Showing posts with label Pres 2008 election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pres 2008 election. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

This week in The Tentacle for November 26, 2008


This week in The Tentacle for November 26, 2008

Click here for more columns in The Tentacle by Kevin Dayhoff


Wednesday, November 26, 2008
“The Eight Years War”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At high noon on Monday, amid cries of alarm that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President-elect Barack Obama rolled out his all-star economic team and a call for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion.


What to get the elderly for Christmas
Tom McLaughlin
Black Friday arrives the day after tomorrow and throngs of shoppers will line up for those “deals’ in a panic frenzy. Credit, debit and anything else that still has value will be maxed out during this holiday season because of the economy. Often left in the riot are your parents.


Tuesday, November 25, 2008
County Democratic Party's Castration – Part 1
Roy Meachum
This year marked a quarter century that I resided in Frederick. Someone who arrived later cannot possibly imagine the changes made. Most from the visionary and long-time city Mayor Ron Young. He created Carroll Creek development and modernized downtown streets from the horse and buggy days.


Monday, November 24, 2008
Lobb(y)ing Grenades
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
At a recent Board of County Commissioners hearing, Commissioner, and self-described "country lawyer, John L. "Lennie” Thompson, Jr., gave Annapolis lobbyists a piece of his mind. Lennie needs a new enemy; his style of bare-knuckled populist politics works best when he has a boogeyman to attack.


A Saturday with the Sheriff
Steven R. Berryman
On Saturday I found myself waiting outside the Church of the Brethren for Chuck Jenkins, sheriff of Frederick County. He was late, but I don’t blame the man, as he is in highest demand during these troubled and newly formative days.


Friday, November 21, 2008
Katrina's Official Murderers
Roy Meachum
A good friend from New Orleans called the other day; he works for Holy Cross where I started as a boarding student when I was nine years old. The dormitories were ripped up more than 20 years ago by Hurricane Betsy; nobody lives there these days.


Secularism’s Effects on A Society
Joe Charlebois
Secular socialism has made steady inroads into our society since the early 1960s when prayer was being removed from the schools. What has this led too?


Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Radical Makeover
Chris Cavey
Since the November 4th election, there has been much ballyhoo about the redefinition and much needed re-packaging of the Republican Party, especially as to whom should be the authors and leaders of this remake and even how to get started.


The Good, The Bad and The Hopeful
Joan McIntyre
Ever have one of those times where you just can't shake that feeling of dread? I normally have an uncanny ability to find good in just about every situation. It's not happening this time.


Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rewarding Bad Behavior
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Instead of tooling down the highway in the fast lane, two months after General Motors celebrated its 100th Birthday on September 16, it found itself huddled over at an intersection with fate, harassing passers-by with a tin pan in hand.


Fulfilling A Dream
Tom McLaughlin
“What has possessed you, Tom,” many have asked. “Leaving the country for Borneo Island for a year,” they wonder. “And what about your health?”


Baltimore Hippodrome's "Grinch"
Roy Meachum
What a delightful idea! Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre decided to bring in for the holidays "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical."


Tuesday, November 18, 2008
New Terms and Limits in Iraq
Roy Meachum
While George W. Bush's order to invade Iraq made headline news, the several papers I read cast the real outcome somewhere in the back pages.


A Once-A-Year Happening
Farrell Keough
“[A]m I my brother’s keeper?” This was the statement Cain gave to God when questioned about the location of Abel, whom Cain murdered. It has become part of our cultural colloquialisms – generally applied when asking about our responsibility to help others.


Walkersville’s Welcome Wagon
Joe Charlebois
Well, the ugly head of unforeseen consequences has reared its ugly head. The Town of Walkersville, in its determination to keep the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community from building their worship and conference facilities, has ultimately broken the back – if not the pocketbook – of the Banner School family.


Monday, November 17, 2008
Avoiding The Temptation
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
I supported John McCain throughout the recent presidential election. Having written an entire column about why, there's no reason to re-plow that field.


Befuddled in Frederick
Steven R. Berryman
What strange days we are living in. My sympathy goes out to those whose intellectual process it is to attempt to make sense of the world around them.


Landfill & Waste-to-Energy Q & A
Joan McIntyre
My last column (from November 6) generated many questions. Trash in Frederick County certainly seems to be the hot topic. Trash is a given and we need to get out of our holding pattern. So, here I've done my best to address many of your questions.

20081126 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle for November 26, 2008


This week in The Tentacle for November 26, 2008

Click here for more columns in The Tentacle by Kevin Dayhoff


Wednesday, November 26, 2008
“The Eight Years War”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At high noon on Monday, amid cries of alarm that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President-elect Barack Obama rolled out his all-star economic team and a call for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion.


What to get the elderly for Christmas
Tom McLaughlin
Black Friday arrives the day after tomorrow and throngs of shoppers will line up for those “deals’ in a panic frenzy. Credit, debit and anything else that still has value will be maxed out during this holiday season because of the economy. Often left in the riot are your parents.


Tuesday, November 25, 2008
County Democratic Party's Castration – Part 1
Roy Meachum
This year marked a quarter century that I resided in Frederick. Someone who arrived later cannot possibly imagine the changes made. Most from the visionary and long-time city Mayor Ron Young. He created Carroll Creek development and modernized downtown streets from the horse and buggy days.


Monday, November 24, 2008
Lobb(y)ing Grenades
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
At a recent Board of County Commissioners hearing, Commissioner, and self-described "country lawyer, John L. "Lennie” Thompson, Jr., gave Annapolis lobbyists a piece of his mind. Lennie needs a new enemy; his style of bare-knuckled populist politics works best when he has a boogeyman to attack.


