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Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The First Hundred Days
From the brilliant people at Comedy Central...a summary of what has happened in our fair nation since January 20, 2009.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
President Obama on winter weather
Yesterday, a massive snow and ice storm made its way through the eastern half of the United States.
Here's what President Obama had to say about the weather in Washington:
Here's what President Obama had to say about the weather in Washington:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration elation
We did get to watch the Inauguration today, after all.
We started watching around 11:45, just as Dianne Feinstein, Mistress of Ceremonies, was wrapping up a big speech. Shortly after that Aretha Franklin started singing "My Country Tis of Thee" and Rick Warren gave the benediction. John Paul Stevens administered the Oath of Office to Joe Biden. Ithzak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma played "Simple Gifts."
And then, the big moment.
I started crying as Obama took the oath of office, and we all cheered and cheered and cheered when it was done.
His speech was great, full of determination and a "Let's celebrate, but we need to get right down to business" attitude.
I have hope for our country--something we haven't had in the last eight years.
I think President Obama has a great ring to it.
I hope he succeeds.
Here's to the next four years.
We started watching around 11:45, just as Dianne Feinstein, Mistress of Ceremonies, was wrapping up a big speech. Shortly after that Aretha Franklin started singing "My Country Tis of Thee" and Rick Warren gave the benediction. John Paul Stevens administered the Oath of Office to Joe Biden. Ithzak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma played "Simple Gifts."
And then, the big moment.
I started crying as Obama took the oath of office, and we all cheered and cheered and cheered when it was done.
His speech was great, full of determination and a "Let's celebrate, but we need to get right down to business" attitude.
I have hope for our country--something we haven't had in the last eight years.
I think President Obama has a great ring to it.
I hope he succeeds.
Here's to the next four years.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Post-Dubya World
I have no idea what it's gonna look like.
As of this writing, there are less than 24 hours left of the George W. Bush administration. I am thrilled, but I am also walking around in a cloud of disbelief.
I thought it was never going to end.
The last eight years went by verrrrry slowly. It seemed at times as if there had been no other president of the United States, ever, even though I was alive for Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and now, Dubya.
I had never seen a president mocked so much. Dubya's lame-duckitude inspired a cottage industry of calendars, clocks, timers, bumper stickers, clothing, and other such tchochkes that counted down the days remaining in his presidency. A good friend of mine has a "Countdown to 1.20.09" magnet on her refrigerator. It also serves as a timer, counting down the days till Bush leaves office.
I wonder what sound the timer will make when it goes off.
Sadly, I will be missing the Inauguration. I will be at work; I'll watch what I can of Barack Obama's speech following his swearing-in, since it'll occur during my lunch hour. I can watch it over the Internet. I figure it'll probably be on C-SPAN over the weekend...over and over and over, so I won't miss it.
I can't wait for Obama to take office. Just think, the United States is going to have a competent, articulate, motivated president for the first time in eight years!
I just hope that all goes well tomorrow!
As of this writing, there are less than 24 hours left of the George W. Bush administration. I am thrilled, but I am also walking around in a cloud of disbelief.
I thought it was never going to end.
The last eight years went by verrrrry slowly. It seemed at times as if there had been no other president of the United States, ever, even though I was alive for Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and now, Dubya.
I had never seen a president mocked so much. Dubya's lame-duckitude inspired a cottage industry of calendars, clocks, timers, bumper stickers, clothing, and other such tchochkes that counted down the days remaining in his presidency. A good friend of mine has a "Countdown to 1.20.09" magnet on her refrigerator. It also serves as a timer, counting down the days till Bush leaves office.
I wonder what sound the timer will make when it goes off.
Sadly, I will be missing the Inauguration. I will be at work; I'll watch what I can of Barack Obama's speech following his swearing-in, since it'll occur during my lunch hour. I can watch it over the Internet. I figure it'll probably be on C-SPAN over the weekend...over and over and over, so I won't miss it.
I can't wait for Obama to take office. Just think, the United States is going to have a competent, articulate, motivated president for the first time in eight years!
I just hope that all goes well tomorrow!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Jon Stewart on the auto bailout
Mr. Stewart does bring up a valid point here.
By the way, in the interest of full disclosure, I must add that my family, at the same time they owned the Volare, also owned a Pinto. A two-door, bright orange, everyone in town knew it, couldn't miss it, Pinto hatchback.
We owned a Volare and a Pinto?!?!
AT THE SAME TIME?!?!?
Well, Papa Cat's first car was a Mustang convertable, so at least he at one point had some taste in cars...
By the way, in the interest of full disclosure, I must add that my family, at the same time they owned the Volare, also owned a Pinto. A two-door, bright orange, everyone in town knew it, couldn't miss it, Pinto hatchback.
We owned a Volare and a Pinto?!?!
AT THE SAME TIME?!?!?
Well, Papa Cat's first car was a Mustang convertable, so at least he at one point had some taste in cars...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
CONnecticut Politics: A Primer
The Rod Blagojevich scandal has reminded many Connecticut residents of their state's own political scandals over the past fifteen years. For those of you who are not familiar with the political doings of the Nutmeg State, here's a crash course in some of our corrupt politicians:
Joseph Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport: When Joe Ganim first became mayor of Connecticut's largest city, he was praised by critics and citizens alike. He brought Bridgeport out of bankruptcy, got them a minor league baseball team, and was at one point under consideration to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in the 2002 election. However, in 2001, he was indicted on a 24-count federal charge that included racketeering, mail fraud, extortion, and tax evasion. He was later removed from office, and in 2003, was found guilty on 16 federal corruption charges and is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence.
