Obama Has The Intelligence, Dedication And Dignity Of Jackie Robinson

This is my reaction to Marlene Phillips' Article on The Huffington Post:

WOW! You hit it right on the head!

A year ago, I worried that America may not be ready to vote for a Black man. Thankfully, a majority of Americans have proven me wrong. Obama's calm demeanor and temperament are just as important as his policies. McCain's demeanor is just scary. He looks for excuses for his actions and the actions of his followers. How in the heck does Obama NOT agreeing to McCain's 'town halls' have to do with all of the negative ads from the Republicans? The only 'negative' ad that McCain could site was one attacking his POSITION on an issue. (he was far too afraid to go after the Keating ad.)

We've had 8 years of bad decisions made in haste, and those are from a President with a far calmer disposition than that of McCain. Imagine 9/11 with McCain as President.... Iraq would have been bombed, IMMEDIATELY. No fact-checking, no checking with intel, just load up the bombs and cut 'em loose.

This country needs a thoughtful, calm, intelligent person to be President; someone who will carefully evaluate the situation and make decisions based on what is truly best. Not an unbranded cattle that can be steered into the nearest herd depending on where things stand at the moment, for that is the true definition of a maverick.

About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

You can't put lipstick on THIS pig

This floored me this morning:
This morning on CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategists, talking about the economy moving the public against the party in power and towards Obama and not any of his policies, said "let's call a spade a spade."

One of the other 'talking heads' on this show was Donna Brazile.

The Republicans were quick to go after Obama for his 'lipstick on a pig' line, a line McCain himself had used earlier this year, they should catch some flak for this gaff.

I do not think that this woman is an outright racist, but she sure as hell lacks any tact. (But there is no getting around the racist implications of that phrase)

Prez debate SHOULD be postponed!!!

Yes, I am calling on Obama to join McCain in postponing the Presidential Debate, scheduled for tomorrow (Friday the 26th) to next Thursday, October 2nd. This will allow the two senators to be sure that a compromise plan completely passes both houses and is signed by the President.

But, in order to be fair to the cities, universities, and other entities that have spent millions of dollars in preparations for the debates, the Vice Presidential debate should be moved to tomorrow night in Oxford, Mississippi and the Presidential debate should take place in St. Louis.

Of course Johnny-Mac and Palin will each shit a ton of bricks as they mumble, bumble and stumble their way though various reasons as to why that wouldn't work. That press conference alone would be worth watching!

Nobody is this F-ing stupid, are they??

Really, does Johnny-Mac really think that we are so stupid as to believe that this woman is qualified to be a 72-year old heartbeat away from the Presidency? Only people as dumb and Sarah Palin seems to be would fall for this line of utter bullshit.

To paraphrase the principal in the movie Billy Madison:

Governor Palin, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on the internets is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no votes, and may God have mercy on your soul.

The PALIN STANDARD!

Alaska's proximity to Russia has been touted as Palin's foreign policy experience and thus her creds to be Veep. Here is an exchange from the Gibson interview with Palin:

GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

Well, with such strong foreign policy experience making her qualified for veep, I think that I am now ready to serve in a McCain administration! Now, let me be clear, I am not asking for some fluff post like a minor ambassadorship nor am I looking for a 'Brownie' type political appointment to a post that I am not qualified for. No, I am seeking a top level cabinet post for which I am clearly qualified, using the Palin qualification standard!

Here are the posts that I am applying for and my qualifications:


Sec. of Education: I was a teacher for over 16 years, all of it at the middle school level(heck, that is a stronger combat cred than being CinC of the AK National Guard). My degree is even IN EDUCATION (though this matters not under the Palin Standard, and it may even may make me over-qualified)

Sec. of Transportation: This summer our family vacation saw us take the train to Los Angeles, rent a van and drive to San Francisco, where we rode taxis and cable cars. after driving back to LA, we flew home to Tucson. I've coordinated several trips by Greyhound over the past 2+ years for my wife and kids.


