I Need a Vacation!

For the past week, I have had something going on from dusk to dawn and it's not stopping anytime soon!

Monday was my birthday - I wasn't particularly excited about it, but I guess I'm not going to get any younger so I'd better appreciate my age now. I spent Sunday and Monday with my parents visiting my grandmother in Flushing.

All I can say is I'm on a health bandwagon now - I don't ever want to be in a nursing home, even if it's to recover from surgery. The place my grandmother is in was gross - it smelled like pee and the staff seemed like they were from the island of misfit toys. Plus, there were a lot of crazy senior citizens who reminded me of goldfish trapped in a bowl, spinning around in circles. My grandmother is supposed to be out this week - I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

On Monday, I went blueberry picking with my mom. It was so fun - except now I have to figure out how to make jam. I guess tonight when I get home at 9, 9:30, I'll whip up a crock!

Saturday: I Was 30 Feet from Barack Obama!

On Saturday, my favorite Obama field organizer called me with extra tickets to the Obama/Biden rally in Dublin. My friend Liz went with me and I gave a ticket to my friend Tara and her brother-in-law. We supposedly had actual seats and the doors opened at 4:30. I drove by around 2:45 to see what was happening - I have never seen so many people in one place before. I called my friends and told them to get their booties in action.

I had a yellow ticket, which meant I could stand in the long volunteer line instead of the insanely long pink line that was reserved for the common folk. When we got in, I figured we'd be herded to a special section of the bleachers. Nope - they told us we were in the VIP section so we got to be right by the podium. I was 30 feet away from the stage! We heard from Mary Jo Kilroy, Richard Cordray, Sherrod Brown (awesome!), Ted Strickland (fantastic!), John Glenn (boring - but really inspirational!) and of course...Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

We had 19,000 people crammed into this tiny high school football stadium. The sun was beating down on us and some people had been in line since 7 a.m. The crowd was amazing - enthusiastic, warm, friendly. These were just average folk gathered together to hear what he had to say.

It was right after the Palin VP announcement so Sherrod Brown talked about how Sarah Palin had been governor of a state half the size of Franklin County, Ohio for two years and how she had been mayor of a city about the size of Bexley (one of our smallish suburbs.) It's scary that McCain is putting her a heartbeat away from the presidency - not to slam her experience, but it just isn't as broad and globally focused as Barack's!

Barack and Joe were amazing. A woman passed out because of the heat and Barack gave her his own bottle of water - passing it back through the crowd. That simple act epitomized why I'm a supporter. He'll give you a bottle of water when you're passed out from too much heat!

Just One Brief Republican Convention Mention

I have to say - I'm not impressed. I've yet to hear a real idea from any of the Republicans - or an understanding that we have major problems in this country. All they do is attack Barack and talk about John's POW experience and war. We need someone to fix our economy and help take some of the burden off the middle class. Dubya cut taxes in a time of war - which should never have been done - and we're trillions of dollars in debt.

Yes, Sarah Palin gave an excellent speech (it was written before she was selected and tweaked to be less 'manly'.) If you're going to tout your hockey mom/ PTA mom cred and family values, it'd be nice to have family friendly policies. Instead, she supports creationism (do people actually believe in that still?), abstinence-only education, no support for teen pregnancy programs, consumer-driven health care and she was caught on tape saying the Iraq War was 'a task from God.' These are the same policies as Dubya - we don't need 4 more years of them!

And if executive experience is so vital, why doesn't John McCain have any and why was Dubya so terrible? A spokesperson said Palin had more executive experience than the Democratic ticket combined - she IS the "executive experience." No one else has any - and frankly, I don't care.

Be Very Afraid

If you plan to vote for John McCain this election year, you'd better hope he doesn't die. I think it's a legitimate concern - he's 73 years old. He's had a few bouts with cancer. He lived in dire conditions in a prison for 6 years (as he reminds us daily). He's an old 73.

I feel that if John McCain wants us to vote for him and overlook the very legitimate concern that he may die in office, he's obligated to give us a VP choice who is ready to immediately step in his shoes if he kicks the bucket. Sarah Palin is so out of her element, it makes me sad for her because she doesn't have a real chance. There were so many qualified women he could have picked - he chose one who is probably easy to control but doesn't have a lot to offer our country except her ovaries and pro-life background.

