A Conservative Republican Re-Assesses What This Election is About

This is a digression from the theme of this blog, but only slightly.  Written by a conservative Republican, it may be the most touching, truth-filled article I've seen anywhere about what this election is about.  

It's so good that I'm pasting it here in its entirely, but I do urge you to go to the Christian Science Monitor where it appears.  The link to the article is below.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

My wife made me canvas for Obama; here's what I learned
This election is not about major policies. It's about hope.

By Jonathan Curley

from the November 3, 2008 edition

Charlotte, N.C. - There has been a lot of speculation that Barack Obama might win the election due to his better "ground game" and superior campaign organization.

I had the chance to view that organization up close this month when I canvassed for him. I'm not sure I learned much about his chances, but I learned a lot about myself and about this election.

Let me make it clear: I'm pretty conservative. I grew up in the suburbs. I voted for George H.W. Bush twice, and his son once. I was disappointed when Bill Clinton won, and disappointed he couldn't run again.

I encouraged my son to join the military. I was proud of him in Afghanistan, and happy when he came home, and angry when he was recalled because of the invasion of Iraq. I'm white, 55, I live in the South and I'm definitely going to get a bigger tax bill if Obama wins.

I am the dreaded swing voter.

So you can imagine my surprise when my wife suggested we spend a Saturday morning canvassing for Obama. I have never canvassed for any candidate. But I did, of course, what most middle-aged married men do: what I was told.

At the Obama headquarters, we stood in a group to receive our instructions. I wasn't the oldest, but close, and the youngest was maybe in high school. I watched a campaign organizer match up a young black man who looked to be college age with a white guy about my age to canvas together. It should not have been a big thing, but the beauty of the image did not escape me.

Instead of walking the tree-lined streets near our home, my wife and I were instructed to canvass a housing project. A middle-aged white couple with clipboards could not look more out of place in this predominantly black neighborhood.

We knocked on doors and voices from behind carefully locked doors shouted, "Who is it?"

"We're from the Obama campaign," we'd answer. And just like that doors opened and folks with wide smiles came out on the porch to talk.

Grandmothers kept one hand on their grandchildren and made sure they had all the information they needed for their son or daughter to vote for the first time.

Young people came to the door rubbing sleep from their eyes to find out where they could vote early, to make sure their vote got counted.

We knocked on every door we could find and checked off every name on our list. We did our job, but Obama may not have been the one who got the most out of the day's work.

I learned in just those three hours that this election is not about what we think of as the "big things."

It's not about taxes. I'm pretty sure mine are going to go up no matter who is elected.

It's not about foreign policy. I think we'll figure out a way to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan no matter which party controls the White House, mostly because the people who live there don't want us there anymore.

I don't see either of the candidates as having all the answers.

I've learned that this election is about the heart of America. It's about the young people who are losing hope and the old people who have been forgotten. It's about those who have worked all their lives and never fully realized the promise of America, but see that promise for their grandchildren in Barack Obama. The poor see a chance, when they often have few. I saw hope in the eyes and faces in those doorways.

My wife and I went out last weekend to knock on more doors. But this time, not because it was her idea. I don't know what it's going to do for the Obama campaign, but it's doing a lot for me.

Jonathan Curley is a banker. He voted for George H.W. Bush twice and George W. Bush once.

FULL ARTICLE

How Do You Know When Sarah Palin is Lying?

Of the many endearing traits of Sarah Palin that have been revealed to us in the two months she's been in the public eye, none is less attractive than her penchant for lying. And I'm not just talking about little white lies. I'm talking about the kind of whoppers that deserve a whole bar of soap.

What's most unnerving is how good she is at it; the kind of good that says "red" is "yellow"so convincingly that people actually believe it. She's sure got a lot of Republicans fooled. They not only listen to her lies. They repeat them as though they came straight from the mouth of God.

Her biggest whopper was when she was confronted with this:

For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 2952.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 2952.110(a) provides

“The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust.”

to which she responded with this:

"Well, I'm very very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing, any hint of any kind of unethical activity there. Very pleased to be cleared of any of that."

