Billy-Boy's Penitence

Hill and Bill over her prospective appointment as U.S. Secretary of State


I’ve been playin’ second fiddle to your ego, your interests and your women for over thirty years! Now......make no mistake about it, Billy Boy.....this is my time and you ain’t going to screw it up!

Baby, I know you’ve sacrificed a lot for me and this country and I’m truly indebted to you for what you’ve done. I stand here, today, and pledge to you that I will continue to do all I can to make your dreams come true.

Oh, Bill! Cut the crap. Just keep your zipper up and your mouth shut!

Uh?

Political Decompression

Perhaps you feel like me. I am emotionally and physically spent!

As one who has done D.C. Marathons, Marine Corps Marathons, New York City Marathons, biathlons and umpteen 10K races, my body and mind feels equally exhausted after completing this political cycle.

I can only imagine what President-elect Obama and Senator McCain must feel like. Especially Senator McCain at seventy-two years of age!

After fielding the many phone calls, emails, debriefing meetings with friends, I just want to shut-down and rest. I have not had a sound-night’s sleep in the last two weeks because I have been consumed with work and anticipation of the things to come.

If you feel like me, let’s do something nice for ourselves. I plan to take a nice swim and treat myself to a massage.

A grandmother's love!

Senator,

My heart-felt sympathy goes out to you and your family. Rest assured that your beloved grandmother will always be with you. Because of her love and support, you have been prepared for the task at hand.

Be strong, senator! Your pain will endureth for a night...but joy comes in the morning.

A dream no longer deferred

Well, we are coming to the end of a hard-fought fight, folks! Tomorrow is the big day. I will be busy doing last minute campaigning for my guy. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect and express my gratitude to those I have interacted with over the last twenty-one months.

In all my years of participating and observing political cycles, this by far has been the most exciting and rewarding cycle of them all.

I want to say thanks to everyone who has written me, called me, beat me up, cursed me and complimented me in my effort to express myself on these all too important issues of our time. I have grown and I think our society has become better as a result of this exercise we call electoral democracy.

I look forward to commenting on the new administration’s successes and failures in hopes of maintaining this new interest in civic studies and to make this country a place that we can all be proud of, once again.

In the parting words of the great Edward R. Murrow, good night and good luck!

Obama’08!

My greatest honor!

This is no “stock photo”, folks. This is my 84-year young mother.

Yesterday, while preparing to take this photo, I got misty-eyed because I knew that this is the most important vote of her lifetime and, perhaps the last presidential vote she will cast.

Mother-dear was rushed to the emergency ward last Monday, the day before I was to take her to vote. I stayed with her all day in the hospital until my sister relieved me. While there, I read and prayed with her. She asked if I thought she would be out in time to vote for "O-baby" , her term of endearment for Senator Barack Obama. She was released from the hospital, Thursday.

While waiting her turn at the polls, we saw other seniors of all races in wheelchairs, walkers, those being assisted by family members. We had never seen such an election turn-out like this before. Everyone was so helpful to one another and gleeful with anticipation. The whole process took no more than thirty minutes, but emotionally, it was the best thirty minutes we shared with our fellow Washingtonians in a longtime!

So, if you know a senior or someone who maybe challenged to get to the polls on Tuesday, do what I have been doing because it feels so good.

Thanks, Mom, for the privilege and the honor you gave me!

Where's Joe the Plumber?

.....Joe?....Joe? Has anyone seen Joe the Plumber?

As an ardent Obama supporter, I got to admit that I felt sorry for the Republican party presidential nominee at a rally in Ohio, yesterday. McCain looked embarrassed standing on the dais, wondering where his latest no-show gimmick, “Joe the Plumber” was.

They say Joe was cashing in at the time of the rally, trying to cut a recording deal? Cindy McCain looked like she has had enough and wants to pack it in and go home(s). Can’t blame her much. Going home(s) beats looking at the “plumber’s crack” all day and throwing down road-kill mooseburgers with the governor and kids.

Girl gotta do what a girl gotta do!

