The boys ganged up on her at the debate and she played the gender card. Then there were lies, and more lies. Then of course there were the well-timed tears, and Bill complaining about how his wife was being treated unfairly. Then the Clinton machine descended as I stood alone with Obama signs in hand at the polls among the horde of New Yorkers for Hillary.
And in the end, it was all about gender, as thousands of older woman voted for Mrs. Clinton because she was female. It's enough to make one cynical. So this morning New Hampshire lies gratefully abandoned by the political tsunami that arrives every four years. A few tattered campaign signs litter the roads until they can be thrown away. The candidates leave New Hampshire behind as they head for new territory. New Hampshire did its duty, and failed, perhaps demonstrating our collective intelligence. Soon the electoral tide will come to your neighborhood. May you do better.
Late Note: When Maureen Dowd agrees with me, I know I'm probably on track.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
A Once in a Lifetime Candidate
Well, since I'm quite sure that not everyone watches Iowa election results as if it was the SuperBowl, in case you haven't heard, Barack Obama won the Iowa Democratic Presidential Caucuses last night. If you haven't heard his victory speech, you owe 
it to yourself to listen to it, if only to make you feel just a little good about life. Here's a link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cNZaq-YKCnE
It was amazing to watch Chris Matthews and his MSNBC panel last night gushing over Obama's speech, literally in some cases with tears in their eyes. It's unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be any video out there today of Chris saying that anyone who was in the Peace Corps in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, up though today would vote for this guy. There is video of the comments of Howard Fineman and Eugene Robinson, who were on Chris' panel.
I've been sure Obama was my candidate for about a week. (Not bad since I have to vote in 4 days.) My wife was waiting for a sign to choose between Obama and Edwards. Apparently the sign I put on our front lawn yesterday wasn't enough! ;-) She called me a few minutes ago to say she got her sign. Seems a friend at work has a friend who was talking to an Obama supporter and asked some questions about the FAA. The Obama worker didn't know the answers to the FAA questions, but he talked to Obama about it. Obama did his research and the questioner got a phone call that went something like, "Hi. This is Barack Obama. I hear you had a question about the FAA." The questioner laughed as I would have and said, "Ya. Sure.", to which the caller responded, "No. Really! I'm Barack Obama. Let's talk a minute." My wife took the fact that she heard of this incident first thing this morning as a sign. Tomorrow we're off to an Obama rally. We're not a sit-at-home-and-wait family when it comes to politics. :-)
You really do owe it to yourself to give Obama a look. Perhaps once in a generation a candidate comes along that has the ability to transcend politics as usual; who can unite the country around something bigger than ourselves. I think we may be seeing that candidate.
Have a great day!
it to yourself to listen to it, if only to make you feel just a little good about life. Here's a link:http://youtube.com/watch?v=cNZaq-YKCnE
It was amazing to watch Chris Matthews and his MSNBC panel last night gushing over Obama's speech, literally in some cases with tears in their eyes. It's unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be any video out there today of Chris saying that anyone who was in the Peace Corps in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, up though today would vote for this guy. There is video of the comments of Howard Fineman and Eugene Robinson, who were on Chris' panel.
I've been sure Obama was my candidate for about a week. (Not bad since I have to vote in 4 days.) My wife was waiting for a sign to choose between Obama and Edwards. Apparently the sign I put on our front lawn yesterday wasn't enough! ;-) She called me a few minutes ago to say she got her sign. Seems a friend at work has a friend who was talking to an Obama supporter and asked some questions about the FAA. The Obama worker didn't know the answers to the FAA questions, but he talked to Obama about it. Obama did his research and the questioner got a phone call that went something like, "Hi. This is Barack Obama. I hear you had a question about the FAA." The questioner laughed as I would have and said, "Ya. Sure.", to which the caller responded, "No. Really! I'm Barack Obama. Let's talk a minute." My wife took the fact that she heard of this incident first thing this morning as a sign. Tomorrow we're off to an Obama rally. We're not a sit-at-home-and-wait family when it comes to politics. :-)
You really do owe it to yourself to give Obama a look. Perhaps once in a generation a candidate comes along that has the ability to transcend politics as usual; who can unite the country around something bigger than ourselves. I think we may be seeing that candidate.
Have a great day!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
THE BIG ENDORSEMENT!
I almost forgot! Forget about the Des Moines Register. Don't pay any attention to the New York Times! Use the Manchester Union Leader to house train your puppy (always a good idea for that paper)! Today, the day of the Iowa caucuses, a scant few days before the New Hampshire primary, today Accidental Wisdom announces our endorsement for President of the United States of America! Listen up Iowans! Hark my fellow New Hampshirites!
Our choice for the our next President is...
Sure I get frequent mail from the Write-in Gore in New Hampshire folks, but really, the guy has made it quite clear he doesn't want to run, and who am I to waste my one vote on him.
No, since I have to cast my primary ballot next Tuesday I have spent considerable mental cycles on considering the options. Of course I can rule out all the Republicans off the bat. Who would have thought that they'd all decide to run to the right of George W. Ya, like I'm voting for that!
Then there's Hillary Clinton, and I've already explained in this space how Hillary is the Republican candidate in the Democratic primary. So, after looking at all the candidates and evaluating electability, that pretty much left me with Obama and Edwards. Of the two, either of which I think would be a fine President by the way, I liked Obama, but like many I had questions about his electability and whether or not he was what he seemed, or just another politician.
Well I went to see Mr. Obama a couple of weeks ago, and I can tell you that I believe him to be the real deal, exactly what he seems, a statesman the likes of which we have probably not seen in four decades. Not a cookie cutter Democrat or Republican but someone who can appeal to the good in people. A President of the United States, and not of the special interests.