John Fabrizi, Mayor of Bridgeport: Joe Ganim's successor, in 2006, Mayor Fabrizi admitted to using cocaine in office, after an FBI report alleged that a drug dealer had a videotape of him using the drug. He sought help, but did not seek re-election.
Philip Giordano, Mayor of Waterbury: Mayor Giordano was arrested in 2001 for having sex with an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old girl, in addition to having relations with an adult prostitute. In 2003, he was convicted of charges of using a cell phone to arrange sexual contact with children. He is currently serving a 37-year prison sentence.
John Rowland, Governor of Connecticut: John Rowland accomplished a lot for our fair state. He got us budget surpluses, preserved lots of open space, and helped spur the urban revival movement in Hartford, Stamford, and New London, among other cities. The Republican Party at one point looked at him as a potential vice-presidential candidate. However, as Rowland began his third term in office, rumors started circulating about him. Among them:
Joseph Ganim, Mayor of Bridgeport: When Joe Ganim first became mayor of Connecticut's largest city, he was praised by critics and citizens alike. He brought Bridgeport out of bankruptcy, got them a minor league baseball team, and was at one point under consideration to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in the 2002 election. However, in 2001, he was indicted on a 24-count federal charge that included racketeering, mail fraud, extortion, and tax evasion. He was later removed from office, and in 2003, was found guilty on 16 federal corruption charges and is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence.
John Fabrizi, Mayor of Bridgeport: Joe Ganim's successor, in 2006, Mayor Fabrizi admitted to using cocaine in office, after an FBI report alleged that a drug dealer had a videotape of him using the drug. He sought help, but did not seek re-election.
Philip Giordano, Mayor of Waterbury: Mayor Giordano was arrested in 2001 for having sex with an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old girl, in addition to having relations with an adult prostitute. In 2003, he was convicted of charges of using a cell phone to arrange sexual contact with children. He is currently serving a 37-year prison sentence.
John Rowland, Governor of Connecticut: John Rowland accomplished a lot for our fair state. He got us budget surpluses, preserved lots of open space, and helped spur the urban revival movement in Hartford, Stamford, and New London, among other cities. The Republican Party at one point looked at him as a potential vice-presidential candidate. However, as Rowland began his third term in office, rumors started circulating about him. Among them:
- state contractors made improvements to Rowland's weekend cottage in the Litchfield hills, and Rowland did not pay for the improvements himself;
- he took gifts from subordinates in state government;
- he took partial ownership in some businesses that were eventually awarded state contracts
At first, Rowland denied all of the charges, but then admitted that state contractors did do work at his weekend cottage, but that he paid the contractors in full. Long story short, following this admission, an official investigation began, which resulted in the indictment of some of Rowland's aides. As the investigation continued, and things started looking really bad for Rowland, he resigned from office on June 24, 2004, as the investigation looked into bringing impeachment charges against him.
Later that year, Rowland pleaded guilty to "depriving the public of honest public service", and was sentenced to serve a year and a day in prison. He is currently working as an economic adviser for the city of Waterbury.
So that's a brief recent history on some of the corruption that's occurred here in Connecticut. I did research some other websites in order to get some of the information here; I did a Google search on Joseph Ganim and found some abstracts from the New York Time and the Hartford Courant about him. Wikipedia also had some good information on John Fabrizi, Philip Giordano, and John Rowland. I am not a font of knowledge of every single detail of what went on in the corruption trials (even though they all practically got 24/7 coverage here), but I did my best to condense the information for you. I am not a professional reporter, just a blogger who wants to help out her fellow bloggers and readers.
Connecticut, home of trees, insurance, and Joe Lieberman.
Oy, Joe Lieberman....
That's another post for another time.
Of bailouts and Blagojevich
I wasn't going to blog again tonight, but after watching the House vote on the auto bailout on CNBC, I felt that I had to.
It's been a very interesting time in our country, to say the least. I had always considered myself a politically minded person, but now that I look back on it, I was only involved on the fringe--that is, until now. I'm paying more attention to the Dow than ever--and I really wasn't paying much attention to the Dow before, mind you, save for barely listening to the closing bell report on WCBS 880. And I'm watching--and getting involved--with the Sunday morning political roundtable shows. I really like Meet the Press and This Week. Fox News Sunday, however, I'm still trying to get used to (even though I kinda like Chris Wallace--but that's a family thing. I adored his father, Mike. 60 Minutes just isn't the same without him).
I started getting interested in the world of finance not only through my own financial meltdown, but our country's, starting with the Lehman Brothers and AIG fiascos in September. That's when the word "bailout" became as much of a part of our American lexicon as "9/11". The near-collapse of our financial system is just about as catastrophic as 9/11 was. Back then, it seemed like Congress was touting the $700 billion bailout as a magic cure-all that would miraculously save our economy. Now it's almost three months after its passage, and where are we? The credit markets are still frozen, and hardly anyone's lending any money. A congressional panel grilled the man chosen to supervise the bailout, a man who is ironically named Kashkari (that's pronounced "cashcarry", Kittens) today, and the panel was none too thrilled with the progress so far.
What bugs me is that neither Congress nor the media have been forthcoming as to how much worse the financial crisis could have gotten if the original bailout had not passed. Chris Dodd, the head of the Senate Banking Committee, has repeatedly said that the bailout was necessary, but he didn't give specific examples of what could have happened had Congress defeated the measure. I will admit that I was in favor of the bailout when legislation was first proposed; it was the beginning stages of the meltdown, and I was still rather naive in terms of economics and finance. Now, three months later, I'm viewing it as a band aid to our economy--a band aid that's having trouble healing the wound.