A Saturday with the Sheriff
Steven R. Berryman
On Saturday I found myself waiting outside the Church of the Brethren for Chuck Jenkins, sheriff of Frederick County. He was late, but I don’t blame the man, as he is in highest demand during these troubled and newly formative days.


Friday, November 21, 2008
Katrina's Official Murderers
Roy Meachum
A good friend from New Orleans called the other day; he works for Holy Cross where I started as a boarding student when I was nine years old. The dormitories were ripped up more than 20 years ago by Hurricane Betsy; nobody lives there these days.


Secularism’s Effects on A Society
Joe Charlebois
Secular socialism has made steady inroads into our society since the early 1960s when prayer was being removed from the schools. What has this led too?


Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Radical Makeover
Chris Cavey
Since the November 4th election, there has been much ballyhoo about the redefinition and much needed re-packaging of the Republican Party, especially as to whom should be the authors and leaders of this remake and even how to get started.


The Good, The Bad and The Hopeful
Joan McIntyre
Ever have one of those times where you just can't shake that feeling of dread? I normally have an uncanny ability to find good in just about every situation. It's not happening this time.


Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rewarding Bad Behavior
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Instead of tooling down the highway in the fast lane, two months after General Motors celebrated its 100th Birthday on September 16, it found itself huddled over at an intersection with fate, harassing passers-by with a tin pan in hand.


Fulfilling A Dream
Tom McLaughlin
“What has possessed you, Tom,” many have asked. “Leaving the country for Borneo Island for a year,” they wonder. “And what about your health?”


Baltimore Hippodrome's "Grinch"
Roy Meachum
What a delightful idea! Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre decided to bring in for the holidays "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical."


Tuesday, November 18, 2008
New Terms and Limits in Iraq
Roy Meachum
While George W. Bush's order to invade Iraq made headline news, the several papers I read cast the real outcome somewhere in the back pages.


A Once-A-Year Happening
Farrell Keough
“[A]m I my brother’s keeper?” This was the statement Cain gave to God when questioned about the location of Abel, whom Cain murdered. It has become part of our cultural colloquialisms – generally applied when asking about our responsibility to help others.


Walkersville’s Welcome Wagon
Joe Charlebois
Well, the ugly head of unforeseen consequences has reared its ugly head. The Town of Walkersville, in its determination to keep the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community from building their worship and conference facilities, has ultimately broken the back – if not the pocketbook – of the Banner School family.


Monday, November 17, 2008
Avoiding The Temptation
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
I supported John McCain throughout the recent presidential election. Having written an entire column about why, there's no reason to re-plow that field.


Befuddled in Frederick
Steven R. Berryman
What strange days we are living in. My sympathy goes out to those whose intellectual process it is to attempt to make sense of the world around them.


Landfill & Waste-to-Energy Q & A
Joan McIntyre
My last column (from November 6) generated many questions. Trash in Frederick County certainly seems to be the hot topic. Trash is a given and we need to get out of our holding pattern. So, here I've done my best to address many of your questions.

20081126 This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Incredibly Shrinking Republican Party

Kevin E. Dayhoff

The ink is hardly dry on the “historic” election of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and already those with 20/20 hindsight are dissecting and revising the two-year ordeal, known as the 2008 presidential election, with the conviction of someone who has just seen a flying saucer land in the backyard.

Where to begin?

For one thing, the Republican Party vigorously participated in its own victimization. It was as if the party had a psychotic episode of multiple manifestations and as a result, carefully choreographed its own suicide.

The Republican Party forgot its historic roots as standing for conservative fiscal policies, optimism and opportunity, personal accountability, and small, but responsive and efficient government.

Instead of reaching out to seize the opportunities afforded by changing political dynamics and demographics, it pathologically groped its navel in narcissistic delight.

However, my disdain is not heaped upon Arizona Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Although, let’s be clear, their campaign was undisciplined, inarticulate, uninspiring, and unfocused.

Much of my scorn is reserved for the failure of the national party leadership in general and the Republican congressional leaders in particular.


Read the entire column here: The Incredibly Shrinking Republican Party

Just Bustin’ Out All Over
Tom McLaughlin
It was as if a massive salt water wave swept over the country and washed away all of the hate and intolerance. I felt cleansed, jubilant and am still high from the November 4 election results. No more African-Americans, or Chinese-Americans, or Native Americans. We are all Americans.


Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Please, Jennifer, Not Again
Roy Meachum
Jennifer Dougherty's loss record for elections stands four-to-one after Tuesday's drubbing by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. The only time she won, incumbent Mayor Jim Grimes shot himself in the foot. Repeatedly. When she tried for a second term, her own party dumped her; the first mayor in modern times to be defeated in a primary.


“It’s Good To Be A Teacher…”
Nick Diaz
Work-to-rule, teachers’ contract, planning time, Board of Education, FCTA, negotiated agreement – these topics, and more, have surfaced recently in Frederick concerning local education issues.


Monday, November 10, 2008
Election Post Mortem
Steven R. Berryman
Election 2008 is over. America now has a new president-elect, and an opportunity to evaluate just what Barack Obama’s victory means. Here are some lessons learned along with some 20/20 hindsight.


Friday, November 7, 2008
A Reason for Hope
Roy Meachum
In the middle of the Clintons' primary struggle to take away the people's nomination of Barack Obama, I threatened to resign from the Democratic Party if they succeeded. Between them and their cohorts they had the means in their grasp.


Whither Goes America?
Joe Charlebois
What does it mean to be a patriotic American? Recently that question was brought up by some politicians and pounced on by many pundits. Well, if you don't jump to conclusions, like so many have, this subject can be looked at as a way to follow up on the true transformation of our society since its founding 232 years ago.


