During the Reagan years, I lived and worked in Washington D.C., and I grew to love that city with a passion.

A little background:
During those years, I ran an upscale women's apparel shop in the area of 17th and K streets, aka the business district and/or lobbyist land, and the area where Ted Koppel had his office and where he frequently broadcast Nightline. One of my stock boys was a Nancy Reagan marine¹, on a sabbatical, working toward his masters degree at Georgetown University at government expense, and moonlighting in my shop. (Oh, the stories he told us about working at the WH parties.) Yes, Washington is an odd place, and more like a small town in many ways than anything else..

While I loved and will always love WDC, it is many things, and one of the things it was during the Reagan years is heartless to the plight of the homeless.

I used to wonder how a man could be THE President, and look out from his windows in the White House on a daily basis, and see the urgent need of these poor people, and do nothing to change it. Nothing that mattered.

During the winter, these people slept across from the WH nightly, trying to stay warm on heating grates, or whatever they are called. One of them slept under the awnings over my shop year round. I used to buy him breakfast at the French pastry shop next door. Just a palmier or a croissant and a coffee. I also occasionally brought him some home-baked goodies or a few bucks or a hat and scarf when it was cold outside. Just little things which I did out of both compassion and to assuage my own guilt at not being needy. No big deal.

DC had a huge homeless population, many more than I had ever seen in any large city. Truly. An inconvenient fact largely ignored by the government, and that I saw as highly incongruent That my country, the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world had such a large population of homeless living in it's capitol city was a source of shame to me.

Anyway, while Reagan as a president never held any luster for me, in fact, I saw him as highly anti-intellectual, and a mere figurehead for the GOP, I learned to deeply dislike him when Gorbachev visited him in Washington in 1987. In preparation for Gorbachev's visit, the city "cleaned up" the homeless. They simply vanished from the streets for a week or so. I have no idea where they took them, and they didn't exactly broadcast it, but they were gone. No where to be seen. I was ashamed to be an American.

When Gorbachev toured the city in a limo cavalcade, he came down 17th Street and as I was crossing K Street at 17th on my way back to my shop from the bank, he stopped at the corner, and I and several others, shook his hand, and I said "they hid the homeless for you". He looked at me quite quizzically (gee, I wonder why), and moved on.

So, to return to the present time.

On Friday, after celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and a few friends the day before, I read that the Obama family had spent the day before Thanksgiving passing out food to the needy in Chicago, saying that they want Malia and Sasha to understand that they are very lucky, and to learn empathy, and to learn that they are expected to give back to their community.

From Huffpo:

“Ten-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha joined their parents to shake hands and give holiday wishes to hundreds of people who had been lined up for hours at the food bank on Chicago's south side.

Sasha wore a pink stocking hat over her pigtails and Malia had on a purple striped hat as the family handed out wrapped chickens to the needy in the chilly outdoor courtyard. Those seeking food on Wednesday at St. Columbanus also received boxes with potatoes, oranges, fresh bread, peanut butter, canned goods, oatmeal, spaghetti and coffee.

The president-elect, dressed casually in a leather jacket, black scarf and khaki pants, was in a jovial mood, calling out "happy thanksgiving" and telling everyone "you can call me Barack."

He told reporters that he wants the girls "to learn the importance of how fortunate they are, and to make sure they're giving back."

The soon-to-be first lady said the Obamas wanted to give their children "an understanding of what giving and Thanksgiving is all about."”  

While engaged in their activity of giving out food to the needy, they caught the attention of schoolchildren in a school overlooking the scene, who posted a sign in a classroom window for Obama.

I saw this, and it touched my heart, as have many things that have occurred in the past few months.

This man, Barack Obama, makes me feel hope. He makes me want to let go of the fear and cynicism of the last eight long years.

I believe that he has moved us away from our complacency, and shown us that we can have an effect on our national politics. This is such a gift. And this is what I am grateful for this Thanksgiving. The man simply makes people want to be better people. He brings out the best in many, and that inspiration may just be all we really need.