And don't even get me started on those @$$holes at AIG, the ones who are still insisting on their bonuses in spite of their company's fiscal situation, the ones who still go for spa treatments on the company dollar.
Now we're mentioning bailout again--this time, for our Big 3 automakers. I have had personal experience driving GM, Ford, and Chrysler vehicles. Mama Cat drives a Voyager. She loves it. I have driven it on very rare occasions, and it's a very nice ride, a very well-made car. Very trustworthy. This, however, is in stark contrast to the Volare station wagon that my family had growing up. The carburetor flooded constantly, and often times Mama Cat would be backing the car out of the garage when it would stall on her in the middle of the driveway. I can't tell you how many times that car broke down on us.
We got rid of the Volare in 1986 and traded it in for a nine-passenger Chevy Caprice station wagon--a car which became legendary amongst my circle of friends. We called it the "War Wagon" because you could fit so many people in it. People around town knew when my mother was coming 'round the bend. It was more reliable than the Volare, thank goodness, but it was still subject to a couple of recalls and breakdowns. It was especially prone to overheating.
Papa Cat once drove a two-door, mud brown Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which he inherited from his father. That car broke down a lot. There are too many stories to mention about its numerous breakdowns.
My first car was a Ford Tempo. I got it near the end of my junior year of college and had it for about five or six years. It was a very trustworthy vehicle--trustworthy, that is, till I moved into my first apartment and it started falling apart on me. First it was the fuel pump, then the transmission...
My point is this: I've had bad experiences, with the exception of my mother's minivan, with American-made vehicles.
My parents still believe in supporting the American auto industry. Mama Cat still has her minivan, and Papa Cat drives a Ford truck.
Sister Kitten and I, however, are still quite leery. We want to buy American, but we both had bad experiences with American cars. (She, too, drove a Tempo, and had worse luck with hers than I did with mine). After college she bought a Mitsubishi Galant, which she wanted to keep for up to 200,000 miles, but then she got into an accident that totaled the car. She drives a Volvo now. I drive a Kia, and have never had a problem with it, knock wood.
I do not want to see the American auto industry collapse, but how do I know that they're going to improve the quality of their vehicles? How do I know that the next American car I buy is going to be reliable? We're not going to know that by March!
As you can see, I have very mixed feelings about the measure that just passed the House. It's not just the auto industry, though, that's getting to me; it's the fact that the whole rescue of our financial system is being dealt with on a piecemeal basis. First the financial sector asked Congress for money, we're giving it to them. The Big 3 asked for money, now GM and Chrysler may receive it (depending on what the Senate does tomorrow). What industry is next? The government can't just keep giving checks to businesses saying, "Here ya go!", even though the legislation has a lot of stipulations attached (which, with this auto bailout bill, at least I'm glad that the bill included an oversight board). This is the kind of thing that should have been done for Detroit years ago.
All of this is just to tide things over till the Obama administration takes over in a month and ten days.
Speaking of the Obama administration...
How 'bout that Rod Blagojevich?
We here in Connecticut are certainly no strangers to corrupt politics, but Rod Blagojevich did far worse than John Rowland ever did (and John Rowland did some very, very bad things, to say it mildly). At first glance, the fact that he used the F-word in professional business dealings makes him look unprofessional. But when you examine the contexts of his conversations, it's just downright deplorable. FranIAm has an excellent post with some great links about the Blagojevich transcripts; click here if you want further information.
What really frosts me about the whole thing is that Blagojevich has no plans to resign!!! He's still at work, with a great big smile on his face! At least John Rowland had the decency to resign; by not leaving his post under the circumstances that he faces, Rod Blagojevich has proven that he has no shred of decency.
So what does this all mean for Barack Obama and his transition team? They're still investigating, but once this scandal broke, I knew that the Republicans would be all over this one. They certainly are! How long do you think it'll be before they add the word "gate" onto the end of this one?
So I will be watching the news even more obsessively than I do now as the week ends. This has become like crack to me; I know I shouldn't watch as much as I do, but I really need to be informed.
I can't be ignorant in this day and age. No one can. We were all too ignorant of our country's financial and political situations for too long.
And look where ignorance got us.
It certainly didn't give us bliss.
It's been a very interesting time in our country, to say the least. I had always considered myself a politically minded person, but now that I look back on it, I was only involved on the fringe--that is, until now. I'm paying more attention to the Dow than ever--and I really wasn't paying much attention to the Dow before, mind you, save for barely listening to the closing bell report on WCBS 880. And I'm watching--and getting involved--with the Sunday morning political roundtable shows. I really like Meet the Press and This Week. Fox News Sunday, however, I'm still trying to get used to (even though I kinda like Chris Wallace--but that's a family thing. I adored his father, Mike. 60 Minutes just isn't the same without him).
I started getting interested in the world of finance not only through my own financial meltdown, but our country's, starting with the Lehman Brothers and AIG fiascos in September. That's when the word "bailout" became as much of a part of our American lexicon as "9/11". The near-collapse of our financial system is just about as catastrophic as 9/11 was. Back then, it seemed like Congress was touting the $700 billion bailout as a magic cure-all that would miraculously save our economy. Now it's almost three months after its passage, and where are we? The credit markets are still frozen, and hardly anyone's lending any money. A congressional panel grilled the man chosen to supervise the bailout, a man who is ironically named Kashkari (that's pronounced "cashcarry", Kittens) today, and the panel was none too thrilled with the progress so far.
