December ’09 is a slow news month

We seem to by in a news cycle where there is a lot going on, yet none of it is important enough to write about.  And so the bloggers, and the main stream media, begin to fill up the pages and the TV screen with something that can only be called “stuff”.

Does anyone really care about Tiger Woods personal problems?  I don’t.  And neither should you.  All of the wasted file server space used up by people writing articles and opinions about who Tiger slept with or had an affair with; it’s a crying shame.  Who cares?  Let him live his life and handle his problems on his own,  just like the rest of us.

Amanda Knox, did she, didn’t she.  Who cares???  Her family, yes, and friends, of course, but the rest of us have no say in the matter and will never know the truth.  I don’t care if the Italian court works like the American system.  I don’t care if Italians are prejudicial in their court judgements against outsiders; because I don’t plan on going to Italy to kill anyone.  Who the hell cares?  It’s just another murder trial.

Obama took a while to decide what to do about Afghanistan.  He did what any smart person should do – think long and hard about his options and then make a decision and stick to it.  Done.  Do we need to debate it to fill air time?  I don’t think so.

And even I am guilty.  I just wasted how much electricity, and file server space, to write this post about how there truly is nothing to write about that isn’t already being said, or thought.  I’m glad I don’t own a cable news network.  I’m glad I don’t have to fill 24 hours each and every day with noise, so that the advertisers have some place to show their products.

Here’s what I think is going on in the world that we should be thinking about:  We all have friends, and/or family, who are hurting, and to some degree, suffering.  Maybe it’s the kind of hurt caused by personal crisis:  sickness, abusive relationships, or love that seems to be dying.  Maybe it’s the kind of hurt that is financial: mothers and fathers who can’t feed their kids, or people wondering how they will avoid eviction or foreclosure.

We should be writing about, and watching TV that deals with, taking care of each other.   Random acts of kindness are under-rated.  Whether it’s holding the door for someone or helping a woman in the parking lot clean the snow off her car.  Now we’re talking about stuff that matters.  Lend an ear, lend a hand, lend a dollar.  Listen to what people around you are saying.  Some of them have a difficult time asking for help.  But if you really listen, and watch, it’s not hard to figure out what someone needs.  It might just be a hug, as corny as that sounds.  What if a big, smothering, maternal or paternal hug is all someone needs today.  What will that cost you.  Or maybe it’s money, or food, or a ride, or a job.  Just do it.  And do it thanklessly.  You shouldn’t do it for recognition, or glory, you should do it because you are human.

I’m not saying all of this simply because it is the holiday season.  As far as I am concerned, even Christmas is not worthy of writing about.  Unless someday (in my wildest dreams) Christmas is no longer about buying presents and instead is about helping each other.   Unless Christmas is no longer about gifts for the sake of buying gifts, then Christmas is not worth wasting more space on a file server somewhere; and it’s not worth filling up the airwaves.

Why don’t we all take this opportunity to take advantage of this “inconsequential” news month.  With the exception of families with loved ones overseas fighting in wars that we shouldn’t be fighting, everyone else should start to make a list, and check it twice.  And on that list should be thank you’s, and donations, and meals you made for someone who can’t get out of the house, and packages for troops, and treats for your dog, and all of the things about which writing words on a page are worthy.

Maine gets Gay Marriage just right

When I listened to Governor John Baldacci of Maine give his speech following his signing of the of the Gay Marriage Bill  just a few short hours after receiving the bill, all I could think of was “He got it right”.

I watched and listened to what he said, not as a gay man,  but as a citizen of Maine, and the United States.  Even though I am gay I have not always agreed with the arguments FOR or AGAINST gay marriage. 

It wasn’t until I heard the Governor explain that the new law is about affording equal rights to all Maine citizens as outlined in Maine’s Constitution that it all made sense to me.  The Constitution’s first Article states “All people are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and unalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and of pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness.”

Baldacci used this first and most important Article to first understand for himself that allowing Gay Marriage in Maine is not about granting the same rights to gay people that are affording to heterosexual people.  He said we are all equal and all deserve the same rights and when he looked at the issue from that perspective, he could not come up with any reasons not to allow Gay Marriage.

 He went on further to say that that no religion will be required to conduct same-sex marriages, or even recognize same-sex marriages within the realm of their own belief system because Maine has strict policies about the division of church and State.  And Maine whole-heartedly abides by the Church/State tenet.

