The Lion Sleeps Tonight
A few years ago I took a road trip through the American West. I spent a day in San Francisco and took a few hours to relax in Union Square. A pollster came up to me and made some chat and asked me who my personal hero was as part of her polling question. I had to think about it for a bit and came up with John F. Kennedy. When she asked why I chose him, I said it was because he was our last idealist President. That idealism actually branched out to his brothers, and this country owes that family a great deal of gratitude for it.
The peace Corps, Immigration rights, Civil rights, Health care, Labor rights, and Space exploration, are just a few ways in which this country benefited from this family's calling.
Ted Kennedy was the only brother out of four that died a non violent death for this country. He served in the Senate since 1962 and was known as a Democratic leader who could reach across party lines to get things done. As the rest of his family, he served his country in service and in politics, was raised in privilege but championed the average American in government.
Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (February 22, 1932 August 25, 2009)
How Obama got Elected.
Few things strike me so absurdly one-sided that they should be pointed at and mocked as an example to others of how not to cry about defeat in an election as the website howobamagotelected.com. Despite my own political opinions, this is just absurd from many viewpoints and Sarah Palin should be trying to distance herself from this video, if she really does have any future political aspirations.
Let's start with the most obvious thing. Ziegler began by appearing on Fox News to complain about how the media was opinionated and one-sided against Sarah Palin. Really? And on the Hannity and Colmes show no less? Do you not see how funny and absurd this is? I don't think anyone is even trying to deny that Hannity isn't a hard leaning pundit for his party while Combs does little to actually stand up against him as "the opposition opinion".
Second, Ziegler seems to ignore the fact that when Sarah Palin first hit the spotlight at the Republican National Convention, before anyone knew her background or knowledge base for the office she was running for, she was boasted as the Republican darling who gave a great speech and was going to be a huge threat to the Democratic chances in November. She was going to bring life back into the McCain campaign and it did have the Democrats nervous for a short time.
Third, Ziegler could have easily found many of the same comments from the Republican side, attacking Obama and Biden over the course of the campaign. But more to the point, he could find many offensive remarks from the Republican biased media against Hillary Clinton over the last four years. he knows this, his colleagues know this and, yet, he is trying to sell a documentary to bring to light the "unfair treatment Sara Palin was given by the media". Really? It doesn't matter what your views on Hillary Clinton are, you have to at least see the hypocrisy in ignoring this fact, while pointing it out for Palin.
John Kerry
I wasn't a big fan in the last election of John Kerry, but after today's speech that contained a few choice words for everyone who is trying to make it a partisan issue (view press conf video), I think I'd vote for the man now. Did he get a little pissed off? Yes and power to him. The man said nothing insulting to the troops in forces and nothing that wasn't true. Fact: most of the troops of our armed forces is made up of men and women, mostly from middle America that had few other options in life than to join the military that offered security in pay and offered a means to an education. I could not have attended university without the pay and benefits from when I was in the service.
Plus he gets points for making the remarks to Rush Limbaugh;
I'm not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit white house mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Micheal J. Fox's Parkinson's disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq. It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.
The main regret I have for Kerry is that he walked right into the bait that was laid out for him. He should have been smarter than that, but then maybe he thought he'd take advantage of it. Glad to see the strong emotional defense there Kerry but where was that in '04?
Also, in other political news, Bill O'Reilley was on David Letterman and Letterman got all Rosie O'Donnell on him.
update: Fox news has been running with this story all day where as most other news programs have touched on it but with little opinion or brow beating. Fox reported a survey that claimed our armed forces are the most educated forces in the world. Their quote today stated that 97% of our troops have a High School Diploma or equivalent and also stating that 99% of all commissioned officers have a college diploma. This reporting has been distorted. Fox did not break down out of the 97% soldiers who have a HS diploma or equivalent have in fact, made the equivalent. The Army provides testing centers so that recruits can obtain their GED so that they can enlist. This is actually a good service the Army provides as well as offering free CLEP testing for college credit but in it still distorts the successful education of the average soldier. Also, it should be said to become a commissioned officer in any branch of the armed forces, a college diploma is a requirement except for the few who have been battlefield commissioned in war time. I'm not saying our troops are uneducated by any-means. I myself had to get a GED to go to college and I am glad the option was available, but to say my successful completion of the GED makes me as good as the other kid who applied himself and got a 4.0 grade average is absurd. I am not saying our soldiers deserve any less credit for the job they perform either. I am only trying to explain the distortions of truth by the Republican based media to further make John Kerry come across as an elitist in their desperate hour to hold on to control of the House in the upcoming election.
Violence, Protests, Speeches, and Martial Law
Thailand is under Martial law as the military has decided to overthrow the Prime Minister from his position of power as he attends ceremonies at the UN this week here in New York.
Prime Minister Gyurcsany from Budapest, Hungary has vowed to respond in force against more rioting, the worst Hungary has seen since the fall of communism. The rioting however, was a result to a leaked tape where Mr Gyurcsany admitted his government had lied to the public in the recent elections. Thereby undermining his authority in making such threats.
It is odd to think of two places I have been to where I felt at such peace can be experiencing such turmoil.