What bugs me is that neither Congress nor the media have been forthcoming as to how much worse the financial crisis could have gotten if the original bailout had not passed. Chris Dodd, the head of the Senate Banking Committee, has repeatedly said that the bailout was necessary, but he didn't give specific examples of what could have happened had Congress defeated the measure. I will admit that I was in favor of the bailout when legislation was first proposed; it was the beginning stages of the meltdown, and I was still rather naive in terms of economics and finance. Now, three months later, I'm viewing it as a band aid to our economy--a band aid that's having trouble healing the wound.
And don't even get me started on those @$$holes at AIG, the ones who are still insisting on their bonuses in spite of their company's fiscal situation, the ones who still go for spa treatments on the company dollar.
Now we're mentioning bailout again--this time, for our Big 3 automakers. I have had personal experience driving GM, Ford, and Chrysler vehicles. Mama Cat drives a Voyager. She loves it. I have driven it on very rare occasions, and it's a very nice ride, a very well-made car. Very trustworthy. This, however, is in stark contrast to the Volare station wagon that my family had growing up. The carburetor flooded constantly, and often times Mama Cat would be backing the car out of the garage when it would stall on her in the middle of the driveway. I can't tell you how many times that car broke down on us.
We got rid of the Volare in 1986 and traded it in for a nine-passenger Chevy Caprice station wagon--a car which became legendary amongst my circle of friends. We called it the "War Wagon" because you could fit so many people in it. People around town knew when my mother was coming 'round the bend. It was more reliable than the Volare, thank goodness, but it was still subject to a couple of recalls and breakdowns. It was especially prone to overheating.
Papa Cat once drove a two-door, mud brown Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which he inherited from his father. That car broke down a lot. There are too many stories to mention about its numerous breakdowns.
My first car was a Ford Tempo. I got it near the end of my junior year of college and had it for about five or six years. It was a very trustworthy vehicle--trustworthy, that is, till I moved into my first apartment and it started falling apart on me. First it was the fuel pump, then the transmission...
My point is this: I've had bad experiences, with the exception of my mother's minivan, with American-made vehicles.
My parents still believe in supporting the American auto industry. Mama Cat still has her minivan, and Papa Cat drives a Ford truck.
Sister Kitten and I, however, are still quite leery. We want to buy American, but we both had bad experiences with American cars. (She, too, drove a Tempo, and had worse luck with hers than I did with mine). After college she bought a Mitsubishi Galant, which she wanted to keep for up to 200,000 miles, but then she got into an accident that totaled the car. She drives a Volvo now. I drive a Kia, and have never had a problem with it, knock wood.
I do not want to see the American auto industry collapse, but how do I know that they're going to improve the quality of their vehicles? How do I know that the next American car I buy is going to be reliable? We're not going to know that by March!
As you can see, I have very mixed feelings about the measure that just passed the House. It's not just the auto industry, though, that's getting to me; it's the fact that the whole rescue of our financial system is being dealt with on a piecemeal basis. First the financial sector asked Congress for money, we're giving it to them. The Big 3 asked for money, now GM and Chrysler may receive it (depending on what the Senate does tomorrow). What industry is next? The government can't just keep giving checks to businesses saying, "Here ya go!", even though the legislation has a lot of stipulations attached (which, with this auto bailout bill, at least I'm glad that the bill included an oversight board). This is the kind of thing that should have been done for Detroit years ago.
All of this is just to tide things over till the Obama administration takes over in a month and ten days.
Speaking of the Obama administration...
How 'bout that Rod Blagojevich?
We here in Connecticut are certainly no strangers to corrupt politics, but Rod Blagojevich did far worse than John Rowland ever did (and John Rowland did some very, very bad things, to say it mildly). At first glance, the fact that he used the F-word in professional business dealings makes him look unprofessional. But when you examine the contexts of his conversations, it's just downright deplorable. FranIAm has an excellent post with some great links about the Blagojevich transcripts; click here if you want further information.
What really frosts me about the whole thing is that Blagojevich has no plans to resign!!! He's still at work, with a great big smile on his face! At least John Rowland had the decency to resign; by not leaving his post under the circumstances that he faces, Rod Blagojevich has proven that he has no shred of decency.
So what does this all mean for Barack Obama and his transition team? They're still investigating, but once this scandal broke, I knew that the Republicans would be all over this one. They certainly are! How long do you think it'll be before they add the word "gate" onto the end of this one?
So I will be watching the news even more obsessively than I do now as the week ends. This has become like crack to me; I know I shouldn't watch as much as I do, but I really need to be informed.
I can't be ignorant in this day and age. No one can. We were all too ignorant of our country's financial and political situations for too long.
And look where ignorance got us.
It certainly didn't give us bliss.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Goofus and Gallant
Do you remember Highlights magazine, Kittens? You know, the magazine from our youth that you never found on newsstands or in other people's houses, but you always found it at the doctor's office? Ahhh...yes, I remember Highlights for Children from my many visits chez le medecin as a child. I had either ear infections or sore throats at least once a month, and I would comfort myself with the Timbertoes, Hidden Pictures, and Goofus and Gallant while I waited not-too-patiently for the doctor to see me.
Ahhh...Goofus and Gallant. The story of two brothers, apparently twins. Goofus was the one who was rude, sloppy, and did everything wrong, whereas Gallant was the good twin--polite, clean, and just bordering on being a goody two shoes.
This dynamic duo was nearly erased from my memory...that is, until last night's episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
The writing staff of TDSWJS never fails to amuse me. They have so many flashes of brilliance, I hope they never, ever regress like Saturday Night Live has done. Last night, Jon Stewart made a rather amusing comparison between the legendary magazine duo of Goofus and Gallant with our current and future Presidents.