I'm all about seeing more women in elected office. I'm concerned because this is a misogynic ticket - don't be fooled because there's a woman on it. McCain's policies are not pro-woman - and if you look at Palin's limited experience, her policies aren't pro-woman either.

I also think it's insulting that McCain's advisers think Hillary supporters wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two. Hillary was an experienced, accomplished politician. She championed women's and family's rights. She fought for average Americans. That's why people love her. Sarah Palin does not support reproductive choice. She believes in consumer-driven health care, which means you'd pay more out of pocket and companies wouldn't get tax breaks for providing insurance. She's never said whether she thinks women should get equal pay for equal work (can you believe in 2008, that's still something that hasn't happened?) - but John McCain voted against it so I'd guess Palin isn't too big of a supporter. (Does that mean Palin would be paid less than her male VP counterparts?)

Why Barack Obama is Different

When I've talked to people about McCain's choice, a few have said that Barack Obama doesn't have any experience either. Personally, I think experience is overrated- Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, served 8 years in the Illinois House of Representatives and served one term in the U.S House of Representatives and was arguably one of our best presidents. (Strangely, Barack Obama was a constitutional law lawyer, served 8 years in the Illinois Senate and one term in the U.S. Senate. He also was a professor of law at one of the country's most prestigious universities.) George W. Bush was a governor with "executive experience" and a background in business - and is arguably one of our worst presidents.

One of the smartest things Barack Obama did was pick a vice president with loads of experience, to balance the experience concerns.

Also, Barack Obama is proven leader who can play with the big boys on an international level. He worked on trying to round up those pesky nuclear weapons Russia lost track of. He's interacted with multiple foreign leaders and his judgment on foreign policy has proven to be sound time after time. After George Bush and John McCain saying how horrible and risky Obama's ideas were, it seems odd that Dubya has started to adopt some of those policies like a timetable with withdrawal from Iraq

Obama served a complex state with the fifth largest population in the country. He fought for health care for the uninsured, ethics reform and veteran's rights. As a community organizer, he knows how to bring diverse people together. He also can balance a budget and manage a staff, as proven by his expertly run presidential campaign. His stint as a constitutional lawyer would help him appoint Supreme Court judges. He may not have the traditional experience most candidates, but what he's accomplished is extraordinary.

Sarah Palin on the other hand has been governor of the 47th largest state in the U.S. for two years. Before that, she served as mayor of a city with a population of 8,000. Before that, she was on City Council. And before that, she was a fisherwoman and television sports reporter.

How do they even compare? Sarah Palin has no foreign policy experience at all (and unlike Fox News said, being physically close to Russia doesn't count as foreign policy experience!) We are in two wars right now - with the potential for two additional wars if things keep heating up. Do we really want to take a chance at having this woman lead our country? What would she do with Putin or the leader of Iran or that crazy North Korean leader? She is untested, inexperienced and would be eaten alive by her international counterparts.

I'm sure there are plenty of women who will vote for her because she's a woman. I would support her whole-heartedly as governor or legislator. I just don't think she's ready to be president and I don't think we should gamble our country's future on the hopes that John McCain doesn't die.

They Seriously Said That?

Lately, I've had a couple of people say things that left me scratching my head.

#1. "Those Should Be Called Wheat Fats

On Thursday, my meeting ran long so I didn't have time to grab lunch until after both cafeterias were closed. That meant I had to go pick up a delectable treat of some sort from the snack stop. I grabbed a tiny chicken salad scoop and some wheat thins. Not the healthiest choice, but not the worst, either.

As I was paying, the guy behind me points at the box. "Those are misnamed. They should be called Wheat Fats, not Wheat Thins because you can't stop eating them and they make you fat."

Bada- bing! 'Cause everyone likes to be told that their food is fattening and nutritionally void. Seriously, the guy looked like he'd never left his parents' basement. I even run into those fellows at work!

I just said, "That's a cheery thought!" and went on my merry way.

#2 -- You Mean You Might Actually Have to Come to Work at 8 a.m.?

I was talking to a co-worker from another department about something that might happen this weekend. She said she could come into the office on Saturday to fix something if it needed fixed. I said there was no need to do anything over the weekend, we could just come in super early on Tuesday.