Sec. of the Interior: Well, with the Department of the Interior being in charge of National Parks, my visits to places like the Grand Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, Lake Powell, Golden Gate Bridge, Saguaro National Monument, et al shows my diversity of experiences with our park system. And since this department oversees the BIA, my 16+ years living and working on the Navajo Reservation as well as my 17+ year marriage to a Navajo really highlights my qualifications. Though, I will have to be honest, I've never exchanged sex for business favors but i am a pretty fast learner and more than willing to make this sacrifice in service to my country!


Sec. of Agriculture: When I was in high school ny mom rented two garden spaces in the community gardens @ the Botanical Gardens. We grew (well, attempted to grow) corn, tomatoes, and a couple fo other veggies that I can't recall. I even helped my in-laws plant corn near El Cap (algatha peak) north of Kayenta earlier this year. Knowing that agriculture is just more that veggies, I am also the great-grandson of a ranch hand that worked ranches in the White Mountains of Arizona in the 20's and 30's.


Sec. of Labor: well, I've never been IN labor (I left that duty to my wife, a job she did much better than I ever could have) I've been gainfully employed since graduating from college. I've even been an officer in a labor union and participated in labor negotiations several times. My father was even an officer in a local union in the 1960's. And if Johnny-Mac wants someone with LESS union-related experience, my grandmother, (yes,my dad's mom), was pretty much ANTI-Union.


Sec. of State: I traveled to Mexico a couple of times, and not all were college drinking trips to La Caverna (though there was at least ONE of those!) I've even went to Rocky Point as part of a marine Biology class in college.


Now, should John McCain win in November, I am willing, able, and using the PALIN STANDARD, more than qualified to serve in a McCain administration. So, if you want to see me in charge of any of the above listed posts, VOTE FOR MCCAIN-PALIN!!!!

But if you want people that are truly qualified for the cabinet, you should probably join me in voting for Obama-Biden. Though, I could use the raise!

To Surge, with love,

McCain loves to tell us how the "surge" was his idea and how it worked and how it makes him a great leader. Of course, he ignores all of the other things that happened at the same time, the Anbar Awakening, Sadr standing his troops down, building trust and relationships with local leaders, $$$ for not fighting, etc.

Now we have an Admiral telling us that sending in more troops won't work in Afghanistan. He says we can't 'Kill our way to victory".

Admiral: Troops alone will not yield victory in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. is "running out of time" to win the war in Afghanistan, and sending in more troops will not guarantee victory, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, warned Congress on Wednesday.

......"We can't kill our way to victory, and no armed force anywhere -- no matter how good -- can deliver these keys alone. It requires teamwork and cooperation," Mullen said.

......Until Afghan security forces gain the backing of local leaders to improve security, "we will only be as much as a crutch, and a temporary one at that," the admiral said.

"We can hunt down and kill extremists as they cross over the border from Pakistan, as I watched us do during a daylong trip to the Korengal Valley in July. But until we work more closely with the Pakistani government to eliminate the safe havens from which they operate, the enemy will only keep coming," he said.

Mullen also said roads, schools and courts can be built and repaired, but that work is not enough, either. Afghanistan needs more experts in commerce, agriculture, jurisprudence and education. The nation also needs "foreign investment, alternative crops, sound governance and the rule of law."

Until then, Mullen said, these institutions "will remain but empty shells."

Hmmm, why didn't we think of doing all of that in Iraq.... oh, we DID.... someone just forgot to tell John McCain.

Getting Screwed......

We've all felt the pinch of out-of-control fuel prices, but who knew that what while we were getting screwed at the pump by the oil companies, Department of Interior employees in charge of oil royalties were, well, getting screwed by oil company employees. (image: the new Phallic symbol)

U.S. oil officials accused of sex with energy company workers

WASHINGTON - Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties improperly engaged in sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday.

The alleged transgressions involve 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with — and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from — oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.

Hey, I hope they at least got a kiss out of it, nothing like getting F*&$ and not getting kissed.

Obama, McCain: academia and service to community

And what about the academic records of the Presidential candidates?