These are ideas that I had never heard anyone express in this specific manner before; the idea that the State will allow gay civil marriages but it won’t force any church to recognize them.  So if, for example, the Catholic Church doesn’t want to recognize gay marriage because it goes against their belief system, they don’t have to.  But the Catholic Church can’t tell a gay couple what civil rights they can or cannot have.  The same applies to any other religion.  On the flip side, a gay couple cannot force a religious organization to perform or recognize their marriage and cannot claim discrimination if that church will not recognize their marriage or perform their marriage ceremony.  Under these circumstances, anybody against same-sex marriage CAN hide behind their religion, and take comfort there.  But they can not deny rights to others.

I believe that this is as close as anybody is going to get to writing a law that makes sense when defining gay marriage.  It covers all the bases.  Nobody is forcing anyone to “believe” in anything and those who call themselves “believers” can’t squelch equality and civil rights by hiding behind their religion.  So, like the U.S. Constitution has done so many times, it was Maine’s constitution that acted as the final document to guide us through this divisive issue. 

Governor Baldacci was never comfortable with the gay marriage issue.  But, he found it in himself to understand that legislators, or politicians if you wish, need to take a stand and can not continually defer to public opinion.  All of the far lefties, and far righties have had more than enough time to express their viewpoints on this issue, and they have.  Neither is a shy group. 

The Governor said that he realizes this will not be the last word on the issue.  In my opinion, it should be, but it won’t be.  Instead of worrying about real problems, the whack jobs are going to come crawling out of the woodwork.  

The Maine Legislature and the Governor have laid down the gauntlet.  There are no “reasonable” arguments against this law as it was written.  First, anybody who protests this law must first say to themselves, and then the public, “I intend to take away the civil rights of others”.   Secondly, anybody who intends to use the Bible or their religion as an argument can stop right there.  The law clearly states that you don’t have to religiously recognize gay marriage or perform gay marriage if you don’t want to.  So what’s left?

Well, there’s the “I simply think it is wrong” argument.   Hmmm?  Are they also against heterosexual couples who get married and never intend to have children, or those who get married for convenience, or those who get married to obtain property, money, or social status (you know, the reason marriage was invented in the first place).  What one “thinks” or “believes” is wrong is immaterial.  Because under the Constitution of the State of Maine, all citizens have equal rights and included in that is their right to marry whom they choose as long as it is not breaking any other laws (like the minimum age for marriage or harm to animals). 

There is only one argument against Maine’s Gay Marriage law and it’s a faux-argument called “hate, fear, and ignorance” none of which are viable arguments against ANY law.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean some people in Maine won’t mind standing up and saying “I hate, I fear, and I am ignorant” to try and get their way.

Why Obama is the right person, right now

We know the economy is a mess.  In a way I feel lucky because I lost my job in April of 2007, lost everything, was out of work of 18 months, without any programs to help me.  I’m now back to work making half of what I did before.  I am still struggling to stay afloat after those 18 months, for most of which I did not receive unemployment compensation.  And while I am working now, it is for a small business with 13 employees.  So I can’t count on anything going forward.

Lucky?  You ask quizzically.  Yes, because I already went through what many people are going through now and will continue to go through.  I don’t have a car payment anymore because I lost my car to the repo man.  I don’t have a mortgage because even before all this happened I didn’t make enough to own a home.  Some would say I did.  Many tried to convince me that a single person like me making the kind of money I made, should be investing in a home.  I’m glad I didn’t.  Rent is just fine with me.  And while I almost lost my apartment, the kindness of friends, family, and an understanding landlord have helped me hang on.

I watched President Obama (I still love writing that) last night in his non-State of the Union Address.  Have you ever in your life heard a President be so bold to tell the truth?  He told the truth about the current condition of our country and gave us hope that we can get through it.  There is an awful lot to be said for having the right attitude.  And Barack Obama has it.  I get the sense he truly does believe we can turn this situation around. 

The President is not letting the “party of NO” stop him from going forward.  The American public spoke.  They spoke in November of 2006 and in November of 2008.  One party is in charge right now for a reason.   Can you really imagine John McCain being the President right now.  Really?!  For Christ’s sake he’d still be talking about “the surge”.  And while I have learned a new respect for Hillary Clinton, I don’t think she would have the same oratory skills required for the job.  Not to mention that Bill Clinton would be an incredible distraction.  The Clinton’s would have been skewered by the neo-cons and so much distraction and shell-gaming would be going on that the country wouldn’t have a chance.

