A Good Head on His Shoulders Isn't Everything He's Got

Yesterday morning, I woke up and turned on the television. I flipped the channel to CNN so I could start watching the inauguration activities.

That's right. I pretty much spent the entire day watching CNN. Call me what you will, I don't care. Yesterday was a historic event and I didn't want to miss it.

Just before the actual inauguration, I rushed over to my grandma's house. I threw the door open to see her sitting at her dining room table. The radio was blasting some crappy country song and she was licking an envelope.

"You're not watching???"

"Watching what?"

No joke.

I grabbed the remote and curled up in a chair to continue my day of watching speeches. She told me about how all politicians are crooks. And then she headed back to her bedroom.

"Is this on every channel???"

No, really. "Of course!"

"You mean my soaps won't be on???"

I guess maybe she's been around for enough of these that they don't seem like a big deal anymore. But this one seemed really important to me for several reasons.

First, this is our first African American President.

I hope that's not all anyone remembers years from now. I hope he ends up as one of our greatest presidents ever. That he goes down in history as the guy who united us and pulled us out of the gutter.

But I know for a lot of people, it's the number one reason this was a huge event. These people fought for the right to sit where they want on a bus. They really had to fight for their lives. And now, within one lifetime, they're seeing a black man educated at the best universities, married to an equally smart and gorgeous woman, with a seemingly well-adjusted and happy family; who is respected and even adored be sworn into the highest office in our country.

Second, never in my lifetime has the country been so excited to welcome a new president. I wonder if DC was prepared for the huge number of people that flocked to see Obama take office.

The energy there was amazing. If I were any of the speakers at the ceremony, I probably would have taken one look and been shocked speechless. I don't think anyone could even see the end of the crowd from the stage.

And it wasn't just the United States watching. The whole world was listening.

Third, I couldn't wait to see ol' Georgie waving goodbye.

For those of you who didn't have the luxury of staying home to watch it live, I've posted a video. And for those of you too lazy to watch, here's a few nuggets I enjoyed:

We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

Ouch, Georgie!

And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

That is what the world has been waiting to hear.

We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

I hope everyone had a great night. Because today, work begins.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

And first on Michelle's list: Teach your brother how to stifle a yawn!

You're My Only Hope

Some observations from election night:

1. Whether or not it was a real hologram, CNN's Princess Leia hologram stuff is a ridiculously expensive toy.

2. This election has really revived the career of Hank Williams Jr.

3. I think David Gergen is related to Brian Baumgartner.

Hallelujah

Congratulations, America!

Wow! That felt good! I haven't voted for a presidential winner since I was a senior in high school!

I didn't expect my reaction to his win. I knew I'd be excited, but I wasn't prepared to be overcome with such emotion. I can't even describe the feeling. I think my reaction was mirrored by the panels on CNN.

After they announced they were calling the win for Obama, CNN showed the crowd at Grant Park. Everyone was going insane. When they finally cut back to the studio, it was just silent. Nobody was trying to talk over each other. Everyone was somber. A few were choked up.

When Obama gave his speech, I was amazed. He was grateful, inspiring and most of all, honest. It's refreshing to hear a politician say something along the lines of "It's going to be a difficult and long road, but I'm willing to stick to it and work my ass off. But I'll need your help. Walk with me. This is awesome, but it's not the end of the fight. It's just begun."

And how awesome is it to see a family who appears to genuinely care for each other? I don't think I've seen a political couple look at each other like that since Al and Tipper! And the girls . . . I mean you can tell they love him, but how much do you want to bet they were more excited about the puppy than Daddy's win?

With as excited and satisfied as I am about Obama's win, I am a little disappointed. I didn't vote for a winner in every category. And I was still holding onto the idea that maybe by some miracle this was going to be the year Kansas went blue. But it was much closer than I thought it would be!

And California . . . Well. You confound me.

I believe we made the right choice for president. I understand all kinds of things can go wrong, but for the first time in a long time, I have some hope. As I've been writing this, I've finally figured out how to describe what I felt last night.

I feel like I can breathe.

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.

Yes. We. Can.

I don't like to talk politics with my mom. I get the feeling that she feels everything I say is an attack directed at her.