>>Cross posted on Inspire Political Discourse..

¹ At WH parties during the Reagan years, Nancy Reagan hand-picked US Marines to attend in groups. These guys were purportedly chosen based upon their appearance --- their primary qualification was that they were good-looking men.

“ When you start playing around with constitutions just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that that's not what America is about. ”

From the Obama interview with Sway/MTV on Nov 1, 2008.

Yeah, she was drinking, but that's no excuse. And, in fact, that she said it out loud wasn't the issue. What mattered, of course, was that she viewed people as "us and them", and that she considered the "them" part of the equation to be less than the "us".

I sat there for a few minutes in stunned silence. After I regained some of my wits, I excused myself and went home. No, I didn't call her out publicly. Perhaps I should have. But I also could not condone what she felt, and the divide was deep enough that I chose to end the friendship. A leopard does not change their spots, to use an overused cliche, so I was not under any illusion that I could change her mind. But, still, I took the coward's way out. I didn't tell her why or even "that". I simply stopped taking her phone calls, I didn't answer the door when she dropped by, and I avoided the places where I might run in to her. Thus, even though my intentions were good, I did not feel good about how I handled it.

During the last three months leading up to the election, I struggled to maintain my perspective. Listening to and reading about all of the preposterous lies and half-truths told by the GOP regarding Obama made me bloody furious. Clearly, although in my mind I knew that most people with any intelligence would likely discount most of the lies, there were enough people who believed them to have an impact on the outcome of the election. Or so I thought.

During that same period of time, I was posting in a forum filled with neocons. These people were not stupid. They did not lack intelligence, but every single day they promoted and repeated the lies which originated with the McCain Campaign and other GOP party tools. I doubt that they actually believed what they were promoting. Two things occurred which really bothered me.

1. Because I felt that to say nothing was to condone and give the appearance of truth to the lies, I called them out. I never called my friend out, but I called these people out because I had come to believe that if you can not speak out against the things you strongly believe are wrong publicly, then you are no better than the person who is saying or doing the things that you think are wrong. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to be very passionate, and so I went a bit overboard towards the end. [While I am sorry for that, I am not embarrassed by my motives.]
2. Only a couple of others really called them on their lies. Most of the other Dems seemed to think it was "politics as usual", and others just ignored them. But it wasn't politics as usual to me. At least in my mind, it had gone way beyond that.

Which brings me to my next point. As I listened to John McCain's concession speech, tears welled in my eyes, and I felt badly for this man who had so much wanted to become the president. So much so that he sacrificed his integrity, first by becoming W's tool after the 2000 election, next by choosing a dangerously unqualified candidate for veep solely in order to increase his chances of winning, and last by allowing the terrible lies told about Obama to go forward and multiply--even to the point where rallies were becoming scary, violence against Obama was threatened, divisiveness was promoted, and a large group of Americans was afraid that Obama was a fanatic, bent on destroying this country.

So, please, help me out here. Are we just supposed to forget what McCain and company said and did because we won the election? Do you think it was "politics as usual"?  Or do you think that we should hold candidates for high office to a higher standard? Is it forgivable? How can people talk about what a gracious concession speech he gave, as if nothing else that he did matters, and as if all is forgiven?  I just can't seem to reconcile it all in my own mind.

YES WE DID! 
I am so proud of my country right now, and filled with hope and optimism for the future in a way I have never experienced.

I don't know what it was about for you all, but for me, the choice to support Obama came in large part from a sense of longing for integrity and competence in the highest office in the land, and a strong desire to see the administration who subverted our Constitution banished, along with the party who elected him. The subversion of the Constitution, the torture at Guantanamo, and in Iraqi prisons, and God only knows where else, was a legacy I did not want to see left to my children or future grandchildren. As Rep. Louis said on ABC News last night, "a non-violent revolution" occurred in this country.

Yes it did, and we took our country back from the hands of the would-be dictators, and put it in the hands of a man with integrity, vision, intelligence, and a strong desire to serve his country.