Here's the link to the video. I've tried to embed it directly in this post, without success. If anyone out there has successfully done it, please, please HELP ME!
Ahhh...Goofus and Gallant. The story of two brothers, apparently twins. Goofus was the one who was rude, sloppy, and did everything wrong, whereas Gallant was the good twin--polite, clean, and just bordering on being a goody two shoes.
This dynamic duo was nearly erased from my memory...that is, until last night's episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
The writing staff of TDSWJS never fails to amuse me. They have so many flashes of brilliance, I hope they never, ever regress like Saturday Night Live has done. Last night, Jon Stewart made a rather amusing comparison between the legendary magazine duo of Goofus and Gallant with our current and future Presidents.
Here's the link to the video. I've tried to embed it directly in this post, without success. If anyone out there has successfully done it, please, please HELP ME!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
From Last Night's SNL: Hillary Clinton Addresses the Nation
I just love Amy Poehler's impression of Hillary Clinton. It's one of the very few good things about SNL these days. For more commentary, see my post "On the State of Saturday Night Live."
From Last Night's SNL: Obama Plays It Cool
I just love this one for the retro animation. Obama's got a lot on his plate, but let's be honest here: have you ever seen the man lose his temper?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?!?!
Just found this on Yahoo! News...God, I hope it's true!
Yes, say what you will about how Obama should steer himself away from Clintonian politics, but really, is anyone the least bit surprised that she may be named to a Cabinet post? Before the election, I had mentioned to friends that she'd either make a good Secretary of State or Attorney General.
Well, NBC News originally reported this, and they're pretty credible.
Here's the link.
Now let's see what CNN says, if it has published anything...
Nope, nada.
So let's go straight to the horse's mouth, NBC News...
And here's the link to the video clip.
Yes, say what you will about how Obama should steer himself away from Clintonian politics, but really, is anyone the least bit surprised that she may be named to a Cabinet post? Before the election, I had mentioned to friends that she'd either make a good Secretary of State or Attorney General.
Well, NBC News originally reported this, and they're pretty credible.
Here's the link.
Now let's see what CNN says, if it has published anything...
Nope, nada.
So let's go straight to the horse's mouth, NBC News...
And here's the link to the video clip.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Election History: President Barack Obama
Various projections from CNN's coverage last night. At 2:47, you'll see the moment that had me screaming.
Epilogue to an Election
Eight years ago, I vowed to stay up all night, watching the election returns, determined, for once in my life, to witness the networks declare a president-elect. I had just finished my student teaching, and didn't have to go into work the day after Election Day, so I decided to stay up for as long as I could.
Well, we all remember what happened.
I woke up the next morning, asked Mama Cat who the next president was, and she told me there wasn't any. I turned on CNN and heard the story, again and again, about the whole fiasco that was unfolding in Florida. Sister Kitten, a college senior at the time, called from Ithaca and asked what the hell was going on.
In 2004, I just wasn't motivated to stay up. I cannot remember the last time I felt so indifferent towards an election, a fact that I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit now. I felt the way many Americans did: I voted for John Kerry, if only to get W. out of office.
This year, however, I was very excited about Obama. Here was this young, charismatic individual, a fast-rising star on the political scene, who had this gift of rallying people around him. I liked his articulation, I liked the way he spoke, I liked the way he related to people, especially the youth. I really liked the way he got young people, the next generation, excited about the political process.
Now I am no political analyst. There are so many "what ifs" still out there. What if things were really going well for the Republican party right now? What if there was a huge October surprise on the eve of Election Day? Several months ago, the election was too close to call. Both McCain and Obama were in a dead heat in many states, and I kept thinking, as I read whatever I could about the election, "Another 2000. Another 2000."
I had those anxious fears that something--anything--would go wrong last night. I was expecting to go to sleep once the Starbucks wore off (thanks for the two free cups of coffee I received at two different stores). I watched the returns nonstop on CNN all night long, with my calculator, figuring out possible Electoral College scenarios. (By the way, how the hell did I miss the holograms?)
In short, with all signs pointing towards Obama, I was expecting McCain to pull an upset.
And then 11:00 PM rolled around.
Wolf Blitzer had a countdown graphic on the Magic Map. Countdown before the polls closed on the west coast. Five, four, three, two...
CNN Projection...
And then...
BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT
I started to scream. I kept saying "Ohmigod" for almost half an hour. I was literally breathless.
I went online immediately and started looking for blogs. I was amazed that none of the news websites, particularly CNN and the New York Times, crashed due to the onslaught of traffic. I called my minister in a frenzy; we were both outspoken Obama supporters.
The adrenaline kept me up till 1 AM. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Not just the fact that I was witness to a new president being elected, but the fact that we elected an African-American as president.
This fact wasn't lost on Roland Martin, who was very emotional over Obama's win. He mentioned that next year, the NAACP will celebrate its centennial. It was founded in 1909 as the result of a racial riot that took place in Springfield, Illinois.
Springfield, Illinois.
The same city where Barack Obama announced his candidacy.
I was blogging last night when I overheard McCain on the TV. I ran back into the living room. Now, I don't agree on much of McCain's politics, but after his concession speech, I have increased respect for the man. He delivered a classy, dignified, gracious concession, and you could tell that he sincerely wished his opponent well. Yes, he was disappointed, but he wasn't bitter about his loss.
And Obama, too, extended an olive branch to McCain after a long, often bitter, campaign.