I'll admit, I'm not the best person to talk politics, either. There's really not much of a chance you're going to change my mind. But I try to listen. My mom cuts me off and is always very defensive.

A couple of weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to talk to my mom about today's election.

"Oh so you think Obama can fix everything?"

I was very honest and told her no. We have dug ourselves into a very deep hole and left ourselves very few resources to fill it. I don't think Obama can do it in a mere four years.

But I believe that out of all the candidates, he's the best to get us started.

Obama has really inspired people this year. He somehow managed to help us find our passion again. He has the endorsement and support of leaders who can advise him and help guide our country back to a time when we believed in ourselves. When we still had hope.

I just have so much more confidence in the Obama/Biden ticket. For one, Obama just seems so much more presidential. McCain often looks scared and manic. I've never seen Obama look anything other than cool and collected. When he smiles, I feel it's genuine. And if you're one of those people, He's totally the kind of person you could have a drink with.

If you're not convinced by just comparing the two presidential candidates, just take a look at the running mates. Conservatives keep telling us that Obama doesn't have experience and just isn't ready. They use such verbiage in their John McCain-approved commercials. It seems maybe they should take a look at their own ticket before they try that line. Seriously, President Palin? This parody is not too much of an exaggeration!

Today is the day, ladies and gentlemen. One day to change the world. This is our moment.

The Time is Now

Just say no, California!

You have a very important decision tomorrow, California. This is the biggest civil rights vote ever in my lifetime. This is the vote that can get the wheel turning.

Marriage is supposed to about love between two people. Don't put limits on that love.

I honestly thought I was missing something. It seems to be simple. But for people to be so against gay marriage, there had to be a good reason! I tried Googling some valid reasons. What I found was a lot of hatred and words that disgusted me.

I've asked friends. The only answer I have received is that they believe it is against their religion or that "It's just wrong." Which is fine. Everyone is free to their opinions. I respect that.

But this is not a religious issue. This is a matter of telling one group of people that they do not have the option to do something that another group of people can. This is a constitutional issue.

A woman can vote. A black man is free to sit at the front of the bus, can vote and even run for president. Our history is full of people struggling for such inalienable rights. Why do we still continue to discriminate?

Nobody is asking for anything special. This is about equality. Straight people have been getting legally married and screwing things up for years. Why not give everyone a chance?

Vote No on Prop8!

You Still Matter to Me

Dear Everyone Who Thinks They Will Vote for Obama,

Now is not the time to sit back and relax. You may think "He's so far ahead in the polls. It doesn't matter if I vote."

How many people have to make that same decision before McCain ends up winning?

Don't be lazy. Don't think you don't matter. Please. Vote.

Heart,
Aunt Bee

And Feel the Changes Already Beginning

Thursday was a big day for Jacque. She registered to vote for the first time.

Jacque hadn't registered earlier because she didn't want to be called to jury duty. This election has become the most important choice our generation has ever been asked to vote for, so Jacque is willing to take the risk.

I am really proud of her because I think voting is important. Even if you're not "into" politics, you should vote.

I feel it's especially important for minorities and women to vote. People my age tend to forget, because we weren't a part of it, but people had to struggle to give us the right to vote. We can't take that for granted. When I vote, I'm paying tribute to Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Lucy Stone and all the other men and women who fought so that I could sign my name to that registration card.

I'm proud because of the example she's setting for Evan. She's showing him that she cares about his future. She's giving him a sense of civic duty. He should eat his dinner because there are starving kids in Africa. He should vote because those same people are dying to have the same choice.

Voting is the centerpiece of a democracy. Your vote is important. It's frustrating in Kansas, because my liberal votes are most always quashed by the huge amount of conservative votes. But that doesn't mean I should give up. My vote is telling my government that I'm interested. I care. I have a voice.

Now it's your turn. Use your voice.

Some People Like to Hug

So when I watch the debates, I don't just watch them.

I'm glued to the television as well as my computer and my phone. I'm constantly reloading about three websites to read their liveblogging of the debates. And I'm receiving Twitter updates. I'm also sending my own observations out by Twitter (as can be seen to the right under "UPDATE").

Ana Marie Cox is usually my favorite:

McCain wants to nationalize every single piece of bad debt in the country. But not health care.