Palin discusses her future with Rick Davis (McCain's campaign manager)

Rick, after the O-man’s 30-minute dig last night, with all due respect for our boy, the senator’s moose is cooked! Now, I agreed to come onboard to generate some interest in the campaign, but, lets face it: I did my job, but you didn’t do yours! Now that I got a li'l following, a girl gotta do what a girl gotta do. Sorry, Charlie, I got to think about my future.

What’a ya saying?

Hmmmm game show host sounds pretty good about now.

Opportunist!

My monumental moment!

Yesterday, in the nation's capitol, I am proud to say that I casted my vote in the most important election in human history for Senator Barack Obama!

Dare to struggle, dare to win!

The following was inspired by fellow bloggers Jski1012 and Linebacker53 who spoke about the mean and hateful things that have been said about Senator Barack Obama.

I guess we were not “really” surprised as to what an Obama candidacy would bring out of America, if not the world. Racists’ and sexists’ worst fears are, now, upon us. Also, Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin proved not to be immune.

As I have always stated, I am a 1st Amendment supporter and that is why I do not delete comments from my blogs. The hate-filled comments that we are subjected to should serve as evidence to the world of what type of people we coexist with. People of color and women are the majority people in the world and yet, quite often, we are at the bottom of the socio-economic totem pole while some wish it to remain that way.

Senator Barack Obama’s ascent as the nominated presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party of the United States of America…Wow!...has done so much to uplift the spirit, the esteem and has given hope to so many who heretofore had no dreams, nothing to look forward to.

This movement did not start with Senator Obama. It has been developing every since injustice and inequality has been practiced on these shores. Our DNC presidential candidate’s rise is the culmination of so many people of different backgrounds who fought to bring about fairness and opportunity to everyone in this society. Yet, pockets of recalcitrant haters still exist, a la the Ashley Todd-types, and perhaps, that is useful because it makes us appreciate all that we have gained together as a society.

The McCain Campaign: better than a reality show!

People, I talked to Senator McCain just after the final debate and I need to make some changes: new ads, new focus! If anybody got a problem with that, tell them to see me, Rick Davis.

Ah, Rick! Call for you….it’s Senator Grahm.

I’ll take it in my office, thank you.

RICK, WHAT THE BLAZES IS GOING ON? I TALKED TO JOHN AFTER THE DEBATE. THE SWABBIE THINKS HE WON ‘CAUSE FOX SAID SO! I WENT ALONG WITH HIM ‘CAUSE HE LOOKED LIKE CRAP AND HE’S MY FRIEND!

Sir, I was just about to implement some cha…..

DON’T INTERRUPT ME, SON. NOW... SOMETHIN’ GOTTA CHANGE, HERE. MY GUY’S CAMPAIGN IS BEGINNING TO MAKE HIM LOOK LIKE A PURE-D FOOL, THESE LUNATICS SHOWING UP AT RALLIES. YA NOT GIVING JOHN ‘NOUGH COGENT STUFF TO TALK ON THE ECONOMY. YA MADE AN ICON OUT OF A PLUMBER WHO IS A LYING NUT. YA GOT SARAH “ANNIE OAKLEY” PALIN APPEARING ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, TONIGHT AND, NOW, COLIN “TURN-COAT” POWELL IS GONNA ENDORSE “THAT ONE?"

"I am not George Bush....but, I love George Bush!

Senator Grahm….please hold for Senator McCain.

Phil?

Hey, swabbie!

Well?

You knocked it out of the ballpark, matie! That was the best I’ve seen you. Good job.
Look, real quick….I talked to Bill-O this morning. He’s onboard, but he said he needed something, he needs a hook, he needs some red meat. Got an idea: a government with all Dems!

What?

Imagine this: Democrats controlling both houses AND Pennsylvania Avenue! After the second session of Congress, the people will be begging for the GOP to come back. The Dems will be like kids in a candy shop. Spending will go through the roof and the deficit will be astronomical! So, what you need to do for the next twenty days is to push that fear to the people. That’s the hook Bill-O, your base and the indys need to hear. It’ll scare the hell out of the people that feel the markets have screwed them.