Then, confronted with the evidence of her excessive expenditures on clothing and accessories to the tune of 150,000 which broke down like this:

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August."

she responds with this:

"It's kind of painful to be criticized for something when all the facts are not out there and are not reported," said Palin, saying the clothes are not worth $150,000 and were bought for the Republican National Convention.

She's also been telling some whoppers about Obama. True, they come mostly from her Republican handlers. But she says them with such relish that you know she's speaking from her heart.

There's the one about Obama being a Marxist (which was convincing enough that a dim-witted local TV reporter fed it back to Biden who was so astonished that he could only say: "Are you kidding?"). And, of course, the one she's been repeating over and over and over again: "He's paling around with terrorists!" (notice the plural). Even McCain found that whopper to be over the top. "Well, you know. Sometimes things get exaggerated in a campaign."

Politicians, we're told, do this kind of thing. They lie. But this is the big leagues; humongous, hit em out of the ballpark lies; all told with such a straight face that some commentators have wondered if she isn't pathological.

The richest part of all this is to hear lying Sarah Palin say that Obama can't be trusted. Not her. Obama. He can't be trusted.

Which for some reason brings to mind that old lawyer joke:



How do you know when Sarah Palin is lying?

Her lips are moving.

A New Nickname for Sarah Palin: Rogue Diva

Sarah Palin has had a lot of nicknames.  Already in high school she earned the name,  Barracuda.   With what we have  learned about her petty vindictiveness in the troopergate affair, we now know why.  

Palin herself claims the title "hockey mom" even though what it suggests has more or less been blown out of the water by the revelation of  her "polo mom" taste in clothing.  ("But she did it for charity," whines the McCain campaign.  Which sounds a lot like the Republican platform - it's a trickle down wardrobe!)   This suggests a new name:  Champagne Sarah Palin.

Now key McCain aides are calling her a "diva" who is raining on their parade.  Even worse, she's a "rogue" diva, completely out of control.  (Don't say we didn't warn you!)

That's what a piece that just appeared on CNN claims.  Palin is "going rogue."  And it's causing some bitter in-fighting in the Republican party.

Here's the piece from CNN:

Palin's "Going Rogue" Says McCain Aide

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) -- With 10 days until Election Day, long-brewing tensions between GOP vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin and key aides to Sen. John McCain have become so intense, they are spilling out in public, sources say.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday.

Several McCain advisers have suggested to CNN that they have become increasingly frustrated with what one aide described as Palin "going rogue."

A Palin associate, however, said the candidate is simply trying to "bust free" of what she believes was a damaging and mismanaged roll-out.

McCain sources say Palin has gone off-message several times, and they privately wonder whether the incidents were deliberate. They cited an instance in which she labeled robocalls -- recorded messages often used to attack a candidate's opponent -- "irritating" even as the campaign defended their use. Also, they pointed to her telling reporters she disagreed with the campaign's decision to pull out of Michigan.

A second McCain source says she appears to be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign.

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," said this McCain adviser. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Someone Like Me!!

I saw a woman being interviewed today on CNN who was ga-ga over Sarah Palin. Ever since she first laid eyes on her she was head over heels.

This, according to the reporter, is an indication that Palin speaks to a certain demographic, in this case middle aged blue collar women; evangelical middle aged blue collar women. That's been her appeal all along. Not that she's qualified for this office. Not that she has the kind of knowledge and experience we usually demand in a vice presidential candidate. No, it's because "she's just like me."

I understand this. I want a candidate who is like me, as well. Which means first of all a "he," not a "she." That's what I am. I'm a "he."

He also has to be well educated and well traveled; have midwestern roots and like to listen to NPR. Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me will be his favorite show. His musical tastes should run to new age (instrumental only) for background music while reading, classic rock when he wants to kick back and let loose, the Waifs to get into a zone.

He has to be a Christian. Evangelical, but leaning more left than right. Politically progressive.