She said, "Oh, you mean you might actually have to get here at 8 a.m." I said, "No more like 7." Seriously, I don't have to be at work at 8 a.m. I work from 8:30 to 5:30, technically. In actuality, it's more like 8:35 to 6. Those are my hours. Some people work 8 to 5, others 9 to 6. I work 8:30 to 5:30.

Then she said that the other morning she couldn't find anyone and she thought to herself that she'd love to have our hours. I said, "Oh we usually envy you guys because you can leave at 4:30 or 5 every day." Seriously, there have been plenty of times when I've needed something from her or one of her team members at 5:30, and no one was around. Or in the middle of the day, when she out on a smoke break. I've never said a peep to her about it - we can't all work 24/7.

#3 - I Guess I Just Make Too Much Money

Last night, my neighborhood team hosted a watch party for Barack Obama's speech at Buffalo Wild Wings. (AMAZING speech, by the way.) When the team leader and I arrived, there were a few squatters in our section. One was a disturbingly unattractive man wearing an ill-fitting football jersey. He comes to us and says he'll be watching the other candidate next week because he is a reformed Democrat.

So of course, I have to ask what changed his mind. He says that it was because he makes so much money now he doesn't think he should have to be punished for being successful and poor people are lazy. I took a big sip of my beer at that point. I don't think rich people should be punished, but I don't believe they should be the only ones to benefit from the government's policies. Also, CEOs shouldn't make $35 million for running failing companies. I told him a website called ObamaTaxCut.com where you can see exactly how much you'd save if Obama was president. Most people don't realize, they'd do better with Obama's tax plan - 95% of Americans would save money. The rich would pay more because they're getting a ridiculous tax cut under Bush's plan.

He says "Oh I make six figures but not $250,000." You make six figures doing what? Drug dealing? Seriously, I've never met a more unkempt man.

A few minutes later he comes over to say he tried it and he wouldn't get a tax cut. "I guess I just make too much money - ha ha ha," he says. I just wanted to punch him - he's what's wrong with our country. I've talked to people who are working two and three jobs to support their kids and they STILL are one paycheck away from being homeless. And we're supposed to ignore that because they're should find a better job or get more education. It makes me sick. We do better when everyone in our country does well - not just a select few lording it over the peasants.
Some people might not agree with that, but there's never been a bigger case of wealth inequality.

Arkansas Has Done it Again!

Arkansas is trying to put an issue on the ballot that prevents unmarried couples living together from adopting or fostering children. Basically, those Arkansas folks don't think gay people should be around kids. (Click here for the whole story.)

The sponsors think a household where kids are raised by a mother and a father are the "gold standard." Funny...I know plenty of people who grew up raised by single parents who are absolutely wonderful. I know plenty of people raised by a mother and a father who are complete whack jobs.

I don't see how this initiative could stand up in court. Unmarried single people are OK but unmarried couples are a problem? Do we have so many loving homes for children that we need to turn people away?

Case In Point

My hair dude is gay. (Big shocker!) He and his partner fostered three children and adopted a son. They split up, but are sharing custody of the boy. I have never seen a more adorable little boy in my whole life - red hair, big dimples, a constant smile. The two are phenomenal parents.

In the news, I read all the time about married heterosexual couples who do horrible things to their kids - prostitute them, put them in the microwave, push them down the stairs, shake them. I just don't think a marriage license automatically makes you a better parent.

"They'll Infect the Kids with Gayness"

I know people think gay adults will turn children gay. I call bullshit - every single gay person I've ever talked to was born that way. Children are more likely to be molested by a heterosexual adult than a homosexual adult. Either you're a pedophile or you're not - if you're attracted to adults, you're not likely to start scoping out the playgrounds.

I just don't understand why people spend so much time worrying about what other people are doing. It doesn't affect them. (Granted, murder, abuse and pedophile activities are exceptions.) You want to be gay? Fine! Go be gay! You want to adopt a kid? Go ahead! Doesn't affect me either way.

We'd be a better country if we spent less time worrying about what happens in other people's bedrooms and more time worrying about people who don't have health insurance, people who can't afford to buy gas, people who are working three jobs and still can't make ends meet. But apparently, some people think it's more Christian to persecute gay people than it is to help the poor.

