I'm exhausted and I'm worried, and I don't feel very good. My head is splitting, and while I'd like nothing more than to crawl under a rock, my homework isn't going to do itself, and if I don't do it, I'll fail. And that's not something I'm willing to do. All of that notwithstanding, on the one-to-ten craptastic meter? I'm not even registering.
Shawn got laid off yesterday, and my entire focus is on "oh crap, what is going to happen for Sissa???", and knowing that in reality there's almost nothing I *can* do, and that fucking blows. I can't do much more than sit here and worry, and hope everything will be alright. And while he's looking at jobs nationwide? That means in reality that my Sissa is going to be moving away, probably far away. And that makes me sad, because I will miss her badly. While I don't make it down there as often as I should, I like knowing that she's right there. Although I'll also support her moving to wherever the hell she needs to, for them to be okay again, so Shawn can work. I'm just worried about them. None of us saw this coming, and I guess maybe I'm still in shock somewhat.
Yes, I'm definitely in shock still. Hell, I lost my speech completely when she told me yesterday. It caught me that off guard.
And I'm worried about Brody, and what will happen when she goes to Stanford, because I just want them to figure out what's broken, and FIX IT already, dammit. And I know that's not fair, but, well, I'm tired of trying to be fair all the time.
Sometimes I just want to stomp my feet and punch things and point out that it isn't okay that everything goes to shit. See? I knew I shouldn't have taken my stuff out of boxes, and unpacked the spare room. I told everyone that, and no one listened! And now it appears lives are going to hell in handbaskets, and I just want it to stop!
I want to hold close everyone I love, and hug them tight, and know that they are safe, and cared for, and will be happy and secure. Is that so much to ask? Is it really? It doesn't seem as though that's an unreasonable request.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Good Enough
I'm feeling out of sorts. Someone told me today that this song reminds them of me, and that every time she hears it, she thinks of me, and that it should be the theme of my life, because no matter what I do, it seems as though I wouldn't be able to say no. And that might be true, I simply don't know.
The truth is that everyone who really knows me, knows that however angry I might be at someone, if I love them, I'll always be there for them. I'd take a hell of a lot from anyone, to help them, because I'm loyal to my friends, and they know that. And that gets me hurt, a lot of the time. And I think that's what she was thinking about. And it's true, because it hurts me, but I'd still let someone back in, if I knew I was needed, because that's who I am. And it took some soul searching on my part to realize that's just a part of who I am.
I'd have to give up a part of myself, and become someone that I'm not, to walk away from a friend in need. And maybe that makes me a fool. Maybe it makes me weak, and asking for trouble. But the same parts of me that make me that foolish person, are the same parts that make me the strong, giving woman that everyone values at the end of the day. Because those same traits are what they need to lean on, to be held by, and that they trust. Because I don't let them fall. Because I calm their fears, and I'm the one who is always there with a hand, with sympathy, to quiet the voices when they get too loud, and to help them through when it's too difficult.
I'm the person who keeps their secrets, and keeps the dark at bay. Who will always have a candle in the window, and has coffee all night long if that is what's needed. And I'm not sure if that's a bad thing necessarily.
So fine, I wouldn't be able to say no if he asks to come in. I can't push away when it hurts me sometimes. And that makes me a fool, because I'll never be good enough. But at the same time, I'm still the friend I always was, for everyone else, and I'm still the friend I was for him. Whether or not it matters anymore is irrelevant now. *I* am still that person, because that is me. I can't and won't change that, more fool me.
I don't want to play stupid foolish games. I don't want to sit and argue about anything. It isn't a contest of wills to be won, and it isn't a competition. There's not going to be a winner, and everybody loses. Everybody already did lose, so why keep fighting about it?
I'm so tired of being alone, and pretending that I don't care about anything. Because I do.
Under your spell again.
I can't say no to you.
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.
I can't say no to you.
Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
I can't breathe but I feel...
Good enough,
I feel good enough for you.
Drink up sweet decadence.
I can't say no to you,
And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.
I can't say no to you.
Shouldn't let you conquer me completely.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
Can't believe that I feel...
Good enough,
I feel good enough.
It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.
And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.
Pour real life down on me.
'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough.
Am I good enough for you to love me too?
So take care what you ask of me,
'Cause I can't say no.
*Good Enough - Evanescence-
The truth is that everyone who really knows me, knows that however angry I might be at someone, if I love them, I'll always be there for them. I'd take a hell of a lot from anyone, to help them, because I'm loyal to my friends, and they know that. And that gets me hurt, a lot of the time. And I think that's what she was thinking about. And it's true, because it hurts me, but I'd still let someone back in, if I knew I was needed, because that's who I am. And it took some soul searching on my part to realize that's just a part of who I am.