When they call the GOP the “party of NO” they mean it.  Republicans are so out of touch with the pulse of America right now that they should all be sued for malpractice”.  And soon-to-be former-presidential-candidate Bobby Jindal with his insinuations last night that Barack Obama’s message included something about America ‘s best days are behind her.  What is that all about?  Did you, or he, hear something I didn’t?  I watched the President and listened to what he said.  THAT, my dear Jindal, is NOT what he said.

What I am about to write is not an original idea but it keeps popping into my head.  Democrats will tell you what the are FOR, and Republicans will tell you what they are AGAINST.  That is one of the major differences between the two parties right now.  The GOP has no leaders, no platform, and has lost the trust of the American people.  Average Americans are not even listening to what Republicans have to say, because all that comes out of their mouths is blame, finger pointing, the word “NO”, or nothing at all.

There’s no question that I am a Barack Obama supporter.  I don’t agree with many things he has said or done.  The one thing I have to hold on to is that I trust him.  Unlike the Bush Administration,  Barack Obama is in this for the American people, the Americahe loves.  The Bush Administration was in it for their own egos, their own power, and in many cases, their own pocket books.  (Can you say “Halliburton”?).

And one last thing.  Karl Rove didn’t show up AGAIN for his testimony to Congress.  It’s time to hold him in contempt and throw in him jail.  That’s what we do to criminals, don’t we.  Barack Obama said last night, unequivocally, “The United States does not torture”.  But if Rove doesn’t want to play by our rules, let’s play by his.  Anybody have an extra water board lying around?

So back to my original premise. Barack Obama is the right man for the job.  There’s another Democrat (and certainly not a Republican) who has the balls to do what he is doing right now.  And as for these Republican Governors who lambaste the stimulus package and then want some of the money, you can’t have it both ways.  Grow a backbone already.  And if you don’t know how, ask Obama.

The Bush Presidency for Dummies – 8 years in 8 minutes

On the eve of the Inauguration of Barack Obama it is natural to reflect upon from where we have come and how we got to this one moment in history.  We can all sit around and argue about what went right or wrong with the Bush Administration but to do so the opposite side would have to admit that indeed Bush made mistakes.  They must admit there is a possibility that he lied, or worse, committed crimes.  That in and of itself is a tough thing to find.  Even today with Bush’s approval rating at 18%, it is still the voices on Fox News who refuse to admit the truth and the voices on CNN who don’t want to admit that there is a reason to reflect.  They simply want to move forward. 

Keith Olbermann put things in perspective by encapsulating Bush’s 8 years into 8 minutes; a time frame of the mistakes and lies.  It is worth a watch.  And if you combine what he says (video highlight below) with his “Special Comment” today (you can easily find that on MSNBC (countdown.msnbc.com), how we need to move forward is clear.   Start here, just take a listen:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/28699663#28699663

For those with a slower computer be patient.  It has to load and the player will show a short commerical; but it’s well worth the wait.  You can just copy/paste the URL above into your broser as well.  While you’re there check out “Special Comments” about prosecuting torture.

Thanks,

California Proposition 8 – the “anti-love” law

Whenever somebody sits down to write a law, or propose an amendment, or legislate anything at all,  the first thing he or she should do is put away the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, “Dianetics” by L. Ron Hubbard, or any other book that skews basic human rights based on somebody elses interpretation.  The reason is that in this country, America, we have what is called a separation of church and state as outlined in the U.S. Constitution.  And religious arguments against same-sex marriages just don’t hold any ground if you consider conflicting scriptural passages like “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.  But nobody can explain it with the passion and fervor that Keith Olbermann did on last night’s “Countdown” through a Special Comment.

Known for his “Special Comments”, Olbermann put into words the things many of us think about but can’t seem to verbalize or put into cohesive buckets.  Olbermann, last night, was at his best explaining why nobody should be denied the legal right to love another person and cement that love through marriage.  I watched the video below live, as it happened, and could not hold back the tears.  This from a man who is not gay, comes from the sports broadcasting world, and said he struggled to find someone in his own extended family who was gay for whom he could speak.  He could not find one but that did not temper his firey and poignant diatribe that, in my opinion, everyone should hear before they pass judgement on gay marriage or any other kind of discrimination.

Thanks but no thanks to that campaign to nowhere

McCain has pulled out of Michigan.  McCain/Palin is doubling back to campaign in perennial red states like Nebraska.  McCain/Palin have lost serious ground in the polls in all 50 states.  And finally, McCain/Palin have nothing left but character attacks on Barack Obama.

If all of this doesn’t look like a political campaign that has already lost, what does?