I will never forget the acceptance speech in Grant Park. Obama was serious, dignified, overwhelmed at times, that he won. He recognized that there was a long road ahead. He knew that there were a lot of problems ahead. And he was humble enough to say, "I need your help."
Yes, we could.
Yes, we did.
This morning, I had more time to reflect. What if McCain had won? Would there have been some racial rioting in the streets in various cities? How would the world have reacted? There was nothing short of adoration and jubiliation all around the world.
I'm overwhelmed, physically and emotionally, but psyched that I have lived through this momentous time in American history. I got home early enough to take a nap, and I did, for three hours.
And now, an early bedtime.
Now the withdrawl period begins.
Well, we all remember what happened.
I woke up the next morning, asked Mama Cat who the next president was, and she told me there wasn't any. I turned on CNN and heard the story, again and again, about the whole fiasco that was unfolding in Florida. Sister Kitten, a college senior at the time, called from Ithaca and asked what the hell was going on.
In 2004, I just wasn't motivated to stay up. I cannot remember the last time I felt so indifferent towards an election, a fact that I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit now. I felt the way many Americans did: I voted for John Kerry, if only to get W. out of office.
This year, however, I was very excited about Obama. Here was this young, charismatic individual, a fast-rising star on the political scene, who had this gift of rallying people around him. I liked his articulation, I liked the way he spoke, I liked the way he related to people, especially the youth. I really liked the way he got young people, the next generation, excited about the political process.
Now I am no political analyst. There are so many "what ifs" still out there. What if things were really going well for the Republican party right now? What if there was a huge October surprise on the eve of Election Day? Several months ago, the election was too close to call. Both McCain and Obama were in a dead heat in many states, and I kept thinking, as I read whatever I could about the election, "Another 2000. Another 2000."
I had those anxious fears that something--anything--would go wrong last night. I was expecting to go to sleep once the Starbucks wore off (thanks for the two free cups of coffee I received at two different stores). I watched the returns nonstop on CNN all night long, with my calculator, figuring out possible Electoral College scenarios. (By the way, how the hell did I miss the holograms?)
In short, with all signs pointing towards Obama, I was expecting McCain to pull an upset.
And then 11:00 PM rolled around.
Wolf Blitzer had a countdown graphic on the Magic Map. Countdown before the polls closed on the west coast. Five, four, three, two...
CNN Projection...
And then...
BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT
I started to scream. I kept saying "Ohmigod" for almost half an hour. I was literally breathless.
I went online immediately and started looking for blogs. I was amazed that none of the news websites, particularly CNN and the New York Times, crashed due to the onslaught of traffic. I called my minister in a frenzy; we were both outspoken Obama supporters.
The adrenaline kept me up till 1 AM. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Not just the fact that I was witness to a new president being elected, but the fact that we elected an African-American as president.
This fact wasn't lost on Roland Martin, who was very emotional over Obama's win. He mentioned that next year, the NAACP will celebrate its centennial. It was founded in 1909 as the result of a racial riot that took place in Springfield, Illinois.
Springfield, Illinois.
The same city where Barack Obama announced his candidacy.
I was blogging last night when I overheard McCain on the TV. I ran back into the living room. Now, I don't agree on much of McCain's politics, but after his concession speech, I have increased respect for the man. He delivered a classy, dignified, gracious concession, and you could tell that he sincerely wished his opponent well. Yes, he was disappointed, but he wasn't bitter about his loss.
And Obama, too, extended an olive branch to McCain after a long, often bitter, campaign.
I will never forget the acceptance speech in Grant Park. Obama was serious, dignified, overwhelmed at times, that he won. He recognized that there was a long road ahead. He knew that there were a lot of problems ahead. And he was humble enough to say, "I need your help."
Yes, we could.
Yes, we did.
This morning, I had more time to reflect. What if McCain had won? Would there have been some racial rioting in the streets in various cities? How would the world have reacted? There was nothing short of adoration and jubiliation all around the world.
I'm overwhelmed, physically and emotionally, but psyched that I have lived through this momentous time in American history. I got home early enough to take a nap, and I did, for three hours.
And now, an early bedtime.
Now the withdrawl period begins.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
THANK YOU, AMERICA!!!!!!!!!
No sooner had CNN posted the final seconds of the countdown to the closing of the West Coast polls when they had declared Barack Obama the President-Elect.
I started screaming, hyperventilating, and crying.
Two of the CNN anchors, Roland Martin and Tara Wall, were on the verge of tears.
I just finished watching Senator McCain's concession speech.
All I can say is, "Wow."
We did it.
Thanks, America.
More tomorrow. And thanks again.
I started screaming, hyperventilating, and crying.
Two of the CNN anchors, Roland Martin and Tara Wall, were on the verge of tears.
I just finished watching Senator McCain's concession speech.
All I can say is, "Wow."
We did it.
Thanks, America.
More tomorrow. And thanks again.
THANK YOU, CONNECTICUT!!!!
With only 34% of precincts reporting, Connecticut voters have decided, 60% to 40%, to vote no on question one, that is, whether or not the state should have a constitutional convention. This is great news!
And my congresswoman, Rosa DeLauro, was re-elected! Yay Rosa!
And Connecticut voters have voted to let 17-year-olds vote as well.
Most importantly, WE'RE A BLUE STATE! Granted, we have only a handful of electoral votes, but it still makes me feel pretty damn good!
So that's the update on the homefront. Now back to surfing the net and the TV for the latest scoop.
And my congresswoman, Rosa DeLauro, was re-elected! Yay Rosa!
