The Home Stretch

Its odd to think that we are 8 days away from electing Barack Obama and Debbie Halvorson. Its been stressful, many times asking myself is it worth it. But now I look at this as the final mile of a marathon much as how I feel many supporters and volunteers may feel right now. We have worked so hard to reach this point but were are in the final stages of what this election season has become and we cannot let up.

2 years ago I would have never thought that I would have had the experiences I have had in the past months volunteering and working in the office to make a change. It sounds corny but I really think this will be one of my fondest memories. I have made some of the best friends and met some of the most amazing people ever since getting involved.

Today down at the office I had renewed hope in what I am working towards. There was a first time volunteer who came into the office today. He was wearing his Obama '08 t-shirt and looking forward to doing what he could. This may not sound out of the ordinary at first, but he was 14. He is unable to vote and will not be able to vote until 2012, yet he still finds Barack Obama to be a captivating person, enough so that he will take time out of his weekend to make phone calls in our last push before election day.

No matter how stressed out I may become, or disheartened by the tedious work, I cannot stop running for this last mile or everything I had worked for in the last months will be all for nothing. This is way to important of an event in history to take a back seat to in the final stages of this race. I will do my best to make sure people get the chance to make the difference they so desire by being able to vote November 4th. This is the only thing we have right now in our power to end the silence of the people for the last 4 years and tell not only the country but also the world that we are striving for change, we need to be better, and that no matter what, the inner strength of the American people cannot and will not be deterred.

Because of my experience I feel that my vote now counts more than just one time, it is also counted for the countless who live in this country who cannot vote due to age, criminal status, or other disenfranchisement of a voter. They are Americans too and I want you realize that your vote is not just your vote, it is a vote for everyone who cannot cast their ballot. If not for your sake, do it for theirs. Its their country, too.

ZING!

A hearty congratulations to Chris Williamson for dismantling his Republican opponent in last night's debate. On every issue, Chris stepped up with a smooth, concise response - eerily similar to our own Senator. While our Republican friend occasionally fumbled for words and rather often failed to produce new arguments, Chris brought out fresh material on every question and was an honorable representation of our future President Obama.

And now, pictures!


Chris zinging the middle class... I mean Matt.

Chris taking notes so he can say something intelligent in response to some "reiteration"

Chris owning the debate while Matt looks humbled.

Clean campaign, eh John?

So I guess when John McCain said he was against personal attacks labeling Barack Obama a terrorist he had his fingers crossed, or yelled "PHYCH!" without us hearing. Not only has the RNC tried to link Sen. Obama to Bill Ayers actions, now through the cover of this mailer, they are showing a connection to 9/11. I thought Rudi was out of the race.

I will not let an election get lost due to fear. This needs to be stopped at all levels. I thought you were the better man John McCain but I guess all of my respect for you is now gone.

Powell Endorses Obama

This past Sunday on Meet The Press, retired general and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, came out of the political shadows and endorsed Senator Barack Obama. This endorsement, unlike many others, is actually important.

One of the key arguments which McCain poses towards Obama is that he is weak when it comes to national security. And since Powell is a highly respected Republican and former decorated general and Secretary of State, if McCain now tries to question Obama on national security he will in turn be questioning Powell as well.

This, essentially, takes away one of McCain's biggest arguments, and also will help sway those undecided votes who also questioned Obama's strength on national security.

On behalf of all Obama supporters....I thank you Gen. Powell.

In your dreams, John

hahahahaha!

aaaaand.... DRINK!

McCain supporters

Although I agree with Chris' last few posts - John McCain's attacks, and Sarah Palin's, have become increasingly overtly racist and fearmongering, we can't point the finger only at them. Yes, their allegations shape the perceptions of the conservative wing-nuts who can't process a logical thought on their own, so the mere mention of the word "terrorist" in an ad with Obama wires their brains to that despicable assumption.

