palin told conservative radio host Sean Hannity on Wednesday that the supposed conflict would just make her "try harder." Here's their exchange:

HANNITY: Let me ask you one last question. There's been this issue that the moderator of tomorrow night's debate, Gwen Ifill, is apparently writing a book to come out the time the next president takes office, and apparently, I actually have the tape, and I'll play it for you. This is Gwen Ifill talking about the book and it seems very favorable to Barack Obama, I want to ask you out of this if you're concerned about it.

IFILL: My name is Gwen Ifill. I am the moderator and managing editor of Washington Week and a senior correspondent for the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. The title of the book is "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama." It's taking the story of Barack Obama and extending it to cover a whole new generation of black politicians who are doing similar things in different ways.

HANNITY: Your thoughts, Governor, is that a concern at all to you?

PALIN: You know, I'm not going to let it be a concern. Let me just tell you that John McCain has been in an underdog position before, and this ticket, I think it is safe to say, is in an underdog position. But that's what makes us work harder. It makes us want to communicate more clearly and profoundly with the electorate, letting them know what the contrasts are between these two tickets, It's motivating to me, even, to hear Gwen's comments there because, again, it makes us work that much harder, and it provides even more fairness and objectivity and choices for the voters on Nov. 4, if we try that much harder.

Here is McCain's exchange on "Fox & Friends," as released by the Fox News Channel:

HOST BRIAN KILMEADE: Right now a recent study says and the polls reflect that Barack Obama is gaining ever since this crisis has landed in everyone’s kitchen table, why is that?

McCAIN: Because life isn’t fair. ... He certainly did nothing for the first few days. I suspended my campaign, took our ads down, came back to Washington, met with the House folks and got on the phone, and also had face to face meetings.

HOST GRETCHEN CARLSON: Do you think it will work to your advantage [having Ifill moderate the debate given her book] because people will really be looking at her questions?

McCAIN: Frankly, I wish they had picked a moderator that isn’t writing a book favorable to Barack Obama. Let’s face it. But I have to have to have confidence that Gwen Ifill will handle this as the professional journalist that she is. ... Life isn’t fair, as I mentioned earlier in the program.

FYI! Predebate Rally and Debate Party

SweetThang — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:02:32 EDT

I would have posted this in the events section but I'm not the one who is hosting it. A friend emailed me this information so I thought I would forward it to you all.

There will be a Predebate rally at Bert's Market Place in the Eastern Market beginning at 6:00 PM, Thursday, October 2, 2008 and a debate party afterwards beginning with the debate at 8:00 PM. Bert's Market Place is located at 2727 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207. Phone #(313) 567-2030.

Attention Michigan Voters!

SweetThang — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:17:29 EDT

Here is an email I received a couple of days ago,

"Please, please, please advise everyone you know that they absolutely can
not go to the polls wearing any Obama shirts, pins or hats. It is against the law and will be grounds to have the polling officials to turn you away.

That is considered campaigning and no one can campaign within x amount of feet of the polls. They are banking on us being excited and not being aware of this long standing law that you can bet will be enforced this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are banking that if you are turned away you will not go home and change your clothes... Please just don't wear Obama gear of any sorts to the polls!!"

Please see page 4 of the following link that explains this rule:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Issue_6_107135_7.pdf

But I bet you any amount of money they won't harass anybody wearing McCain gear.