Governor Palin Go Away

Is it just me or is Governor Palin getting more exposure now than when she was on the campaign trail? Is it the media or is she the one finding places to speak? I am thinking if the media leave her alone, then she goes away. I saw her on the Today Show, various other media outlets, and she even called into the JB and Sandy Morning radio show here in Austin this morning. The lady was used and abused by the Republicans and now she just needs to go back to the frozen tundra and shut up. She is not going to be the next leader of the Republican Party and talking about a run in 2012 is ludicrous.

Audacity of Hope

Last night's victory symbolizes hope. President Elect Obama's speech says it all. I must also give props to Senator McCain's speech. It was very gracious and he regained some of my respect with his words.

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If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Obama Wins!!!

They declared Barack Obama the winner about 35 minutes ago. I am so happy!!! I have hope again for my country, for my family, and especially for my girls. I know change won't happen overnight, but it is nice to have a President I respect and will support.

Congratulations President Obama!

Morning Update

Well it is finally election day. It feels like Christmas Eve. I love Christmas and never thought I would compare a Presidential election to my favorite holiday. This is different...our country needs a major change and more than that hope. If things go the way myself and millions of other Americans hope they go, then tomorrow morning will be similar to Christmas...we will have hope again. My hope is for my daughters so that they can grow up, go to college, and live in a world of peace and prosperity.

Go OBAMA!!!!!

OneVote.com Election Results

My two daughters voted on the the OneVote.com web site last week. It is a site to capture teen votes for Tuesday's election. Obama won by a landslide 59-41% and only lost 6 states. The statistics are very interesting as well...especially the ethnicity stats. I hope this is a good barometer of Tuesday's election since many teen's political views reflect their parents views. I know my 11 year old daughter has been influenced by my views and voted for Obama. She does really like him and enjoys watching him speak. I asked my 9 year old about her vote and she said she voted for Obama. I asked her why and she said, "because McCain is for the war in Iraq and we are sending too many young people over there." Damn good reasoning for a 9 year old!

4 Days to Go!

Well there are four days until the election on Tuesday. The polls are still leaning toward an Obama victory and the Republicans are up to their usual BS tactics...sending out flyers telling people that election day has moved, scaring people with legal issues not to vote or they will be arrested at the polls, and their normal legal wrangling. I don't understand why they just can't be graceful losers. I wish they would step back and say, "we know we screwed up this country to the point of bankruptcy, the world hates us, and we are in an energy crisis...let's see what you can do" if Obama wins. It should be that simple.

Sara Palin is really a piece of work. It looks like she has turned on a losing campaign and is working to set herself up for a further leadership position within the Republican party...what a joke. Her whole nomination is a joke. If they lose does she actually think that she will be the next leader...hell no, and I am not even a Republican. The good old boys of the party will sweep her ass under the rug faster than a cockroach in a five star restaurant.

Well enough of my ramblings for now. I plan to blog on Tuesday and Wednesday as the returns come in. I plan to stay up all night until a winner is declared and I hope to celebrate at some point in time. I don't even want to think of an Obama loss!

I Voted Today

I cast my vote today for this year's Presidential election and now can't wait for all of this to be over. I am tired of both sides talking out of the same talking points for the past couple of months. Well at least the Democrats have had the same message. McCain/Palin are all over the map.

To those that know me, and by reading this BLOG, everyone knows who I voted for. Barack Obama is simply the right person for this job and someone who can lead a very divided country into a new time for the US. We are in a serious inflection point in our history and the wrong choice could be a huge mistake for the US and our future. I worry about my girls and what future they will have if things don't get fixed in the US and around the world. A 72 year old man and an idiot VP are not the right choice. Cleaning up the mess of the Bush administration is going to take lot of energy and time and that is something McCain doesn't have. I look forward to celebrating an Obama victory next Tuesday night!

For those that have not voted yet, please do so. As the old saying goes, "If you don't vote, you can't bitch!"

Are You Better Off Now Than You Were in 2000?

I know the title of this post sounds like a cliche of past political campaigns, but once you read this I hope you will get my point. I have heard both of the current candidates mention the phrase during the current campaign. When Bill Clinton broke through after the first Bush administration put us into recession, the US really prospered. During the Clinton administration my income grew, as a percentage, in the triple digits and the inflation rate during the Clinton administration grew 22.02%. Since Bush and the Republicans have been in office my income has only increased 7.7% and the inflation rate was 25.12% over the same period. While the inflation rates are similar, my family has gone backward by 17.42%.

McCain is claiming to be different from the Bush administration and the Republicans, but how can he say that when he has sided with them for the past 26 years. I would like anyone that reads this Blog to do the math and see what how your situation was in the 90s and how it compares to this decade. Once you do the math then you can decide which candidate can lead us back to prosperity. I will give you a hint...OBAMA!

Fiorina Dumped Again - It's Karma!

I know said I wouldn't make this blog a rant about Carly Fiorina, but after her comments about McCain not being able to run a large corporation like HP she has been put out to pasture. The timing couldn't have been any worse for the "Maverick" given the financial market meltdown this week. You know a lot of ex HP and Compaq employees are giggling to themselves!

The below excerpt is from CNN.

A top McCain official contacted by CNN said, on condition on anonymity, "No big deal, but not how you get on the surrogate all-star team. Very Biden-like."

“This campaign source said Fiorina would be discouraged from additional media interviews.

Another top campaign adviser was far less diplomatic.

"Carly will now disappear," this source said. "Senator McCain was furious." Asked to define "disappear," this source said, adding that she would be off TV for a while – but remain at the Republican National Committee and keep her role as head of the party’s joint fundraising committee with the McCain campaign.

Fiorina was booked for several TV interviews over the next few days, including one on CNN. Those interviews have been canceled.

This is Your Nation on White Privilege by Tim Wise

Being a person of color, I thought I would share this awesome commentary by Tim Wise.

September 14, 2008

For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

• White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
• White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
• White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
• White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."
• White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
• White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.
• White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.
• White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
• White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
• White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.
• White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
• White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it a "light" burden.
• And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.
  

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

Tim Wise is the author of White Like Me (Soft Skull, 2005, revised 2008), and of Speaking Treason Fluently, publishing this month.

Fiorina Faux Pas

No...I am not trying to continually bash Carly Fiorina, but I couldn't pass this one up. Appearing on a radio show today in St. Louis she was asked if Palin was qualified to run a company like HP. “No, I don’t,” Fiorina answered. “But that’s not what she’s running for. Running a corporation is a different set of things."

In a follow up interview with MSNBC she was asked about the comment and she said that the other three principals in the Presidential race couldn't run a major corporation either...and apparently, based on her past history, she can't either. The incredible thing is that the President of the United States will be managing the largest economy in the world and an organization that is larger than any major corporation. For her to say her own candidate isn't qualified is incredible. I feel the economy issue will totally tilt the playing field toward Obama, especially with people like Fiorina as McCain's chief economic advisor making comments like this saying he isn't qualified to run a corporation...love it!