2008: A Year in the Life of Scott

2008 has offered all of us plenty of ups and downs. I have grown in so many ways. My successes have inspired me to keep going; my disappointments kept me focused on what is most important. Through it all, 2008 has offered many memories which I will cherish for years to come.

I feel that I owe you all a look back at my year, so I want to take this opportunity to discuss what 2008 has been like for me, and to wish you all peace and, yes, prosperity in 2009.

A year ago, I set out on an improbable mission. Concerned that the Michigan Federation of College Democrats was not being nearly as effective as it ought to be, I ran for President of MFCD. I knew my odds would be long, but I also knew that doing nothing would have been a major mistake on my part. I want to thank those of you who supported me in that endeavor.

"Shoot for the moon," someone once said. "Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." While I did not win the MFCD contest, I did get appointed Officer-at-Large of MFCD, where I used my online expertise to help promote MFCD events such as the 'Make It Happen' statewide bus tour and the Campaign Invasion for now-Congressman-elect Gary Peters. (Not to make you jealous, but I had Peters as a professor in the spring!) I would say that MFCD is in better shape now than it was a year ago, although I do plan on working to make it stronger in 2009 (in what capacity? I am not sure at this point).

But more than that, I was appointed to the College Democrats of America's National Council! And when applications for appointed positions in CDA came out in September, I jumped on the chance to apply to be CDA's New Media Director. While I applied to be New Media Director, instead I got to be Deputy National Communications Director! It was quite a bit of work before the election, though not as much now. Still, I do have some ideas on how to move CDA forward for the rest of my term (which lasts until August).

A year ago I intended to run for Democratic National Convention Delegate. I opted not to for various reasons (yes, the primary debacle was one reason, but there were plenty of other reasons beyond that). Still, I was active with local Dems both in GR/Kentwood and in Mt. Pleasant. I helped to coordinate the Kent County Democrats and Obama campaign's participation in the July 4 Parade here in Kentwood. Approximately thirty people showed up to walk in our contingent. Meanwhile, the McCain campaign's contingent was also packed, as they had... oh, wait, there was no McCain contingent even though West Michigan is known for being Republican! (Incidentally, Obama became the first Democratic Presidential candidate to win Kentwood since it became a city in 1967!)

The parade was followed a month later by the primary election, where, for the second straight time, I was on the ballot for Precinct Delegate. While in 2006 I was one of three candidates for three Precinct Delegate spots, this year I was one of three candidates for just two spots. As I found out the day after the election, one candidate received 34 votes, another garnered 29... and I earned 30 votes! That's right, I won by one vote! So let Al Gore, Al Franken, and myself be your proof that voting really does matter!

Anyway, like many of you, I put in my time at the my local campaign office throughout the fall - in my case, entering data and making GOTV calls. But as an intern for the Campaign for Change, I was responsible for the Michigan for Obama page on MySpace. I wrote blog posts, posted bulletins, approved friend adds, and responded to messages. It was neat to be able to reach out to so many people across our state (and country!) during such a key campaign season!

And I will not soon forget the emotions that ran through my head on October 21. That was my 21st birthday, and it was also the day I cast my first-ever vote (absentee) in a Presidential election. What an awesome feeling of power I felt when I filled in the oval next to Barack Obama's and Joe Biden's names!

And then, November 4. A day that, while bright and unseasonably warm literally in Mount Pleasant, was even more so figuratively. And the magic of that night was so profound, you'd think Houdini or Disney was involved! There was nothing quite like leading the countdown to 11PM at the Brass Cafe and then proposing my first toast - to one of the most transformational figures modern America has seen, our nation's 44th President!

In non-political news, in September I got a new job here at Central Michigan University! Instead of working at the dining commons (ugh), I now work at the Towers Computer Lounge! The TCL is a computer lab, coffee shop, and gaming center all in one room in my residence hall complex! Also, this past spring I signed a minor in leadership. CMU is the only college in the Great Lakes State to offer a minor in leadership. Elsewhere in the family, in June my cousin graduated summa cum laude from Gibraltar's Carlson High School as one of three co-valedictorians! She has since entered Wayne State, where she is majoring in biomedical physics.

So what does 2009 hold for me? Of course, none of us know for certain; after all, life takes many strange twists and turns, and great opportunities arise all the time! Overall I intend to work to build communication and cohesion in the Democratic Party to make it more effective for years to come. President-elect Obama has done so much to bring so many people into the process, many of whom had never been involved before. Making sure these people stay involved in American civic life well beyond the election will be a top priority for me. (I will discuss this further in the coming days.)

