Question of the Week:


What does the Obama victory mean to you?

Let us know here and we may share your thoughts later.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

What Obama's "Commercial" Was



Barack Obama’s primetime television spot tonight was something different. It was not a message from a man assuming that he will win the presidency. It was not a message from an elitist, or an anti-American. It was not a message from a man not prepared for the presidency. It was not cocky or arrogant or presumptive (although I am sure McCain and Co. will say different…they have to).

What Obama’s television spot was, was a touching and emotional view of the country, its people, this election, what is at stake, what will change, and the (extra) ordinary man who intends to lead our country through rough times and bring about hope and change. We heard stories from people/families across this country struggling to make ends meet, struggling in this difficult economy. We heard about people who are retired having to take extra jobs just to pay for medication, take extra jobs because of cutbacks at work, and taking out loans on their houses to pay bills. And Obama told us all how he plans to fix those things.



Obama presented his policies and philosophies for America to hear and understand. So that they can know he is not a socialist or a communist or an elitist or anti-American. Never mind the production values and moving music of the half-hour spot…Obama showed America that he connects with the issues and problems facing us all. He connects with us. He misses his family when they are apart just like us. He connects with the average American (the average American that doesn’t spend $150,000 over a couple months for clothing). He intends to work for the people, serve the people, listen to the people, and change America for the better of the people. And after hearing what he had to say, I believe in what he stands for.

It feels as though this time, America is listening. America is ready for transformation. Ready for change. Ready for a leader that will do and achieve the things this country has so desperately needed for the last eight years.

I think Obama can win on Tuesday. Will he win? That is up to us all. Go out and vote. I did. Make sure your friends and family vote. Mine have/will.



Tonight President Bill Clinton gave an enthusiastic and powerful speech at Obama’s rally in Florida. Clinton left no doubt in my mind that he wholeheartedly supports Barack Obama. He also left no doubt in my mind that Obama is the right President for RIGHT NOW.

McCain’s secret weapon? This guy:



Joe the faux-plumber/pundit/hopeful politician/political analyst/author/country music star/expert on Israel/new McCain campaign surrogate, and Sarah Palin, the vice-presidential candidate that is already looking to her 2012 bid for president.

I think I just saw the kitchen sink fly out the window…

…and it was old and rusty.



-LoOK

What Obama's "Commercial" Should Be

Tonight Senator Obama has bought 30 minutes of network television. Now, I am not too sure what this commercial is going to contain, but I hope that it is not perceived as claiming victory before the votes are cast.

However, I am not worried about this. If Senator Obama has shown anything during this election it’s that he is intelligent, and he quickly learns from his mistakes. If you remember correctly Obama did reveal a quasi Presidential Seal that (some believe) was supposed to replace his famous red, white, and blue O. However it was perceived as being arrogant and presumptive and the seal quickly disappeared.

It just goes to show that Senator Obama, like a good leader should be, is adaptable. If anyone saw the Al Smith Dinner you saw that Obama knows his flaws and is willing to admit them.

Tonight should be a moment where we as a nation look to a man who, given the opportunity, can help restore dignity to the White House and our country. I will be watching tonight with millions of Americans, looking towards the future and a brighter tomorrow.
-LoOK

A Country Divided

(Our version of the electoral map. Click to enlarge.)

I am going to go out on a limb here and make a generalization…albeit a fairly harmless one. I believe that there are definitely two Americas today. And by today, I mean six days from the election. And by two Americas, I do not mean the left-wing-liberal-elite-nutjob-anti-America America versus right-wing-conservative-virtuous-moral-patriotic-to-the-core America (although I am sure there are some that will see it that way). I am talking about two Americas: One holding their breath and riddled with anxiety, the other, using all their breath to desperately state their case to win, what I hope is, a losing battle, and blame each other for why the republicans are losing.



I wrote about skepticism last week because I was not convinced this election is over, and I am still not convinced. It does seem, however, that most media outlets are convinced. All I hear and read about is how hard it will be for McCain to win this election. The only other topic dominating election news is how Sarah Palin will use this lost election to elevate her political career. By all accounts, it seems the McCain campaign is turning against their illustrious vice-presidential pick. Of course, on the surface, McCain says he “couldn’t be happier” which I think sits somewhere between “we’ve got them JUST where we want them” and “the fundamentals of our economy are strong.” With leaks from the McCain campaign ranging from “she is a diva” to “she is wackjob,” I think McCain and Palin may just tear each other apart before we even reach the election. And if they somehow manage to make it that far, you can bet (in my humble opinion), that should they lose, they will be at each other’s throats with the blame game. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the room when they have that discussion. You know which discussion I am talking about. I am going to fictionalize it for you right now:

McCain: You know…you were never qualified to be vice president anyway. You ruined our chances.
Palin: Oh yeah! Well you aren’t a real maverick gosh darn it! And…there…too…also…I was the only hope you ever had!
McCain: And being able to see Russia from your house gives you foreign policy credentials?!
Palin: Your campaign kept me from attacking that anti-American un-patriotic Obama, and, there too…kept me from using Reverend Wright against him!
McCain: Your husband is a secessionist.
Palin: You’re old!
McCain: You’re a diva and a wackjob!

Ok you get the idea. There is going to be a whole lot of finger pointing come November 5th if McCain/Palin lose to Obama/Biden.

Now…the country divided. The McCain campaign is using all their breath, turning blue in the face, screaming at us all to vote for them, and save his candidacy. I cannot help but think there are two factions of McCain supporters left: Those who still believe he is the right candidate, have not given up, and are using all their breath to spread his message; and those who have lost all hope, are abandoning the perceived sinking ship, and placing any blame they can think of on McCain for the loss. I could be wrong, in fact, I am sure I am. I am sure there are others out there that do not fit in either category, but this is just my slightly skewed (who am I kidding…completely skewed) perception of things.

The other part of the country is the Obama supporters. Holding their breath, turning blue in the face, anxiously waiting in silence to wake up to good news Wednesday morning. We are holding our breath because; despite all evidence to the contrary, we cannot believe our candidate is actually winning. We are actually scared to hope. Scared to believe in what could be. Scared of the unknown. We want to believe, and we want to take heart in what seems to be a winning candidate, but we cannot because we have seen defeat snatched from the jaws of victory in the past.

The father of modern horror fiction, H.P. Lovecraft, once wrote: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”

McCain has consistently manipulated our fear of the unknown to try and win this election. The McCain campaign has gone to great lengths to paint Obama (whether directly or indirectly) as a terrorist and anti-American. They have done all they can do (I hope) to make us fear an Obama presidency. None of these traditional fear-mongering tactics seem to be resonating. Could it be we are changing? Could it be we have seen enough of this in the last eight years? I think so.

As for holding our breath…we are fearful because we have no idea what the GOP is capable of…what lengths they will go to in order to win an election. I am hoping that this time around, we have seen all their tricks, they are no longer unknown, and are nothing to fear. We are no longer in the dark about what the GOP will do to win an election. They, and I say this with the most hopeful of skepticism; have nothing left to go bump in the dark with.