Thursday, November 6, 2008
Democrats Get Their Turn
Chris Cavey
Election Day 2008 was a depressing, gut-wrenching day for the Republican Party. The citizens of the United States continued their flogging of the party of Lincoln with the ongoing removal of Republican seats from both chambers of Congress, and a rejection of their candidate for president, John McCain.


Landfill & Waste-to-Energy Facts
Joan McIntyre
In the words of Joe Friday, Jack Webb's on Dragnet: “Just the facts ma'am." That's what you are about to get – facts and more facts.


Wednesday, November 5, 2008
It’s the Congress, Stupid!
Kevin E. Dayhoff
When historians look back on the 670-day, $2.5 billion 2008 presidential campaign, the observations, analysis, second-guessing, and finger pointing will fill volumes. In the end, it was once again, “the economy, stupid” that ruled the day.


A Tale of Two Campaigns
Tom McLaughlin
This election, I was proud to be a part of two Democratic congressional campaigns. The First District in Maryland, mostly on the Eastern Shore, was where I lived while in Ocean City. I moved to the Sixth District when I relocated to Middletown.


Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Long, Messy Campaign
Roy Meachum
Today arrives as Boxing Day for Christmas and Ash Wednesday for Mardi Gras. Take your pick. The presidential campaign for all intents and purposes ended yesterday. The number of voters who might be persuaded by last minute exhortations is certainly miniscule.


Local Issues ARE Important, Too
Farrell Keough
What an interesting time slot to post a column. Today we engage in one of our most auspicious rights – the ability to vote for our representatives. Good luck!


Monday, November 3, 2008
The Big Non-Surprise
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Former Secretary of State and highly decorated U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell, a registered Republican, rocked the political establishment recently. On NBC's Meet the Press, General Powell revealed that he is abandoning his political party and endorsing Sen. Barack Obama, for President of The United States.


Predicting The Result
Steven R. Berryman
I have no crystal ball, but considering the events upcoming on Election Day, I feel compelled to prognosticate aloud. John McCain and Sarah Palin will be your next president and vice president of the United States of America. And here’s why:


It’s Your Choice – Part 3
Bill Brosius
We’ve seen the Reverend Wright rant “God damn America” on TV; seen his contempt for and hatred of America, and of whites. He preached: “America is a country run by rich white men.” You could not more succinctly combine racism, contempt of those hard workers who accumulate wealth, and socialism in fewer words.

20081112 This week in The Tentacle

Monday, November 10, 2008

Recent Westminster Eagle and Sunday Carroll Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff


Published November 9, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE Last Tuesday, after two years, 45 debates and $2.4 billion spent, American voters finally had their day. Is it just me, or does...


Published November 5, 2008 by Westminster Eagle

On Thursday, Nov. 6, Junction Inc. will host a substance abuse and awareness program sponsored by the Board of County commissioners at 6 p.m....


Thursday, November 6, 2008

President Bush Discusses Presidential Election


President Bush Discusses Presidential Election

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 5, 2008

Rose Garden
10:20 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Last night, I had a warm conversation with President-elect Barack Obama. I congratulated him and Senator Biden on their impressive victory. I told the President-elect he can count on complete cooperation from my administration as he makes the transition to the White House.

I also spoke to Senator John McCain. I congratulated him on a determined campaign that he and Governor Palin ran. The American people will always be grateful for the lifetime of service John McCain has devoted to this nation. And I know he'll continue to make tremendous contributions to our country.

No matter how they cast their ballots, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday. Across the country, citizens voted in large numbers. They showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy, and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union. They chose a President whose journey represents a triumph of the American story -- a testament to hard work, optimism, and faith in the enduring promise of our nation.

Many of our citizens thought they would never live to see that day. This moment is especially uplifting for a generation of Americans who witnessed the struggle for civil rights with their own eyes -- and four decades later see a dream fulfilled.

A long campaign has now ended, and we move forward as one nation. We're embarking on a period of change in Washington, yet there are some things that will not change. The United States government will stay vigilant in meeting its most important responsibility -- protecting the American people. And the world can be certain this commitment will remain steadfast under our next Commander-in-Chief.

There's important work to do in the months ahead, and I will continue to conduct the people's business as long as this office remains in my trust. During this time of transition, I will keep the President-elect fully informed on important decisions. And when the time comes on January the 20th, Laura and I will return home to Texas with treasured memories of our time here -- and with profound gratitude for the honor of serving this amazing country.

It will be a stirring sight to watch President Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House. I know millions of Americans will be overcome with pride at this inspiring moment that so many have awaited so long. I know Senator Obama's beloved mother and grandparents would have been thrilled to watch the child they raised ascend the steps of the Capitol -- and take his oath to uphold the Constitution of the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

Last night I extended an invitation to the President-elect and Mrs. Obama to come to the White House. And Laura and I are looking forward to welcoming them as soon as possible.

Thank you very much.
END 10:23 A.M. EST

20081105 President Bush Discusses Presidential Election

This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
It’s the Congress, Stupid!
Kevin E. Dayhoff
When historians look back on the 670-day, $2.5 billion 2008 presidential campaign, the observations, analysis, second-guessing, and finger pointing will fill volumes. In the end, it was once again, “the economy, stupid” that ruled the day.


A Tale of Two Campaigns
Tom McLaughlin
This election, I was proud to be a part of two Democratic congressional campaigns. The First District in Maryland, mostly on the Eastern Shore, was where I lived while in Ocean City. I moved to the Sixth District when I relocated to Middletown.


Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Long, Messy Campaign
Roy Meachum
Today arrives as Boxing Day for Christmas and Ash Wednesday for Mardi Gras. Take your pick. The presidential campaign for all intents and purposes ended yesterday. The number of voters who might be persuaded by last minute exhortations is certainly miniscule.


Local Issues ARE Important, Too
Farrell Keough
What an interesting time slot to post a column. Today we engage in one of our most auspicious rights – the ability to vote for our representatives. Good luck!