Hmmmm, one question, Phil: why did Fox’s poll say I won last night’s debate and everybody else said I lost?

Bill-O & Phil: Early morning tete-a-tete

Bill-O returns Senator Phil Grahm's late night call:


Honeyyyyy, it’s Bill O’Rileyyyyyy….

Thank you, Wendy-poo!

Bill-O! Hey, thanks for gettin’ back with me. Good morning.

No problem. Good morning, Senator.

Bill, I’m going to get to the point. Our guy is sweatin’ bullets and he needs to get a facelift. It’s T minus 20 days and we got to work together to turn this thing around for him. Now, I’m thinking that if our conservative friends in the media can get onboard, I mean REALLY get onboard; maybe we can stop some of the bleeding. I know Rush’s position on my guy. Your thoughts?

Well, Senator, have you talked to Rick Davis, yet?

No, I wanted to talk to you and a few others, first.

Senator, I’ll never say this in public, of course, but Senator McCain got serious issues. I want to assure you sir that I’m a devoted Republican and you know that. But I’m hard-pressed to prepare for my show everyday in support of our man when he doesn’t give me anything I can hang my hat on. With all due respect sir, how far can I take his POW experience….the war hero? His campaign is throwing out “economic decoys”: Reznick, Ayers, ACORN, trust. Senator, I want to go to bat for the senator, but he’s not giving me any red meat! At this point, he better hope that the “Bradley effect” kicks in. Like the kids say, “I’m just trying to keep it real,” sir.

I appreciate your honesty, Bill-O.

Senator, just give me something, anything! My people want to support him with their hearts and minds. But, honestly, they’re there only out of loyalty, now. [I] hope the debate goes well, tonight.

Thanks, Bill. I’ll get back with ya.

The weight of the world on his shoulders

I thought this was an excellent picture that speaks volumes, metaphorically, to the challenges this young man is facing. Yes we can!

Obama’08

Writing on the wall

….a desperate and introspective John McCain laying his burdens down with Phil Grahm


Hello, Phil?

Hey swabbie!

Phil, I got to talk to you! This whole thing is out of control! Did you hear that dumb-ass woman telling me that the O-man is an Arab? Phil, I’m tellin’ ya, everywhere I go I’m running into these crazed KKK-like lunatics asking me these ignorant questions and shouting radical epithets against Obama….it’s really scaring me. This is not the America I fought and sacrificed for!

John, we knew it wasn’t gonna be pretty. After what that nitwit in the White House put this party through, we knew it would be an up-hill struggle. And those boys on Wall Street just made matters worst. When the Keating-5 came to light, I thought my talk with those boys would have put everyone on notice that, ‘if you don’t want to be regulated, be self-regulated and you can make ALL the money you want under the radar.’ Nah, those boys got greedy and reckless. Hell, I didn’t think it would screw-up the whole world!

Phil, I’m gonna have to have a sit-down with Rick [Davis] to come up with a new strategy.

A new strategy?

Yeah, Phil, because the electoral map is dismal and based on what I see, the only way I could pull this thing off is that the O-man say or doing something really stupid and Obama is too smart for that. Sarah’s Alaska public trust sanction and Todd’s radical secessionist affiliations…..why didn’t we vet that Annie Oakley?

Swabbie, all is not lost, yet. I know Rush is not a big fan of yours, but I’m gonna put a call into him and ask that he talk-up your campaign. I’ll give Bill-O and Sean a call, too. We still have the debate on Wednesday, so let’s not give up the ship just yet. After all, I told the little-lady I’m gonna be the next Secretary of Treasury.

Well, tell Wendy to hold her horses ‘cause it ain’t looking too good. I’ll tell ya Phil, I’d rather lose this campaign than to see this country divided the way it was in the 1860s. Perhaps, just perhaps I can come out of this thing with a li’l self-respect. Ugh, only God knows what Bush is gonna leave the White House with.