Across the Republican landscape, and that includes right wing talk radio, Obama is being skewered with lies and half truths relating to his background.  Republicans are dredging up old topics that have already been addressed like Reverend Wright and William Ayers.  Most people know about the Reverend because he was covered by every news organization out there.  The William Ayers thing is a bit more obscure so the Republicans think they can get away with slanderous statements because they think the voters will listen to them enough to question whether or not it is true.

Well, to set the record straight, Obama was on the board of a school committee.  Mr. Ayers happened to be on that same committee. Ayers ended up donating to Obama’s Illinois State Campaign.  That’s it. That’s all there is.  Obama and Ayers were not friends, or buddies.  They didn’t hang around together, go to dinner, have play dates, etc.   Their relationship is the equivalent of being in the same homeroom in high school.  Yes, you are somewhat in the same area at the same time.  Yes, you may be involved in some activities together for whatever reason.  But you are not scampering around together, at night, dressed all in black with black wool caps, plotting to blow up buildings together.

But McPalin would have you think differently saying that Obama was an associate of Ayers.  There’s vague word: “associate”.  What the hell does that even mean?

I can only hope that Obama, Biden, their supporters, and those on the fence but leaning their way can hold out long enough to keep things in perspective.  Question everything you hear.  A desperate campaign will do desperate things.  You will begin to hear to truly terrible things about Barack Obama and Joe Biden.  But don’t fall for it.  They did the same thing to John Kerry in 2004.  Can you say “Swift Boat”?  It is now a verb.

McCain’s run for the presidency is over.  And those that think Sarah Palin is perfectly set up for 2012, think again.  What people will remember about her is how negative she was against the other side, how she turned into an attack dog in the final days of the campaign, and the Katie Couric interviews that will haunt her forever.  Let’s face it, simply not screwing up too badly in the VP debate isn’t enough to make you a star in politics.  And McCain will be close to 80 years old by then.  Their best bet is to pick a Republican Moderate next time around.  America is sick of extremist anything, including our own political parties.

When will Conservatives finally admit the truth about this war

Scott McClellan, Joe Wilson, the Downing Street Memo, and now Ron Suskind.  When will right wing conservatives finally admit that this administration has lied, manipulated, and committed actual crimes against the American people; and against the world.  We’re talking about the Bush Administration and the CIA actually forging documents, buying off Iraqi officials, and sending these officials into hiding with millions of dollars just so that we could go to war with a country that never attacked us.  They fabricated evidence to say that Al Queda had ties to Saddam Hussein.

I an not going to go into the details of each of the examples above and how they fit this case; it is common knowledge.  If you don’t know by know, you should so go look it up.

What amazes me is how willing Americans (both neo-cons and to some extent liberals) are to overlook this stuff.  I can only think that they overlook things they don’t understand, and things that are too hard to figure out.  And this stuff is too scary.  They won’t like what they see after all the work they do to figure it out for themselves.  And Americans are lazy, so there you have it.

There is way more than enough information out there to impeach Dick Cheney, George Bush, Condie Rice, Rumsfeld, the whole sinking bunch.  Cheney has insulated GWB from most of what has transpired; and it was calculated.  Although I believe GWB knew full well what was going on, I believe that Cheney masterminded everything so that nobody could prove Bush was involved.  Somehow Bush would be untouchable.  That is Cheney’s real legacy.

Democrats on Abortion

Politics is a complicated business.  None of us will ever agree on everything.  Even among people in the same political party.  And as much as right wing conservatives and neo-cons try to make the world believe that all democrats are radical pro-choice maniacs, it’s just not true.

I am as liberal they come, for the most part.  But I don’t think that my views on abortion are much different from most moderate democrats, or moderate republicans for that matter.

The right wingers like to make it sound like abortion is such a big political issue.  First of all, I don’t know one person in my life right now who is struggling with the decision of having an abortion.  I also don’t know one person in my life who has struggled with this issue within the past 10 years.  I have known women personally who have had to ponder this question at some point; but, it was an excruciating decision.

Even a woman who is radically pro-choice, a woman who would march on Washington, speak at a pro-choice rally, or back a pro-choice candidate, would  wallow in the gut-wrenching, emotional pain involved in deciding to actually have an abortion.  It is an awful thing even if you believe you should have the right to do it.

So let’s get some things perfectly clear.  It is individuals who support the right to choose, not political parties.  Abortion is not something that people must deal with on a daily basis.  And even if you decide that abortion is your only option for your particular situation, it will probably be the most difficult thing you will ever have to deal with in your life.  You may be haunted by the memories of it forever.