What struck me first about him was his intelligence. How refreshing to listen to someone of exceptional intelligence after four years of being embarrassed every time the leader of our nation speaks. After a while you start to get the secret, that this guy is running for President based upon the principals most of us believe in, based upon true patriotism, and not phony lapel-pin-wearing pandering. He's not standing, finger in the wind, ready to change his views based upon what it will take to get your vote. Here is someone who not only talks about the Constitution, but is a scholar of it, knows it, loves it, and would protect it. Here is a guy who just might be able to restore America to the nation we all yearn to be proud of. Here is a candidate we can vote for because of who he is, and not because he's the lesser of multiple evils.
Next Tuesday I will cast my vote for Barack Obama. I don't ask you dear reader to do the same. What I ask is that before it gets to be your turn to vote, that you open your mind, and listen to what he has to say.
Our choice for the our next President is...
Barack Obama
Sure I get frequent mail from the Write-in Gore in New Hampshire folks, but really, the guy has made it quite clear he doesn't want to run, and who am I to waste my one vote on him.
No, since I have to cast my primary ballot next Tuesday I have spent considerable mental cycles on considering the options. Of course I can rule out all the Republicans off the bat. Who would have thought that they'd all decide to run to the right of George W. Ya, like I'm voting for that!
Then there's Hillary Clinton, and I've already explained in this space how Hillary is the Republican candidate in the Democratic primary. So, after looking at all the candidates and evaluating electability, that pretty much left me with Obama and Edwards. Of the two, either of which I think would be a fine President by the way, I liked Obama, but like many I had questions about his electability and whether or not he was what he seemed, or just another politician.
Well I went to see Mr. Obama a couple of weeks ago, and I can tell you that I believe him to be the real deal, exactly what he seems, a statesman the likes of which we have probably not seen in four decades. Not a cookie cutter Democrat or Republican but someone who can appeal to the good in people. A President of the United States, and not of the special interests.
What struck me first about him was his intelligence. How refreshing to listen to someone of exceptional intelligence after four years of being embarrassed every time the leader of our nation speaks. After a while you start to get the secret, that this guy is running for President based upon the principals most of us believe in, based upon true patriotism, and not phony lapel-pin-wearing pandering. He's not standing, finger in the wind, ready to change his views based upon what it will take to get your vote. Here is someone who not only talks about the Constitution, but is a scholar of it, knows it, loves it, and would protect it. Here is a guy who just might be able to restore America to the nation we all yearn to be proud of. Here is a candidate we can vote for because of who he is, and not because he's the lesser of multiple evils.
Next Tuesday I will cast my vote for Barack Obama. I don't ask you dear reader to do the same. What I ask is that before it gets to be your turn to vote, that you open your mind, and listen to what he has to say.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!
What is it about January the first. Something in us loves a fresh start, no matter how arbitrary. Birthdays are one of those starts. In a few weeks I turn 49, and of course I plan on turning around all of my bad habits by the time I turn the big FIVE-OH. But the classic slate-clearing day has to be New Years. Hoist the champagne and start breaking the resolutions you just made. Year after year the same old same old.
As I get older I see two sides to the beginning of a New Year. There's the positive side, the opportunity to look back on what went right last year, and to anticipate (and hope for) good things in the New Year. There's the reality that no matter how bad things are, things are so much worse for so many, and to be grateful for that. In short, it's a time to count one's blessings, and plan for continued success.
But life isn't always like that is it? And that's the flip side of New Years for me. In my darker New Years Eve moments there are thoughts of those love ones lost in the past year, and the gruesome nagging premonition that my circle of friends and family is likely to be smaller next New Years than this one.
There's the business aspect, and worrying not worrying about whether my businesses will see success this year, but rather whether they'll even be around next year.
There's the socio-political aspect, worrying about increasing war, and incompetence of government. Worrying whether yet another immoral unethical unintelligent poser will make it to white house.
There's the impending high school graduation, and sending the last child off to college. A daughter, and knowing how much I miss my son when he's away, and the tears that will inevitably come as I proudly drop my little girl off at some university.
But it does no good to dwell on the negative. That way lies madness. So I choose to look on the positive side of the first of January, knowing it's just a day, but clearing the decks anyway. It's all new. Anything is possible. Here's to a great 2008. Happy new year all.
As I get older I see two sides to the beginning of a New Year. There's the positive side, the opportunity to look back on what went right last year, and to anticipate (and hope for) good things in the New Year. There's the reality that no matter how bad things are, things are so much worse for so many, and to be grateful for that. In short, it's a time to count one's blessings, and plan for continued success.
But life isn't always like that is it? And that's the flip side of New Years for me. In my darker New Years Eve moments there are thoughts of those love ones lost in the past year, and the gruesome nagging premonition that my circle of friends and family is likely to be smaller next New Years than this one.
There's the business aspect, and worrying not worrying about whether my businesses will see success this year, but rather whether they'll even be around next year.
There's the socio-political aspect, worrying about increasing war, and incompetence of government. Worrying whether yet another immoral unethical unintelligent poser will make it to white house.
There's the impending high school graduation, and sending the last child off to college. A daughter, and knowing how much I miss my son when he's away, and the tears that will inevitably come as I proudly drop my little girl off at some university.
But it does no good to dwell on the negative. That way lies madness. So I choose to look on the positive side of the first of January, knowing it's just a day, but clearing the decks anyway. It's all new. Anything is possible. Here's to a great 2008. Happy new year all.
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