Republican presidential rallies or lynch mobs?

Fueled by a sense of desperation, Republican presidential rallies have been peppered with shouts of “terrorist,” “Arab,” “bomb,” “alien” and “kill him” directed at Senator Obama.

It became so bad at a GOP rally yesterday that Senator McCain got fed-up with the amount of hatred and ignorance his base is spewing that he spoke out against it, calling Senator Obama, “a decent, family man, [a] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with.” Apparently, it has become quite clear to Senator McCain that his campaign is spiraling out of control. It is this writer’s opinion that the McCain Campaign manager, Rick Davis, is directing this presidential campaign in an effort to divert our attention from the economic crisis at hand. Governor Sarah Palin is becoming a drag on McCain as a result of a bipartisan Alaska legislative committee finding her in violation of the public trust.

The Republican presidential candidate, in the eleventh hour of this political cycle, is trying to salvage what self-respect he has and love for this nation by rejecting the stoking of hatred for Senator Obama, instigated by the far-right fringe elements of our society.

Strapped by a political “perfect storm” of two on-going ground wars, the worst international financial disaster seen in years, the worst sitting president, declining poll numbers and an erratic campaign, Senator McCain’s efforts are, perhaps, too little…too late.

"But Phil, I did my best!"

Debate Prologue

Senator Barack Obama said, essentially, Senator McCain’s campaign lacks ideas, a plan and time! Hence, the shout to kill Senator Barack Obama at a recent Governor Palin rally, the reason to sling epithets and slurs is an attempt to win at any cost. Is that cost making country first or is that cost making Senator McCain first?

The Debate

Senator McCain needed to knock Senator Obama out of the ring, but he didn’t! Sure, last night, there was not much that we have not heard before. But I think, according to Senator McCain, “that one, Senator Obama” presented himself more presidential and didn’t permit Senator McCain to misrepresent his position on health care and foreign affairs. God bless him, the Arizona senator did the best he could to connect with the electorate, but his best just wasn’t good enough last night. He latched onto the retired naval CPO who asked the question about the security of Israel. Senator McCain got so excited I thought he was going to ask him out for a date after the debate.

As I stated before, I still feel a generational/personality difference between the two senators. This difference is manifested in how they interact with each other and their positions they’ve taken. For example, Senator Obama has been more conciliatory and complimentary when his opponent says something that he agrees with in these debates. Where as Senator McCain is recalcitrant. Also, in the first debate, Senator McCain failed to make eye contact with Senator Obama. I cite these finer observations because it is important when interacting with those that do not agree with you. To have these interpersonal skills can bring adversaries to your side or at the least, find common ground. Senator McCain quoted President Theodore Roosevelt, “speak softly and carry a big stick”. There is not much about Senator McCain that leads me to believe that the senator is prepared to talk, constructively, with our adversaries.

Debate Epilogue

When I view events such as the debates, I tend to go back and forth between CNN, MSNBC, FNC and CSPAN. It never ceases to amaze me how polling outcomes are vastly different between the “news services”. It appeared, again, that we were looking at entirely different events. The conventional thought is that voters gravitate to the news service that most supports their political views.

However, what must be obvious to us all, as of this writing, is that Senator McCain is down in the polls and is in the proverbial “kitchen sink” attack mode. I have doubts about the senator’s ability to change his fate by only making a case of Senator Obama’s pass relationships in light of his own questionable relationships and the all-consuming economic crisis we find ourselves in.

Nowhere else, but up?

Fact: this debate was all about who is the real Sarah Palin and can she save Sen. McCain’s lack-luster performance?

Last night, it appeared that I was witnessing the Sarah Palin from the RNC in St. Paul, this summer. She was glib, enthusiastic and seemed confident in her ability to get her thoughts across to the public.