As for tastes in food and clothing, well, I'm a blue jeans kind of guy. He should be too. And pizza. He has to like pizza. Lot's of pizza. And Indian curry. The hotter the better.

That's the person I'm looking for. Someone who meets most if not all of those criteria.

If, perchance, I can't find someone like that, well, then I just won't vote. That'll show em. It'll show those Republicans and Democrats that next time they go to all the expense of running a big national campaign, they need to keep my kind of person in mind.

Experience in working with congress? Doesn't matter. Proven leadership abilities? Not important. Broad knowledge of national and international affairs. Who cares? The only thing that matters is that it be someone like me. I will only vote for someone like me . . .

Debate: Part Two

Israel?

Biden: this administration's policy has been an abject failure with Israel.

Good come back.

Good statement on Iran . . . . They have been strengthened under a Bush adminstration.

"I don't believe that this administration's policy has been an abject failure."

Now she's playing a scolding mom -- telling the Democrats that they shouldn't be finger pointing at the Bush administration.

"We're going to put excessive partisanship aside." Huh???

Biden: "Past is prologue."

Good point, Joe. "I haven't heard how McCain's policy has been different from George Bush's."

Gwen: "What should be the trigger if nuclear weapons are put into play?"

Palin is now trying to distance McCain's policy from Bush after saying that it wasn't so bad

Woa, "Obama is hurting our cause" . . . . . . I knew it. She's done it. Obama is on the side of the terrorists. No matter what Biden says this one is going to stick.

One thing is certain -- Palin's handlers have prepped her well on all the foreign policy talking points.

She's winning simply showing more energy and apparent confidence in what she says. People aren't going to parse the content. It's the confidence she exudes that will stick in their minds.

Biden is losing . . .

"I'm a Washington outsider. . . "

She's jumping on Biden's differences with Obama that he had during the primary debates. Smart move.

She has been well trained. What I feared is true -- they let the press believe she was a light weight so she could come on strong here.

Even on foreign policy she's got Biden on the defensive.

"John McCain knows how to win a war and knows what evil is."

(scary stuff - its all about winning. Never mind the body count. As long as we win!!!)

-------------

Finally -- Joe Biden is looking at the camera and speaking about his folks in Delaware. Good move.

Palin: "doggonit" Does this work??

She's snarky . . . . . .

Now her confidence is feeling more like "I know better than you. I know better than anyone." This isn't confidence. This is a cockiness based on . . . nothing.

I think this is going to work against her. It's the prom queen, cheerleader, popular girl rubbing the noses of everyone else in the fact that they aren't as popular as she is.


Accepted wisdom - what about your weaknesses?

Palin: will not admit to having any weaknesses -- I'm very experienced. I'm attached to the homeland. I'm a mom. Special needs children. I was a poor person. "We've been there."

"But even more important is that world view - America is a nation of exceptionalism, we are a beacon of hope. We represent a perfect ideal ("God bless America. Land of the free . . . John Phillips Souza is heard playing in the background)

And now Biden is speaking of his experience - brings in his experience as single parent. I know too! (so there, Sarah. )

What's that about Biden's wife? That was a low blow - your wife has got her reward in heaven?? Please.

Biden - tears. Good move. Unrehearsed. He is a man of feeling up against an autobot blustering with a confidence that has been rehearsed.

McCain - maverick, maverick, maverick . . . . If I was playing Palin Bingo and I had maverick in line I would have won.

We get it, Sarah, John McCain is a maverick.

Biden: good comeback "John McCain is not a maverick!"

Best Biden bit yet.

Biden is now coming across as much more "real" than Sarah Palin. I think in the end he will be seen as connecting better with people than her. She's performing. He's speaking from his heart.

"There's been nothing that I've had to compromise on."

"I walk the walk and don't just talk the talk." She does love those memorized phrases.

Now she's repeating political mantras . . . parrot.

FINAL STATEMENTS:

Palin: "We're going to fight for America. I've been there. I've always been proud to be an American. We've got to fight for our freedoms." Quotes Ronald Reagan. "We will fight for it."