I have to say that John McCain gave a very gracious concession speech last night, and I admire him for that. Whether or not I can forget about all of the lies he and his campaign told.............well, I am not sure I am a big enough person to do that. And, as Palin's role in the future of the GOP concerns me, I may continue some political blogging, but it will be on Inspire Political Discourse if I do. At least I think that's what I'll do.

See you in a week or so!

The full text of the victory speech given by President-Elect Barack Obama in Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois, on November 4, 2008, to 125,000 supporters in Grant Park, and to those watching all across the nation and the world.

President-Elect Barack Obama:
“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, its that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if Americas beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our 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.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”

Good morning. Are you ready? I am SO ready! Bring it on, let the ballots roll, baby! 

A few tips: - Take your government-issued ID and your cell phone, if you have one. If you have problems, or see problems, call a hotline immediately (see below). If you have trouble with your registration, ask for a provisional ballot.
- Avoid Straight Party Voting, if it's an option in your state. Vote for each race individually, even if it takes a little longer. 
- Verify your vote. If you’re voting on an electronic voting machine, check the review screen to make sure it reflects your vote. If the machine produces a paper record, check as you go along that everything is working correctly. If not, speak to a polling attendant—don’t leave until you’re sure your vote has been properly recorded.
- Document problems - If you encounter difficulties, or see others experiencing difficulties (excessive lines, voter harassment, malfunctioning machines, etc.), make a detailed record. Get all the facts you can—location, names, specific problem.
- Report problems encountered during voting to 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683), which has volunteer lawyers in 15 locations standing by to provide rapid-response assistance. [.....]

TRACKING [times are EST]

◄ 11:00PM |  ABC News has just projected Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States with at least 297 electoral votes!

◄ 11:25PM |
Obama >338-EV
Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Colorado, Colorado, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 155-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 11:00PM |
Obama >297-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 145-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:42PM | 
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 141-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:02PM |  Obama takes Iowa!
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 138-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Utah,
◄ 9:40PM |  Barack takes Ohio! It is very unlikely at this point that McCain can get to 270 electoral votes. A Republican has never become the president without taking Ohio*.
Obama >200-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*,
McCain > 130-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi,
◄ 9:05PM |  Dems have picked up 4 Senate seats thus far.
Obama >174-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota,
McCain > 90-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia
◄ 8:30PM |  Elizabeth Dole has lost the Senate race in NC.
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 49-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas,
◄ 8:01PM |
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 34-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina
◄7:36PM | CNN has an excellent electoral map, and allows you to track things like which states are processing votes, etc.. I am using the info from ABC live television for tracking, however.So far, Vermont has gone to Obama, and Kentucky for McCain. No surprises there.
* indicates battleground states

ELECTION NEWS and whatever.....