I'd have to give up a part of myself, and become someone that I'm not, to walk away from a friend in need. And maybe that makes me a fool. Maybe it makes me weak, and asking for trouble. But the same parts of me that make me that foolish person, are the same parts that make me the strong, giving woman that everyone values at the end of the day. Because those same traits are what they need to lean on, to be held by, and that they trust. Because I don't let them fall. Because I calm their fears, and I'm the one who is always there with a hand, with sympathy, to quiet the voices when they get too loud, and to help them through when it's too difficult.
I'm the person who keeps their secrets, and keeps the dark at bay. Who will always have a candle in the window, and has coffee all night long if that is what's needed. And I'm not sure if that's a bad thing necessarily.
So fine, I wouldn't be able to say no if he asks to come in. I can't push away when it hurts me sometimes. And that makes me a fool, because I'll never be good enough. But at the same time, I'm still the friend I always was, for everyone else, and I'm still the friend I was for him. Whether or not it matters anymore is irrelevant now. *I* am still that person, because that is me. I can't and won't change that, more fool me.
I don't want to play stupid foolish games. I don't want to sit and argue about anything. It isn't a contest of wills to be won, and it isn't a competition. There's not going to be a winner, and everybody loses. Everybody already did lose, so why keep fighting about it?
I'm so tired of being alone, and pretending that I don't care about anything. Because I do.
Under your spell again.
I can't say no to you.
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.
I can't say no to you.
Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
I can't breathe but I feel...
Good enough,
I feel good enough for you.
Drink up sweet decadence.
I can't say no to you,
And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.
I can't say no to you.
Shouldn't let you conquer me completely.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
Can't believe that I feel...
Good enough,
I feel good enough.
It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.
And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.
Pour real life down on me.
'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough.
Am I good enough for you to love me too?
So take care what you ask of me,
'Cause I can't say no.
*Good Enough - Evanescence-
Oops
Maybe I was wrong, and things aren't sunshine and roses for Phil. Public apology if that's the case, I wasn't trying to piss anyone off, I actually was happy for him. I don't have an ax to grind anymore. But as I said a while back, I still keep an eye on his blog, and he seems to be running fast and furious at the moment, and is frustrated at someone's arrogance. If that was me for something, then I guess I apologize for whatever I did this time. Although to be fair, I don't figure he gives a fuck about me anymore, so chances are it's not me. But in the interest of not picking up anymore negative karma points for that entire thing?
There ya go.
While I'm still pretty stressed about some stuff lately, I don't think I'd want to have to go through life with a fuck the world attitude. While my circle of friends has gotten a lot smaller, and I'm a lot more cautious about who I trust anymore in the last few months? If I'm hurting, I'm still going to go and simply ask for help, and someone to talk to.
I won't work myself into a frustrated manic fit over anything, not anymore. I know who can help me, and I'll damned well ask at this point, to keep my mental stability in check. Life is easier that way. I'm not so stubborn as to fall down into a pit of despair, and end up twisted first. I've learned better.
Where was I going with that? Fuck, I don't even remember. I have to go and find my shoes, I was supposed to be somewhere like a half hour ago.
There ya go.
While I'm still pretty stressed about some stuff lately, I don't think I'd want to have to go through life with a fuck the world attitude. While my circle of friends has gotten a lot smaller, and I'm a lot more cautious about who I trust anymore in the last few months? If I'm hurting, I'm still going to go and simply ask for help, and someone to talk to.
I won't work myself into a frustrated manic fit over anything, not anymore. I know who can help me, and I'll damned well ask at this point, to keep my mental stability in check. Life is easier that way. I'm not so stubborn as to fall down into a pit of despair, and end up twisted first. I've learned better.
Where was I going with that? Fuck, I don't even remember. I have to go and find my shoes, I was supposed to be somewhere like a half hour ago.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Politics, Republicans, Democrats
The Worst Vice President Nominee In U.S. History, By Robert J. Elisberg
The Worst Vice-Presidential Nominee in U.S. History
By Robert J. Elisberg
There was a TV ad for deodorant that said, "Never let them see you sweat." The John McCain campaign has just showed the world that it is drenched.
Selecting Sarah Palin as its choice for a vice presidential candidate is perhaps the worst such choice in American History. To be fair, maybe there are worse choices, but I don't know how bad William O. Butler was when he ran with Lewis Cass against Zachary Taylor.
But it's far worse than Dan Quayle, who was a sitting senator. Worse even
than Geraldine Ferraro, who at least served in Congress for three-terms.
And far worse than William Miller, a choice so obscure when selected by Barry
Goldwater that he (honestly) later did an American Express commercial asking, "Do you know me?" And that ad was after the election. But even Miller had been a Congressman for 12 years. And been a prosecutor during the Nuremberg War trials against Nazis. Sarah Palin lists her credits as a hockey mom.
There was a point during the Republican primaries when I was trying to figure out who I hoped got the presidential nomination. Someone so weak he'd be easy for the Democrats to beat, or someone more challenging who at least wouldn't be a disaster for America. I decided on the latter because America has to resolve its serious problems and can't afford risking some glitch where another George Bush got elected. And so I felt that John McCain, for all his weaknesses, was the lesser of all evils and was glad he got the nomination. Throw that out the window.