This spring I plan to go on an Alternative Spring Break related to state park preservation. Also, I am going to be captain of Team Carey/Kulhavi Combating Cancer for Relay for Life 2009 at CMU (Carey and Kulhavi being two of CMU's residence halls; I live in Kulhavi).

If there is one thing Barack Obama has reminded me, it's that every single one of us has the power to change our world and the people around it. "We are the ones we've been waiting for," implored our 44th President. "We are the change that we seek." Neither we nor Obama can do everything by ourselves, but what a wonderful thought it is to know that we each have the power to touch each other's lives and to change them for the better!

So, to all of you who read what I had to say this year, who recommended my diaries and comments, shared your own opinions, and who once again made me feel welcome here at Daily Kos, I thank you for touching my life this year and in years past. This one's for you!

Election 2008 By The Numbers

I posted this a couple weeks ago on Daily Kos.

• 1,573: Barack Obama's margin of victory in Kent County, Michigan, my home county
• 54,292: Bush's margin over Kerry in Kent County
• 1,951: Barack Obama's margin of victory in my hometown of Kentwood
• 3,888: Bush's margin in Kentwood in 2004
• 30: Approximate number of people who showed up as part of the Kent County Democrats/Obama for America contingent in my hometown's July 4th parade - I helped coordinate said contingent!
• 0: Number of people who showed up from the McCain campaign in that parade
• 369,282: Diane Marie Hathaway's margin of victory over Republican-nominated incumbent Cliff Taylor in the Michigan Supreme Court race
• 24: Number of years since an incumbent Supreme Court Justice has been defeated, probably since incumbent judges and justices in Michigan are designated as such on the ballot
• 67: Number of seats the Democrats will hold in the Michigan House of Representatives starting in January
• 43: Number of seats the Republicans will hold in the Michigan House
• 20: Number of seats Democrats have gained in the state House in the past three elections
• 3,006,820: Number of votes in favor of Michigan's Proposal 1, which allows the use of medical marijuana
• 249,923: Margin by which Michigan's proposal 2 passed; thanks to its passage, embryonic stem-cell research will be legal in Michigan!
• 5 out of the last 5: Presidential elections in which Michigan has gone blue!
• 1: My margin of victory in my re-election bid for Democratic Precinct Delegate!

How the late-night comedians celebrated Obama's win!

I've been so busy lately, but I wanted to make sure you had the chance to see what the various late-night comedians had to say about our historic election a few weeks ago! Thanks to Daniel Kurtzman at About.com for compiling these!

David Letterman

• Attention passengers, the Straight Talk Express is no longer in service.
• Ladies and gentlemen, Barack Obama is our new president. And I think I speak for most Americans when I say, anybody mind if he starts a little early?
• At the end of the evening, the electoral vote count was 349 for Obama, 148 for McCain. Or, as Fox News says, too close to call.
• Last night's results mean one thing for John McCain. That is that Sunday's debate will be even more crucial. He's really up against the wall now.
• But Republicans had a bad night all around. I mean, anywhere you look. Even the crooked voting machines in Florida broke down.
• How about Sarah Palin, ladies and gentlemen. Right now on her way back to Alaska. And I'm thinking oh, I wouldn't want to be a moose now.
• By the way, his concession speech last night was so effective, so positive that he shot up 4 points in the polls.

Jay Leno

• You know, it's amazing, Barack Obama won in Florida and still became president. That never happens. In fact, today, Democrats are asking for a recount. They can't believe they won.
• And, of course, it was a huge celebration over at Barack Obama headquarters, otherwise known as MSNBC.
• Well, right after Barack Obama clinched the [nomination], did you see TV cameras caught Jesse Jackson standing at the celebration with tears in his eyes? Not because Barack won, because he makes more than $250 thousand a year.
• President Bush said today that he watched the coverage on TV last night and he was amazed. He was amazed, he couldn't believe how many states there were. They're all over the place!
• See, I got to admit, as a comedian, I'm gonna miss President Bush. Because Barack Obama is not easy to do jokes about. He doesn't give you a lot to go on. See, this is why God gave us Joe Biden.
• You know who is really, really happy that John McCain did not win last night? The boyfriend of Sarah Palin's daughter. He doesn't have to get married now. 'Whew, thank God!'
• A huge turnout in Hollywood. In fact, for the first time ever, there were more celebrities in voting booths than in rehab. That has never happened. They say this was most expensive election in history, costing over $1 billion. Do you realize that is the equivalent of three Wall Street CEO bonuses?
• Anybody get a robo-call from Bill Clinton? They had those out there, too. See, I knew it was from Clinton right away, because if a man answers, it automatically hangs up.