► Ha ha. Palin hates the blogosphere and also said that she would like to “help improve the profession because she has “great respect for the world of journalism.” ” [.....]Yeah, I bet. By shutting down our first amendment rights, no doubt..
► Exit polls indicate that 8 out of 10 people say that the economy is the most important issue.
► In the Detroit area (listening to wxyz in Detroit now), the wait is 6+ hours, largely due to understaffing. Although the polls close at 8pm in Detroit, if you are in line at 8pm, you will be able to vote.
►In an interview on CNN today, Rick Sanchez makes Joe the Plumber look like what he is -- an opportunistic idiot who needs to get a clue. [video]
► An hour ago (approx. 4:30pm EST) the GOP filed a lawsuit re provisional ballots in Ohio. No news on the net as of now.
► From MSNBC - heavy voting reported as polls approach closing times.
► DAMN the GOP! GOP Poll Watchers in Indiana Violated Court Order On Foreclosure Lists
► I am so freakin' tired -- I could not sleep last night. *sigh*
► Ten reasons why you should ignore exit polling data.
► Reports of voting problems all across Virginia this morning.
► The Alaska state polls will be the last to close tonight, at 12am EST. The last to close that will truly matter are California, Oregon, and Washington, at 11pm EST.
► African-American community in Florida, only one machine.
► GOP Officials Trying To Disqualify Iowa Student Ballots
► Across the country, polling places report long lines and heavy turnout.
► In California, same sex couples rush to beat the ballot. “With polls showing the outcome of a ballot measure on Tuesday on outlawing same-sex marriage in California a tossup, couples were not taking any chances on Monday”
► Who is funding California's Proposition 8? “The Mormons' donations are well known, and are a source of outrage among the church's more moderate elements. But little attention has been focused on two of the proposition's biggest individual donors: Elsa Broekhuizen, the mother of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, and Howard F. Ahmanson Jr., the reclusive theocratic millionaire who inherited $300 million from his philanthropist father at age 18.”
► Keith Olbermann produces evidence (cue cards) that Palin was scripted to compliment Tina Fey for her  impression when she appeared on SNL but ad-libbed and left the line out. Not really surprising as she is known in Alaska as an inveterate  grudgeholder.[video]
► At 7AM, 1000+ students lined up to vote at Penn State [video]
► John Kerry on the short list for Secretary of State [.....]
► Carl Rove predicts huge win for Obama: “The final Rove & Co. electoral map of the 2008 election cycle points to a 338-200 Barack Obama electoral vote victory over John McCain tomorrow, the largest electoral margin since 1996. ” Projections from other pundits.
► Palin's doctor released a brief letter summarizing her medical history. There are still many unanswered questions about her last pregnancy.

Cross-posted at Inspire Political Discourse.

RECENT and RELATED POSTS: ¶ = most popular posts

¶ Notable Republican/Conservative Endorsements of Barack Obama
| The Anchorage Daily News Endorses Obama
| A lifelong Republican notes: "I voted American - for Barack Obama" | One more day and more conservative endorsements for Obama
| McCain on SNL and the Obama Ad on Cheney Endorsement of McCain
| Media Criticism of Palin Threatens Her Right to Free Speech?
| Ron Reagan Endorses Barack Obama
| Obama Interview on The Daily Show - Jon Stewart
| Former Reagan Chief of Staff Endorses Obama
| Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. Endorses Barack Obama
| State Challenges to Roe Vs Wade Disguised - Proposition 4 - Measure 11 - Amendment 48

Whatever you do, do not neglect to vote tomorrow. This. election. is. too. important. And please, please, please - NO write-ins, and forget about Bob Barr and Ralph Nadar. Throwing your vote away is silly, and it isn't like there isn't a huge difference between Obama and McCain. You aren't making a valid point if you do this, and even if you were, no one will care. Cast your vote wisely -- this.election.matters!