I'm Trying to Curb My Political Addiction

It's a sickness. I can't stop reading news stories. I can't stop examining every nuance of this election. I just see this as such a historic opportunity to make our country better. I actually find myself appalled when people say they aren't paying attention to the election. I also find it appalling when people say they don't see a difference between the two candidates.

Case in point - at that Saddleback thingamajig, the candidates were asked to name three wise people they would listen to.

I thought two of Obama's answers were pretty near perfect: his wife and his maternal grandmother. For his third, he named two Republican and two Democratic legislators, which is a little cheesy.

McCain's wise men were ridiculous: Rep. John Lewis (who says he never talks to McCain), former eBay CEO Meg Whitman (huh?) and Gen. David Petraeus (vomit). Why didn't he name his wife? She may seem like a ninny, but she's HIS ninny.

McCain is a Big Fat Liar

On Sunday, I volunteered for Barack Obama's campaign, going door-to-door to find out how people plan to vote in the upcoming election. My partner was this amazing guy in his 70s who runs triathlons. He's either a cancer survivor or currently has cancer; I'm not sure which. He's actually a life-long Republican, but likes Obama so much he's volunteering for him. His wife was wonderful too - she gave me a glass of sun tea with fresh mint and a key lime!

My fellow volunteer said he actually has met both candidates. Obama was lovely - asked my partner his name. When the he told Obama he read Obama's book and really enjoyed it, he said Obama's eyes lit up and they talked about that for a few minutes. Obama spent quite a few minutes talking with this guy, even though there was a line of people waiting for his attention.

On the other hand, my partner didn't have quite the same experience with McCain. He flew out to Washington to meet with McCain to lobby for more funding for cancer research. He had a personal introduction from one of Ohio's Republican senators and McCain was still a jerk. He wouldn't even let my canvassing partner get a word in, just talked about Ohio State football the whole time. And he voted against more funding for cancer research. Who does that? McCain benefited from that very same research he voted against and the average American with cancer is not married to a beer heiress so really needs more options.

Lies, Lies & More Lies - Barack Obama is NOT a Taxaholic

There are some ads on TV right now that claim Barack Obama will raise taxes for the average American, which is an absolute lie. If you make over $250,000, your payroll taxes will increase. If you make less than that, you'll actually be paying fewer taxes than if John McCain were elected president. And quite frankly, if you're making over $250,000, you can afford to cough up a couple thousand more bucks to help people who aren't as lucky as you. It's not going to put you on the edge of financial ruin.

Here's a video that explains Obama's tax plan. It's only 30 seconds long and it really helped me better understand the plan. I was actually a little swayed by McCain's ad and I'm an Obama supporter, so I want to do all I can to get the real facts out there!

Blech

The new John McCain ad bugs me. I've seen it about 8 times tonight during the Olympics. (OK, twice.) It has a very uplifting (ha ha) message that goes really well with the positive Olympic spirit. Nothing like seeing fellow Americans test the limits of their mental and physical strengths and then listening to how horrible everything is in a 30 second ad.

When I heard the opening line, "Washington is broken," I actually laughed out loud. John McCain has been in Washington for the last 30 years. Isn't he part of the reason it's broken? And if it's so terrible (I'm not disagreeing with the thought - just the execution), why hasn't he done anything about it?

What a dumb commercial!

A News Hiatus? Moi?

I'm in a funk. I'm feeling stressed about pretty much every aspect of my life, which means I need to spend a couple of days bumming around. I can only be lazy for so long until I get spurred into action. This usually involves a to-do list of some kind.

Yes. I'm Defending John McCain.

I may also need to take a hiatus from the news. It makes me feel like spitting. This whole "race card" crap has completely pissed me off. I will break away from my liberal brethren to say I do NOT feel John McCain's Britney/Paris ad is racist. Stupid, pathetic and offensive, yes. Racist, no. I also don't feel John McCain is being racist by calling Barack arrogant. That actually doesn't bother me all that much. Who wouldn't want a self-confident president? A candidate who believes he can win. I think John McCain has referred to himself as president before - that's "arrogant" too.