Jimmy Kimmel

• Obama thanked the President for his call and for all he did to help him get elected.
• Hey if you think about it, President Bush is at least partially responsible for us having our first black president, so never let it be said he didn't accomplish anything. Maybe George Bush doesn't hate black people after all.
• Bush invited Obama to come visit him at the White House, which was a nice thing to do. He wants to show him, I guess, the presidential tree house and teach him how to turn the Oval Office couch cushions into a fort. All the fun stuff.
• The real challenge, though, is for Joe Biden because he's got to figure out how to get Dick Cheney out of the vice presidential mansion. As you know, Dick Cheney is armed and has a history of shooting old men.

Jon Stewart

• Really, an historic night last night. You may have heard, Barack Obama will be the first black president of the United States of America. ... Obama is also the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the vote since Jimmy Carter, the first senator to be elected since Jack Kennedy, the first Muslim to be ... I said too much.
• As soon as the results were final, Barack Obama received a congratulatory call from still-President Bush, who told him, 'What an awesome night for you. I called to congratulate you and your good bride.' Why couldn't you just say wife? This being an official statement and all, I thought I would make it weird. Anyway, you all should come over to my family building at food eating time. We could hang out and word trade.

Craig Ferguson

• I watched Obama's victory speech in Grant Park. I actually loved watching the shots of the crowd, which looked like a Benetton ad - different races, different ages, all different kinds of people. I thought it was fantastic. Meanwhile, over at McCain's speech, there were all different kinds of white people. They had tons of them -- yuppies, golfers, Osmonds.
• Obama's victory would not have been not possible without the help of the leaders who came before him - Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson, and most importantly, President Bush, who has set the bar pretty low.
• The stock market dropped over 400 points today, which is not a reflection on Obama. No, the brokers just realized they've still got three months of George Bush.

My election recap, ten days later

I've been pretty busy over the last few days, and it's taken a while to collect all of my thoughts toward this election. But, here goes!

Surprises
The biggest surprises of the election:

1. Diane Marie Hathaway unseating Cliff Taylor. It is considered all but impossible to lose a race for state Supreme Court when you're the incumbent. I figured Taylor had it in the bag - and quite handily, I might add.

2. Obama winning Kent County. I mean, hello!

3. Proposal 2 passing. In all honesty, I figured Prop 2 was toast. I saw a lot more organization from the "2 goes 2 far" folks.
4. The Democrats expanding their majority in the Michigan House. Just over a year ago, a small group of anti-tax conservatives launched recall campaigns against several Democrats (and a few Republicans) to punish them, if you will, for raising taxes. I had no clue that, a year later, Democrats would expand their majority in the state House by 9! Dems have gained 20 seats in the last three election cycles despite a Republican gerrymander, for a majority of 67-43.

What Obama overcame

A partial list of things Barack Obama overcame in order to win this election:

• Inexperience
  
• Bill Ayers controversy
  
• The Rev. Wright controversy
  
• The front-runner status of a former President's wife
• The Republican nomination of a war hero
• The standard lies about Democrats wanting to raise your taxes
• I could go on and on

America: A Socialist Country?

Not according to me. But if you ask some of Obama's fiercest critics, America would rather pay higher taxes and live under a socialist President who "pals around with terrorists" than have four years of Bush-lite. Hmm, something to think about.

Do we need 60 Senate seats?

What we need is for 60 Senators to vote to invoke cloture on a measure in order for it to pass. If the next Congress convenes with 56 Democrats, 42 Republicans, and 2 independents - which seems to be the most likely outcome at this point - cloture can still be achieved provided that a handful of Republicans cross over to vote for cloture. (Likewise, if the Dems did get 60 seats, cloture wouldn't have been certain on any bill.) And cloture votes generally receive more support than the final vote to pass a bill, the latter of which only requires 51 votes as you know.

So save for very divisive issues, the probability of Obama getting much of his agenda passed through the Senate in the next two years probably will not be hindered so much by the fact that there will only be 56 or 57 Democrats in the Senate instead of 60. No, it won't be easy. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But nothing is impossible.