ELECTION NEWS - and whatever.......
► Racists for Obama [.....] A few weeks ago I had a conversation (on a forum) with a racist anti-semite over his disgusting predilection for selling Nazi memorabilia such as concentration camp armbands on online auction sites. He insinuated that he might be voting for Obama because he hates Palin more (for killing wolves). It struck me as very odd. On the other hand, a racist anti-semite thrives on hatred, so it should not really be surprising that he would vote based on whom he hates less.
► Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, died today. It makes me sad to realize that neither his mother nor she lived to see him win the presidency. RIP, Ms. Dunham.
► This is arguably the most important election in American history. [.....]
► Palin ramps up rhetoric, suggesting that Obama thinks terrorists are the "good guys". &*$%**$&!!!
► The RNC leaves no avenue of attack un-spun, and goes after Obama for his visit to his dying grandmother. Pathetic losers.
► Josh Simmons, Gators for McCain (1000+ members) chairman at U of Florida, resigned his post on Sunday, and endorsed Obama, stating “I’ve seen a different John McCain than the one I signed up to work for.”
► The states to watch for early indications tomorrow night are Virginia and Pennsylvania. In Virginia, the polls close at 7pm EST. If Obama wins Virginia, it is close to a sure win. If he takes Pennsylvania, where polls close at 8pm EST, it will be almost impossible for McCain to win. If McCain wins Pennsylvania, it will be a very long night.
► Unbelievable. This is from Oct 28, but I just ran across it. McCain's biggest lie - (bolding & text enlargement mine) “Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, today accused his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, and the entire Democratic Party of being “too stupid to govern America,” citing as proof their falling for the many outrageous lies deliberately planted in his and running mate Sarah Palin’s public utterances to test their intellectual acuity.
“Of course that one [Obama] doesn’t pal around with terrorists,” McCain explained. “Of course, he isn’t a Muslim or Muslim sympathizer. Of course, his tax plan doesn’t punish the middle class. Of course he isn’t a socialist. Those were just booby-traps we set to see if they were smart enough to tell the difference between the truth and a whopper. And over and over again, they’ve flunked this vital test of savvy. They’re so dumb they think we meant it!”
► Palin's problem in separating family from governance includes billing the state of Alaska for her children's travel, and making her husband her chief advisor.
► More evidence from Harper's Magazine of McCain's relationship with Khalidi
► Biden mocks the "Maverick Twins" in Daytona Beach 
► Dick Cheney's hometown paper in Wyoming, the Casper Star-Tribune, switched to Obama. [.....]
► A former speechwriter for both Reagan and Nixon endorses Obama, stating “One thing I know is that both Nixon and Reagan would have agreed with Obama’s speech against the Iraq War… But all the organs of the conservative movement followed Bush over the cliff—as did John McCain.” [.....]
► Yesterday, at an airport hangar rally in Columbus, Ohio, the wing-nut Palin had some advice for Tina Fey: “Now speaking of great performances, did anyone catch John McCain last night on SNL — 'Saturday Night Live?' He was such a pro in those skits there with Tina Fey. And little advise [sic] for Tina—we want her to make sure that she’s holding on to that Sarah outfit because she’s gonna need it in the next four years.”
► Starbucks is giving out free coffee tomorrow. After you've cast your vote, head for a Starbucks and tell them that you voted --- you'll get a cup of  great java on the house.

RECENT and RELATED POSTS: ¶ = most popular posts

¶ Notable Republican/Conservative Endorsements of Barack Obama
| McCain on SNL and the Obama Ad on Cheney Endorsement of McCain
| Media Criticism of Palin Threatens Her Right to Free Speech?
| Ron Reagan Endorses Barack Obama
| Obama Interview on The Daily Show - Jon Stewart
| Former Reagan Chief of Staff Endorses Obama
| Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. Endorses Barack Obama
| State Challenges to Roe Vs Wade Disguised - Proposition 4 - Measure 11 - Amendment 48
| McCain and Bush - On the Economy, Two Pieces Cut From the Same Cloth
| McCain Campaign took $51,400 from Charles Keating law firm - including from Keating's own nephew
| Francis Fukuyama, the Original Neocon, Endorses Obama
|The Economist Endorses Barack Obama

Only 2 more days to go! I am at a point where even meditation, working out, staying away from McCain supporters, eating chocolate, raking leaves, hugging my son, cuddling with my cat, does nothing to decrease the very high level of my anxiety. For a time, I posted on a forum where I and the other Dems were quite out-numbered by neocons. I spent a lot of time at the bottom of a pile-up --- nothing I said made any sense. According to the neocons, that is. Then the owner, for reasons unknown to me, brought in even more of these people, to the point where it became very difficult for me to hold on to my temper. Actually, I didn't hold on to it, and I finally decided that in order to retain my own self-respect, I could not allow myself to post there anymore. The bad part of this is that I no longer have this outlet for my misery, and the other forum where I post is filled with others who share my views. Both are unbalanced in that way, at least for me. I will be SO glad when this election is over resolved.