I am done holding my breath. I believe in the American people enough to see a truly transformational leader for what he is, and elect him to office. I believe and I hope.



I think now all we need is a little luck.

-LoOK

Monday, October 27, 2008

An Indication of Things to Come

Alaska’s largest newspaper, The Anchorage Daily News, just endorsed Senator Barrack Obama for President. Not only did the newspaper say Barack Obama is the better choice, but it actually said Sarah Palin was “too risky” to be VP, and therefore one heartbeat away from the Presidency.

I know Barack Obama will not win the state of Alaska and its 3 electoral votes. However, to the Republican Party this has to come as a shock and definitely has to be seen as a slap in the face to Sarah Palin. Not to mention this is yet another blow to an already shaky (and some would say finished) campaign.

We are in the final week of this election and the candidates can not afford any negative press, or any mistakes. And yet here John McCain has ANOTHER one.

It seems like from day one (at least day one from picking Governor Palin) he can not get a break. Now, as a supporter of Obama I think this is good news, but it almost makes me feel sorry for the guy. He truly loves this country, I don’t doubt that, but his party is so far to the right that he never could run the campaign or make the decisions that he actually wanted to. The Daily News clearly chose not to endorse McCain because of his VP choice, a choice that many think (especially as the two running mates begin to tear each other down) was not his first pick.

Conventional wisdom says John McCain really wanted to pick Joe Lieberman as his VP. That choice would have shaken things up for the Republicans. The problem is that they as a party are so conservative that McCain would have been skewered had he had made such a controversial decision and asked a “liberal” to join him.

I also believe that John McCain could (and should) have picked Mitt Romney as his VP. Looking at how horribly McCain handled the economic mess we are in, Romney certainly would have helped. However, he is a Mormon, and would that have really appeased the Christian Right? I don’t think so. Had they been able to accept his religion would they get over the fact that he once supported abortion and that he is from the “Elitist Territory,” Massachusetts? This man says no.

So how does this fit in with the endorsement for Barack Obama? As I said before I think it’s great for the Democratic Party, and great for the nation that a progressive man with good ideas will finally be able to lead. It is important however, to say that we are also at a moment of great division. If we don’t learn to come together and support our new President, we are doomed to fail as a nation. We will be destined to take huge steps back in everything that we have fought for. And that is what we must realize going forward.

We have come to a place now, where our division is no longer helpful. It does not allow for discussion and debate, but only gridlock and fighting. We have to stop arguing about the legality of abortion and focus on prevention, education, and the safety of Women. We have to stop arguing about Gay marriage and focus on equal rights for everyone (which is what this nation truly stands for).

America, it is time we turn the page past partisanship. We have to, or else we will never move forward again.

Moving past stalemate,
LoOK

For the complete article endorsement click here

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Silence Gives Consent!

When I first watched Schindler’s List I remember having a discussion about why the Holocaust happened, or rather, why it was allowed to happen. We spoke about silence. While the Holocaust was happening the whole world was watching. They were watching in silence, and their silence gave consent. No one stood up and said “This is wrong. This must be stopped.” Once we did it was too late and millions of people had already been murdered. It is for this reason, the inability to act, that the whole world is ashamed of themselves for this moment in history.

Now, I always thought that there was a certain line in politics that was never crossed. There was the old ad from the 60’s with the nuclear bomb and the little girl, which went too far. People are (rightly so) scolded for using Osama bin Laden and references to 9/11 in ads. Now maybe I’m too naïve, but I always thought that Hitler and the Holocaust were also off limits.

Then I read this:

“A new e-mail making the rounds among Jewish voters in Pennsylvania this week...equated a vote for Senator Barack Obama with the “tragic mistake” of their Jewish ancestors, who ‘ignored the warning signs in the 1930’s and 1940’s.’”
Excuse me? Did I miss something? Has campaign politics just hit a new low?

The worst part is that the article states that this e-mail was not from the average Racist Ronny or Betty the Bigot. No, these e-mails are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Republican Party’s “Victory 2008” committee and it was signed by several prominent McCain supporters in the state.

Now, forgive me for sounding so, what’s the word… idealistic, but I thought we as human beings knew that the Holocaust, being one of the most awful events in our history was off limits in politics, and to suggest that voting for Barack Obama may lead to another one is absolutely repulsive.

Here we have elderly Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, many who may have lived through the Holocaust or certainly may have been affected by it. I’m sure these voters are already flooded with e-mails and phone calls saying Barack Obama is a terrorist and a Muslim. Now, they have to deal with ones comparing him to a past that was so painful it still may very well haunt them to this day.

And the Republicans think this is okay? It is okay to ask these voters to relive the horrors of the Holocaust? Because that is exactly what this e-mail does. Do not make the same “tragic mistake” it says. And with those words the tragedy is instantly brought back to them. Perhaps I am overstating what I know. In fact, I know nothing, I am not in any of their minds, but I can only imagine how painful and horrifying it would be to receive any e-mail that may even have the possibility of bringing up such dreadful memories.

I did not know the Republicans could hit a new low.

I knew they would call Obama a Muslim. I knew he would be compared to terrorists, but Hitler? This is a disgusting new mark even for the Republican smear machine. If I were a Republican I would be ashamed. In fact, I am ashamed. I am ashamed because I am an American and this is happening in America. I am revolted at these tactics because as an American I believe we have become better than the Nazis and their intense hatred for others. However, in fact we have not. I guess during a campaign everything is fair game. Nothing is off the table, feelings be damned. History be damned.

Well this time, Republicans be damned. This time your tactics will not work. And you should be condemned for them. This is something that we can not sit back and allow. We must tell everyone what they are doing. This can not merely be let go to the wayside. This time they have gone too far. This time they are not simply comparing Obama to a radical man of the 60’s but the most evil man who ever lived. Tell everyone you know about this travesty. We must spread the word. Let your outrage be heard. If we do not then our silence gives consent.

Let us know how you feel America. Let it out. Be heard here. Be heard now.

Our silence must not give consent. Not this time. Not anymore. Not ever again.

Silence is not golden. Silence is fatal,
LoOK

For the complete article which this is based on click here

Friday, October 24, 2008


There is so much at stake in this election. I think everyone has figured this out by now. This is the election of a lifetime. It presents us all with a choice between two very distinct candidates, and two very distinct ideas about the proper course for this country. I think everyone who is paying attention, and anyone reading this, probably knows the particulars of which candidate stands for what. And if they do not, I think most people are doing what must be done to learn the facts. At least I hope that is the case.