Also? How did the internet come to ask questions? Perhaps the Google is more sophisticated than I thought...

But the winner tonight was Jon Armstrong:

Will anybody from the internet be asking either candidate about any number of girls and any number of cups?

Just Be! Just Be cool!

When I was in high school, I was on the debate team.

Quit laughing! I was awesome! Regional champs, yo!

Anyway, when I was the only girl in a room full of boys, things were weird. A girl really has to watch herself in a time like that.

It's really easy for the people watching to see you talking over people and think "Wow. What a bitch!"

Sure, you might be playing the same game the boys are playing, but nobody seems to see that when they're judging you.

On the other hand, if you know how to work it right, you can make it look like the boys are big bullies. "Why are those mean nasty boys being so mean?"

The debate is starting soon. Biden needs to keep that kind of stuff in mind tonight. Not that it's a room full of boys, but Palin is certainly going to bring the "bulldog." It would be easy to try to jump all over that.

Be polite! Don't be snarky! And for God's sake, don't roll your eyes!

The debate starts in half an hour! Get the popcorn ready!

UPDATE 8:55 Okay. That was like the tenth "maverick." You can roll your eyes now, Joe.

You Were on Fire

I'm such a nerd.

I am so excited about the debate tonight. I want people to laugh at McCain and his ridiculous behavior lately.

But I'm more excited about the Biden/Palin debate. I do suspect this whole suspension of the campaign and possible cancellation of tonight's debate was partially a ploy to avoid putting Palin in that position.

Okay, people. Calm down. I know that you think you like her.

But have you seen Sarah Palin speak? sure, she can rile up a crowd if she has a teleprompter and someone to write her speech. But if she has to think while talking?

HAHA! What was that?

I'm starting to think I could be a vice presidential candidate. I have experience with international relations! I run this website and people from other countries read it! Hell, I might even have intergalactic experience!

Seriously, kids. Let's all gather around. Take a deep breath. Clear your minds.

Yes. She's pretty. And I understand she seems cool to you with those rad glasses. Those are the reasons you vote for a class president in high school. The biggest responsibilities they have are planning dances and the first reunion.

Palin would be a not-so-unlikely heart failure away from being PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!

Did you learn nothing from that guy you thought you could have a beer with?

In Motion We Seem Wrong

John McCain chose Sarah Palin?

Who? No really, even Fox News was calling her Susan Palin for awhile.

Haha! Break ties in the Senate and shooting old men in the face!

It just seems like such an obvious ploy.

Y'all think I'm too old? Well look at how young my VP is! You like Obama because he's all about changing the way Washington works? You want someone less experienced? Check out my VP! I think this is a mistake, for the same reasons Matthew Baldwin has brought up.

What I find most ridiculous is that the McCain camp is obviously making a play for all the women voters who supported Clinton. I seriously hope that her supporters weren't voting for her simply because she was a woman, as I hope people aren't voting for Obama simply because he's not a white guy.

I feel like I'm watching a bad movie about a presidential race.


ps--If you don't watch The Colbert Report, Friday's episode should change your mind. I laughed through the whole episode.

And Although It's Been Said Before

You might remember that on a bitter cold night, I was at the Caucus.

I didn't talk about it a lot back then, but while there, I stood and was counted in the Clinton group.

I didn't talk about it much because, just as I assume you're doing now, I figured you all would scoff and harass me. But I stand by my decision.

I still feel Hillary would make the better candidate. No, I haven't agreed with everything she's done or said. But that applies to 100% of the world's population. But I feel like she's strong. She's funny. She's incredibly smart. She's been in the White House and knows what kind of BS happens on a daily basis.

Of course, there's the question that counters the experience: "Would you let the brain surgeon's wife operate on you?"

I tend to agree with Bartcop:

Well, if my choices were the brain surgeon's wife, who watched every minute of brain surgeries for eight years OR a smooth-talking guy who'd never been in the operating room before, I'd go with the surgeon's wife - wouldn't you?

After the mess we're in, I feel like she was the only candidate that could jump in and hit the ground running.

Not that I think Obama is a bad guy. Four years ago when he spoke at the DNC, I thought he was amazing. I thought he would be a great candidate for Vice President in 2008. But President?