That's the problem I have with many McCain supporters, the ones I see at rallies and town halls booing their own candidate when he tries to tell them to respect Senator Obama and the ones who believe, as my grandparents do, that he is inferior because of the color of his skin.

Racism, sexism, homophobia... all are a result of ignorance. In this day and age where anyone can access books, computers, and newspapers, there is no excuse for it. Fear and judgment of other classes of people stems from a forced ignorance, a willful lack of education, or at the very least, an utterly twisted selective perception.

What gets to me about the monkey-man is that he obviously knows he is wrong, or he wouldn't hide the toy from the camera. But his shame and embarassment at being called out for his inhuman behavior will not be enough to make him understand just how wrong he is.

People like that - people who judge Obama not on his politics but on his race, people who are too incompetent to understand the stakes of this election - do not deserve to have a leader who will succumb to their hatred. We need a new vision for America, where we are united as one people, where Americans will invest in their country and educate themselves, so we can overcome these barriers that are so disheartening in this decade.

We are well on our way, but there is more work to be done! Democrats must be elected to offices in the senate, the house, and of course the Presidency, to ensure that we can put our government back in the hands of the people beneath a great leader who will unite us and fulfill the promise of the United States of America.

Palin Abuses Power...But Still Within Her Authority

Yesterday, the final ruling on the "troopergate" scandal, involving VP nominee Sarah Palin, was released by the Alaskan Legislature and concluded that Palin did abuse her authority. At the same time, however, they also ruled that her actions were within her "constitutional and statutory authority."
So, this begs the question as to whether or not her supporters will be big enough to admit and acknowledge her mistakes. If I was Maverick, as portrayed by Mel Gibson. I would bet no. I would, however, bet that her supporters are going to use the argument that it was her right to do it...Well guess what, just because you have the right to do something...doesn't mean you should exercise it.
Sorry to keep this short, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of the recent ruling.

To John McCain (Rant of the Week Supplement)

Let me consider this a supplement to my previous rant of the week. There is no way I can let this go past me for another week or else I might just snap and kill an elephant the next time I'm at the zoo. The latest barrage of attacks by the McCain campaign relating Obama to Bill Ayers, citing his lack of patriotism to the point of calling him treasonous, and never letting up on such attacks is deplorable. I do not care if you are a republican or democrat, conservative or liberal, atheist or fundamentalist; you do not allow your crowds to say what they have said in the past few days.

It has been reported that in recent rallies for John McCain, when the attacks start and the mud starts flinging against Barack Obama, the crowd has begun to chant and yell out, "Kill him" and "Get him". Its common sense you do not say that about anyone on a political campaign, but when you do not denounce what is said and even pass the buck to lying in the sole responsibility to the crowd, you are running on the same mindset of a Nazi during the Nuremberg Trials. McCain has stated he cannot control what the crowd says, but he can be against what was said. Hmm, sounds like a familiar quote from only a few years ago.

In 1978, Bill Pierce wrote a book titled The Turner Diaries. The book revolves about a radical group who starts up a second American Revolution where the government is overthrown, and all non-white races and non-Christians are purged from America. One event in the book depicts the group bombing of the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC. A Turner Diaries inspired attack happened in Oklahoma City, OK on April 19, 2005. Tim McVeigh who was an open white supremacist with ties to the National Alliance (Bill Pierce's neo-Nazi organization) was the man who was behind the bombings. When he was arrested, McVeigh had a copy of the Turner Diaries in his possession. There are many other events which have been inspired by this book, but I don't have that much time to type.

Now you may be asking why I brought up Oklahoma City. Pierce after the attack stated, "No. No, I don't. I've—I've said that over and over again, that I do not approve of the Oklahoma City bombing." He blamed the action solely McVeigh and blames him completely while failing to notice the distinct connection between his own book and McVeigh's actions. Whether or not you approve of the action after it occurs does not matter. The fact you brought about that possibility and did nothing to stop it makes you as guilty as the person who set off that detonator.