And Connecticut voters have voted to let 17-year-olds vote as well.
Most importantly, WE'RE A BLUE STATE! Granted, we have only a handful of electoral votes, but it still makes me feel pretty damn good!
So that's the update on the homefront. Now back to surfing the net and the TV for the latest scoop.
Freakout Mode, Election Edition
I was keeping my cool all day about the returns...until now.
It is official--we here at The Bookkitten (that is, Maggie, Gabby, and I) are in total, uncontrolled, full-fledged, unequivocal, freakout mode.
And you know how I get in Freakout Mode.
Just found out Obama's projected to win Ohio. Okay, that's now 194 electoral votes. So let's do the math here, Kittens...
...Obama wins Florida, that's another 27...which puts us at 221...then he wins California, and that's another 55, so that makes 276...
Yep, it's a squeaker, but there's HOPE!!!!
I'm gonna be up awhile. I got my free Starbucks coffee after work, then picked up another free coffee at the Starbucks on my way to choir practice. Starbucks is the only coffee that keeps me awake.
But tonight, adrenaline is doing a damn good job, too.
I'll be back later. Sam Adams is paying a visit. Having a beer just seems really appropriate right now.
It is official--we here at The Bookkitten (that is, Maggie, Gabby, and I) are in total, uncontrolled, full-fledged, unequivocal, freakout mode.
And you know how I get in Freakout Mode.
Just found out Obama's projected to win Ohio. Okay, that's now 194 electoral votes. So let's do the math here, Kittens...
...Obama wins Florida, that's another 27...which puts us at 221...then he wins California, and that's another 55, so that makes 276...
Yep, it's a squeaker, but there's HOPE!!!!
I'm gonna be up awhile. I got my free Starbucks coffee after work, then picked up another free coffee at the Starbucks on my way to choir practice. Starbucks is the only coffee that keeps me awake.
But tonight, adrenaline is doing a damn good job, too.
I'll be back later. Sam Adams is paying a visit. Having a beer just seems really appropriate right now.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Ms. Kitten Rocks the Vote!
On my 18th birthday, I walked into the town hall in Granby, Connecticut and met with the registrar of voters. After filling out some paperwork, showing some identification, and taking an oath, I became a registered Democrat.
My party affiliation hasn't changed since.
My interest in politics seriously began when I was a junior in high school, when Bill Clinton was running for the first time. I found a Clinton/Gore bumper sticker and, since I didn't have a car at the time, stuck it on my AP US History notebook. I felt it was appropriate to stick it there.
Election Night, my friend Jon and I had maps of the US, and we colored the states in red and blue as the returns came in, and we were both so excited to show each other our maps, in Clinton's favor, at school the next day.
If I could have voted in that election, I would have.
My first official election was in 1994, when Bill Curry and John Rowland ran for governor. I was in college at the time, and my parents weren't willing to pick me up and drive me home just to vote, so they made me contact Town Hall so I could obtain an absentee ballot. I voted for Bill Curry, partially because he was an alumni of my high school. (I only recently learned that Joe Courtney, another Connecticut politician, is also an alumni of my high school). Anyhoo, John Rowland won that election.
And if you follow Connecticut politics closely, y'all know what happened to him.
My first official presidential election was in 1996, and again, I had to vote by absentee ballot. Reason? I was studying abroad at the time. I was so excited when my absentee ballot arrived in the mail, I mailed it back the same day. That was the Clinton/Dole election, and of course, I cast my ballot for our incumbent president at the time.
The first election I could actually be present for was back in 1998. I had just graduated from college, and really felt weird actually being present on Election Day to vote. It was another gubernatorial contest, this time, between Barbara Kennelly and John Rowland.
It was the only time I voted Republican. I voted for John Rowland.
Mama Cat, a lifelong, self-described, tree-hugging liberal, was soooooooooo mad.
My first presidential election was in 2000. I voted for Al Gore.
And y'all know what happened then.
And tomorrow morning, I'm off to the polls once again. I always vote on my way into work; that way, I can avoid the post-work crowds around 5 PM. I vote at an elementary school with a really smart PTA. Why is the PTA so smart? They use Election Day as a bake sale fundraiser! So I can go vote tomorrow morning, and then get breakfast!
(Granted, it'll be of the sugary, buttery variety, but it's Election Day Breakfast!)
So tell me, Kittens, what was your first time voting like? Let's discuss!
My party affiliation hasn't changed since.
My interest in politics seriously began when I was a junior in high school, when Bill Clinton was running for the first time. I found a Clinton/Gore bumper sticker and, since I didn't have a car at the time, stuck it on my AP US History notebook. I felt it was appropriate to stick it there.
Election Night, my friend Jon and I had maps of the US, and we colored the states in red and blue as the returns came in, and we were both so excited to show each other our maps, in Clinton's favor, at school the next day.
If I could have voted in that election, I would have.
My first official election was in 1994, when Bill Curry and John Rowland ran for governor. I was in college at the time, and my parents weren't willing to pick me up and drive me home just to vote, so they made me contact Town Hall so I could obtain an absentee ballot. I voted for Bill Curry, partially because he was an alumni of my high school. (I only recently learned that Joe Courtney, another Connecticut politician, is also an alumni of my high school). Anyhoo, John Rowland won that election.
And if you follow Connecticut politics closely, y'all know what happened to him.
My first official presidential election was in 1996, and again, I had to vote by absentee ballot. Reason? I was studying abroad at the time. I was so excited when my absentee ballot arrived in the mail, I mailed it back the same day. That was the Clinton/Dole election, and of course, I cast my ballot for our incumbent president at the time.