Unfortunately, I still see and hear from so many people out there that for some reason still think Barack Obama is a Muslim or a terrorist or both. Friends I thought I knew, TV personalities, radio personalities, pundits, bloggers, and even young people…people that I thought would not be taken in by the lies and distortions of the republican machine and the McCain Smear-Talk Express. I have some news for everyone…we have a little thing called freedom of religion in our country. That freedom covers everyone in our country, and any religion they care to practice, including no religion at all. You know what that means? It means our president is NOT REQUIRED to be a Christian. Now, I know Christianity is the major religion in the United States, and for that reason, people elect leaders who most closely reflect and embody their beliefs and values, but nowhere does it say it has to be this way. What “values voters” seem to forget is that there is much more at stake in this election than someone’s Christian beliefs. I am not advocating for any particular religion or non-religion here. I am not saying we should have a Muslim president, and I am not saying we should have an atheist president. I am, however, saying it should not matter. I am saying that I want a president that is going to address the major issues facing our country in both the foreseeable and unforeseeable future. I want a president that is going to address our strained relations abroad by communicating and using…uh…what is the word I am looking for…must have forgotten…oh yeah…DIPLOMACY. I want a leader that will recognize climate change and global warming for the problems that they are, and do something about them (because they are NOT a myth). I want a new president that is going to change our energy policy, take us off foreign oil, invest in clean renewable energy sources, and commit to increasing fuel efficiency standards. I want someone who will do something about the failed economic policies of the last eight years, someone who will cut taxes for the middle-class (the word middle-class does not exist in McCain’s lexicon). And I do not care if that president needs to ask himself, “What would Jesus do?” or “What would Allah do?” or Vishnu or Buddha or Confucius or logic or reason, before making a decision, I just care that he makes the right one. The right decision for you, for me, for your children, your grandchildren, and so on and so forth.

Guess what? The Muslim religion is not synonymous with terrorism, and being a terrorist does not automatically mean you are a Muslim. I know…I know, that was a bit repetitive, but I have to think, no, hope that…maybe if we repeat things enough, it will get through the thick skulls of the ignorant bigots who actually believe it. Once more for those with small-minded proclivities: NOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE TERRORISTS and NOT ALL TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS! Anyone who is still clinging to the idea that Obama is either a Muslim or a terrorist or both, is either not paying attention, brainwashed by all of the Republican fear mongering paranoia, or just too ignorant to care.



I am sure some of those bigots out there will say, “Well he did associate with that terrorist Bill Ayers!” And to you I say what everyone already knows…Obama was EIGHT YEARS OLD when The Weather Underground was active. Which is kind of like saying, “You are a Christian, and therefore you are responsible for the Crusades of the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.” I digress, perhaps that was a stretch, but you see my point. Obama served on a bipartisan education board with Ayers. It was a committee that was funded by Walter H. Annenberg, a well-known philanthropist and education advocate, and friend and advisor to Republican icon, President Ronald Reagan. Some people will say he was raised Muslim. So what if he was? It does not mean he is still a Muslim. Besides that…all of this is making me stray from my main argument: It should not matter one-way or the other. That is why we have a little thing called Separation of Church and State.

Now we are all entitled to our opinions, I will not deny that. However, a right to your own opinion does not make it a good opinion. I am sure everyone who still thinks Obama is a Muslim, still believes it, and thinks that my opinion is a bad one. That is fine. I do not expect to change your mind today or tomorrow or maybe even ever, but I have said what I believe to be true, and call it a hunch, but I think there are a few others out there who would agree with me.

I will let you all be the judge. Tell us your thoughts.

Until next time,
Your trusty neighborhood-misguided-idiot-liberal-nutjob-anti-American-socialist-communist-(insert Republican talking point insult here)
-LoOK


Post Script
Colin Powell on this issue from Meet the Press this last Sunday:

"I'm also troubled by - not what Senator McCain says - but what members of the Party say, and it is permitted to be said: such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is he is not a Muslim. He's a Christian; has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, "What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?" The answer's "No, that's not America." Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be President? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own Party drop the suggestion he's Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery. And she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards - Purple Heart, Bronze Star; showed that he died in Iraq; gave his date of birth, date of death. He was twenty years old. And then at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It had a crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Karim Rashad Sultan Kahn. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey, he was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11 and he waited until he could go serve his country and he gave his life."

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Can Idealism and Realism Call a Truce?



As I write this post, I see at the top of our page a countdown ticker. It says 13 days until the American people elect their new president. I look at the poll tracker on our page that says Obama is riding a 10-point lead. I look at the polls we place on our page to get an idea of what you are all thinking, and most of them seem to favor Obama. All four debates seemed to go in the Obama/Biden direction by all polling and opinions. Colin Powell endorsed Obama. The climate all around seems to reflect a shift towards Obama. The media seems to be calling McCain out on his lies and distortions over and over again. The Republican Party has resorted to every attack they can think of, and I do not think I need to go over them; we have addressed them over and over again. All signs seem to point to Obama…

So tell me why I am still skeptical? Tell me why I am hesitant to show excitement? Why should I be skeptical? I will tell you why…

Maybe it is the duality of my being, the idealist inside me at constant war with the realist. You see I want to believe that a transformational and inspirational leader could take office at this point in my life. I want to believe that the American people have had enough of their government failing them. I want to believe that we will no longer allow our leaders to insult our intelligence. But I am scared.

I am scared that somehow we will be let down again. I am scared of the people that will vote for a candidate based solely on his stance on abortion. I am scared of people that somehow still think Obama is a Muslim, and some how think that would disqualify him for the office of president. I am scared of people that think he is a terrorist and anti-American. I am scared of people that will not vote for him because he is African-American. I am scared of the young people so motivated by Obama not going to the polls on Election Day. I am scared of putting faith in polls that could easily be inaccurate and false. I am scared of people thinking, “Oh Obama is ahead in the polls…I don’t need to vote.” I am scared that the republican machine will steal an election just as they did in 2000. I am scared that there is still a chance that all the negativity will catch, just as it did in 2004, and the republican smear campaign will...you guessed it...steal this election. I am scared of some sort of surprise “We caught bin Laden, and McCain did all the work!” proclamation a week before the election. I am scared of a party that will do anything and everything necessary to win an election.

I am skeptical. I do not want to assume anything yet. I will keep writing my thoughts and trying in my own small way to be heard. I am skeptical…but I am still hopeful. So please go to the polls on Election Day. Vote early if possible. If you have friends that do not seem to care, get them involved. If you have something to say, say it. Everyone is welcome to post his or her thoughts here. If you like what you read here, put it out there, tell your friends, tell your family. Do something. Just get involved. Do not let this one be decided by everyone else.



I should not be scared or skeptical and neither should you.

Skeptically hoping for the best,
-LoOK

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Rush Limbaugh is Disgusting

In our last post I talked about the endorsement of Barack Obama by General Colin Powell. I said somehow the right would find a way to spin this, and I hinted to it with rush Limbaugh’s reaction. Today he made himself even clearer on where he stands on this endorsement:



I know starting a feud with Rush Limbaugh is pointless. I know there are a million blogs out there in this world that bash him every day. I also know there are a million out there that praise him all the same. But today, after his latest remarks I have had enough.

However, I am perplexed at where I should start. Should it be with the “genital” comment or his blatant form of racism?

To call a true American war hero, a man who understands how to wage battle in times such as these more than anyone, a man who we need around to get advice from "Genital Powell" is disgusting. Tell me Rush, how is it that you sleep at night? Are you still popping those pills? Is that it? It must be.