Monday, November 3, 2008
The Big Non-Surprise
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Former Secretary of State and highly decorated U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell, a registered Republican, rocked the political establishment recently. On NBC's Meet the Press, General Powell revealed that he is abandoning his political party and endorsing Sen. Barack Obama, for President of The United States.


Predicting The Result
Steven R. Berryman
I have no crystal ball, but considering the events upcoming on Election Day, I feel compelled to prognosticate aloud. John McCain and Sarah Palin will be your next president and vice president of the United States of America. And here’s why:


It’s Your Choice – Part 3
Bill Brosius
We’ve seen the Reverend Wright rant “God damn America” on TV; seen his contempt for and hatred of America, and of whites. He preached: “America is a country run by rich white men.” You could not more succinctly combine racism, contempt of those hard workers who accumulate wealth, and socialism in fewer words.


Friday, October 31, 2008
Taking Race for Congress Seriously
Roy Meachum
A Frederick businessman – and fellow Democrat – this week told me a story about the former mayor. Failing to be heard with orders that city workers should not show up at his place, buy sandwiches and drive away, Jennifer Dougherty proceeded to patrol his parking lot.


Welfare Checks and Military Disintegration
Joe Charlebois
Ninety-five percent of taxpayers won't see tax increases, astounding! Ninety-five percent of Americans will receive a tax cut, amazing! Only 60% of Americans pay income taxes. What?


Just Say “NO” to Slots
Kevin E. Dayhoff
There are two constitutional questions on the ballot next Tuesday. I will be voting “NO” on both. Question 2 will amend the state constitution to allow slots. Question 1 would amend the Maryland Constitution to allow early voting in Maryland.


It’s Your Choice – Part 2
Bill Brosius
Senator Obama’s formative childhood years were unsettling and disruptive. (Words in quotes in this section are copied from “Dreams From My Father,” written by Senator Obama).


Making My Selection…
Derek Shackelford
There are currently six candidates vying for the President of the United States. Two of the candidates have garnered much of the national media attention and are a part of the two primary political parties.


Thursday, October 30, 2008
Another Round of Greatness…
Tony Soltero
Eight years ago, America was finishing up one of the best decades in the nation's history. We were at peace – after waging a successful war of liberation in the Balkans, a war in which no Americans lost their lives in combat.


My Choice and Why
Patricia A. Kelly
I was asked some time ago to contribute a column on a political candidate and why he or she should be chosen. The request was to make it positive, without the “why not to vote for” usually associated with political arguments.


It’s Your Choice – Part 1
Bill Brosius
Illinois Senator Barack Obama is a convincing, charming, silver-tongued man; few are better orators. He quickly gains the confidence of trusting people who cannot believe that he would obfuscate, and thus befuddle those who do not dig deeply into his jargon to clarify meaning.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Vote “NO” on Early Voting
Kevin E. Dayhoff
On Election Day November 4, there are two statewide questions on the ballot to amend the Maryland constitutional. I will be voting NO on both questions.


To Thine Own Self Be True
Tom McLaughlin
I am a Democrat and support Jennifer Dougherty and Barack Obama. I would support the Democratic ticket if the devil himself were on it. I am sure there are Republicans who feel the same way.


Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Election Worry
Roy Meachum
Readers may recall I take a certain pride in making up my mind well in advance about election personalities and issues. Not always, helas! This resolution on slot machines remains unresolved for me. I suspect I'm not alone. Please allow me to point out personal problems.


Unqualified To Be President – Part 2
Maude Franceschina
In yesterday’s column, I recited a litany of reasons Sen. Barack Obama is unqualified to be President of The United States. Today I’ll expand on that.

http://www.thetentacle.com/
20081105 This week in The Tentacle

Obama’s Acceptance Speech


Obama’s Acceptance Speech

Barack Obama is the President-elect of the United States of America.

November 04, 2008 President-elect of the United States of America Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech: Change Has Come to America

After he was declared the winner of the November 4th, 2008 presidential election, to become the country's 44th president, Illinois Senator Barack Obama addressed the nation at a rally in Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.


20081104 Obama’s Acceptance Speech

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Video of Senator John McCain’s November 5 2008 concession speech


Video of Senator John McCain’s November 5 2008 concession speech


November 4, 2008 - Twenty-six months after the 2008 presidential campaign began; Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee for president delivered his concession speech in Phoenix, Arizona at 9:18 p.m. PT.

Senator McCain had begun his 2008 presidential aspirations on April 25, 2007 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and ended it on the other side of the country in a graceful speech that generously asked his supporters and the country to unite behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who won in his bid for the presidency on the Democratic Party ticket.


The text of his speech may be found here: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/11/text-of-senator-john-mccains-concession.html

20081105 Sen. John McCain’s concession speech

www.kevindayhoff.net

Text of Senator John McCain’s concession speech


Text of Senator John McCain’s concession speech

November 5, 2008


Twenty-six months after the 2008 presidential campaign began; Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee for president delivered his concession speech at the Arizona Biltmore, in Phoenix, Arizona at 9:18 p.m. PT.

Senator McCain had begun his 2008 presidential aspirations on April 25, 2007 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and ended it on the other side of the country in a graceful speech that generously asked his supporters and the country to unite behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who won in his bid for the presidency on the Democratic Party ticket:

JOHN MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

(APPLAUSE)

My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him.

(BOOING)

Please.

To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now...

(APPLAUSE)

Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

(APPLAUSE)

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans...

(APPLAUSE)

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

(APPLAUSE)

It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: (OFF-MIKE)

We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.

AUDIENCE: No!

MCCAIN: I am so...

AUDIENCE: (CHANTING)

MCCAIN: I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We do, too (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother...
(APPLAUSE)

... my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.
I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen...