The first election I could actually be present for was back in 1998. I had just graduated from college, and really felt weird actually being present on Election Day to vote. It was another gubernatorial contest, this time, between Barbara Kennelly and John Rowland.
It was the only time I voted Republican. I voted for John Rowland.
Mama Cat, a lifelong, self-described, tree-hugging liberal, was soooooooooo mad.
My first presidential election was in 2000. I voted for Al Gore.
And y'all know what happened then.
And tomorrow morning, I'm off to the polls once again. I always vote on my way into work; that way, I can avoid the post-work crowds around 5 PM. I vote at an elementary school with a really smart PTA. Why is the PTA so smart? They use Election Day as a bake sale fundraiser! So I can go vote tomorrow morning, and then get breakfast!
(Granted, it'll be of the sugary, buttery variety, but it's Election Day Breakfast!)
So tell me, Kittens, what was your first time voting like? Let's discuss!
Election Night Party Plans
Good evening, Kittens!
I can't believe that Election Day is here in just a matter of hours. I know that our nation has a long, dragged-out election process, but this one has felt waaaaaaaayyyyyy longer than usual. I am so anxious for tomorrow night! It is definitely going to be one verrrrrrrry long day.
So what are your plans for watching the returns tomorrow night? I'm not sure what mine are going to be. I have choir practice till 8:30, then I'm running home and I'm sitting on the couch and getting whatever alcohol I have in the house. Depending on how things are going, I may either have beer or wine. No champagne, though. I'm saving that for if Barack Obama wins.
And in spite of what the polls say, two people I spoke with today say that people would never admit in a poll that race plays a factor in their election decision. This makes me twice as nervous.
All I really care about, is waking up Wednesday morning, and knowing for sure that we have elected a president. I don't want any drag-ons like we've had for the last two elections.
But let me forewarn you, Kittens: Wednesday I'm either going to be in a really, really good mood, or a really, really bad mood.
Do you think Canada can handle the onslaught of all the Americans who could potentially cross its borders?
I can't believe that Election Day is here in just a matter of hours. I know that our nation has a long, dragged-out election process, but this one has felt waaaaaaaayyyyyy longer than usual. I am so anxious for tomorrow night! It is definitely going to be one verrrrrrrry long day.
So what are your plans for watching the returns tomorrow night? I'm not sure what mine are going to be. I have choir practice till 8:30, then I'm running home and I'm sitting on the couch and getting whatever alcohol I have in the house. Depending on how things are going, I may either have beer or wine. No champagne, though. I'm saving that for if Barack Obama wins.
And in spite of what the polls say, two people I spoke with today say that people would never admit in a poll that race plays a factor in their election decision. This makes me twice as nervous.
All I really care about, is waking up Wednesday morning, and knowing for sure that we have elected a president. I don't want any drag-ons like we've had for the last two elections.
But let me forewarn you, Kittens: Wednesday I'm either going to be in a really, really good mood, or a really, really bad mood.
Do you think Canada can handle the onslaught of all the Americans who could potentially cross its borders?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sidewalk Sermons
One of our local residents, David Schultz, likes to have fun with campaign signs. Click here to see all of his sidewalk sermons, courtesy of our unofficial city blog, The Middletown Eye.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Biden-Palin Debate
I'm embarrassed to say, I fell asleep during the proceedings.
But I will say this:
I'm in luuuuuurrrrrrrrvvvvvvvvve with Joe Biden. Or at least the way he looks when he grins.
When he smiles, he's just so damn cute!
But that's NOT the reason I'm voting for the Obama/Biden ticket, though. Just want to make that point clear.
Sarah Palin, at times, I wanted to scream at her, "Answer the stupid question!" (I used much stronger language, but this is a family-friendly blog). And I HATED the way she winked at the camera. That aw-shucks tone may work with some Americans, but it doesn't work with the Vice Presidency, people!
Can you imagine, if McCain were to die in office, and President Palin (Arrgh! Perish the thought!) were to deliver an address to the nation in such a manner? Would anyone take her seriously? Would world leaders take her seriously?
Would she convert the White House lawn into a hockey rink so all the hockey moms can watch their kids play?
I don't have much else to say about it, other than, I fell asleep. I'm still housesitting, and one of the dogs likes to wake me up during the night to play.
Don't get me wrong, I loves me my animals...but I am much more of a cat person, anyway.
Oh well, all the sound bites will be on YouTube and CNN later, anyway.
But I will say this:
I'm in luuuuuurrrrrrrrvvvvvvvvve with Joe Biden. Or at least the way he looks when he grins.
When he smiles, he's just so damn cute!
But that's NOT the reason I'm voting for the Obama/Biden ticket, though. Just want to make that point clear.
Sarah Palin, at times, I wanted to scream at her, "Answer the stupid question!" (I used much stronger language, but this is a family-friendly blog). And I HATED the way she winked at the camera. That aw-shucks tone may work with some Americans, but it doesn't work with the Vice Presidency, people!
Can you imagine, if McCain were to die in office, and President Palin (Arrgh! Perish the thought!) were to deliver an address to the nation in such a manner? Would anyone take her seriously? Would world leaders take her seriously?
Would she convert the White House lawn into a hockey rink so all the hockey moms can watch their kids play?
I don't have much else to say about it, other than, I fell asleep. I'm still housesitting, and one of the dogs likes to wake me up during the night to play.
Don't get me wrong, I loves me my animals...but I am much more of a cat person, anyway.
Oh well, all the sound bites will be on YouTube and CNN later, anyway.
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