ELECTION NEWS - and whatever....
► Because Senator Ted Stevens, the incumbent Republican senatorial candidate in Alaska, has refused to step down after his indictment on corruption charges, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) warned the Alaskan voters that "Stevens would not only face an ethics investigation but also expulsion proceedings regardless of his efforts to appeal the convictions."
► Great post on The Relevant Rhino - "They Hate Us For Our Freedom - In case you hadn’t noticed, the right is becoming increasingly more desperate. This election is one giant character attack, and it flows down to every man, woman, and child with the courage to stand up to the GOP. But 40 years of failure is a bad example, and these school-yard bullies and" [......]
► Election predictions from the panel on "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos. Ooooh, it is looking so good!  Summary of the predictions from the panelists: President - Obama - 338-378 electoral votes
Senate - the Dems will pick up between 7-9 seats

This is because I am so freakin' uptight, I can barely think or breathe or eat or sleep, and I was even totally disinterested in my date last night (very not normal for me).Yeah, I am that anxious. You betcha.

So much is on the line in this election, and after all, the election in 2000 was literally stolen from the Democrats, and some say it was stolen in 2004 as well. Being so far ahead in the most reputable polls is sweet, but still, I can't breathe. More on this later.

ELECTION NEWS - and whatever.....
► Obama on Cheney's endorsement of McCain: “Do you think Dick Cheney is delighted to support John McCain because he thinks John McCain’s going to bring change? Do you think John McCain and Dick Cheney have been talking about how to shake things up, put [sic]Halliburton and get rid of the lobbyists and the old boys club in Washington?”[......]
► OMG, this video is hilarious! A hockey mom sings opera to Sarah.
► Freakin' nasty rumors by the right wing ...... The persistent rumors by the right wing that Obama was not born in this country, are false. His birth certificate from Hawaii was confirmed as authentic by FactCheck.org, and Politico has confirmed the authenticity of an announcement of his birth in the Honolulu Advertiser.
► Concerned that the GOP will again steal the election? Watch this and get angry. [Unrelated to the video, but of note. After the 2004 election, for good reason, the USA quickly dropped to 17th on the Economist's Democracy Index falling far behind more advanced democracies that include: Sweden, Iceland, Canada and Malta whose elections are held to higher standards. .......]
► The endorsement McCain really could have done without........Dick Cheney endorses McCain.
► Palin is the only one of the four candidates who has not yet released her medical records. Could this be because she will again be caught in yet another big lie? Be sure to read this report by Andrew Sullivan of The Atlantic.
► Yesterday, in an interview on WMAL-AM radio, Palin claimed that her first amendment right to free speech (and her right to lie, consistently, daily)  was being threatened by the media criticism of her.
Oh dear God. I can not count the ways that this seemingly illiterate, anti-intellectual, ignorant woman frightens me. A quick look at the First Amendment.

RELATED POSTS: ¶ = most popular posts

| State Challenges to Roe Vs Wade Disguised - Proposition 4 - Measure 11 - Amendment 48 | Another Threat of Violence at a Palin Rally in Scranton, PA
¶ Demonizing Barack Obama: The Politics of Hate
¶ Sarah Palin Engendering Racial Hatred, Encouraging the Insanity on the Campaign Trail
¶ Politifact Examines McCain's Claims About Obama and Ayers - Calls McCain Claims False and Malicious
| Vote Fraud and the GOP
¶ Sarah and Todd Palin and the Alaskan Independence Party - AIP Ties to Iran
¶ What are the Chances that Sarah Palin Will Succeed to the Presidency Without an Election if the McCain Ticket is Successful?

RELATED POSTS: ¶ = most popular posts

| Former Reagan Chief of Staff Endorses Obama
| Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. Endorses Barack Obama
| Francis Fukuyama, the Original Neocon, Endorses Obama
|The Economist Endorses Barack Obama
¶ Notable Republican/Conservative Endorsements of Barack Obama
¶ More Conservatives/Republicans Jump Ship - Endorse Obama
¶ More Endorsements of Obama by Republicans/Conservatives
| Ken Adelman, a Neocon for Neocons, Endorses Barack Obama. Huge.
| Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama
| Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, and Andy Griffith Request Five Minutes of Your Time......
| A lifelong Republican notes: "I voted American - for Barack Obama" | The Anchorage Daily News Endorses Obama