Um - Since When is Making an Observation a Crime?

With that said, I don't see how John McCain can say Barack Obama is playing the race card. Barack referred to the fact that he is black and will be the first black president. Um, those are facts and shouldn't cause any debate whatsoever. It's not like it's a surprise. We all know Barack is black. I'm sure he's pretty aware of it too. John McCain has previously mentioned that he's old and a cancer survivor. Is he playing the age card AND the cancer card?

Ugh. I've decided to do my small part in helping Barack Obama get elected by sharing one reason every day why he'll be a good president. I just want to put some of his actual thoughts and beliefs out there to help people make an informed decision. My own dad, a long-time democrat, was actually repeating a few of the biggest lies about Barack Obama out there. (I quickly corrected him - and have since sent him several policy papers.)

I realize not everyone is as interested in politics as I am, but that's never really stopped me before. My friends and family are well-aware that I've been a woman obsessed since that horrific Florida incident in 2000. Don't worry - I'll be sure to give equal time to New Kids on the Block, Sweet Valley High and my cats.

Fact #1: As president, Barack Obama will INCREASE the size of the Army and Marines so they have time to retrain and shorter deployments.

Put That in Your Pipe and Smoke It

Barack Obama is arrogant, blah blah blah. He said he's a symbol of America, blah blah blah. He's a celebrity like Britney and Paris, blah blah blah.

This crap drives me bonkers. It's just sloppy half-ass journalism. Take five minutes to check your facts before just printing whatever McCain's attack dogs tell you to print.

Today, Barack Obama apparently said: 'This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for... I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

What he really said was this: "It has become increasingly clear in my travel, the campaign -- that the crowds, the enthusiasm, 200,000 people in Berlin, is not about me at all. It's about America. I have just become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Big difference when you read the quote in context! It's kind of like when McCain runs ads that say Barack Obama has time to go the gym but not to visit injured troops Oddly enough, the basketball video they're using in the ad is of Barack playing basketball WITH some of our troops. Yep, he really seeems to dislike them.

Random Thought

I was listening to Sean Hannity last night. I'm not sure why - he annoys the crap out of me because he's so pompous and ridiculous. As are all the people who call in and say, "You're a good American, Sean Hannity." Who even says that? I'm going to start saying that. "You're good Americans, Amy and Max." I cry bullshit.

Something struck me as funny: he plays clips from Martina McBride's 'Independence Day' on his show. Does he know that song is about domestic violence and NOT about being a good conservative republican American?

'Cause that's pretty funny if he doesn't. (Not the domestic violence - the fact that it isn't a patriotic song.)

We Speak American Here

Barack Obama recently commented that it would be beneficial for children to learn foreign languages. He said he wished he was fluent in a language other than English.

He said: "I agree that immigrants should learn English....But instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English -- they'll learn English -- you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish. You should be thinking about how can your child become bilingual. We should have every child speaking more than one language.''

I wholeheartedly agree! When I was in Japan, the children were taught English at a young age so they were fluent in both English and Japanese. I hobbled along as best I could - pointing and grunting like an idiot.

In fact, I took three years of Spanish and somehow managed to get through college without having to take another language course. It's pretty pitiful, actually. I can ask where the disco and bathroom are in Spanish (very useful). I can say hello, goodbye, and thank you. I can sing Vamos a la Playa (Let's go to the beach - although I've probably spelled it incorrectly.) I can also recite phrases from the Taco Bell menu - chalupa, quesadilla. Yep, I'm ready for globalization!

I think Obama makes a pretty reasonable point. Education is good. Speaking different languages is beneficial. We should want our children to be equipped for success. This seems so innocuous, I can't imagine anyone feeling differently.

I guess I underestimate the amount of ignorance in this country.

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Education!

Mitt Romney said: "I do think that, frankly, Barack Obama looks towards Europe for a lot of his inspiration....I think John McCain is going to make sure that America stays America."

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani said, "This is a country that should speak English."

How is learning a foreign language un-American? Are we suddenly going to be annexed by Mexico if we teach kids Spanish? Will Quebec take over if students learn French?

My friend John is fluent in Mandarin. I've always thought he was ordering tofu for lunch, but is he secretly a terrorist? I'm betting yes!