I was also weirded out by the mass rush of people to jump on the Obama train. Like it was the cool thing to do.

Maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps he'll be the greatest president of all-time. I'll be voting for him, of course.

But tonight, I listened to Hillary and felt inspired and thought about what could have been. It seems I wasn't the only one:

HRC quoting Harriett Tubman marks the first time Hillary Clinton has given me chills. Where was this woman a year ago? I miss her.

"We don't have a vote to spare or a moment to lose."

"Don't ever stop. Keep going."

SUPER TUESDAY

I sent some posts by email tonight. They didn't post. Here's what they said:

6:54 PM
I'm caucasing. We are around the corner and down the block. People are chanting "Yes we can!" SUPER TUESDAY IS SUPER FREAKIN' COLD!

7:36
Still not even in the caucus. At least I finally made it inside. Civic duty takes a lot of work!

8:14 PM
Just thawing out and about six feet from the actual caucus.

8:31 PM
And I'm done.

To a Calypso Beat All the While

So it's been more than a little disturbing to me that more than a few of my hippie friends and acquaintances are all up on Ron Paul's nuts. As in: many of you actually WANT this looney to be president. And are WORKING to get him elected. So herebelow (is that a word?) are Michael's Top Ten Reasons NOT to Vote for Dr. No. Feel free to argue with me. AND THEN BE SHOT DOWN, BEE-YOTCH!

1. He's rabidly anti-choice. Which, of course, goes against that whole libertarian thing...
2. No more government health care. As in Medicare when you're old. And Medicaid when you're poor or otherwise down on your luck. Ahem, hippies!
3. Goodbye Department of Education! Who wants to go to college anyway?!?
4. Deportation of 10 to 20 MILLION people. Do you know how much goddamn money it would waste to hunt down, arrest, and deport even a quarter of these folks?!?
5. Goodbye Department of Transportation! I do hate driving, but how else am I gonna see starfish and the rest of the gang...
6. Goodbye EPA! Would you like to breathe the air in Pittsburg circa 1915? How 'bout drink the water from wells around Love Canal in the early 1970s? I love black lung! And drinking arsenic! Vote Dr. No!
7. Goodbye Social Security! Hello working until you're 95...
8. Guns, guns everywhere! Most of the morons who argue against gun control are from the hinterlands, where guns are used for hunting and little else. Fine. I'm from there and...whatever. But I've also lived in a few other places (North Oakland/South Berkeley) where a little bit of gun control would be appreciated.
9. Home schooling. Seriously: Do any of you know a home-schooled kid who is even REMOTELY normal?!?
10. No more foreign aid. You think that his stance against the Iraq war is motivated by the same morals you hold? Think again. Ol' Dr. No doesn't want ANY money going overseas--for good or evil/questionable purposes. So: No more fighting AIDS in Africa. Or family planning in Asia. Or providing farming aid to Central America. Granted, we've always tied strings to our foreign aid, and I'm by no means arguing that our moneys are always distributed properly and fairly (read: Israel). But come on, folks! Do you think we woulda conquered malaria in most parts of the world without the CDC? Reduced the global birthrate without USAID? Gimme a break...

So there you have it. I could probably write another 20 reasons to steer clear of Dr. No, but you get the point: RON PAUL IS A CRAZY PERSON! It's great that he's on the right side of the war and most civil liberties issues, but...that's really it. Go to his website. Read his stances on the issues. And then if you're not totally turned off, think about whether or not any of it would actually work. Or even get a hearing in Congress. Or be held up by the SCOTUS.

And with that, my friends, I leave you to the real choice of choosing among Clinton, Edwards, and Obama. If you put down the joint and actually even vote, that is...

No Need to Ask

Sunday, I was having dinner with everyone over at BJ's. BJ was complaining about having to pay some doctor bill.

"Move to Canada," Mitch suggested.

I had another idea. "Or vote for Hillary."

Both of the boys groaned.

"I'll never vote for her!" Mitch declared.

"If she wins the election, I'm moving!" Bret was really worked up.

I had never seen the boys so passionate about anything that didn't involve games. I was curious to see what had made them so set against having Clinton in the White House. "Why do you feel that way?"