So now I say to you John McCain, by inciting phrases of "Kill Him" and "Get him" at your rallies you will be just as guilty as the person who may try to inflict any harm on Senator Barack Obama. Last time I checked, angry mobs were not a showing of democracy. You love to make reference to your military past as your qualifications for president, well senator, this is conduct unbecoming an officer. You should be ashamed of yourself to even bring these possibilities of discussion onto the table whether you meant it or not. The African-American community has seen too many of its great leaders lost to hate, and by that thought even coming up in the race for president takes you to a new low I still cannot realize. Assassination is the black eye of American politics and too many great leaders have been lost too soon due to that blind hatred. That type of discussion does not make you the American hero you used to be to me. I had the utmost respect for you and what you had done in your career, but that John McCain is gone to me now. For your sake I pray to God that nothing happens Sen. Obama, because if it does, you will be Bill Pierce looking back at Oklahoma City.

Another WIN for Barack Obama

The talking heads are saying McCain needed a "game-changer" to win last night's debate, and it didn't happen - ergo, win to Senator Obama.

It's true that a game-changer didn't happen, because all we heard from John McCain was more of the same. Misleading smears about Barack's record and even some flat-out lies, while Barack openly and honestly defended his own record.

From the CNN.com fact checker on last night's debate....

1. Barack Obama claimed that business groups are rejecting McCain's health plan.
The verdict: TRUE.

2. Barack Obama alleged that John McCain claimed the Iraq war would be easy and short, and that this showed poor judgment.
The verdict: TRUE.

3. McCain claimed that Obama voted 94 times to raise taxes.
The verdict: MISLEADING. (many of those votes did raise taxes for a small number of Americans, but while giving tax cuts to many more)

4. McCain said that Obama has never taken on his party leaders.
The verdict: FALSE.

5. Obama pointed out that McCain's support for a Fannie/Freddie reformation bill was not a bill he authored, and the bill did not even pass.
The verdict: TRUE.

6. McCain claimed that Obama had the second-most donations from Frannie and Freddie in all of history.
The verdict: MISLEADING. (The donations come from employees of the company, and besides, Obama may have received more donations overall, but McCain has recieved more from them during this election cycle.)

If I'm counting right, that's Obama 6, McCain 0. Anyone calling this a "narrow victory" ought to check the facts.

My Rant of the Week: Vol 1

Ok so this is something which has been on my mind for weeks now. I have been out, along with many other ISU Dems, registering people to vote. We are constantly yelling at people asking if they are registered and for some reason we keep getting a response from a select few. "No thanks". Are you freakin kidding me? That is not an acceptable answer to the question. I'm not giving you a free coke or year old chewing gum.

It boiled over to a point yesterday. Here is a summarized transcript of the conversation

Me: Are you registered to vote? Tomorrow is the deadline.
Student: No, I'm good
Me: So you're registered?
Student: No I don't care about it
Me: Really?
Student: It doesn't affect me
Me: Of course it does, whats your major?
Student: Education
Me: So do you care about properly funded schools, No Child Left Behind, proper pay for teachers?
Student: Yeah
Me: So you should vote so you have a say in those types of issues
Student: It can't change through voting
To which the student started to walk away
Me: Don't let apathy destroy our country

Was it offensive? Not as offensive as someone who should be extremely active in the community because as an educator, thats your job. I get so sick of people who complain about things with this country, yet when they have their chance, they say, who cares. My grandfather didn't fight in WWII for apathy. My friends who have served and are still serving in Iraq didn't fight and die for apathy.

Do they have the right to not vote. Of course they do. But when you say it can't change through voting, you lose my respect. We have a chance everytime we walk into a polling booth to change our country and that is starting with who is in charge. Silence does not bring strength as Big Brother would have told you in "1984", it beings about tyanny and when the people of this country do not speak out in defiance when it is neccessary, we have lost what it means to be the country we are.

Real Palin v. Parody Palin

The fact that one of these is parody and the other is real, scares me.