In my piece entitled, “Beware of Deception” I wrote about the attributes of guerrilla warfare. Yesterday evening, Gov. Palin used such tactics, for obvious reasons. With pat responses and question evasion, she deflected the serious issues of the debate and wooed the viewers with her smoke screen folksy persona that left me wondering, ‘which Sarah Palin is present, tonight?’ Is she the dingbat from the Charles Gibson and Katie Couric interviews or is she the vivacious new infusion that the Republican Party so sorely needed?

If she is this new infusion, God bless her because the GOP is pale and anemic. The McCain/Palin Campaign just pulled up stakes in that great motor-state of Michigan, obviously, because they felt it would be a waste of their resources to pursue those hard working Americans, any longer. Or is the governor just a well prepared dingbat, oooh boy!

Will the real John McCain and Sarah Palin, please stand-up? America, can we really afford to entrust the future of this country to the erratic McCain/Palin ticket?

Heeeeere's, Johnny!

If Senator McCain really needed to show his stuff, it should have been last night at Ol Miss. The military, foreign affairs…..that’s his shtick!

America gave him his chance. Did he deliver? Since a fellow blogger took offense to my “western showdown”, I will use a boxing analogy this time: when you are fighting the champ, you have to beat him, decisively, in order to take his title. Sure, the good senator from Arizona was strong in his foreign affairs arguments, but he was not decisive or convincing. As a matter of fact, Senator Obama scored highly in this area.

Senator McCain made references to how people thought and did things back in the 1900 and something. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love ancient history, too, but….. Back then, this country practiced gunboat diplomacy. But, microbrother, Senator McCain points-of-reference are off-kilter because he was a P.O.W. for five and a half years.

Sure, and there is a generational issue, too. Well, those are my points, exactly. If we are trying to reposition our world paradigm and our leaders are taking us backwards, how in hell do we progress as a society? Let’s not talk about the financial disaster we’re in!

Senator McCain, you have been on the Hill since Senator Obama was still trying to find his way, yet after all of these years, your foreign affairs mind-set sounds whacked, today. And this is supposed to be your strong suit? Will somebody, please, deal this man a better hand? Rrrrrr, matie!

Beware of deception

"All warfare is based on deception. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." - Sun Tzu

This political cycle has been better than any Hollywood drama.

John McCain is wounded and weak. He finds the need to resort to other tactics, e.g. canceling the first day of the convention, choosing a "wild card" as a running matie rrrrrr, the first to use negative ads, misrepresenting the facts, the rush to suspend his campaign for photo-ops . Most military forces can not go against U.S. forces, man-to-man, because the U.S. is just too strong. Therefore, the smart thing to do is to use guerrilla warfare tactics which are very affective, as most recently seen in Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

McCain’s “political” guerrilla warfare can not be taken lightly. His tactics may appear lame and weak, but they could be just enough to encourage those that feel lame and weak to come out and support him when they would not otherwise, do so.

Respect your opponent, people!

How much is that puppy in the window?

Joe, this is Keyes…Alan Keyes! Hey, man…I just read about what the Connecticut Dems did to ya.

Oh, hey Alan. Yeah, I thought that was pretty cold. Uh, I don’t know what to do, now. I guess I, sorta, know how you feel? Oh, btw, I loved your “absolute morality” shtick.

Yeah, I think we got something in common. Joe, I was thinking that, maybe, we need to start our own political party.

What?

Yeah Joe! There’s a lot of folk out there that’s got this political “identity” problem. Nah, let me re-phrase that: the “public” thinks we have a problem. We just have a different take on the political landscape….that’s all. Check it out: we can get Michael Steele and Armstrong Williams. Maybe we can get that ex-Steeler, Lynn Swann! We’ll be able to pull all of the disillusioned dems, repubs and indys.

Okay, Alan…that might work. Perhaps, in 2012, we can make a run for the White House!

Yeah, Joe…that’s the ticket!

Yeah, and I can become president!

Uh, Joe…I’m going to be the presidential candidate.

No, Alan. Obama will be the first black president. I think I should be the first Jewish president!

Whose idea is this? Mine! If you think you’re going to be president before me, you’re crazy! It’s my time! I’m tired of being everybody’s lap dog! This is just your first time!