Rush, I am sure you have supported Colin Powell in the past. I am sure he was one of your favorite guys when he was advising Reagan, or when he was George Bush’s Secretary of state. The truth is, when General Colin Powell saw how “his party” was evolving into a majority of nutcases he took a step back and said “Wait a minute, this isn’t the party I want to associate myself with.” When he said that, you sir, decided to throw him under the bus. You threw him to the dogs and I am sure your listeners ate him alive.

Now, to say that General Colin Powell chose to endorse Senator Barack Obama based only on the fact that he is black is disturbing. To say that implies that it had nothing to do with John McCain’s lack of leadership during this campaign, or his recent condoning of tactics such as calling Obama a terrorist and being proud of supporters who chant, "Kill him!" However, according to you these reasons have nothing to do with the endorsement because Powell and Obama are both black.

It has nothing to do with the reality that John McCain chose an inexperienced running mate based solely on the fact that she was a woman. Forget the fact that General Colin Powell said Governor Palin is not ready to be president of the United States. Forget that General Powell is disgusted with the overall tone of McCain’s Campaign. General Colin Powell’s endorsement has nothing to do with the fact that John McCain’s campaign is being run by lobbyists or that John McCain thinks the "fundamentals of our economy are strong." According to you Rush Limbaugh, General Colin Powell chose Obama because he is black.

John McCain lost all three debates as determined by every poll I saw. He was not strong on issues both foreign and domestic. He does not have a plan to solve the healthcare crisis or a plan to help the middleclass at all. He wants to give tax breaks to the rich and raise taxes on the poor (he plans to tax benefits), but none of this had any bearing on General Colin Powell’s decision, because both he and Barack Obama are black.

And if you truly believe that then you are in fact still on drugs. You must be, it is the only reason I could even begin to comprehend your rationale or lack thereof. Of course who am I kidding. You are Rush Limbaugh, bloated talking head for all those who are too stupid to know better, or too ignorant to change. You spew hate because that’s your job. You are paid copious amounts of money to vomit over the airwaves because you have a following that will eat it up.

The truth is, this time Rush, you will not win. The American people will no longer be fooled by your words, or afraid of your tactics. John McCain is not going to win this election. I know part of you is excited. You will have high ratings for eight years declaring how horrible Obama is as President. But the truth is you are weak, and weakening. You and your faithful will fight against a leader who stands against everything you are, and I am sure that terrifies you. So enjoy this moment while it lasts, because it won’t be this way forever.

I won’t be directing a post to Rush very often, if ever again. I won't waste my time. I know he won’t listen. He’s paid not to.

Moving beyond race when others cannot,
LoOK

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Final Nail?

There was one endorsement left in this election season that both John McCain and Barack Obama wanted. General Colin Powell is respected across the board by both Republicans and Democrats. He is after all a Four Star General, former national security advisor, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former Secretary of State. In layman’s terms, General Powell has some credibility when it comes down to who he wants to endorse.

Well, in a move that some may call the final nail in McCain’s coffin, General Powell chose to endorse Senator Barack Obama. He chose to endorse him because he believes Senator Obama is a, “transformational figure” and would be an, “exceptional leader.” I have to say for John McCain to hear that, it’s got to hurt. It also had to hurt to hear General Powell say that he did not believe Sarah Palin was qualified to be president of the United States. For McCain’s Campaign, it had to hurt to hear General Powell trash the judgment of John McCain.

For Barack Obama, this endorsement was music to his ears. In the final weeks this can only help. It will help with those who still believe that Barack Obama does not have the foreign policy credentials, or the experience to be President. With this endorsement, Colin Powell will reach out to the older voters (being 71 himself) and say (even if he chooses to remains silent for the duration of the election), “Do not be afraid to trust this young man with our future. Do not be afraid to believe that he is the man to take us out of these tough times of today and help us arrive at a better tomorrow.”

Now, I know the Republicans will find some way to spin this endorsement as a bad thing, but General Powell was an aide to Reagan, their dearly beloved Ronald Reagan! So, to the McCain campaign I say, “Good luck on this one.”

For those of you who feel General Powell chose to endorse Barack Obama because he is black (I am talking to you Pat Buchanan and Rush Limbaugh) I am glad that you found some sort of spin to make it through the day, but you are wrong. You are not only insulting General Powell, but insulting the American People. But we all know you thrive off of ignorance. Without it where would you be?

Now, to be fair had the General endorsed McCain, the Obama camp could have said, “General Powell is the man who took a test tube of baking soda and lied to the United Nations to get us into the Iraq War. He is the type of adviser that President Bush surrounded himself with, and this simply represents John McCain being an extension of George W. Bush.” I am sure that statement was written just in case. However, it would have been misleading and incredibly inappropriate.

Yes, General Powell did in fact play a huge part in our run up to the Iraq war. I believe that he knowingly lied to the U.N., but I also believe that he is incredibly repentant of his past indiscretions. I believe he wants nothing more than to atone for his sins and by supporting a leader who he feels is “transformational,” Colin Powell believes we can still get out of Iraq with some respect intact.

While some may jump on the aforementioned criticism of General Powell, many others will praise the General for his courage, for his “Maverick” move to reach out across party lines and support a Democrat.

I fall into the latter category and say Thank you General. Thank you for showing us that there are still “Washington Insiders” that believe what so many of us believe. We can change, we will change, and that change is nothing to fear.


-LoOK

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The Epitome of...

I recently witnessed the epitome of leadership, the epitome of reason, and the epitome of success. At last night’s debate Senator Barack Obama appeared cool, calm, and collected. He did not take any of the bait that John McCain gave him. He did not act like a young inexperienced debater. He looked like… well; he looked like the incumbent making the challenger look silly.

We could sit here and go through each segment point by point. We could mention (again) the eye rolling and the obvious distain McCain has for Obama. We could sit here and talk about what everyone knows; Senator Barack Obama won three straight Presidential Debates, and a majority of undecided and Independents agree. Or we can move on and talk about the bigger picture.

However, it was obvious from the start that John McCain was out to get Obama. He came out swinging and I’m sure there were people who thought that he was doing well. However, then John McCain started to get old (no pun intended). He started to sound like the same man we have seen at all of these debates and all of these speeches.

Now before any McCain supporter jumps on me by saying that Obama says the same things over and over again, let me assure you, I know that. I know that Barack Obama has the same stump speech points that he rolls out whenever he can.

However, here is the difference. Obama’s points are ways to bring change to this country. They are not ways to keep Americans down. They are not policies of the past, but hope for the future. Barack Obama’s policies are ways to help the middle-class (whom John McCain still has not mentioned in any of the debates) live better, fuller lives. It is through these policies that Barack Obama represents so much more than John McCain. I am not surprised by the margins Obama is winning now. He is no longer a candidate, he is (and has been for some time) a movement. He is a movement towards something that John McCain can not even see because he has been in Washington for such a long time.

John McCain is frustrated. I understand that. He is losing. He is now going to say and do anything he can to win. He has no other option. So, my friends do not be surprised when McCain ups the dirty politicking. It is all he has left. There are 18 days until Election Day. Trust me we have not seen the worst of the Republican smear machine. They are like a wounded animal backed into a corner. They are afraid, and they will attack.