My most famous professor

Congratulations to US Representative-elect Gary Peters on a ten-point thumping of Joe Knollenberg! I had the privilege of taking a class with Peters last semester. Also, congratulations to Mark Schauer for winning his race in the 7th District, despite the fact that he too voted for a much-needed tax increase in the state Senate!

2010 offers us the chance to defeat another Republican incumbent, Thaddeus McCotter, who won by only 20,567 votes over a little-known Democrat!

Thanks

I cannot begin to thank all of you who helped make Barack Obama our next President! I thank all who took the brave step of running for office, the field directors I met (Ted in Mt. Pleasant, Aaron in Kentwood, and many others), the high schoolers who helped put stickers with voting location info on door hangers, and everyone else of whatever age, gender, or race who called, canvassed, entered data, provided food for volunteers, wrote letters to the editor, etc., etc.

Thanks to you, I will have many fond memories of this campaign. But more importantly, hope has triumphed over fear, and courage has been rewarded over cowardice. May I inspire others as much as you have inspired me!

Savor this moment

It hasn't sunk in yet.

My mind is not quite around the fact that Barack Obama will be President of the United States!

More than 48 hours after he was called the winner, I am still at a loss for words to describe my feelings toward this. Hope has triumphed over fear, judgment over temper. The conventional wisdom has been 

There will be plenty of time to think about the many daunting challenges that Obama will face. But now is a time to celebrate. We have worked too hard not to celebrate.

So, have a cake!!



And party like your country is changing for the better...





...because it is!

This Is Our Moment

The skies were getting darker - along with, it seemed, the future of my beloved country and the world.

It was Wednesday, November 3, 2004. Four years ago today. The day was marked by clear skies - but that didn't matter. Inside we were all gloomy.

24 hours earlier I had been preparing to celebrate a convincing victory by John Kerry. But what had unfolded in the intervening hours felt like a gradual yet powerful punch in my gut.

My mom told me she felt like she was at a funeral - a funeral for America. My aunt - who once volunteered for one of Dick Cheney's Congressional campaigns when she lived in Casper - wore black to work in Denver. This was six months to the day after my grandfather's funeral, so I understood what she was talking about.

That evening, as the Sun set, I felt a sense of hopelessness I hadn't felt in a long time before and can't say I've felt since. How could Democrats ever win again if an experienced Vietnam-veteran-turned-Senator couldn't beat, well, Dubya? What can we expect when the GOP nominates someone who can actually put together a coherent sentence? And we lost four more seats in the Senate for a 55-44 Republican majority; one of those seats was Tom Daschle's (part of whose Senate farewell speech I have on tape at home).

That Wednesday night, as I tried to make sense of what had happened, I turned my focus to the future. I was not looking forward to a 2006 election in which Dems would have to defend more seats and my beloved Governor Granholm and Senator Stabenow would have to fight hard to keep their jobs in battleground Michigan. I also wondered who would run in 2008. Govs. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Janet Napolitano (D-AZ)? Now-Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL)? Sens. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and George Allen (R-VA)? Jeb? Joe Biden and John McCain came to mind too, but it seemed unlikely that Barack Obama - elected to the Senate the day before - would be our nominee in the next election. And of course I had never heard of Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin.

Well, things sure as heck change!

I graduated from high school almost seven months after the election. Just three days before I graduated the Senate had reached a deal to avoid coming to blows over the 'nuclear option' controversy. My first day of class at Central Michigan University was August 28, 2008. While it was hot and sunny in Mt. Pleasant, Hurricane Katrina was making its presence felt in New Orleans. The ensuing mismanagement of the situation by the Bush Administration helped to begin the push Bush's approval ratings down.

Then came the indictments of such figures as Tom DeLay and Scooter Libby. Then, in a show of backbone that I didn't expect from Harry Reid (and in all honesty would like to see more of), Harry Reid forced the Senate into a closed session to discuss intelligence failures in Iraq. November came, and with it two Democrats - Jon Corzine and Tim Kaine - were elected Governors of New Jersey and Virginia, respectively. Kaine appeared on Obama's shortlist for the Vice Presidency this year.

The following month, the day before I left CMU to end my first semester here, pur College Democrats faculty advisor hosted a house party for Governor Granholm's re-election campaign. I still remember being in great company that night with not only other College Dems (whom I met during the second week of the semester), but a few members of the Isabella County Democratic Party. That was the night I met the Barkers, who are active in Isabella Democratic circles, as well as Peggy, the wife of the College Dems' advisor. Our College Dems VP made the announcement that he would run for State House the following year, while one of the Barkers announced a run for County Commission. Neither was elected, but still it was great to be in the presence of people who were willing to step up and take responsibility for the future of their community.