McCain-Palin is an unthinkable disaster.
I completely understand the reasoning behind the decision for John McCain to
select Sarah Palin. Absolutely. It's the thinking that settled on Sarah
Palin that's missing.
No doubt John McCain will get some women to vote for him who wouldn't have
otherwise, and even some independents. But he will also probably lose as many Republicans uncomfortable with a woman on the ticket - let alone a woman with so little experience as Sarah Palin. Not to mention that the choice will cause many undecided Democratic women to be aghast and push them back to following their Democratic beliefs. And further, it will lose all the independents who look at the GOP ticket and say "This is who I'm supposed to give my vote for the next four years to lead and protect America??" It may even appeal to right-wing evangelicals for her strong pro-life stance and get some to vote - but that position and others related to it are specifically what loses even more women voters. And men.
Ultimately, the nomination will lose far, far more votes than it gains.
But this is not the reason the decision is so terrible.
It's always said that the most important decision a presidential candidate makes is their pick for vice president. It shows their thinking and judgment. John McCain, in his first decision, has just told the world that he believes Sarah Palin is the most qualified person to be a heartbeat from the presidency.
Forgetting all the available men for a moment, if John McCain felt it critical to select a woman in an effort to somehow grab the Hillary Clinton supporters, look at his choice of women he had available: Christine Todd Whitman, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, Susan Collins, even - for goodness sake - Condoleezza Rice. Or Carly Fiorina. Each of these have marks against them, and perhaps some might not have wanted to run, but it's near-impossible to look at the list and suggest to the American public that Sarah Palin is the best choice of Republican women to be vice president. And again, this is ignoring the men he who could have
been chosen.
It's not that Sarah Palin is inexperienced. It's that this is gross political misconduct. Sarah Palin has been governor of Alaska for just a bit over 18 months.
Alaska has a population of 683,000. (Though that doesn't include moose.) This would only make it the 17th most populous city in the United States. Just ahead of Fort Worth.
Before that, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Population 9,000. I know Republicans like to promote "small town values," but this is taking things to ridiculous extremes, don't you think? I'm from Glencoe, Illinois, population 8,762.
It's so small it doesn't even have a mayor, it has an appointed village manager.
I'm sure that Paul Harlow is doing wonderfully at his job in the village - but I don't expect that he sees himself as even wanting to be a heartbeat from the U.S. President in 18 months. You know what the top news story is on the Glencoe website? "Fire Hydrant Painting Underway." (To be fair, it's the 2 story.
The top news is a clarification about displaying political signage.)
Do you know what the first two "powers and duties" are for the mayor of
Wasilla, Alaska? Check their municipal code:
1. Preside at council meetings. The mayor may take part in the discussion of
matters before the council, but may not vote, except that the mayor may vote
in the case of a tie;
2. Act as ceremonial head of the city;
Swell.
If you live in small town America (and I mean really, really small), look around you and be honest - do you see your mayor (or village manager) as a heartbeat from the presidency in 18 months?
But that's not the reason either that the decision to make Sarah Palin the
VP nominee is so terrible.
It's one thing to discuss how unqualified Sarah Palin is. That's a national matter and huge. But on a grassroots political level, her nomination takes away the Republicans' ONLY weapon in the campaign - calling Barack Obama inexperienced.
They haven't even been trying to run on the issues, or on the eight-year record of George Bush, which John McCain has supported almost 95% of the time. They've only been running on the faux-issue of Barack Obama's experience of 14 years in federal and state government. Yes, Sarah Palin is merely running for VP, not president, but with a 72 year-old candidate with a history of serious medical issues, this is who they're saying is able to step in as president in a heart-beat. She has so little experience that she makes Sen. Obama look like FDR, Winston Churchill and Julius Caesar combined. So, the Republicans pulled the rug out from under themselves. They have no issues. The economy? Housing? The national debt? Education? The Environment? Iraq? Afghanistan? Nothing.
All they have is "Dear Democratic women: please pretend our VP candidate is Hillary Clinton. Just forget that she's pro-life. And against most things Democrats stand for."
But that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
Because if the hope for John McCain is to get women to vote for him who otherwise supported Hillary Clinton - if anything could get Hillary Clinton campaigning in full force and fury...this is it. She likely would have campaigned hard, but it's in Hillary Clinton's best interest to be the leading voice for women, and the leading woman candidate for president in the future, so having another woman as the potential Vice President (and potential President) is a significant challenge to that. The Republicans just opened Pandora's Box and brought Hillary Clinton roaring to Barack Obama's side on the Democratic train. And Bill Clinton, too.
Yet even that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
What this does in the most profound and grandiose way possible is give lie to John McCain's pompous posturing that he Always Puts America First. And that undercuts the most prominent campaign issue of his entire career, that everything he does is for reasons of honor. There is nothing honorable about making Sarah Palin your vice presidential nominee. Nothing. Unless you define honor as "blatantly pandering."