(APPLAUSE)

... one of the best campaigners I have ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength...

(APPLAUSE)

... her husband Todd and their five beautiful children...

(APPLAUSE)

... for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

(APPLAUSE)

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

(BOOING)

Please. Please.

I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.

half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

(APPLAUSE)

AUDIENCE: USA. USA. USA. USA.

Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama -- whether they supported me or Senator Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender.

(APPLAUSE)

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.


20081105 Text of Sen. John McCain’s concession speech

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

London Sunday Times: A state-by-state guide to the US presidential election night




London Sunday Times: A state-by-state guide to the US presidential election night

October 31, 2008

The London Sunday times has put together an excellent state-by-state, hour-by-hour analysis of watching the election returns in today’s election.

For political presidential election junkies, it is a great outline for following the election, throughout the day:

Results will start rolling in shortly after the first polls close at 6pm EST, or 11pm GMT

Hannah Strange

By the time most Americans wake up, the first votes in the presidential election will have already been declared. In the tiny New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch, all two dozen of its residents will have cast their ballots simultaneously at midnight, with the results released one minute later. In keeping with electoral tradition both candidates will be present, though neither should be unduly worried by the outcome, as despite its uncanny accuracy in predicting party nominees, it has voted Republican in all but one presidential election in the last fifty years. For the real bellwethers, the world will have to wait just a little bit longer.


Read the entire article here: A state-by-state guide to the US presidential election night From Times Online October 31, 2008

20081031 LondonTimes A state by state guide to the US pres election night

Sunday, October 26, 2008

McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer Friday, October 24, 2008


Related: My endorsement for the Arizona Sen. John McCain for president can be found here in The Tentacle: McCain for America – First by Kevin E. Dayhoff:

Election Day is less than two weeks away. On November 4, I will be voting for the Republican Party nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Read my entire column here: McCain for America – First

Meanwhile Dr. Charles Krauthammer has also endorsed Senator McCain here - McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer:

WASHINGTON -- Contrarian that I am, I'm voting for John McCain. I'm not talking about bucking the polls or the media consensus that it's over before it's over. I'm talking about bucking the rush of wet-fingered conservatives leaping to Barack Obama before they're left out in the cold without a single state dinner for the next four years.

[…]

First, I'll have no truck with the phony case ginned up to rationalize voting for the most liberal and inexperienced presidential nominee in living memory. The "erratic" temperament issue, for example…

[…]

McCain the "erratic" is a cheap Obama talking point. The 40-year record testifies to McCain the stalwart.

Nor will I countenance the "dirty campaign" pretense. The double standard here is stunning.

[…]

The case for McCain is straightforward. The financial crisis has made us forget, or just blindly deny, how dangerous the world out there is. We have a generations-long struggle with Islamic jihadism. An apocalyptic soon-to-be-nuclear Iran. A nuclear-armed Pakistan in danger of fragmentation. A rising Russia pushing the limits of revanchism. Plus the sure-to-come Falklands-like surprise popping out of nowhere.

Who do you want answering that phone at 3 a.m.? A man who's been cramming on these issues for the last year, who's never had to make an executive decision affecting so much as a city, let alone the world? A foreign policy novice instinctively inclined to the flabbiest, most vaporous multilateralism…

[…]


Read Dr. Krauthammer’s entire column here: McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer

20081024 Charles Krauthammer: McCain the Stalwart

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Jewish Press: John McCain For President




The Jewish Press heartily endorses John McCain for president of the United States.

Senator McCain has long been the poster boy for what's made America great. He heroically served our nation in the Vietnam War, doing what he was called on to do and going well beyond, incurring great personal suffering and deprivation he could have avoided simply by trading on his family connections. For five years he famously declined to abandon his fellow prisoners and end his travail. In a time of political pandering and rank opportunism, Sen. McCain's courage, integrity and fortitude are traits to be treasured in a national leader.

And in a period of corrosive inter-party political strife, Sen. McCain offers a solid record of bipartisanship. Indeed, his failure to regularly follow the Republican Party line often drew the ire of President Bush and Republican congressional leaders.

Plainly, Sen. McCain has demonstrated he has the leadership skills key to lead our nation at a time of great testing. He is also persuasive on the issues and was actually highly thought of even in Democratic circles until Barack Obama made it the linchpin of his campaign to try to persuade voters of a direct link between Sen. McCain and the policies of President Bush - particularly with regard to the war in Iraq and the current economic crisis - and therefore a shared responsibility.

The New York Daily News, even while endorsing Sen. Obama, heaped great praise on Sen. McCain, calling him an "outstanding" senator, a man of character, a man of "courage in the face of torture," "dead on" right on Iraq, the soul of bi-partisanship, and "tough minded" on foreign affairs and military issues.

But while the paper acknowledged "there is no question [Sen. McCain] would bring change," it lamented that "McCain's misfortune is that he is the standard bearer of a party whose leadership, starting at the top, ran the U.S. onto the rocks."

But let's look at this notion of shared responsibility.

Sen. Obama makes the point that Sen. McCain supported the invasion of Iraq while he himself spoke out against it from the beginning. Yet whatever one thinks of President Bush's foreign policy, including the war in Iraq, the fact is there has not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Yes, there have been more than 4,000 American deaths in Iraq, and each loss is a great tragedy in itself, but there were nearly 3,000 deaths on 9/11.

Without question the war in Iraq, which drew Al Qaeda into an arena where America's military power could be most effectively deployed against the terrorist infrastructure, palpably disabled the ability of Islamic extremists to coordinate large-scale attacks on the American continent. And it should not be forgotten that Sen. McCain had long criticized President Bush for not putting enough American power on the ground.