I have enjoyed being a part of the Isabella Democrats. Pete, who is running for Township Clerk, was the one who introduced me to Michigan Liberal, which became a gateway of sorts into my blogging. ;-) Another friend, Rob, asked me to run for Precinct Delegate, which I've done twice, winning both times (by one vote this year)!

Then came November of 2006. After being down by several points in the polls that summer, Jennifer M. Granholm was resoundingly given a fresh mandate, winning 56-42%. The Democrats, long seen as underdogs for control of Congress, won the House, and as we found out the next day, they also grabbed the Senate. The fears I had in 2004 ended up being for naught! I was delighted to see important legislation passed in Congress - legislation to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations, to raise the minimum wage, to

Then... Presidential Campaign Time! I researched the candidates and told myself I'd be much more careful about picking one to support. I went from supporting Kerry, to Dean, to Graham, to Kucinich, to Clark, to Dean, to Edwards, and back to Kerry in 2002-2004. This time, it took me until September to pick Obama. But I stuck with him. Primary season was an adventure, to say the least - except that i live in Michigan. Enough said. But that's another story.

I have been waiting for this since November 3, 2004.
I have been waiting for this since I graduated from high school.
I have been waiting for this since CAFTA.
I have been waiting for this since Katrina.
I have been waiting for this since I first attended a College Democrats meeting.
I have been waiting for this since Roberts and Alito joined the High Court.
I have been waiting for this since the floodgate of scandals opened on the GOP.
I have been waiting for this since that night at the professor's house.
I have been waiting for this since I cast my first-ever vote - a 'Yes' vote to renew a school district sinking fund millage!
I have been waiting for this since that wonderful Election Night of November 7, 2006.
I have been waiting for this since the Democratic-controlled 110th Congress convened.
I have been waiting for this since the first of many attempts by Congress to bring our troops home - attempts that were routinely followed by capitulation.
I have been waiting for this since this campaign began at the end of 2006.
I have been waiting for this since attending a meeting of the Democratic State Central Committee here on my campus.
I have been waiting for this since my influence in the primary process was stolen. And there's plenty of blame to go around for that.
I have been waiting for this since that Saturday in April when, for the first time during this campaign, I exclaimed the words "Yes We Can!"
I have been waiting for this since I saw Obama speak in person in Grand Rapids.
I have been waiting for this since Obama clinched the nomination.
I have been waiting for this since my aunt lost her job in June.
I have been waiting for this since July 4, 2008.
I have been waiting for this since Joe Biden was introduced as our candidate for Vice President.
I have been waiting for this since the Convention.
I have been waiting for this for so long.

And now, it is here.

We have all waited for so long. We have dealt with so much. But it all leads up to this.

This is our moment.

Are you ready to change the course of human history?

YES WE CAN!

Videos to motivate you to GOTV

Ouch:


Funny Ad:


Happy Ad:


30-Minute Ad:


Will YOU get out the vote this weekend?

Respect Our Vote!

Here's an article on The Huffington Post posted by Katie Naranjo, President of the College Democrats of America.

Senator Barack Obama inspires younger generations like no other politician in recent history. Rather than ignoring young people and writing off our entire generation as apathetic, Senator Obama reaches out to us and understands our needs. He offers the youth a refreshing alternative to regressive Bush-McCain policies, which continue to increase the financial burdens on college students. More importantly, our country is more vulnerable to another terrorist attack, and our economy is in crisis because of the current Republican administration. In this election, Senator Obama has inspired millions of people of all ages to get involved in our political system, making the point that change can only happen when "We the People" make it happen.

This is why according to a recent Rock the Vote poll, 87 percent of young people intend to vote this election cycle. Indeed, unprecedented voter registration numbers since the primaries have put a number of traditionally "red" states in play. In Virginia, home to 13 electoral votes, the Obama campaign registered nearly 50,000 new voters in August alone. The Obama campaign is rapidly closing in on its goal of registering over 150,000 new voters in Virginia by the October 6 deadline - a remarkable accomplishment in a state that hasn't voted Democratic since Lyndon Johnson carried it in 1964.