All we can do is act like the leader we want. We have to rise above the shameless commercials and speeches Senator McCain is approving. We have to remain cool, calm, and collected. We have to remain the epitome of leadership, of reason, and the epitome of success.

To his credit, John McCain got it right when he said:

“Americans are hurting right now, and they're angry. They're hurting, and they're angry. They're innocent victims of greed and excess on Wall Street and as well as Washington, D.C. And they're angry, and they have every reason to be angry. And they want this country to go in a new direction.”
But does John McCain really believe that he is direction we want to go in?

Right now there seems to be only one way to answer that…

See you on the 4th of November,
LoOK

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Just finished watching the debate. Did anyone do a count on how many times McCain rolled his eyes? How about failed jokes? How about showing his angry side? How about how many times he tried to distract us all from the issues?

Just like the VP debate and Sarah Palin, expectations were extremely low for John McCain. I think we need to hold our candidates to a much higher standard. Simply because McCain was able to attack Obama and distract voters, the media claims that he shined and put forth his best performance. I am not convinced. He did more than he did in the last two debates, but was it really all that strong? Was it very substantive? It seemed like a lot of distractions and attacks from an angry man who shows clear disdain for his opponent.

Did McCain ever repudiate those in the audience who cried for Obama's death? That he was a terrorist? I never heard that. And somehow, McCain spun that around and tried to claim Obama was calling his supporters bad people. Seriously? Are we supposed to be that gullible?

More later...when we have more time to digest this all.

-LoOK

Almost There

Watching the news recently and observing the state of the nation around me, there has been one word that I continuously go back to when trying to describe what is happening: Transition.

There seems to be a transition or a shift in every facet of life right now. It is not just on the small scale, but the big scale as well. I am transitioning. You are transitioning. We are transitioning. Some may see this transition as a scary time. To them the future is bleak, it is unknown, but let’s take a look at it all and see how bad this transition really is.

Take for example the small things. Me, personally I am seeing gas transition again back to “normal prices” that is something I am seeing, and you are seeing. These prices are moving downwards because on a large scale we are witnessing a shift away from oil as our key source of energy (It may be slow, but it really is changing). Because of the high prices at the pump, we have seen Americans actually drive less. No matter what the reasons are to drive less, we are doing it and therefore, we have become better human beings. Do I think we have reached the pinnacle of our greatness? No, but as I said, right now we are in a transition. We are getting there.

The economy is hurting. I see it, you see it, we see it. I know I know, “Thanks captain obvious.” But it is time for all of us to realize that America is transitioning. We are crashing to the bottom and when we climb out we may not be on top again. Sure we will always be the greatest country in the world because we are made up of the best of every other nation, but when (and that when will not be soon) we stabilize our economy do not be surprised if there is another nation that has gained more economic might than we had. China and India are both able to do this. Perhaps it has something to do with the amount of goods we import from China, and the amount of jobs we export to India. Either way we look at it we are transitioning away from the top of the economic food chain and it will happen sooner than most people are willing to admit.

The war is going through an interesting transition. That is, while one war transitions to less violence, the other war is shifting towards more. The Iraq war is moving towards an end. I know some people do not understand that, and some people do not want to believe that, but the fact is that whoever the next leader of our nation is, will have to bring the troops home, not necessarily because we want our troops home (which we do), but more importantly because the Iraqis want us to leave.

The War in Afghanistan is shifting towards disaster. While it was transitioning to be the “model for democracy” in the Middle-East we took our eyes off the ball, and shifted our attention towards Iraq for reasons that no matter what anyone in the Bush Administration tells me I (and you, and we) will never truly understand.

The third war, the overall battle against terrorism will forever be shifting up and down. That is, in the international war on terror, we are winning everyday, until we are losing. Until they hit someone, somewhere. That is how this war has been framed. It is the whole world against a select few, and if that’s the way we choose to fight this war, we will never win. We have to shift away from that mindset. We have to transition ourselves to be open to seeing the bigger picture. We have to be willing to talk with our enemies in order to understand our enemies. We can not defeat evil without knowing why evil exists. What is it we are doing that creates so much hate? And most importantly how can we transition towards a more peaceful world?

This political season is transitioning. The race for President is no longer a close one. It is no longer about the inexperienced vs. the experienced. It is no longer about “PUMA” and “Lipstick.” It is no longer even about hope and change. This Presidential campaign has transitioned into one about action. It has become about how we can move forward the right way. How we can finally take a step in the right direction with a leader who will look at this very transitional time and think carefully. A leader who will not be afraid to look into a bleak future and do what is best for this great nation.

In a previous post I asked if we can believe in change. We had a poll question to go with it, and 93% of you said, “Yes we can change.” The results actually surprised me, not because I don’t think we can change but because I think we can do it sooner than we actually believe we can. This transition does not have to be bleak. It does not have to be scary. We do not have to let ourselves fall from atop the economic pyramid. We can invest in green technology and create jobs at a time of huge unemployment. We can bring our troops home from Iraq, we can refocus on Afghanistan. We can change for the better.

I would never blame people for feeling afraid in times such as these. The future is unknown. Times are tough. But we can make it through this because we are strong, because we are smart, and because we will have a leader we can believe in to make the right judgments for a better tomorrow. We are almost there.

Embracing transitions,
LoOK

Tuesday, October 14, 2008


I suppose if you have been listening to the media at all lately, you have been hearing about how tomorrow night’s debate is McCain’s last chance at a game changer. Somehow this feels very much like the buzz leading up to the VP debate, albeit much more subtle. I feel that expectations have already been lowered so that no matter what McCain does tomorrow night; he can be declared the winner. I may be off on this, but I do get that feeling.

The fact is McCain’s last chance (as I see it) at a big momentum shift was when we all really noticed our country’s economic nosedive. When the markets began to crash at alarming rates and Bush proposed (read: begged for) his bailout (and yes, it is a bailout no matter what you try to call it…remember…you can put lipstick on a pig…) package to be passed by our lawmakers. That was the moment to step forward, lead, show a steady hand, and display that ever-precious judgment. And to McCain’s credit, he attempted to convince us all that this was exactly what he was doing. And to our credit, we saw right through it. Everyone who saw that moment for what it was deserves a hearty pat on the back and round of applause.

You see, that moment was the moment the real John McCain appeared. He quickly turned into Senator McNasty. He refused to even make eye contact with his opponent at the debate he said he would not attend, and from that point forward, McCain has been consistent in one thing…hypocrisy. The Straight-Talk Express has not only lost a couple of wheels, they have downright derailed. Since that moment, we have seen a completely different John McCain day in and day out. We have seen a McCain (and a lapdog named Palin) that uses mob mentality to incite violence and create hate and anger towards Barack Obama.




Surprise Senator McCain...This last Friday night, it backfired. It all blew up right in McCain’s face when a supporter at one of his rallies called Obama an Arab. McCain immediately took the microphone away from her and called Obama a decent man, a man that we should not be afraid of. Guess what happened? The crowd booed their illustrious candidate. The very man they support. They booed him because he had spent the last week trying to make everyone scared of his opponent. They booed because McCain has spent the last week stoking the flames of fear. And what do we know about fear? That’s right…you guessed it…


In the words of everyone’s favorite little green Buddha, “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering leads to…” well you know the rest.