Sen. McCain is also being linked to the current economic downturn, again because both he and President Bush are Republicans. But as documented by the release of Sen. McCain's correspondence file on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, it was Sen. McCain who had long been drawing attention to the excesses of the two agencies which contributed so greatly to the current economic meltdown.

More pointedly, consider the following excerpts from a front-page story in Sunday's New York Times about the role of Henry Cisneros, President Bill Clinton's secretary of housing and urban development, in the mortgage debacle:

As the Clinton Administration's top housing official in the mid-1990's Mr. Cisneros loosened mortgage restrictions so first-time buyers could qualify for loans they could never get before.... While Mr. Cisneros says he remains proud of his work...[he] acknowledges that "people came to homeownership who should not have been homeowners...."

Homeownership has deep roots in the American soul. But until recently getting a mortgage was a challenge for low-income families. Many of these families were minorities, which naturally made the subject of special interest to Mr. Cisneros, who, in 1993, became the first Hispanic to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He had President Clinton's ear.... [Emphasis added]

If anything, President Bush inherited a mess left by President Clinton. By what stretch does one then lay this on Sen. McCain simply because he is a Republican?

But it is not only Sen. McCain's positives that commend him to voters as their choice on November 4. Unfortunately, there is also the matter of Sen. Obama's glaring negatives, some of which are quite alarming.

As The Jewish Press and others have pointed out, there is a rather disturbing dimension to Sen. Obama. Although he has succeeded in denying public access to much of his past relating to his work as a community organizer and his connection to the radical advocacy ACORN group, what we do know speaks volumes of where his views are grounded.

For more than 20 years he turned to the virulently anti-American and anti-Israel churchman Reverend Jeremiah Wright for counsel and advice. He has explained away Rev. Wright's diatribes as an understandable reaction to the black experience in America.

He also worked closely for years with the notorious William Ayres, Jr. on reforming educational policy, though Mr. Ayres's stated mission is to employ education to cleanse America of its many alleged sins.

From where we sit, Sen. Obama emerges as a representative of the radical left, which does not accept the notion of American exceptionalism and the presumptive validity of American tradition. We recall his gratuitous ridicule of those middle Americans who, supposedly out of frustration, "cling to their religion and their guns."

We fear Sen. Obama is not intent on merely changing this or that policy but the system in its entirety.

This strain emerges also in the area of international affairs. His observation that the leaders of Hamas support him because they expect him to abandon President Bush's "cowboy diplomacy" reflects the view that perhaps our enemies have a point and America is to be blamed for most of the world's problems. This was underscored when he said he would negotiate with such leaders as Iran's Ahmadinejad "without preconditions."

And then there are the insults to our intelligence he regularly delivers. When he immediately backtracked from his declaration that he supported an "undivided Jerusalem" as the capital of Israel, he explained that he only meant it shouldn't be divided by fences. He has also regularly played the race card by asserting that Sen. McCain would resort to claiming that he, Sen. Obama, doesn't look like others who have run for president.

To criticisms of his relationship with Rev. Wright, Sen. Obama claimed he wasn't present on those occasions when Rev. Wright spilled his venom. He initially said of his contacts with William Ayres that they were minimal, and later that he thought Mr. Ayers had "been rehabilitated" - despite the fact that Mr. Ayres regularly bemoans his failure to have planted more bombs during his terrorist heyday.

Perhaps among the most troubling things about Sen. Obama was his recent comment to the now famous "Joe the plumber." When "Joe" asked him why he planned to raise taxes on him, Sen. Obama responded: "It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think that when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

This a radical departure from mainstream thinking in our country. It is one thing for the government to provide for the less fortunate and for those in dire need. It is quite another to embrace a scheme to arbitrarily redistribute the wealth from the get-go in order to institutionally equalize the situation of all Americans.

In addition to the concerns we have as Americans about Sen. Obama's decidedly leftist predilections, those of us with a particular interest in Israel are troubled by the prospects of an Obama presidency. His political bent, facile changes of position and overall failure to stick to his word make us leery of the reliability of his oft-stated commitment to the Jewish state. We have no such hesitancy about Sen. McCain.


Copyright 2008 http://www.jewishpress.com/

http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/3/John_McCain_For_Pres.html
20081022 Jewish Press: John McCain For President

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Washington Times Editorial: What is ACORN?


The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as ACORN, is under investigation by state and federal authorities for its voter registration drives. Allegations are that ACORN's get-out-the-vote efforts have produced thousands of fraudulent registrations. The probes are encouraging; America wouldn't be in position to criticize other nations of ballot-stuffing if it permits the same at home. What's most encouraging, though, is that House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio is calling for ACORN to be defunded. "The latest allegations of voter registration fraud by ACORN are further evidence that this group cannot be trusted with another dollar of the taxpayers' money," he said.

ACORN helped make the term "affordable housing" a Washington staple. So as the roots of the financial crisis are laid bare, take a hard look at ACORN.

ACORN has its roots in the community-organization teachings of Saul Alinsky, who mobilized Chicago's stockyard workers in the 1930s. The organization was founded as the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now by Wade Rathke, a protege of George Wiley, the civil-rights activist who later engineered the Poor People's Campaign with his founding of the National Welfare Reform Organization. After fighting for "motor-voter" registration in the 1990s, which allowed people to register to vote at departments of motor vehicles, ACORN began expanding its voter registration activities. Since 2004 it has come under scrutiny for producing thousands of fraudulent registrations, and 15 employees intent on exploiting their pay-per-registration policy to make money have been indicted or convicted of voter registration fraud. But it didn't start out that way.

If the political left is an abstract concept for social justice and socialist sentiments, then ACORN is its avatar.

