Proud to be an American

There are certain landmark moments in one's life. The election of JFK. His assassination. The death of RFK. The loss of Martin Luther King, Jr. The moon landing. 9/11. I remember them all very vividly.

Last night I witnessed another incredible American moment -- the election of Barack Obama as our next president. Now whether you are Democrat, Republican or Independent, this election has had considerable meaning to you. According to the numbers, 130 million Americans voted, the most to ever vote in a presidential election. Give yourself a High Five.

You went to the polls to tell Washington and the world what you wanted. This incredible nation is in turmoil. We have our soldiers dying on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Our financial future is murky. Over 40 million of us do not have basic health insurance. We have slid so far away from the American ideal and the basic tenets of our Constitution. Now we, as a nation, have a chance to recapture what makes us grand.

I had hopes that this election would bring us a leader who might see beyond politics, who had vision, much like FDR did in 1932 during some of our nation's darkest hours. I do believe that our next president has that spark, that intelligence, that empathy to bring us out of this black moment and set us on a new path. He may not have the track record of Mr. McCain, but he has the good sense to seek sound advice, to weigh it and then move forward. The nation didn't need a maverick. It needs a statesman with deft hand at building consensus. Mr. Biden will serve as a bridge between our new leader and his fellows in Congress. That was something Ms. Palin would never have accomplished.

Now in the past I have always held John McCain in high regard. Something happened to him during the campaign that damaged his reputation in my eyes. I began to take notice of this campaign the moment he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Her narrow minded, Us vs. Them, provincial view of America was profoundly disturbing. Rather than being inclusive, she was divisive. Her knowledge of the world scene was woefully inadequate. Unfortunately, Mr. McCain went for the lowest common denominator who proceeded to question not only their challengers' patriotism, but mine.

So here's my advice for the governor. Go home to Alaska, Sarah. Learn something about this great country before you come back to run for 2012. Learn about the world. And know one thing for certain: people who don't agree with you aren't any less patriotic than those who do.

Last night I saw a glimpse of the Mr. McCain I once admired. He delivered a profoundly moving concession speech. It was full of honor, of love for this country. You regained a lot of respect, sir, and I thank you for that.

I'll admit it -- I haven't been very proud of my country in the last eight years. Some would say that is not being patriotic, but I disagree. That's honesty. We aren't always proud of our children when they make mistakes, but we still love them. I had never believed that an African-American could rise to such high office. The American ideal holds. Anyone can become president. This morning I can see lots of mothers eying their kids over the cereal bowl. "See?" they'll say. "You can do anything!" And those moms would be right.

Our citizens have spoken. What a remarkable testimony to this great and democratic nation. Let's heal the divide, roll up our sleeves and get the work done. That's what Americans do. We need to become that beacon of hope, like we once were.

G*d Bless America! And may G*d bless our new president and vice-president. They're going to need every bit of help they can get.

Give Us Women A Break, Will Ya?

For decades I have been waiting for the chance to see a female in the Oval Office. In all fairness, we should have equal chance to screw things up just as badly as you guys. Where I am not a supporter of Hillary Clinton, she's certainly qualified to be there. So are a number of other women from both parties. Women who have spent decades in public service, who know how things work and have been seasoned in the fire, as it were.

So Mr. McCain's choice of Gov. Palin as his running mate makes no sense to me. Unlike Obama's team, which methodically winnowed through potential VP choices with incredible depth, it appears the Maverick said, "Find me a chick who's got pull with the Right Wingers." So at the last minute (see link below) he chooses Palin. WHY? There are a number of other Republican women who HAVE experience on the national stage and would fit the bill. Why her?

His main objective was to pander to the Religious Right. I understand political expediency, but while you're pandering, make sure you get the right person. McCain's people (and McCain himself) didn't spend much time on this decision. That says a great deal about this man's judgment. The Vice President is the second most important person in this country. When POTUS ceases to be able to function for any reason (surgery, death, etc). it's the VP who picks up the reins. Why in G*d's name would you pick someone who has had no experience? Yes, she might be Commander of the Alaska National Guard. Big whoop. And her state is near Russia (this is a selling point according to Cindy McCain). Has she stood toe-to-toe with Putin recently? I doubt it.