Essentially the last month or so has been one big momentum shifting opportunity for each candidate. And it seems that momentum is not swayed by frantic and erratic behavior. It is not swayed by negativity when voters want to hear where their candidates stand on real substantive issues. Ignoring the economic issues that really concern voters does not sway momentum. You see Mr. McCain’s strategy plays to the conservative base. It plays to the indoctrinated views and beliefs of the far right. And what appeals to the far right is not what appeals to the independents.

I only hope some sort of late October surprise by the Republican Party does not hand the election to McCain…whatever that surprise may be.


Game change this,

-LoOK

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Brave? Sir, You Are Not


The stock market is plummeting and the end to this crisis seems to be no where in sight. Americans are paying over $800 billion for a “bailout” for ourselves. Unemployment is at new highs. American homes are still being foreclosed upon. And Barack Obama’s middle name is Hussein.

Yes, Hussein, a Middle-Eastern, terrorist, foreign, weirdo sounding name. Somehow, with the world collapsing around us, John McCain seems to only care about Barrack Obama’s middle name. Why is anyone still listening to McCain and his cronies smear Senator Obama? Why is this election so close?

It upsets me that somehow all of this McCain hatred gets so much coverage without people actually saying he is wrong for doing it. Yes, the media says it is dirty politics, but usually writes it off as “part of the game.” No one really takes the high road and says “John McCain what you are doing and allowing is wrong and shameful.” There are very few reporters who (perhaps out of fear of sounding bias) will call these acts detestable.

But let’s get one thing clear. It is not bias to point out that one candidate is playing the race card. It is not wrong to point out that one candidate is using fear to try to get himself elected. It is not wrong to tell a candidate that condoning and even inciting comments such as “Terrorist!” and “Off with his head!” is despicable. It is not bias to say these things about John McCain, because every one of them is true. John McCain is running his campaign on these principles, while the country struggles around him.

I have news for you Senator McCain, I am not afraid of sounding biased. I am not afraid to point out to everyone that is reading this that you do not care about this country. You do not care about finding solutions to our problems. You care about one thing Senator, getting elected. Now to be fair, you are of course running for President of the United States of America. You shouldn’t care about anything else. But when you are willing to do and say anything to get elected it is wrong. When you are tying your opponent to terrorists it is wrong.

Senator McCain we the American people are smarter than you are giving us credit for. We are able to look past your rude comments, unfunny jokes, and your cheap shots. We are ready for a new style of politics Senator, a style that you do not understand. The point is that when we look at you, we see a man pulling out all the stops to try to win this election. We see this and we laugh at you. We laugh because you are a joke. That is what your campaign has come down to. It is sad that you were once so respected by Independents and even Democrats (remember how we wanted you as VP in 2004?) yet you have thrown away all of your respectability with your latest actions. It is sad that you have fallen so far, but you have no one to blame but yourself.

Senator McCain, you once wrote a book called Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life. Senator, please read the book again. Perhaps then you can do the right thing and end these shameful attacks because brave? Sir, you are not.

25 more days to go,
LoOK
Post Script
Check out Senator Obama's and Biden's record on voting for the vets compared to McCain's in our "Truth is out there" Section.

And read an open letter to Cindy McCain responding to her "Cold Chill" speech here:
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=2842F14799EC87BB65BA1701158B89EC?diaryId=2012

Tuesday, October 7, 2008



Tonight’s debate accented the already stark contrast between our presidential candidates. We saw and heard the same Barack Obama that we see and hear day in and day out. And we saw the present incarnation, or personality, of John McCain. Tonight McCain appeared angry the majority of the time, and quite often, sounded condescending. McCain’s demeanor displayed his disdain for Barack Obama. Not surprisingly, we did not hear any of the recent smear tactics emanating from the McCain/Palin ticket. We saw, and heard, a very typical, two-faced politician in McCain.

McCain and Palin have spent the last few days assaulting Obama’s character. The McCain campaign has tried to tie him to a domestic terrorist who was active when Obama was eight years old; they have tried to dredge up the Rev. Wright controversy; and they have generally attempted to incite the mob against Obama. McCain flat out called Obama a liar. Now, I’m keeping it folksy here so get ready, but ain’t that just the pot callin’ the kettle black? (You betcha!…wink…wink) There were several video clips in the news today of McCain/Palin event speeches. During those speeches, McCain and Palin attacked Obama’s character in the ways mentioned above, and when they did this, supporters in the crowd could be heard calling Obama a terrorist, accusing him of treason, and calling for his death. If this does not scare you, if this does not anger you, if this does not disgust you, then I am completely baffled. McCain and Palin should denounce these responses from their supporters. And more importantly, they should immediately cease any sort of speech that incites hate. These tactics are hypocritical and cowardly.



McCain and Palin forget that when you attack someone’s character, you leave your own life wide open for examination. And let me just say, he who lives in a glass house should not cast stones. Palin refuses to cooperate with a federal investigation of the Troopergate scandal. She has charged the state of Alaska a per diem for days spent at home in Wasilla instead of in the state’s capital. She claimed to be against the bridge to nowhere when she was actually for it. Her husband belonged to a group that called for the secession of Alaska from the union. And McCain’s “superior judgment” chose this person as his running mate? McCain was calling for a clean campaign a short time ago, and he is now running a campaign that is as dirty as any that came before. He “suspended” his campaign, but continued to air political ads and give media interviews to sing his own praises. He continues to level character attacks against Obama, but in tonight’s debate, he did not mention his campaigns’ assertions even once. And why not? I will let you be the judge…

Tonight, McCain attempted to appear charming and show humor. Every attempt at doing so fell completely flat. The first thing he did after shaking Obama’s hand was head over to his notepad and scribble down all of his talking points. Some of McCain’s answers were substantive. Some of them were good answers. I will not deny that. But so many more of his answers were meandering, misdirected, and, at times even nonsensical. He sounded like a more intelligent, better rehearsed, and more experienced version of his running mate.

I have said before that I believe McCain is erratic. I believe that he does not have the composure and temperament required to be a good leader. I believe he lacks the judgment to lead this country in the right direction. I believe we see and hear from a different John McCain everyday. It all just depends on the political climate, and what face he thinks will best fool the American people.

Well you are not fooling me Mr. McCain. You do not fool me when you and your running mate assault my intelligence. You do not fool me when you try to dumb down the American public. You do not fool me when you hypocritically attack Obama’s character. You do not fool me when your campaign perpetuates and oozes lies. Your antics do not fool me. You do not fool me Mr. McCain. You do not fool me. And I hope that the American people are beginning to feel the same way.

I am hoping that people are beginning to see McCain for who he is. He is not a Maverick. He is not a straight talker. He is not a reformer. He is not a change agent. He is a two-faced politician. He is a liar. He is a hypocrite. He is a coward.

He is the personification of everything that is wrong with Washington.

He is a 20th century politician, running a 20th century campaign, in the 21st century.

He is politics as usual.