On the Phone Again

I'm singing the headline "on the phone again" to the tune of "on the road again." (What can I say? It's been a crummy day! I'm in working on my second glass of wine.)

Last night, I volunteered to make calls at my local Democratic Party office. Basically, I called random strangers to see what presidential candidate they were likely to support.

My phone banking was uber fun - except I kept making myself sick with my incessant perkiness. Most people like Obama. I only had two ladies yell at me. One screamed, "I'm not interested." In what? I'm not trying to sell you something. Someone else screamed at me because I had the wrong number and apparently she gets 4 or 5 calls a week asking for the same person. It's not like we're all working from the same phone listing. If she tells me it's wrong, I'll fix it - but I can't fix everyone else's call sheets.

I told the office guy I'd do it again next week. Watch out! I may be calling you soon...

I think I've handled this entry quite well for being a little tipsy!

Just Because I Can

You've probably already seen this clip on the news, but I don't care. I get riled up when I hear women say they won't vote for Obama because he's supposedly sexist. Well, what the hell is this clip? I wouldn't exactly call this buffoon a feminist.



It's a pretty basic concept - if a company pays for Viagra, they need to pay for birth control pills. I don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat, that's just basic common sense. If you even have to think about whether that's a fair idea, you're obviously a sexist pig.

There are legitimate medical reasons for women to be on birth control - it's not just about preventing pregnancy. In fact, most of the women I know who take the pill (me included) are on it for a medical reason. Thankfully, it's always been covered by my insurance! I don't think I could work for any other type of company.

I'm Glad I Don't Work in Politics...

I would give myself apoplexy. Do people still get that or is it something only mentioned in historical romance novels? I think it's similar to a stroke and usually involves a red face and bulging eyes - at least when Jane Feather writes about it.

I'm peeved at Hillary Clinton. I think she and Bill are desperate, ridiculous fools.

Hillary thought this was going to be a coronation, not a nomination. She thought she'd have the whole thing wrapped up by February 5, underestimated Barack Obama and squandered her money in the first few primaries. She ran a bad campaign.

Barack, on the other hand, was brilliant. He chipped away at her lead in every state (except a couple of racist, hillbilly states - I grew up in West Virginia, so I can say that.) He planned for a long campaign and spent his money wisely.

The Candidates Agreed - Florida & Michigan WOULDN'T Count

I'm peeved about the whole Florida and Michigan hoopla. They broke the rules. They were told if they broke the rules they wouldn't have their delegates seated. Knowing that, they still held their primaries early. The candidates agreed hat tthe results in these states wouldn't count and they wouldn't campaign there. Barack even took his name off the ballot in Michigan.

The Candidates Agreed - The Popular Vote WOULDN'T Count

Now Hillary's raising a ruckus about winning the popular vote. The thing is, it doesn't matter if she wins the popular vote. According to the Democratic Party rules, the nomination is based on delegates - not the popular vote. The candidates agreed to this. To top it all off, the only way Hillary Clinton wins the popular vote is if the 40% of Michigan peeps who voted 'uncommitted.' don't count. (That's right - 40% of the Michigan voters would rather vote for no one than Hillary Clinton) Plus, she's not counting votes from caucus states like Iowa, Maine and Alaska. Talk about disenfranchising voters!

We're almost finished with the primaries and Hillary doesn't want to play by the rules anymore because she can't win with them. I find that offensive in a human being - and unbelievably offensive in a presidential candidate.

In the meantime, John McCain's Montgomery Burns' like face is already popping up on my TV in national ads - and our party is wasting its momentum on primaries that don't matter. Barack Obama already has the nomination - he's 45 delegates from winning, Hillary is about 245 from winning. All Hillary is doing is needlessly discrediting Barack - and destroying the Democratic Party.

The Stupidest Thing I've Ever Read

When it comes to the war on terror, we know how to get the job done. You may be surprised to learn our next target isn't Iran or North Korea; instead, it's the insanely perky Rachael Ray.

I admit I once had a bad experience with a Rachael Ray goulash recipe. Also, her 30-minute recipes often take me more than 90 minutes. Sometimes, let's face it, she's just way too chipper. But, in general, she's a cute, accomplished, pleasant-enough person and I feel no great animosity toward her.