Women, Hillary, Obama, and McCain

As an Obama supporter, I would have been extremely disappointed, even mad, if he did not get the nomination for Democratic Presidential Candidate.   There was a time when things looked bleak and I said to myself that I would vote for ANYBODY rather than Hillary Clinton.  So I understand what Hillary supporters are feeling.  I watched the Rules and Bylaws Committee Meeting aftermath and the women who were so angry; they were yelling and screaming and crying.  Their emotions were overflowing and they felt betrayed by somebody.

In trying to keep this in perspective, I tried to put myself in their shoes.  How would I have felt if it were Obama who was “robbed”?  Who would I lash out at on my blog or elsewhere?

After much thought, I came to some conclusions.  Barack Obama himself was not the reason that Hillary Clinton did not win the nomination.  He did not decide how the Bylaw Committee would vote.  He did not say anything even remotely misogynistic about Hillary Clinton or any other woman.  He has no control over how the press decides to cover Hillary and her campaign.  Yet these fervent Hillary supporters, with all of their displaced anger, are willing to punish Barack Obama by not supporting him, or voting for him.  I understand that they may want to punish the Press, or even specific pundits or on-air journalists.  I understand that they may be enraged at publications like the New York Times, or the Washington Post, a specific Blog or Blogger.  But to punish Barack Obama and cause such polarization within the Democratic party because of things beyond the candidate’s control seems misguided.

The same would be true if roles were reversed.  I could not blame Hillary Clinton herself if Barack Obama did not win the nomination.  She would have had nothing to do with it, other than run her campaign as best she could.  She has no control over what the Press says, what bloggers say, or how people vote, etc.

I find it hard to believe that any voting Democrat would punish the other candidate and vote for John McCain.  If they did cast their vote for McCain, or refuse to vote at all, they would realistically only be punishing themselves.

We all know the differences between the platforms of Obama and Clinton are few and far between.  However, if you compare the collective platforms of Obama and Clinton as “Democrats”, to those of the Republicans and John McCain, you will see the polar opposites. 

McCain can bellow as loud as he wants that he is not a continuation of the Bush presidency.  But the basic tenets of McCain and the Republican agenda are the same as George W. Bush.  There may be some minor differences, but if McCain were to take office today, you would not notice a difference in our Foreign Policy, our Economy, our Health Care System, or anything else that makes a difference to each of us as Americans.  In fact, unless someone told us that McCain took over, we would never notice.

For Democrats, this election is NOT about Barack Obama, and I think Barack himself would agree.  This election is about us; each and every one of us as individuals.  It is our responsibility to get the word out about Barack Obama as our vehicle for the kind of change this country needs.  He is our vehicle to restore our place in the world as the best country in the world, to inspire us to be the best we can be, to solve huge problems like the Iraq War, ignoring Afghanistan, high gas prices, the economy in general, education, and health care.  It is our responsibility as Democrats to talk to Independents and Republicans and try to convince those on the fence that Obama is the right choice for this country.   There are those in the Republican base whose mind you will never change so don’t waste your time there.

I do not tend to stand on my soapbox and herald the Democratic Party.  I am not even registered as a Democrat; I am unaffiliated.  I wasn’t even “political” until Bush’s second term.  I was absolutely blown away, depressed, angry, sad, and bewildered that he was elected to a second term.  And I blame every person who cast his or her ballot for George W. Bush for the condition in which we find our country today.  That’s a lot of anger and baggage to carry around and I am trying to let it go.  But I feel if I don’t speak out, and speak out loud and early, that it might happen again.  I can’t imaging how I would feel on November 4th, or 5th depending, if McCain is elected as the 44th President of the United States.  We will pay for it in cash, tears, and blood.  The middle class will disappear, and we will never restore our place in the world as a beacon of hope.  The Iraq War will trudge onward and Al Queda in Afghanistan, where the real war should be, will continue to be ignored.

Now is the time, and I challenge each of your who truly wants the right kind of change in this country, to go out and do something about it.  Help restore the United States of America to its former glory.  I don’t want to sound corny or poetic, but it is time for America to rise like a phoenix to a place high enough that the rest of the world can see the light.

 

Barack Obama – more than an orator

There is something to be said for a man who stands at a podium with nothing more than a microphone, and his character, displaying who he really is, for all the world to see.  You can tell a lot about someone by the way they speak in public.

There is also something to be said for a man who can do this without note cards, speaking clearly and concisely, all the while looking each and every member of a huge audience directly in the eye.