The Iranian president attended a UN meeting while French President Jacques Chirac changed positions today in saying sanctions against Iran are not needed. Which seems to be a 180 change from their position when the resolution against Iran using nuclear weapons was drawn up. Bipolar or not, I agree with Chirac when he said that he had never seen sanctions being effective in the past.
I am actually going to give our president some praise today when he made it a point in his UN speech to say that America is not at war with the Muslim faith.
Pope Benedict has been withstanding a lot of protests and criticism from the Muslim community from his recent remarks that portray Islam as a violent faith. Honestly, I have no idea what he said as I did not hear the speech, and perhaps it was inappropriate in general or as a man of his position, but something has to be said when responses like the following from the Mujahedeen Shura Council are released in response;
You infidels and despots, we will continue our jihad (holy war) and never stop until God avails us to chop your necks and raise the fluttering banner of monotheism, when God's rule is established governing all people and nations...
This isn't fair to moderate Muslims; to portray them in the same light. But when your loudest public voice seems to be those like the Mujahedeen Shura Council, it's understandable how many not of the Muslim faith start to get tunnel vision with their view of the religion.
Mr. Tom Goes To Washington
Tom Delay on an interview with the Washington Times;
"I blame Congress over the last 50 to 100 years for not standing up and taking its responsibility given to it by the Constitution. The reason the judiciary has been able to impose a separation of church and state that's nowhere in the Constitution is that Congress didn't stop them. The reason we had judicial review is because Congress didn't stop them. The reason we had a right to privacy is because Congress didn't stop them."
I'd like to think he didn't mean to say that statement, but I fear more that he did. I am constantly amazed at the audacity of Mr. Delay trying to change our very system of Government in all forms and on all playing fields to match his personal ideology over what government should be.
Apology Conformity Revisited
Crap. I accidentally deleted this post. Will put back up when I find it again. It was chock full of goodie pointness.
Geeks Apologize in Mass Conformity
So after the election, a bunch of uber nerds all called each other and decided something must be done to show their disdain, it was then that the plan was born. They all agreed they would get out their nerd cameras, make their nerd signs that say something along the lines of "Dear world, we're sorry." They gallantly held up their signs and took their nerd pictures with their carefully posed looks of nerd sympathy that resembles the same look of being told their grandmother was a meth dealer.
Apparently they got the memo confused on to agree on the percentage of the U.S. did not vote for Bush.
Update: Just for the record, I did not vote for Bush. I just am not being an over dramatic appologist about it either.
How George Bush won the Election
I wrote and rewrote something like this last night at least three times and kept trying to make the same points. Kottke made the point for me as well as a few others.
Kerry voters, we need to get over ourselves...we're not special. We're not informed by some superior intelligence that gives us a unique insight into how the world should work. We buy into the Democratic Party/liberal/anti-conservative/fear the church crap in the same way that our "red state" brethren buy into the Rebublican Party/conservative/anti-liberal/fear the gays bullshit.
Also, another well written essay from Greg Knauss posted at waxy.org. (I really miss him writing his own blog.)
This determined emotionalism — which is another way of saying anti-rationalism — is what drives us today. You can find it distasteful, you can find it depressing, but it's most important impact is that we have turned over the direction of the country — our future — to the part of our psyche that doesn't want to think.
Amen.
Ohio, The New Florida; Bush Looks to Win.
I have been telling everyone my gut feeling over the last few weeks that I thought Bush was going to win by the slightest margin. It was the same feeling I had for several months but hope renewed after the first debate. A gut feeling really, but I just didn't think Kerry was going to pull it off.
Ohio has been called by most of the major news sources (starting with Fox, go figure) as Bush the winner. Kerry released a statement a few moments ago announcing they were not going to concede to defeat in Ohio. The recount begins. Good for Kerry, but I see little coming from it.
Kerry pulled off the debates hands down as the clear winner where Bush almost seemed to stumble along. We elected the guy who stumbled along. Good Job Karl Rove.
Instant Message from earlier today:.
Paula: we have failed as parents.
me: ?
Paula: our son voted for George W. Bush at school today.
me: wow, did he say why?
Paula: because "he really likes him" and can't narrow it down any more than that
me: I blame you.
Paula: i understand.
The Election at Midnight
As of midnight EST, I am showing Kerry at 188 Electoral Votes and Bush at 237 Votes. If they both win their projected states (and none of the states have turned yet) This will bring the total to Kerry 266, Bush 271. One vote over the 270 required to win. It all depends on Ohio right now.
If Kerry wins in Ohio, (still at 70%) then the Electoral vote will go Bush 251 / Kerry 286. Right now Bush is ahead in Ohio by a small lead. You could probably crack a diamond with the ass tension in both party headquarters right now.
If something weird happens and neither make the 270 votes, then it gets even more fun.
If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each State delegation has one vote. The Senate would elect the Vice President from the 2 Vice Presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote for Vice President. If the House of Representatives fails to elect a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President Elect serves as acting President until the deadlock is resolved in the House.
That's right kids, in theory we could have a separately elected President and Vice President from either party. Well, It's possible but seeing how we have a Republican controlled house and Senate, Bush and Cheney would reign supreme.
The stats were out on voter turn out. Not sure on accuracy but;
17 - 29 @ 17% (same as 2000)
30 - 39 @ 28% (down from 32% in 2000)
The only group to rise in voter turnout was the 60+ age group.