Mitch answered. "She hates games."

Bret expanded. "She's already tried to ban them. If she becomes president, God knows what she'll do!

I should have known. It's always about the games!

Take a Look Around, Look What I Found

Now your teenage sons can be interested in politics!

And There's Reason to Believe

Michael sent me a text message today that read simply "Vote!"

I called him once I got out of work to berate him.

"Of course I voted! What's wrong with you? I'm even wearing a red, white and blue striped shirt! And star earrings!"

"Dork!"

This, coming from the kid who left work early so he could glue himself to the election results.

Not that I'm denying the dork in me. It's way too apparent. The dork in me was excited enough to get me up early so I could vote.

Read this one twice: I voted before eight in the morning.

Unbelievable, right?

About as unbelievable as the amount of people voting for Mark Foley. These are the same people who wanted Clinton impeached for messing around with an intern.

At least she was legal!

Mostly, though, I'm coming out of this election night with some hope.

It was a big night for women. Nancy Pelosi will now serve as the Speaker of the House. That means if Bush chokes on a pretzel and dies, then Cheney has a heart attack while trying to revive him, the United States would have a female president.

Kansas not only voted in a Democrat governor, it was for a second term. That means Kathleen Sebelius will be the first woman to serve a second term as Governor of Kansas.

Surprisingly, Kansas not only went Democrat for governor, they also voted in two Democrats for House Representatives. In one race, Nancy Boyda had a big win over a Kansas legend, Jim Ryun.

In my favorite win of the night, Paul Morrison has kicked Kline out of the attorney general's office. Finally! What was even better was the coverage. Mr. Limelight's concession speech wasn't even covered much past his introducing his family.

And as I write this, Wolf is ending his coverage of the elections with the Senate race tied at forty-nine to forty-nine with Democrats ahead in the remaining two states. Dare I hope for Democrat control of both the House and Senate?

I'm sure that recounts will be called for and we'll go well into December before knowing who will really be in control. Better get ready for more 2000-style confusion.

What has really been reinforced into my mindset, after watching all this CNN, is that Arianna Huffington is the smartest woman alive and Anderson Cooper wants to marry me.

But I Still Kept My Mouthpiece

This is the picture I took for the Polling Place Photo Project.

When I got to my polling place, I took a quick picture before heading in, since I wasn't sure how much time I would have.

Once inside, I didn't know the laws for taking photographs around polling areas, so I kept my camera in my bag.

I opted for a paper ballot and would have snuck some pictures, but I felt too exposed. Do you remember how you used to set up folders around your desk so nobody could cheat off your math test? That's pretty much what I had to keep everyone from viewing my votes.

I tried to snap some sneaky pictures as I left. I just did some pointing-and-shooting as I hurried away.

It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had forgotten to remove the lenscap.

Are You Registered, Baby?

Last night, I talked to Michael. I did my usual griping about this and that and rambling.

After a couple of hours, when it was his turn to talk, he asked "Are you excited about Tuesday?"

What's Tuesday? Was I supposed to do something? Is it somebody's birthday? Remember remember the fifth of November was today. Oh crap.

"Um . . . Tuesday?"

"It's election night!"

Michael is really excited about this election. He feels it bodes well for liberals.

"Overall prediction: No incumbent Democrat running in a high profile race - House, Senate, or Governor - will lose tomorrow. Period. Dems will take a majority of governors' mansions (30 out of 50), will take a solid majority in the House with 235-245 seats, and might just squeak out the barest of majorities in the Senate with 51 seats."

This would set the stage well for the 2008 elections.

I know Michael is disappointed in me. I'm just not as into it as I used to be. It's just that I keep getting disappointed when it comes to politics. And I get really really angry.

Which isn't to say I don't have a bit of hope for tomorrow. If anything, it seems we're going to get rid of the embarrassment named Phil Kline.

Tonight, when we talked, he was practically jumping out if his skin with excitement. When we were signing off, I told him he'd better get to bed early, since he had such a big day in store.

"Yeah. If I can sleep!"

"Well, you know that if you aren't asleep, the election fairy won't come!"

Well, I'm off to bed. I have to get to the polls early since I work late.

Rock the Vote!