But that's not the reason either that this decision is so terrible.
But before we get to that, let's look at the actual announcement to make Gov. Sarah Palin (AK - pop. 683,000) the Republican nominee for president, and put the horrible decision in perspective.
First, John McCain stood at the podium, looking up-and-down reading his speech.
It's impossible not to compare that to Barack Obama giving his majestic speech the night before that even conservative analysts were admiring in awe.
Second, the cameras were polite enough to avoid it, but there were empty seats in the gym. It's impossible not to compare that to a stadium of 75,000 people that Barack Obama spoke to the night before.
Third, when people around the nation were waiting to hear about Sarah Palin's qualifications and gravitas to be Vice President of the United States, the first five minutes of her speech were spent talking about her husband being a champion snowmobiler.
Fourth, when she finally got around to her qualifications, pretty much all we discovered was that she fought to cut property taxes. And then, she basically stopped there.
She did, however, mention becoming energy self-sufficient - by talking about how she supported drilling in Alaska!!! Perhaps to Republicans this is being an environmentalist, but to most of America, not so much. Then again, she's
also against putting polar bears on the endangered species list (which the government did), so maybe her environmental qualifications are more lax than
she thinks.
And then, finally, she spent the rest of her time praising John McCain.
Fine, that's very supportive of her...except that the one question on everyone's mind was not -- "can you say John McCain is a swell guy and tell us that he was a POW", the question on everyone's mind was - "Who in God's name are you, and please tell us why you should be a heart-beat from the presidency?"
In the end, the only case she herself made for being on the ticket was praising Hillary Clinton! That's it, period. Now, it might be enough to attract some women -- but it doesn't make a case for the ticket. Why? Hint: some women did vote for Hillary Clinton solely because she was a woman. But most women voted for Hillary Clinton because she was a Democrat, as well as a woman, who stood for important Democratic values they seriously believed in. If Sarah Palin wants to praise Hillary Clinton, go for it. But at least understand what you're praising. Because it will likely come back and bite you.
It was a thin, nothing, empty speech. It was a speech to be head of the Chamber of Commerce. Compare that to the speech by Joe Biden when Barack Obama introduced him.
Eloquent, soaring and explaining in blunt detail why John McCain should not be president. Joe Biden must have been watching Sarah Palin's speech, in order to take notes in preparation for his debate with her and thought, "This isn't fair."
And all that's not even the reason the decision is so terrible.
The reason is because the election is not about Sarah Palin. Or about Joe Biden.
As much as TV analysts want to be excited by the balloons and hoopla, tomorrow the air will be let out, and there are still over two months to go for the campaign.
The campaign is about Barack Obama and John McCain.
Sarah Palin's nomination doesn't change that. In fact, it reinforces it.
Nothing about putting Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket changes a word that Barack Obama said in his vibrant acceptance speech - about himself, about his issues, and about John McCain's repeatedly faulty judgment on the critical issues facing America.
What Sarah Palin's nomination does do is focus attention on John McCain's age. Indeed, the nomination was made on his birthday, when he turned 72, the oldest man ever to run for president. As the crowd sang "Happy Birthday to You," you almost sensed that through John McCain's clenched smile, saying, "Thanks for reminding me," that what he was thinking underneath was "Please, oh, please, don't sing the 'How old are you now?' part." And how good a message was it that he's saying he supposedly forgot it was his birthday?
Vice presidents are usually selected as people who are adept at blasting the other side's presidential candidate, because it's only the presidential candidate that matters. Joe Biden has already done that - twice - at length, spoken as someone who knows John McCain well and likes him. Sarah Palin had her first chance...and whiffed. Didn't even try. And it's hard to imagine what she has in her arsenal that will remotely allow her to do so in the future.
The election is about the presidential candidates. And the selection of Sarah Palin now allows Barack Obama to campaign untouched by the Republican ticket.
John McCain's only other option is for himself to personally become negative for two months - which is disaster in presidential politics.
Now add on all the problems expressed above. Sarah Palin's inexplicably laughable lack of substance, most-especially on the foreign policy stage.
Her taking away the one issue, experience, Republicans were even attempting.
Her pushing away voters who might otherwise be willing to vote for a senator with 26 years in the Senate. Her bringing Hillary Clinton aggressively back into the campaign. Her inability to offer anything to off-set Joe Biden. Her standing as supposedly the most-qualified Republican woman as John McCain's first decision.
And, in the end, it all focuses back on Barack Obama, with his indictment of eight years of the Bush Administration and of John McCain's flawed judgment - and John McCain's defense of all that.
Republicans might be dancing earlier today, because there was a lot of fun music playing. But the music has stopped. The actual campaign has now started. For Republicans, it might have ended.
The Worst Vice-Presidential Nominee in U.S. History
By Robert J. Elisberg
There was a TV ad for deodorant that said, "Never let them see you sweat." The John McCain campaign has just showed the world that it is drenched.