[…]


Read the entire editorial here: Washington Times Editorial: What is ACORN?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/10/what-is-acorn/

20081010 Washington Times Editorial What is ACORN?

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The Parker Problem

The Parker Problem

September 30, 2008

In case you missed it, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker published a column last Friday in which she expressed misgivings about the qualifications of Republican vice-presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

For sure, Kathleen Parker is to be respected for her opinion. She is knowledgeable, committed to her cause, and for the most part, completely, and totally wrong.

I’m amazed that she could draw any conclusions from Alaska Governor Sarah Palin based solely on her interviews with bias, arrogant, elitist, and condescending hacks the likes of Charles Gibson and Katie Couric.

If anything, if the objective observer were to conclude that Gov. Palin did not present well with the likes of Mr. Gibson and Ms. Couric – that is a plus for Gov. Palin and all the more reason to vote for her.

Ever since Gov. Palin burst upon the national spotlight the elite media and partisan hacks have waged an all-out war to marginalize and trivialize her as a rightwing bimbette ideologue without a mind of her own. A mantra that is not consistent with how she has governed.

Ms. Parker’s column begs for one key and important question. As a result of her misgivings about Gov. Palin, are we relegated to vote for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden?

Both are arguably good people, but will Sen. Obama’s naive positions on foreign policy make us safer? Will Sen. Obama’s positions on economic policy empower the economy or tax so much capital out of the nation’s finances that it will cripple the nation?

Of course, in the long run, one wonders when the elite media will ask Senators Obama and Biden the same condescending gotcha questions of which Gov. Palin has been subjected. Last but not least, how would Senators Obama and Biden fare if they had been unfairly subjected to the same intense scrutiny?

Individually all four candidates have their strengths and weaknesses. In the end, we are faced with voting for the team with the least number of weaknesses.

The Palin Problem Kathleen Parker Friday, September 26, 2008

[…]

Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But circumstances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick -- what a difference a financial crisis makes -- and a more complicated picture has emerged.

As we've seen and heard more from John McCain's running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion

[…]

Finally, Palin's narrative is fun, inspiring and all-American in that frontier way we seem to admire. When Palin first emerged as John McCain's running mate, I confess I was delighted. She was the antithesis and nemesis of the hirsute, Birkenstock-wearing sisterhood -- a refreshing feminist of a different order who personified the modern successful working mother.

Palin didn't make a mess cracking the glass ceiling. She simply glided through it.

[…]

Read the rest of Ms. Parker’s column here: The Palin Problem Kathleen Parker

20080926 The Parker Problem by Kathleen Parker

Thursday, September 25, 2008

John McCain’s Remarks on the Economy


John McCain’s Remarks on the Economy

September 24, 2008

"It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem. We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved. I am directing my campaign to work with the Obama campaign and the commission on presidential debates to delay Friday night's debates until we have taken action to address this crisis."

Watch the Speech







John McCain’s remarks on the economy

September 24, 2008

America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees. If we do not act, every corner of our country will be impacted. We cannot allow this to happen.

Last Friday, I laid out my proposal and I have since discussed my priorities and concerns with the bill the Administration has put forward. Senator Obama has expressed his priorities and concerns. This morning, I met with a group of economic advisers to talk about the proposal on the table and the steps that we should take going forward. I have also spoken with members of Congress to hear their perspective.

It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the Administration’s proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time.

Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me.

I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself. It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.

We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved. I am directing my campaign to work with the Obama campaign and the commission on presidential debates to delay Friday night’s debate until we have taken action to address this crisis.

I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so.

Following September 11th, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis. We must show that kind of patriotism now. Americans across our country lament the fact that partisan divisions in Washington have prevented us from addressing our national challenges. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.


20080924 John McCain’s remarks on the economy

www.kevindayhoff.net

economy mortgage Wall Main Street legislation McCain Palin financial Congress credit derivatives traunch bipartisan Dayhoff jobs small business

Joint Statement Of Senator John McCain And Senator Barack Obama

Joint Statement Of Senator John McCain And Senator Barack Obama

For Immediate Release

September 24, 2008

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, U.S. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama issued the following statement:

"The American people are facing a moment of economic crisis. No matter how this began, we all have a responsibility to work through it and restore confidence in our economy. The jobs, savings, and prosperity of the American people are at stake.

"Now is a time to come together -- Democrats and Republicans -- in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people. The plan that has been submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration is flawed, but the effort to protect the American economy must not fail.

"This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country."

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/7663d12d-048a-4279-9a82-8ef6f96acdb3.htm

20080924 Jt St Of Senators McCain Obama

McCain Discusses Financial Crisis, Rescue Plan by Steve Holland for Reuters

McCain Discusses Financial Crisis, Rescue Plan

By Steve Holland, Reuters September 24, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain got an update on the Wall Street financial crisis from several economic experts on Wednesday and was cautious on whether he would vote for a $700 billion bailout.

The Arizona senator said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, was wrong to say on Tuesday that McCain planned to vote for the hotly debated rescue plan.

"I did not say that," McCain told reporters…

McCain's comment came as he met with several economic experts and current and former corporate executives, such as Cisco CEO John Chambers, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman and former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain…

"Most Americans feel very strongly that this isn't their fault but it's Wall Street and Washington and the cozy insider relationships that have caused a great part of the problems," McCain said.

He said any package must have "transparency, accountability, CEO responsibility and obviously be in the best interest of the people (of) this country who are going to pay $10,000 per household in order to take the necessary measures to restore our confidence."

While Obama was in Florida getting prepared for his first debate with McCain on Friday in Mississippi, McCain was engaged in a round of meetings with foreign leaders in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

The list included a joint session with the presidents of Georgia and Ukraine, both of whom are concerned about Russia after Moscow's invasion of Georgia last month. He was also to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Read the entire article here.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE48N4TR20080924?sp=true

20080924 McCain Discusses Financial Crisis Rescue Plan

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Tentacle columns on the Republican National Convention

Tentacle columns on the Republican National Convention

Friday, September 12, 2008
A Little Convention History
Kevin E. Dayhoff
It would be an understatement to suggest that the events of last week were quite different from the first Republican National Convention June 17 to 19, 1856.