His critics will say that Barack Obama has gotten this far simply because he is a good orator.  I’m not sure I understand.  What is a good orator?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines an orator as “An eloquent and skilled public speaker”.  But what does it take to even do that?

As someone who breaks out into a cold sweat at the mere thought of speaking in front of a crowd, hell I don’t even like to WALK in front of a crowd, I can’t imagine what it would take to dig down so deep as to be able to stand tall on a stage and let flow my ideals, beliefs, and convictions, all the while inspiring those listening to come along with me to affect real change in this country.  And not just change for change’s sake; change because it is the right thing to do.  What I do know is that during the very few times in my life when I happened to be in front of a large group of people and spoke my mind freely and coherently, I was so passionate about what I was saying, and believed in it so much, that being nervous, or embarrassed, or scared, never even crossed my mind.  So I believe that having confidence in yourself and your ideas is what it must take to speak in front of a crowd and do it well, without little blue index cards. 

How disheartening it was for me to watch Hillary Clinton give a victory speech in Ohio after that primary, when all she could do was read from notes.  Did she really need note cards to say things like “Thank you Ohio” and “This one’s for you”? 

And to listen to John McCain start or end just about every sentence with “my friends”?  I’m not his friend, he doesn’t even know me.  I would prefer he say “my fellow Americans” over “my friends”.  I know that the phrase “my fellow Americans” conjures up some bad memories of Richard Milhous Nixon, but it is still better than calling me your friend when you don’t know a thing about me.

As my regular visitors know, I implore all of you to do your own homework, do your own research, and make your own decisions on the candidates based on what you, yourself, have done to figure it out.  Don’t make decisions based on what a loved one, a coworker, or a neighbor thinks.  Don’t make a decision based on what you hear on the television or radio.  None of that will give you enough information, or at least not enough good information to make a decision.  It may take some extra work, but go look at voting records, historical documents, transcripts of speeches, biographies, or anything you can get your hands on that you feel would help you make a decision about who you want to represent you.

At the risk of sounding hypocritical since I just said that we should all do our own homework, I would like to offer a few things that might help get you started.  I did some research on Senator Obama and found a great speech he gave in New Hampshire on the night he lost that primary to Hillary Clinton. It’s pretty inspiring considering he lost.  And take note of this man who with a big smile, a slight giggle, a stern stare, or a thoughtful pause, shows you his true love for this country.  It’s about 13 minutes or so but well worth it.

Compare what you see here to any speech you can find by Hillary Clinton or John McCain. There are just as many examples out there of them as there are of Barack Obama. They are just not as interesting.

Being able to give a good speech is about more that than vocal talent and brain power. I believe it is a true reflection of who you are.

Look at George Bush’s speaking “abilities”. He can pronounce only about 50% of the words he says in a speech, and even those, he must read from a piece of paper.  And, all the while those beady little eyes and that smirky smugness give you a gut reaction that you just can’t trust him. That’s exactly who he is.

John McCain stands with his shoulders shrugged; uses words like “my friends” in a desperate attempt to make a connection with his listeners, and changes his tone and message depending on his audience. That is exactly who John MCain is.

Hillary Clinton tries to be uplifting, talks a little too loudly to make sure she’s heard, can easily go into a rant about any subject or any person, and must read from note cards so that there is no chance for improvisation. That is exactly who Hillary Clinton is.

If I spoke in public, I would need notes so I don’t screw it up.  I would be as nervous as hell, and probably sweating because I would be so worried about what other people think of me.  It would all go so much easier if I was passionate and truly believed what I was talking about.  All the while I would be praying that something I said would connect with someone and I may even change somebody’s mind, or even get them to think about something a little bit differently.  That’s exactly who I am as a person. 

If you want to see how Barack Obama inspired me, take a look at his speech which was the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004.  This one speech will tell you just about everything you need to know about Barack Obama.  He was speaking on behalf of the Presidential nominees at the time, John Kerry and John Edwards.  Sit down with your children and play this speech for them.  Let them know that there are unique, strong, patriotic Americans out there who love their country regardless of its flaws and so should they.  And these unique Americans are the ones who should be leading this country.

Part 1

Part 2

If you’re going to play these recordings, please listen to the whole thing.  And if you listen to what he had to say then, and what he has to say now and you still think he does not have what it takes to be our next President, then I don’t know what to tell you.  If you really listen to what Barack Obama has to say and listen to how he says it, and you feel NOTHING, then I will have to check your pulse, and your birth certificate.