Selecting Sarah Palin as its choice for a vice presidential candidate is perhaps the worst such choice in American History. To be fair, maybe there are worse choices, but I don't know how bad William O. Butler was when he ran with Lewis Cass against Zachary Taylor.
But it's far worse than Dan Quayle, who was a sitting senator. Worse even
than Geraldine Ferraro, who at least served in Congress for three-terms.
And far worse than William Miller, a choice so obscure when selected by Barry
Goldwater that he (honestly) later did an American Express commercial asking, "Do you know me?" And that ad was after the election. But even Miller had been a Congressman for 12 years. And been a prosecutor during the Nuremberg War trials against Nazis. Sarah Palin lists her credits as a hockey mom.
There was a point during the Republican primaries when I was trying to figure out who I hoped got the presidential nomination. Someone so weak he'd be easy for the Democrats to beat, or someone more challenging who at least wouldn't be a disaster for America. I decided on the latter because America has to resolve its serious problems and can't afford risking some glitch where another George Bush got elected. And so I felt that John McCain, for all his weaknesses, was the lesser of all evils and was glad he got the nomination. Throw that out the window.
McCain-Palin is an unthinkable disaster.
I completely understand the reasoning behind the decision for John McCain to
select Sarah Palin. Absolutely. It's the thinking that settled on Sarah
Palin that's missing.
No doubt John McCain will get some women to vote for him who wouldn't have
otherwise, and even some independents. But he will also probably lose as many Republicans uncomfortable with a woman on the ticket - let alone a woman with so little experience as Sarah Palin. Not to mention that the choice will cause many undecided Democratic women to be aghast and push them back to following their Democratic beliefs. And further, it will lose all the independents who look at the GOP ticket and say "This is who I'm supposed to give my vote for the next four years to lead and protect America??" It may even appeal to right-wing evangelicals for her strong pro-life stance and get some to vote - but that position and others related to it are specifically what loses even more women voters. And men.
Ultimately, the nomination will lose far, far more votes than it gains.
But this is not the reason the decision is so terrible.
It's always said that the most important decision a presidential candidate makes is their pick for vice president. It shows their thinking and judgment. John McCain, in his first decision, has just told the world that he believes Sarah Palin is the most qualified person to be a heartbeat from the presidency.
Forgetting all the available men for a moment, if John McCain felt it critical to select a woman in an effort to somehow grab the Hillary Clinton supporters, look at his choice of women he had available: Christine Todd Whitman, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, Susan Collins, even - for goodness sake - Condoleezza Rice. Or Carly Fiorina. Each of these have marks against them, and perhaps some might not have wanted to run, but it's near-impossible to look at the list and suggest to the American public that Sarah Palin is the best choice of Republican women to be vice president. And again, this is ignoring the men he who could have
been chosen.
It's not that Sarah Palin is inexperienced. It's that this is gross political misconduct. Sarah Palin has been governor of Alaska for just a bit over 18 months.
Alaska has a population of 683,000. (Though that doesn't include moose.) This would only make it the 17th most populous city in the United States. Just ahead of Fort Worth.
Before that, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Population 9,000. I know Republicans like to promote "small town values," but this is taking things to ridiculous extremes, don't you think? I'm from Glencoe, Illinois, population 8,762.
It's so small it doesn't even have a mayor, it has an appointed village manager.
I'm sure that Paul Harlow is doing wonderfully at his job in the village - but I don't expect that he sees himself as even wanting to be a heartbeat from the U.S. President in 18 months. You know what the top news story is on the Glencoe website? "Fire Hydrant Painting Underway." (To be fair, it's the 2 story.
The top news is a clarification about displaying political signage.)
Do you know what the first two "powers and duties" are for the mayor of
Wasilla, Alaska? Check their municipal code:
1. Preside at council meetings. The mayor may take part in the discussion of
matters before the council, but may not vote, except that the mayor may vote
in the case of a tie;
2. Act as ceremonial head of the city;
Swell.
If you live in small town America (and I mean really, really small), look around you and be honest - do you see your mayor (or village manager) as a heartbeat from the presidency in 18 months?
But that's not the reason either that the decision to make Sarah Palin the
VP nominee is so terrible.
It's one thing to discuss how unqualified Sarah Palin is. That's a national matter and huge. But on a grassroots political level, her nomination takes away the Republicans' ONLY weapon in the campaign - calling Barack Obama inexperienced.
They haven't even been trying to run on the issues, or on the eight-year record of George Bush, which John McCain has supported almost 95% of the time. They've only been running on the faux-issue of Barack Obama's experience of 14 years in federal and state government. Yes, Sarah Palin is merely running for VP, not president, but with a 72 year-old candidate with a history of serious medical issues, this is who they're saying is able to step in as president in a heart-beat. She has so little experience that she makes Sen. Obama look like FDR, Winston Churchill and Julius Caesar combined. So, the Republicans pulled the rug out from under themselves. They have no issues. The economy? Housing? The national debt? Education? The Environment? Iraq? Afghanistan? Nothing.