That was before she wore the scarf.

In a recent Dunkin' Donuts commercial, she wore a fringed, paisley scarf that looked like a scarf an artsy 40-something woman might buy at J. Jill or Chico's. In general, this wouldn't keep me awake at night.

Thank God for conservative bloggers, because I now know that Rachael's scarf sends a subliminal terrorist message and promotes JIHAD. (And here I thought she was just guilty of using a little too much eye makeup for my taste!)

I'm grateful that conservative bloggers showed me the light. I had no idea terrorists touted EVOO and shopped at Chico's. (Although, Rachael Ray IS a tan brunette - just like most terrorists - so I shouldn't be surprised. Remind me to stay out of the tanning bed this summer - it looks to be a bit of a witchhunt. The Republicans know they're in trouble this November, so they're going to start with the fear-mongering and macho patriotic bullshit.)

All joking aside, Dunkin' Donuts actually CAVED and pulled the ad. I'm pretty appalled by that - the fact that they even credited those conservative bloggers with a single rational thought is beyond me. Seriously, this whole brouhaha is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Can't we be fashionable anymore without raising the terror level? And it's Rachael Ray for pete's sake. If we were talking Bavarian Cream donuts, I might see their point. Next we're going to line everyone up and start pointing out the reds.

The other thing that bugs me is since when do we have a problem with the entire Muslim population or people of Middle Eastern nationality? We have legal United States citizens who are both. Personally, I have no problem with Muslims. They can have their religion. I can have mine. When we die, they'll go to their afterlife. I'll go to mine. No big whoop. Their beliefs have absolutely no effect on me.

I swear Obama better win. Otherwise, I'm moving. I can't take this stupidity anymore.

Scary Door-Knocking!

Sorry I've been a big slacker - I spent the weekend in Indiana helping a political campaign by knocking on doors to remind people about voting in the upcoming primary.

I personally detest knocking on strangers' doors - it makes me feel like I'm going to throw up. I'd rather do almost anything else (except make cold calls over the phone.) When I was in school, I had to sell candy bars for band. I probably would have sold more had I gone door to door, but that wasn't ever going to happen.

I don't know what I thought the good residents of Pin Oak Hills in Mt. Olivet, West Virginia were going to do to my chubby permed-headed self, but I knew it wasn't going to be good. In fact, I think I usually ate more candy bars than I sold, which might have been why I was so dang chubby.

It's My Blog - I'll Give a Testimonial If I Want To

I feel strongly that Barack Obama is the only presidential candidate with the honesty, integrity and diplomacy we need to turn this country around. Let's face it, it sucks right now here - we're all poor, prices are rising, we're losing our homes, we're spending billions of dollars to keep Iraq afloat, jobs are going overseas - it's not pretty!

That's not a slam on the U.S. - I love this country, but I think there are different kinds of patriotism. It makes me mad when people question Senator Obama's patriotism because of that stupid flag pin thing. What's more patriotic than wanting everyone to come together as a nation and make this country as good as it possibly can be?

With a Knock-Knock Here...

To help out Senator Obama, I faced my door-knocking fears and had such a great time. The other volunteers were all so incredibly warm and nice and inspiring to be around. I've been a bit of a politics junkie all my life, but I've never volunteered or donated for a campaign before so this was a new experience.

Most of the people I volunteered with were like me - first-time political volunteers, first-time political donors - we all felt compelled to do something for this candidate. The door-knocking was a little scary, but most people were nice (or pretended not to be home which is what I do when people knock on my door.)

It's not that I think Hillary is a bad candidate - she's better than John McCain. However, I think Barack Obama is the best candidate. The governor of Virginia stopped by our volunteer office to talk with us and he said it all comes down to a choice between better and best. I think he's right and Senator Obama is the best.

Yes, I'm a Political Uber-Geek

I'm not sure how many of you caught Barack Obama's speech on race this morning. I was amazed by his candor and eloquence and was once again reminded why I want this man to be president. We need a leader who can be honest and open about tackling the most difficult issues we face as a country. We tiptoe around race, just as we tiptoe around religion and working class, but until we're willing to take a good look at things, they aren't going to get better.