Biden: He connected well. He's a man of the people.

Final judgment: TIE

Who is Sarah Palin?

Welcome to the Matanuska Valley Republican Women’s Club!

By:

Stan Moody, Ph.D.

I have been struggling to get a handle on Sarah Palin and her evangelical/political agenda. The letter below from an education official in Alaska was forwarded to me by a colleague in, of all places, China. What has been gnawing at me is the sense that I have encountered numerous Sarah Palins in the past – hard driving, positive, narrowly-focused “Hockey Moms” set on conquering America for God, skipping the inconvenience of credentials and experience.

In a word, “The Holy Spirit will give me utterance! If not, I still have plenty to say.”

A peak into the world of Phyllis Schlafly, redux:

Lots of friends and relatives have been asking me (as an Alaskan) what I think of Sarah Palin, our Governor, and new choice for McCain as a VP candidate.

This pick floored me. Sarah Palin is a nice person. I've met her. I've even talked to her for a few minutes at a principal's conference a couple of years ago. She has lots going for her superficially. She speaks from the heart, like a spitfire mother; she can even be sort of funny sometimes. She is quite beautiful, athletic and has that radiant glow of someone who actually spends time doing things outside. Unlike many politicians, she has lived a "real life" and done things that few living and working in DC could ever do....like dipnettin' fish, shootin' stuff and eating it out on the tundra, and havin' 5 kids.

Personally, I'd never vote for her. She has an extremely simple view of the world. I don't even think she has ever been abroad. As governor she has repeatedly shown us that she is unable to grasp the demands of leadership. She is very prone to cronyism of the worst kind. Every cabinet level political appointment she has made she has over-ridden suggestions of our state advisory boards and, instead, promoted those who had granted her direct political favors. Not that other politicians don't do this; they do, but most of them are able to balance their appointments to ensure that at least a few people with real skill and experience are running big state agencies.

She also has been unable to pay attention to her Alaskan constituency. Personally, I've written several of our previous gov's and been asked to comment publicly on education policy. All the previous gov's have always acknowledged that contribution, criticism or comment – sometimes by direct reply, or at least through a staff member. Palin's office has been a zone of silence. Not I; not one person I know has ever gotten any sort of reply. Her claim of running an open or transparent government is totally false; the public simply has no role in her administration.

Her previous claim to fame was being mayor of Wasilla, a growing town about 40 minutes from Anchorage. Wasilla is a hellhole, even by Alaskan standards, where there are plenty of hellhole towns and villages. Wasilla is an ugly place that shows a complete absence of planning, design or sense of public vision. Gov't agencies and services are completely overrun in this town; things are so bad that they can't even track their population or build schools in the right place. Because most parts of the town don't require building permits, the only clue about where people are settling is utility receipts. Imagine trying to be an emergency responder in this kind of place: Houses don't just catch on fire in Wasilla, they burn to the ground, because by the time the fire department has figured out which road to take (no signs) or whose house it is (no directory), the place is done for. Palin was mayor this town for at least 2 terms before being elected gov. a year and a half ago.

Her moral sense is simplistic and not inclusive. She is the sort of person who is used to using their "faith" to divide and isolate minority groups of human beings instead of uniting them. To her credit as Gov. she has kept out of this arena pretty well, but when in comfortable company (i.e the Matanuska Valley Republican Women's Club), she lets her moral cat out of the bag.

I will do what I can to ensure her defeat and that of her running mate as well. Please share this information with those who can use it well.

Stan Moody
www.thehopepartnership.org
207/626-0594

Stan Moody, founder of the Christian Policy Institute and The Hope Partnership (www.thehopepartnership.org), has served in the Maine House of Representatives...He is an Advisory Board member of "Jews-On-First" and the "Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism." Dr. Moody is the author of several provocative books, including, "Crisis in Evangelical Scholarship" and "McChurched: 300 Million Served and Still Hungry." Pastor of a rural country church in Central Maine, Moody has enjoyed a long and productive career in small business development and management.