Here's to the 21st century,
-LoOK

Monday, October 6, 2008

Can We Believe in Change?

There is a school of thought, or perhaps a political philosophy that says things in this country will never change. This theory says that we will always have two ruling parties that will always be at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Our elected officials will never work together to reach common human, universal goals because these two parties represent two very different ways of living. This theory also loves to mention the fact that politicians will always be crooked because they have power, and with power comes corruption. They would say that is part of the job.

With that in mind let’s state the obvious:

Senator Barack Obama is going to win this election.

The polls are clearly leaning in his favor. The issues are on his side. There has been a bad Republican President for the last eight years. John McCain has given in to using Swift Boat attacks, a sure sign of desperation. All signs point to yes for Obama.

Now, come November 4th Obama may lose, and believe me if it happens, at that moment I will surely eat some crow. In fact, I’ll be eating crow for a while if some how John McCain reaches into ANWR and drills a victory from a bridge to nowhere.

But this is about Senator Obama winning. So let’s look thirty days in the future and say that he won…

Now, I know that Senator Obama is not perfect. I know that he will not lead this nation to the Promised Land. I know that Senator Obama is a politician. I know that he has to play the game because that’s what a President does. I know that he may not be all the change he has promised to be. Believe it or not I am not so naive as to think any different.

But why not?

The problems don’t lie with Senator Obama. The problems lie with us and our inability to want to change. The inability to leave the status quo we have all grown used to, because it is all we have known, it is all we have been.

The problem lies with the fact that we have a person who wants to do something about the way our system works (or doesn’t work I should say). Senator Obama understands that our government has become so partisan and so poisoned (on both sides) that no progress can ever get done.

There are issues that will divide us. As long as day exists there will be night. This is how politics seems to work. But why can’t we as a nation come together on common ground and move toward a better society? Why is it that we are so content with the way things are?

If Senator Obama is the “Change We Can Believe In,” why do I feel like no one truly believes?

Can we believe in change?

Perhaps my feelings that we are unwilling to change has to do with the fact that when Senator Obama wins there will still be those people who stand up and say, “Our President is a Muslim!” and, “Our President is a nigger!” That all of course has to do with the huge underlying racism that is still very mush alive and well in this country.

But my true feelings believe that if there was another leader representing everything Obama embodies, in another time or place that happened to be white, there would be people who would find every little flaw they could just to bring him down. He would have an old essay that upset too many people, or he would have connections to the wrong people, or he would have an old arrest for streaking, or if this man, this candidate who represented so much change had nothing that the establishment could dig up, they would shoot him dead.

This is what we must change. Not about our leaders, but about ourselves.

It is the fear of change that upsets so many. It is the powerful afraid of becoming powerless because the game in Washington will no longer be played the same way. The fear of change is terrifying because no one really knows what change means. What does a step away from “safe” actually look like? How will this affect me? How will this affect my children?

It seems cliché, but I have to insert a quote from my favorite leader that never was. Robert F. Kennedy was a leader who represented all that Obama is and probably more. He once wisely said:
“There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”
As I said before, Senator Obama will not be the change he wants because America is not ready, not yet. However, he will be a step in the right direction. That is if we are ready to put one foot in front of the other and take the plunge.

So I ask again:

Can we believe in change?

Can we believe in taking the right steps toward progress?

Can we change the game? Or is this game rigged from the start and can never truly be won?

Please America, you tell me…

Never afraid to ask questions, waiting for answers,
LoOK

Sunday, October 5, 2008

For the Sunday Readers...


Pretty much sums it all up...

-LoOK

Friday, October 3, 2008

Not This Time...

Can we please talk about the dumbing down of the American people? Can we please talk about how pathetic it is that Sarah Palin’s expectations were so abysmally low in this debate that all she had to do was use full sentences to come out a winner? Can we please talk about how ridiculous it is that the post-debate spin is claiming that Palin accomplished her mission? What mission might that be mass media? The mission to complete a sentence? Give me a break!

If you watched the debate (or should I say non-debate) tonight you probably know by now that Palin did not answer any questions. She gave plenty of answers, but they were not answers to the questions that Gwen Ifill was asking. She bobbed and weaved better than any boxer I have ever seen. She tricked everyone into thinking she was intelligent by repeating rehearsed talking points. I have said before, McCain’s campaign is assaulting the intelligence of the American people, and tonight, they did it again. Tonight we saw someone who is completely unqualified to be a vice-president give her best performance. A performance meant to fool America into believing that she is actually intelligent, and actually has some working knowledge of the issues facing the US today. It was a performance meant to dumb us all down. It was an assault on our intelligence. Palin’s expectations were so incredibly low that she literally could do no wrong so long as she formed complete thoughts and stayed folksy. Sure she sounded intelligent. Unless you actually listened to the answers she was giving. The answers to questions that were not being asked. So I ask now…

Can we please talk about the dumbing down of America? Are we really supposed to believe that Palin knows what she is talking about? Are we really supposed to believe that the drivel pouring out of her mouth tonight was her own thoughts and ideas? I think not. I believe we should be holding our leaders up to a much higher standard. Our leaders need to…God Forbid…wait for it…LEAD! They need to lead by example. They need to lead by displaying their intelligence, their knowledge of the issues, and their knowledge of the struggles of the American people. Palin displayed her ability to cram for an exam like everyone who pulled an all-nighter to pass that final in college. She displayed her ability to recite from a script. And somehow the mass media is saying she has done a great job tonight?!

I am so blown away by this assertion. I am so completely baffled by the idea that Palin did well tonight. Tonight’s debate was not even a debate. It was disgusting. Biden was walking on glass all night. Unable to challenge Palin on anything because he might come off as intelligent…no wait…I meant condescending…yes…that is exactly what I meant. Not only were Palin’s expectations lower than low, but also, the mass media has created such a stigma of sexism around her that she can use it like an invisibility cloak to hide from real debate. The American people deserved a debate tonight where Biden and Palin could have actually confronted each other on the issues. Biden was not able to do this for fear of looking sexist or condescending. Palin was not able to do this because she does not have enough knowledge to debate Biden. So what we saw tonight was a political joke. We saw Biden answering exactly the questions he was asked, and we saw Palin answer the questions being asked by the fictitious moderator at a fairy tale debate in her head (most likely near a creek in Sedona, Arizona).

Tonight’s debate showed me one thing. It showed me that America has got to wake up. We have to take action. We have to pay attention. We have to start asking the tough questions. We have to prove that yes, the lights are on, and someone is home, and we are paying close attention. We have to prove that we are not going sit and allow our leaders to dumb us down. We have to prove that we are more intelligent than they think we are. We have to demand more of our leaders. If we do not do this, we get exactly what we all witnessed tonight: A highly qualified individual unable to challenge, and truly debate, his highly unqualified opponent. We get answers that sound perfectly intelligent and plausible, if only they corresponded to the questions. We get mass media force-feeding us the notion that someone who had no ideas or thoughts of their own was successful. We get mass media telling us that Palin connected with the average American. We get mass media feeding us the idea that because her expectations were so low, that she far exceeded them. We get mass media assuming that the average American is so unintelligent that we will not notice the difference between rehearsed, indoctrinated answers and actual ideas. We have to stand up and proclaim for all to hear, “No, you will not assault my intelligence. You will not get away with it. Not with so much on the line. Not this time.”