Thursday, September 11, 2008
Eloquent Prose – Excellent Friends
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last week I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to tag along to the Republican National Convention with the Maryland delegation.


Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Four “E’s” of the GOP Convention
Kevin E. Dayhoff
I made a concerted effort to arrive early on each of the four days of last week’s Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.

20080912 Tentacle columns on the Republican National Convention

Friday, September 12, 2008

Chris Cavey has another column on the Republican National Convention in The Tentacle

Chris Cavey has another column on the Republican National Convention in The Tentacle

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Pit Bull With Lipstick

Chris Cavey

Sen. John McCain’s choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate was the dominating conversation in St. Paul at the Republican National Convention. The resulting affect of this selection vice presidential pick was a totally revived Republican Party, like giving a huge shot of adrenalin to a formerly lethargic patient.

Read the rest of Mr. Cavy’s column here: A Pit Bull With Lipstick

20080911 Chris Cavey on the RNC in The Tentacle

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

20080910 This Wednesday in The Tentacle

20080910 This Wednesday in The Tentacle

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Three “E’s” of the GOP Convention

Kevin E. Dayhoff

I made a concerted effort to arrive early on each of the four days of last week’s Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.

The convention was held in a sports arena retrofitted for the quadrennial gathering of the party faithful for the purposes of nominating a Republican presidential and vice presidential candidate for the upcoming national elections November 4.

The arena is located in St. Paul near the banks of the Mississippi River and it had the appropriate name – Xcel Energy Center.

Read the rest of the column here: The Three “E’s” of the GOP Convention

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Ivins' Mystery Still There
Roy Meachum
Sunday readers of The Frederick News-Post and The New York Times should not have been surprised. The investigation of the Fort Detrick anthrax incident is still very much alive, despite declaration of its death by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Following politics rather than proof, Jeffrey Taylor officially closed the case.

Summer’s Dog Days: Elephant Time – Part 2
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
So, after a cautious decision to postpone the GOP festivities in St. Paul, Gustav's lack of massive destruction allowed a resumption of good old fashioned partisan-bashing.

Scaling The Abyss
Farrell Keough
Many have heard or read about the new math system being instituted by the Frederick County Board of Education. This program, TERC (now called Pearson Math Investigations) has a poor foundation and virtually no books or parent involvement. In short, the child taught under this program will fall well behind within a few short years.


Monday, September 8, 2008
Summer’s Dog Days: Elephant Time – Part 1
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Two weeks ago, Barack Obama wowed 'em in Denver. Last week, John McCain tip-toed across the balance beam of public opinion, beginning the week with a compassionate whisper and ending it with a partisan roar.

Dressing the Moose
Steven R. Berryman
I’m loving the political jokes now: What’s the experience difference between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama? Answer: Not much when taken in aggregate, but Governor Palin is a better ice hockey player and can shoot straight…


Friday, September 5, 2008
More Political Hypocrisy
Roy Meachum
Reading Sunday's Frederick News-Post, you could believe Frederick's ex-mayor Jennifer Dougherty, in selling her self-named restaurant, made a great sacrifice for the public good. She told reporter David Simon: "I don't want to look back and say I wasn't 100 percent committed to the race."
Travelogue: Salt Lake City
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Although I have been very fortunate to have had opportunities to travel a great deal over the years, I have never visited the great American west. I recently had a chance to spend a week in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was not disappointed.


Thursday, September 4, 2008
One Massive Blunder
Tony Soltero
John McCain, over the years, has been very meticulously building up a brand with the media as a serious, experienced "straight-shooting" politician, who was somehow a bit different from the other rubber-stamp Republicans.

One Superlative Choice
Patricia A. Kelly
Hurrah! A breath of fresh air has come into the presidential race. I laughed with delight at the perfection of the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as soon as I heard it. I have felt strongly all along that the men on the “short” list would not be able to help John McCain win, and now a new choice is available, a choice that enhances his chances.


Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Plucking the Golden Goose
Norman M. Covert
It was the remote’s fault that John L. (Lennie) Thompson, Jr., popped up on my television screen. Mr. Thompson was trashing the reputation of a man testifying before the Frederick Board of County Commissioners about the New Market Regional Plan. Mr. T didn’t have the aggies to look him in the eye, a clear indication our commissioner is a Bum!

“La Policía”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Carroll County history is replete with colorful conflicts, many of operatic proportions, between the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, the Carroll County delegation to Annapolis, and the sheriff.


Tuesday, September 2, 2008
David Brinkley
Roy Meachum
David Brinkley stopped by for coffee. He received a yawn and nod from Pushkin, who proceeded to his usual spot in the library. The English pointer and the state senator knew each other from earlier encounters. David and I headed for the patio. This was last week, during the brief hiatus from the overbearing humidity.

The Joy of Selling
Nick Diaz
Not long ago I described to TheTentacle.com readers my adventures and thoughts on traveling to Maine to purchase and ride home a “new” 1988 Yamaha Venture.


Monday, September 1, 2008
Dog Days of Summer – Donkey Chronicles
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
We're into the heart of the most active season for a political junkie, the Super Bowl of partisanship. The conventions show the best and worst of the two major parties, and in this cycle, all of that magic is playing out over a two-week period.

Waiting for the President
Steven R. Berryman
At least the conventions are a stepping-stone along the road to electing a new president, but here we sit, waiting. We wait for a president to solve our problems for us, as is human nature. Surely they will, as their speeches tell us so.