All they have is "Dear Democratic women: please pretend our VP candidate is Hillary Clinton. Just forget that she's pro-life. And against most things Democrats stand for."
But that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
Because if the hope for John McCain is to get women to vote for him who otherwise supported Hillary Clinton - if anything could get Hillary Clinton campaigning in full force and fury...this is it. She likely would have campaigned hard, but it's in Hillary Clinton's best interest to be the leading voice for women, and the leading woman candidate for president in the future, so having another woman as the potential Vice President (and potential President) is a significant challenge to that. The Republicans just opened Pandora's Box and brought Hillary Clinton roaring to Barack Obama's side on the Democratic train. And Bill Clinton, too.
Yet even that's not the reason the decision is so terrible.
What this does in the most profound and grandiose way possible is give lie to John McCain's pompous posturing that he Always Puts America First. And that undercuts the most prominent campaign issue of his entire career, that everything he does is for reasons of honor. There is nothing honorable about making Sarah Palin your vice presidential nominee. Nothing. Unless you define honor as "blatantly pandering."
But that's not the reason either that this decision is so terrible.
But before we get to that, let's look at the actual announcement to make Gov. Sarah Palin (AK - pop. 683,000) the Republican nominee for president, and put the horrible decision in perspective.
First, John McCain stood at the podium, looking up-and-down reading his speech.
It's impossible not to compare that to Barack Obama giving his majestic speech the night before that even conservative analysts were admiring in awe.
Second, the cameras were polite enough to avoid it, but there were empty seats in the gym. It's impossible not to compare that to a stadium of 75,000 people that Barack Obama spoke to the night before.
Third, when people around the nation were waiting to hear about Sarah Palin's qualifications and gravitas to be Vice President of the United States, the first five minutes of her speech were spent talking about her husband being a champion snowmobiler.
Fourth, when she finally got around to her qualifications, pretty much all we discovered was that she fought to cut property taxes. And then, she basically stopped there.
She did, however, mention becoming energy self-sufficient - by talking about how she supported drilling in Alaska!!! Perhaps to Republicans this is being an environmentalist, but to most of America, not so much. Then again, she's
also against putting polar bears on the endangered species list (which the government did), so maybe her environmental qualifications are more lax than
she thinks.
And then, finally, she spent the rest of her time praising John McCain.
Fine, that's very supportive of her...except that the one question on everyone's mind was not -- "can you say John McCain is a swell guy and tell us that he was a POW", the question on everyone's mind was - "Who in God's name are you, and please tell us why you should be a heart-beat from the presidency?"
In the end, the only case she herself made for being on the ticket was praising Hillary Clinton! That's it, period. Now, it might be enough to attract some women -- but it doesn't make a case for the ticket. Why? Hint: some women did vote for Hillary Clinton solely because she was a woman. But most women voted for Hillary Clinton because she was a Democrat, as well as a woman, who stood for important Democratic values they seriously believed in. If Sarah Palin wants to praise Hillary Clinton, go for it. But at least understand what you're praising. Because it will likely come back and bite you.
It was a thin, nothing, empty speech. It was a speech to be head of the Chamber of Commerce. Compare that to the speech by Joe Biden when Barack Obama introduced him.
Eloquent, soaring and explaining in blunt detail why John McCain should not be president. Joe Biden must have been watching Sarah Palin's speech, in order to take notes in preparation for his debate with her and thought, "This isn't fair."
And all that's not even the reason the decision is so terrible.
The reason is because the election is not about Sarah Palin. Or about Joe Biden.
As much as TV analysts want to be excited by the balloons and hoopla, tomorrow the air will be let out, and there are still over two months to go for the campaign.
The campaign is about Barack Obama and John McCain.
Sarah Palin's nomination doesn't change that. In fact, it reinforces it.
Nothing about putting Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket changes a word that Barack Obama said in his vibrant acceptance speech - about himself, about his issues, and about John McCain's repeatedly faulty judgment on the critical issues facing America.
What Sarah Palin's nomination does do is focus attention on John McCain's age. Indeed, the nomination was made on his birthday, when he turned 72, the oldest man ever to run for president. As the crowd sang "Happy Birthday to You," you almost sensed that through John McCain's clenched smile, saying, "Thanks for reminding me," that what he was thinking underneath was "Please, oh, please, don't sing the 'How old are you now?' part." And how good a message was it that he's saying he supposedly forgot it was his birthday?
Vice presidents are usually selected as people who are adept at blasting the other side's presidential candidate, because it's only the presidential candidate that matters. Joe Biden has already done that - twice - at length, spoken as someone who knows John McCain well and likes him. Sarah Palin had her first chance...and whiffed. Didn't even try. And it's hard to imagine what she has in her arsenal that will remotely allow her to do so in the future.