When I listen to Barack Obama's speech, I feel hopeful again. I want to live in his America, where I can feel proud of my President, where I feel like my country is a world leader, not a laughingstock, and where I feel like part of a larger community committed to doing the right thing.

I don't want to live in McCain's 100-year-war in Iraq. I don't want to be part of Hillary Clinton's self-serving America, where she tears other people down to build herself up. I want to be part of something better.

Take a few minutes to listen to the speech, if you haven't already done so. It's a straightforward delivery for a tough topic, but the words are magical.

What'd a Latte Ever Do to You, Anyway?

The Clinton peeps are annoying the crap out of me. I'm miffed at Geraldine Ferraro (a Clintonite) for saying: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position."


Um, Hillary Clinton is a woman. (I'm not going to make any derogatory Republican'esque remarks about that because I find it offensive that strong women are always depicted as bitches or mannish.) I think it'd be pretty hard for Hillary to be the first female president if she were a man. She definitely couldn't have been First Lady as a man (and that's where she got all her great foreign policy experience.)


I'm also peeved at the anonymous aide who told a London newspaper:

[Barack] Obama has won the small caucus states with the latte-sipping crowd. They don’t need a president, they need a feeling.

Since when did it become a crime to enjoy a latte now and then? We have them here in Ohio - and we have primaries. In fact, they're my favorite coffee drink - energy-boosting espresso combined with bone-building milk. If I'm really daring, I include a shot of sugar-free syrup. In fact, I usually have a couple lattes a month. Most of the time, I drink regular coffee with a packet of splenda. Maybe that's who Barack is popular with - the Splenda-using crowd.

Oddly enough, Barack has more votes from primaries than Hillary. But she isn't interested in facts, she's spinning an image (I used to work in PR; I know all about spin.) The image is that Barack supporters are hoity-toity, latte-sipping, Prius-driving, over-educated windbags who don't understand real people problems. What's amazing is that people are actually buying into that. That seems like an accurate description of Wyoming and Mississippi voters.


I guess I could say all the redneck, whiskey-drinking, gun-toting fools vote for Hillary, but that would be a lie. I was so excited that I finally live in a time where we could have a black man and a woman running for president. I just hate her campaign methods - they seem the slightest bit shady. And she's going need us latte-sippers if she wins the election. Why on earth is she insulting us now?

And My Monday is Significantly Brighter!

Rove-y baby is out the door! (Don't let it hit you on the way out!)

I hate Karl Rove even more than I hate Dubya. Actually, my hatred of Republican politicians goes in this order (from most hated to least):

• Dick Cheney (I don't think even his mother likes him!)
• Karl Rove (an especially disgusting human being)
• Dubya (he's just not that bright, so I can't hate him the most)
• John McCain (I used to like him, but his "I'd kill myself if the Democrats won control of the House" comment pissed me off. When is he going to go through with it?)
• Ken Blackwell (he said one of the most offensive comments about gay people that I've ever heard in my life)
• and Rudy Giuliani (people act like he's a hero, but he treated his wife like crap.)

Bring on the Obama - that's who we need in the White House! I listened to his book on CD - The Audacity of Hope - and I was really impressed. I honestly don't hate Hillary, but I think it's time to have someone new in the White House. And so many people hate Hillary, we'd have a better shot with someone less reviled in the running. The last thing we need is another white male Republican sitting in the Oval Office.

Disgusted

This whole Scooter Libby thing sticks in my craw. Whatever a craw is. (Actually, I looked it up - it's a throat or stomach depending on what animal you're talking about.)

I'm peeved that Bush pardoned him. It's sad that Paris Hilton served more time than Libby. And where was Bush when Lil' Kim was being sent to jail?

It's not that I feel so strongly about Libby - I kind of see him as a weenie, the fall guy, the one who takes the punishment for everyone else. But after everything the Terrible Trio - Cheney, Rove and Dubya - has done to screw up our country, someone needs to be in jail. And even though the Terrible Trio were actually the ones responsible for outing the CIA operative, no one seems to care for some reason.

That leaves Libby, who should go to jail simply to appease my frustration with this administration. I realize that's a terrible reason for someone to go to jail, but I'm really, really sick of stuffy, old, white men who think they run the world.

Send me Barack Obama -- he'll fix everything.