We can no longer sit complacent and expect more from our leaders, we have to demand more. If Palin wants to be my leader, she is going to have to start holding press conferences. She is going to have to start talking to the media. She is going to have to start actually answering the questions she is being asked. She is going to have to show us that she has her own ideas and thoughts. She has to show us that she can do more than simply recite the indoctrinated talking points of the conservative base. She is going to have to prove to me that she has some semblance of an idea of what the Bush Doctrine is.

I know, I know…I am just another nobody blogger in a vast sea of blogs. To some, I am just another liberal nut job. I am just a socialist that does not believe in freedom or democracy or whatever talking points you wish to insert on any given day. Tonight, I am not writing as a liberal, a democrat, a nut job, or whichever label you may wish to use. Tonight, I am writing as an American who believes that our leaders our assaulting our intelligence. Tonight, I was insulted, and if you were paying attention, you should be too. Tonight Mr. “Maverick”, Mr. “Straight Talk”, Mr. “Change”, Mr. McCain insulted us all by presenting us with a candidate so unqualified that all she had to do to appear successful was form complete sentences. Tonight the mass media insulted us all by declaring success for a candidate who’s “Straight Talk” answers were so crooked they resembled one of the numerous meandering rivers of Alaska. Tonight Palin insulted us all by attempting to pass off her answers as legitimate.

Everyone has something to say. Everyone has something to complain about. I am just one person writing down my thoughts and hoping that they will mean something to someone. I am just one person daring to write about how things could be, rather than how they are. Writing about how things could be, and asking: Why not?

So…why not? You tell me…

Stay folksy,
-LoOK

Thursday, October 2, 2008

VP Debate Expectations

So the debate is in four hours and I’m wondering what can we expect?

Can we expect a big show from either Biden or Palin? Can we expect either one to hit a homerun? How about a moment that will ruin them?

Can we expect Joe Biden to give a major gaffe as he has done in the past? Can we expect more Palin nonsense?

Or will it simply be normal, standard, and boring.

I don’t know if there will be fireworks, or moments of great television drama, but with the two people on stage both fired up and ready to go I’m sure we can expect the debate to be anything but normal.

What do you think? Post a comment to let us know what your expectations are.

See you afterwards,
LoOK

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Update: Reason #11

The eleventh reason Senator Barack Obama is winning is...

Fareed Zakaria. In his latest column in NEWSWEEK, Fareed Zakaria said:

"Can we now admit the obvious? Sarah Palin is utterly unqualified to be vice president. She is a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. But she has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue, and this is a hell of a time to start."
The media is finally calling the McCain campaign on its bluff. He did not put "Country First" by picking Palin. The media is also finally, yes FINALLY starting to say that Palin is inexperienced, and completely not ready or qualified to be running for Vice President.

For Fareed Zakaria's complete article click here.

-LoOK

The Top 10...

Reasons Senator Barack Obama is winning…


According to CNN/TIME Magazine, Barack Obama is up in five key swing states.

Florida: Obama 51, McCain 47
-- Minnesota: Obama 54, McCain 43
-- Missouri: Obama 49, McCain 48
-- Nevada: Obama 51, McCain 47
-- Virginia: Obama 53, McCain 44

I know there are over thirty days left until Election Day. I know the Republican spin machine and McCain will turn this news around and say everything will change, but let’s look at some reasons why these numbers are changing.



1. Sarah Palin will not shut up. I know, I know, I know, at first everyone (including us at Last of Our Kind) wanted Sarah Palin to stand up and tell us where she stands. We wanted to hear her speak and know what defines her as a human being and a candidate. Well, she has now spoken and reminded us all of the reason she has been kept under lock and key. It is because she has nothing to say, and when she tries to speak she trips on herself so bad it becomes a Saturday Night Live sketch. Need I remind you how verbatim the latest sketch was?

2. Elderly voters are swaying. I was watching MSNBC the other day and there was an older retired woman making a comment on her shrinking IRA. She said, “I guess it’s better if I don’t live so long.” Take a moment to let that sink in… Now she gave a chuckle while saying that, but it was one of those ‘I have to laugh because I'm serious’ moments. There are people facing life or death decisions because of the situation the economy is in, and we know John McCain just doesn’t get it because…

3. John McCain said, “The fundamentals of the economy are strong.” We may be getting repetitive on the failures of leadership John McCain is showing. We certainly write about it regularly, but it is important to remind people that complete lack of leadership John McCain has showed since the financial crisis has exploded into the headlines and hands of taxpayers.

4. George W. Bush has another disaster to add to his legacy. Just when you thought he was done being a bad president, just when you thought Katrina, and Iraq, and Abu Ghraib, and domestic spying, and Walter Reed were bad enough, the economy is a disaster. Thank you Mr. President for leaving an even bigger mess for your successor.

5. Barack Obama is organized. Everyone knows how well he is organized, but people don’t realize how that translates into votes. According to the AP “Since the last federal election in 2006 …more than 2 million Democrats [were added] to voter rolls in the 28 states that register voters according to party affiliation. The Republicans have lost nearly 344,000 thousand voters in the same states.” This is simply remarkable.

6. Bill Clinton is finally on board. President Clinton has finally begun to make the rounds on talk shows and swing states praising Senator Obama. He claims Obama has the “better answers” and continuously says Obama will win. Thank you Mr. President for finally convincing many that have doubted you cared.

7. Partisan politics. Barack Obama has yet to play politics on the economic meltdown. Yes, he ties McCain to George W. Bush as often as he can (because it is true). However, Obama did not take his politics to D.C. during the last week. He went to listen, to offer ideas, and to stand up for middle class voters everywhere. Obama stood by his claim for four key points in the bailout plan and got them. That is true leadership not blowing wherever the wind blows.

8. It is no longer about “Lipstick on a pig.” Times have gotten so tough for people that we no longer care about dumb comments like “Lipstick” and “Pitbulls.” We care about issues. We care about solutions. We care about true leadership that will inspire a future generation to continue to lead this great nation toward higher and higher goals.


9. Joe Biden. Barack Obama showed true leadership in his selection of Joe Biden. Joe Biden has the credibility that critics say Obama does not. And tomorrow Joe Biden will take center stage in his debate with Sarah Palin. Personally I think he will make Sarah Palin look silly. Personally I think that we won’t have to try very hard. Now, this could definitely be the moment where Biden seems like an ogre and attack Palin, or it could be the moment where Palin will stand up and have nothing to say. I’m betting on the latter.


10. Senator Obama represents change. You can’t spin this one. It has been his message from the beginning. Barack Obama wants to go to Washington to make a difference. McCain has tried to steal this message. McCain has tried to say that he will be the true change Washington needs, too bad he represents everything in Washington that needs to change.

This week Obama is winning. There is a lot of time left. Let’s hope the American people aren’t persuaded by spin and lies.

Optimistic,
LoOK