The election is about the presidential candidates. And the selection of Sarah Palin now allows Barack Obama to campaign untouched by the Republican ticket.
John McCain's only other option is for himself to personally become negative for two months - which is disaster in presidential politics.
Now add on all the problems expressed above. Sarah Palin's inexplicably laughable lack of substance, most-especially on the foreign policy stage.
Her taking away the one issue, experience, Republicans were even attempting.
Her pushing away voters who might otherwise be willing to vote for a senator with 26 years in the Senate. Her bringing Hillary Clinton aggressively back into the campaign. Her inability to offer anything to off-set Joe Biden. Her standing as supposedly the most-qualified Republican woman as John McCain's first decision.
And, in the end, it all focuses back on Barack Obama, with his indictment of eight years of the Bush Administration and of John McCain's flawed judgment - and John McCain's defense of all that.
Republicans might be dancing earlier today, because there was a lot of fun music playing. But the music has stopped. The actual campaign has now started. For Republicans, it might have ended.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Google Chrome
The new browser is out from google, and it's called google chrome. It looks pretty cool, and I've been seeing it all over the place. The link above has a neat webcomic explaining how it works, and what the point of it is, and why it's better than everything else currently. I'm debating whether or not to grab it, and in the end I most likely will give it a shot. I saw it on three different sites in the last half an hour, which tells me that by tomorrow morning, it'll be all over like white on rice.
I am exhausted. My joints are screaming at me in protest, I think it's the weather swing, but I hurt like hell. And there's nothing I can do about it, which kind of sucks. I need a damn hug, and I flat-out refuse to go and find one, from anyone, because I'm feeling pissy at everyone tonight.
I'm also having trouble breathing because either my asthma is flaring up, or the stupid allergies are being a bastard, either of which sucks. I think I'm just going to eat something and go pass out. I need to go and get milk, and honestly I'm too tired to even care enough to run across the street and get that. And I hate that.
If anyone cares, I'm going to be more or less incommunicado tomorrow, because I have a ton of studying I need to get done, and I need to finish editing some stuff, and so I'll probably have the phones shut down for the majority of the day. Leave messages if it's of dire importance, otherwise just assume I'm tied up working.
G'nite.
I am exhausted. My joints are screaming at me in protest, I think it's the weather swing, but I hurt like hell. And there's nothing I can do about it, which kind of sucks. I need a damn hug, and I flat-out refuse to go and find one, from anyone, because I'm feeling pissy at everyone tonight.
I'm also having trouble breathing because either my asthma is flaring up, or the stupid allergies are being a bastard, either of which sucks. I think I'm just going to eat something and go pass out. I need to go and get milk, and honestly I'm too tired to even care enough to run across the street and get that. And I hate that.
If anyone cares, I'm going to be more or less incommunicado tomorrow, because I have a ton of studying I need to get done, and I need to finish editing some stuff, and so I'll probably have the phones shut down for the majority of the day. Leave messages if it's of dire importance, otherwise just assume I'm tied up working.
G'nite.
Seeking:
Acquaintances who are willing to bump into each other occasionally. Naked. With our crotches.
My gods, how I love Questionable Content. I truly do. I wish I'd had those kinds of acquaintances when I was in college. Oh wait! I *am* in college! I knew karma had to smile on me at some point!
In all seriousness though. So the asshat over the weekend notwithstanding, I suppose I'm doing alright, aside from a slight case of the "damn, I need to get laid". Which I'll probably get around to doing shortly. Maybe all the people who kept telling Stacey that night at the bar that all she needed to do to get over Phillip was get under someone else. Maybe they were right? I'm beginning to think that perhaps they had the correct idea. I didn't think so at the time, of course that might have had something to do with the fact that I didn't agree with the amount of alcohol she had in her system.
My personal opinion on deep emotional attachments is that they can go take a hike, but that's been my long-standing opinion. I'm a little bummed that I won't be watching football this season, because I never got around to getting that HD antenna for my TV, so I can't bring in the games, and the season or pre-season stuff all kicked off. Kind of sucks. But I suppose I've been busy enough that I wouldn't be watching it all that often anyway. It's crossed my mind a couple of times recently that it might be nice to be able to watch the election coverage, or the debates, but I can always watch them online. I'm torn though, because sometimes it feels like I'm cut off from what goes on in the world, even though I have internets. It's very peculiar.
Oh, ha. I got summoned for jury duty. LOL.
Oh, yes. And I called Phillip's phone when his suicide blogs went back online and realized it's been disconnected. I think I was going to give one more last-ditch effort at repairing that breach, but that more or less established neatly for me that he was fine now, and had someone else to make sure he was okay. That's good, and I'm sure he wouldn't have shut the phone down if his girlfriend wasn't taking good care of him now. He knew I'd be there if he needed me, and he obviously doesn't now. I'm glad things worked out for him, that was all I really wanted for him in the first place, once I got past the anger and resentment. He wanted it so badly, that I'm glad he finally is happy. Perhaps now I'll sleep again, knowing that he's safe. That'll be good :)
Okay, goodnight internets. Sweet dreams.