Obama, to his credit, picked a man with an incredible resume. No matter what you think of Mr. Biden, he could step into the Oval Office without a moment's hesitation. But not Gov. Palin. Eighteen months in a tiny state's governorship and former mayor of a town of about 5K (back when she was in office) doesn't qualify you for the Big Leagues.

Why did she agree to do this? Hubris? Guts? Didn't she realize this would have a massive impact on her family? Why would you put your pregnant, unmarried daughter into the klieg lights of a campaign? Why would you take on such a job when you have an young infant with Down Syndrome? Where some might see her choices as courageous, I see them as self serving. The teen and the infant have priority here. Period. That's the contract you take on when you become a mother. She has decades ahead of her to pursue her political career. Right now her family needs her more.

The role of VP, even if it is just attending state funerals and such, is a FULL TIME JOB. So is being a mother. Twice over with what's going in on Ms. Palin's family. She's got her priorities wrong IMHO. Women cannot have it all. Taking on the governorship of Alaska was enough of a challenge, she doesn't need to take on Washington. It's not like Ms. Palin is the last Republican woman who is available for office. She should have said, "No thanks, John. Get back to me in a few years."

So, Mr. Maverick, if you thought tossing a "chick" into the mix would get my vote, you're right. I was uncommitted when it came to this race. I wasn't going to vote for you, but I was on the fence about Obama. Now I'm committed -- for Obama. If you think so little of me, my fellow sisters and my country to not do your homework, then you're not fit for office.

Postscript: There has been a lot of talk in the media about a "double standard". How women are chastised for taking on jobs and family but men are not. Maybe that's where I'm a bit old-fashioned. I know women are capable of almost anything they set their minds to. With that ability comes responsibility: sometimes it best NOT to take on that job if your family has a situation that needs your attention. Yes, it would be good if guys were held to the same standard, but women have always been the nurturers. Obama's situation is significantly different than the Repub VP nominee.

Ms. Palin has three things going on in her family: her son is deploying to Iraq, she has a pregnant teen and her wee one has Down Syndrome. Talk about a load to carry. Any one of those is a tough burden. To add a national campaign and potential stint in the White House to the mix is too much in my opinion. But who knows, I may be eating these words in a year or so.

And one final thought. Gail Collins, in the NY Times made an excellent point:
For all her great skills at presentation, many people, including some Republicans who think the microphone is off, believe that Sarah Palin is a terrible choice for running mate. But you have to remember who the other options were.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I've been pretty quiet on politics and government for a time. Been occupied elsewhere, though I have paid attention to what's going on. The potential FISA sellout, the unwarranted search and seizure of electronic devices at our borders, etc. I've also been watching the candidates closely. This lit up my radar today and the theme is RESPECT:

You just have to hand it to John McCain. He just doesn't know when to keep his mouth closed (which is most of the time). The man is mean spirited and an ugly loser. Just what we need in the Oval Office with his finger on the button. Yeah, the button that can put us into WWIII with one temper tantrum.

"Carter was a lousy president," McCain observed to Ralston. "This is the same guy who kissed Brezhnev."

And this from the guy who hugged Bush. Carter, whether you appreciate his work or not, deserves more respect. Which seems to be McCain's problem. RESPECT. He just doesn't have it.

And though this is not news, this was the clincher for me:

Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c***." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.

This segment was from here. So he calls his wife not only a whore, but the "c" word. Classy. All because she joked his hair was thinning. If he can't treat Mrs. McCain, the mother of his children, with respect, then he won't treat the rest of us with respect. No way I'd vote for this creep. He crossed a line here. A big one. One I'm not willing to forgive. I'm surprised she did.

Nope, the Republicans made a bad choice here, no matter your position on Obama. We don't need another cowboy in the White House. Think long and hard on this one, folks. There HAS to better choices out there. Tell the GOP you don't like theirs.