In John McCain, we have a man that barely graduated from the Naval Academy, and most likely would have been expelled had his father and grandfather not been admirals. The Naval Academy is a fine academic institution, McCain just failed to take advantage of the opportunity that was given to him. This closely mirrors the record of GWB and Yale. McCain also attended the War College while undergoing physical therapy and rehab in DC (no word on any degrees).

In Barak Obama, we have a man that is a self-made man. He started out at Occidental College in Los Angeles and after two years transfered to Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a degree in Political science with a minor in International Relations. After four years in NYC, (college and working) Obama went to Chicago to serve as a community organizer (1985-1988). Obama then went on to attend law school at Harvard, one of the nation's premier law schools, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1991. Along with his experience working for law firms and a community organizer, he was also a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago.

McCain is trying to tout service to country, but yet dismisses the service that Obama has given to his country. He bypassed jobs at large law firms to serve the people of Chicago, keeping his promise to return after receiving his law degree. McCain worked as a liaison between the Pentagon and the senate, where his desire for politics began. When he moved to Arizona, McCain worked for his father-in-law's beer distributorship as the PR guy. He smoozed with the likes of Charles Keating and Fife Symington. (what was it about judging someone by the company he keeps)

Barak Obama's work battling the establishment led him to a career in politics as a means to help the community from within the system. John McCain's work WITHIN the establishment led him to his political career.

Who is truly the Washington outsider? The man who worked to build up his community and went on the local politics to further represent the people he had been serving for several years, or the man that worked behind the scenes in Washington, and 'moved' to a new community to make his run for political office?

College Smörgåsbord

Like many people, Sarah Palin changed colleges during her undergraduate years. Nothing remarkable about that on the surface. This is a little different, however. It seems that Sarah attended not two different colleges, but FOUR different colleges.

She started out @ Hawaii-Pacific in Fall of '82 as a Business Administration major. She spent only one semester there, as she transfered to North Idaho College, a junior college. After 2 semesters there (Spring '83 and Fall of '83), she transfered to the University of Idaho (home of Vandals, recently vanquished by Wildcats 70-0). After 2 semester, (fall of '84, Spring '85) she headed back to Alaska to attend another JuCo: Matanuska-Susitna College. After one semester (fall of '85), she returned to Idaho for 3 semesters, graduating with a degree in journalism

(source: VP hopeful Palin attended 5 colleges in 6 years)

Well, this raises questions about this candidate for VP. Did she stop her college education for her big run at Ms. Wasillia and Ms. Alaska? And why the switching from a university to a JuCo back to a university and then to another JuCo, and then back to the second university? Normally, one starts out at a JuCo/2-year college and transfers to a full university. And it is not that unusual for someone to start a 4-year school only to transfer to a 2-year school and then back to a university to finish a degree. This is usually done when the student has struggled with grades and/or academic standing issues.

Changing majors is not unusual for college students, changing colleges five times is. Thus raises legitimate questions about someone running for such a high office. I don't expect the VP to necessarily be a top-notch scholar, but I do expect them to show some scholarly background.


Compare her road to her degree, a BS in Journalism, the road Joe Biden took to his degrees. Joe graduated from the University of Delaware with a double-major in History and Political Science. From there, he attended law school at Syracuse University, receiving a J.D. in '68. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Widener University, leading a course in Constitutional law.

Who is more qualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency?

(BTW: Palin put down Obama's work as a community organizer, but her stint of non-political public service was as a member of her local PTA. Which role had more of an impact on their communities: creating job training programs or organizing bake sales?)

Supporting special needs children..

with words, but not deeds.

Last night in her speech, Sarah Palin said that she would be a friend to families of special needs children. Great words, and coming from a parent with a special needs child, almost believable. Almost, that is, because her actions as governor of Alaska show otherwise. She cut spending for special needs by 62%.

Washington Monthly-fact checking Palin

McCarpetbagger, Palin, Rudy, tail-gunner Joe, and the failed actor with a small role all went after Obama for being all talk. Well, actions do speak louder that words, and Palin's as governor tells all.