My gods, how I love Questionable Content. I truly do. I wish I'd had those kinds of acquaintances when I was in college. Oh wait! I *am* in college! I knew karma had to smile on me at some point!
In all seriousness though. So the asshat over the weekend notwithstanding, I suppose I'm doing alright, aside from a slight case of the "damn, I need to get laid". Which I'll probably get around to doing shortly. Maybe all the people who kept telling Stacey that night at the bar that all she needed to do to get over Phillip was get under someone else. Maybe they were right? I'm beginning to think that perhaps they had the correct idea. I didn't think so at the time, of course that might have had something to do with the fact that I didn't agree with the amount of alcohol she had in her system.
My personal opinion on deep emotional attachments is that they can go take a hike, but that's been my long-standing opinion. I'm a little bummed that I won't be watching football this season, because I never got around to getting that HD antenna for my TV, so I can't bring in the games, and the season or pre-season stuff all kicked off. Kind of sucks. But I suppose I've been busy enough that I wouldn't be watching it all that often anyway. It's crossed my mind a couple of times recently that it might be nice to be able to watch the election coverage, or the debates, but I can always watch them online. I'm torn though, because sometimes it feels like I'm cut off from what goes on in the world, even though I have internets. It's very peculiar.
Oh, ha. I got summoned for jury duty. LOL.
Oh, yes. And I called Phillip's phone when his suicide blogs went back online and realized it's been disconnected. I think I was going to give one more last-ditch effort at repairing that breach, but that more or less established neatly for me that he was fine now, and had someone else to make sure he was okay. That's good, and I'm sure he wouldn't have shut the phone down if his girlfriend wasn't taking good care of him now. He knew I'd be there if he needed me, and he obviously doesn't now. I'm glad things worked out for him, that was all I really wanted for him in the first place, once I got past the anger and resentment. He wanted it so badly, that I'm glad he finally is happy. Perhaps now I'll sleep again, knowing that he's safe. That'll be good :)
Okay, goodnight internets. Sweet dreams.
Monday, September 1, 2008
I am incorrigible smartass.
September 1, 2008
Cancer (June 22-July 22): You attempt to distance yourself from someone, but right now it's challenging to give up the ghost. There's something you still have to learn from this relationship.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You know where you want to go, and when you don't know, it doesn't matter -- you simply head in a direction and figure out the rest at the right time.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): You don't have to work at making friends. This is a terrific time to mingle. If you're single and you're not careful, you could wind up in love.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): You'll be dealing with egomaniacs. If it weren't for the fact that you were once a 3-year-old, you wouldn't be able to relate.
Aries (March 21-April 19): You'll be witness to people trying to have a creative influence and mostly failing. Make sure that the voice from the peanut gallery isn't yours. Criticism is easy. Art is hard.
Taurus (April 20-May 20): Have you taken any interesting chances lately? If you have the suspicion that the fates are on your side, you're right. So go on, put yourself out there.
Gemini (May 21-June 21): Your social life adds to the other areas of your life. You'll be glad you put in the face time with neighbors, bosses and community members.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Accept that people will give you something different than you might have done in their position. They've got their energy level and you've got yours.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You're faced with a small decision at work, but this choice represents a much bigger one. You're either doing what others have done before you, or you're starting a revolution.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You're given the opportunity to say nice things behind someone else's back. Take it! When they hear how much you like them, it means even more.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can act with clarity because you've thought it through. You make your move only after you've achieved a full understanding of the game.
Cancer (June 22-July 22): You attempt to distance yourself from someone, but right now it's challenging to give up the ghost. There's something you still have to learn from this relationship.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You know where you want to go, and when you don't know, it doesn't matter -- you simply head in a direction and figure out the rest at the right time.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): You don't have to work at making friends. This is a terrific time to mingle. If you're single and you're not careful, you could wind up in love.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): You'll be dealing with egomaniacs. If it weren't for the fact that you were once a 3-year-old, you wouldn't be able to relate.
Aries (March 21-April 19): You'll be witness to people trying to have a creative influence and mostly failing. Make sure that the voice from the peanut gallery isn't yours. Criticism is easy. Art is hard.
Taurus (April 20-May 20): Have you taken any interesting chances lately? If you have the suspicion that the fates are on your side, you're right. So go on, put yourself out there.
Gemini (May 21-June 21): Your social life adds to the other areas of your life. You'll be glad you put in the face time with neighbors, bosses and community members.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Accept that people will give you something different than you might have done in their position. They've got their energy level and you've got yours.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You're faced with a small decision at work, but this choice represents a much bigger one. You're either doing what others have done before you, or you're starting a revolution.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You're given the opportunity to say nice things behind someone else's back. Take it! When they hear how much you like them, it means even more.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can act with clarity because you've thought it through. You make your move only after you've achieved a full understanding of the game.
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