Yet with millions of young people preparing to cast their first vote, a shameful Republican misinformation campaign has emerged across the country. Inexperienced voters and young people are extremely vulnerable to miscommunication campaigns, and Republicans in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia and all across the country have taken advantage of this over the past few weeks and months. In Colorado, a Republican county clerk falsely informed out-of-state students attending Colorado College that they could not register to vote in Colorado if their parents claimed them as dependants on their taxes. In Virginia and South Carolina, local registrars have intentionally lied to students registering to vote, telling them "you can't vote here." Indeed Republicans are discouraging young people from voting across the country, and these tactics must stop now.

But why would anyone try to strip someone of their right to vote? Yes, young people have voted increasingly Democratic over the past eight years - a USA Today/MTV/Gallup poll released yesterday found that 61 percent of young people support Barack Obama while just 32 percent support John McCain. But we live in a country founded on the premise that everyone has an equal voice on Election Day. We live in a country where you simply can't disenfranchise your political opponent's supporters because you cannot relate to their issues and their future.

To protect the essential right to vote and ensure that students are heard on Election Day, the College Democrats of America are launching a nationwide youth empowerment campaign. The project, entitled Respect Our Vote, intends to combat these despicable tactics and ensure that every student has all the information that they need to cast their vote on November 4th. Students will be able to educate themselves on their rights and report any incidents of voter intimidation on our new website: www.RespectTheYouthVote.com. More over, CDA will be transporting thousands of student activists from around the country to key battleground states to canvass colleges and inform students on the laws in their areas. The right to vote is a non-partisan issue, and we - as College Democrats - will do everything in our power to protect it. The youth vote will not be suppressed now or in the future.

Throughout our history, millions of people have fought to provide all Americans with the right to speak out, choose our leaders, and enjoy the freedoms that many of our peers are fighting for. We owe it to everyone in our generation to ensure that all of us are able to fulfill our civic responsibility. While Senator Obama continues to build a relationship between the youth and the political process, it is up to us to make sure that all students are able to voice their vote in the most important election of our lifetime.

I don't want to brag too much, but I will say that I wrote the first draft of this as part of my new role as Deputy National Communications Director for the College Democrats of America! Not every word in this article is mine, but Katie included much of it in the final draft. ;-)

No matter who drafted this piece, what matters is why it was drafted. Everyone who wants to vote should be able to vote.

Check out respecttheyouthvote.com for more.

UPDATE: Check out the comments for an excellent poem!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Joe Biden, in an email to Obama-Biden supporters:

Right now, this race is neck-and-neck.

And it's all going to come down to what supporters like you do -- or don't do -- in these last 45 days.

...

Millions of Americans are counting on Barack and me to defeat John McCain and deliver the change this country needs -- but we can't do it alone.

Each of us needs to do our part. What's going to win this election for us is organizing on the ground, person-to-person, and growing this movement.

Biden took the opportunity to highlight the Neighbor-to-Neighbor tool, which is an online mechanism that allows you to get in touch with people in your neighborhood.

Check it out, use it, and spread the word!

Bits of Tid: September 3, 2008

• I hope you will consider helping those affected by Hurricane Gustav. It wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it would be, but they would still appreciate your help.
• So the year is starting off alright at CMU. I went to the first half of CMU's win over Eastern Illinois but left in the third quarter to see the speech.
• Okay, I'm not gonna lie, I love the music behind one of Barack's newest ads.
• What are you doing this weekend? I hope to attend the Michigan Democratic Party State Convention.
• Honestly, why should it be my business that Sarah Palin's teen daughter is pregnant? I have other reasons to believe Palin would be ineffective (more on that in my previous post).
• And speaking of which, what if the Republican VP hopefuls IM'd?
• Palindromes!

Is Sarah Palin the best McCain can do?

A 3 1/2-year member of the US Senate and 8-year State Senate alum who has shown high character, sound judgment, and selflessness is not as qualified to be President as a former beauty queen whose political experience includes being mayor of a town of 6,500 and governor of the third-least-populous state in the union.

At least that's what the McCain campaign wants you to think.

Meanwhile, here are some other things to think about regarding the Republican candidate for VP:

Here's a compendium of problems and controversies surrounding Palin.

Palin was nearly recalled as mayor of Wasilla.

McCain's pick has been criticized by Paul Begala...

For months, the McCainiacs have said they will run on his judgment and experience. In his first presidential decision, John McCain has shown that he is willing to endanger his country, potentially leaving it in the hands of someone who simply has no business being a heartbeat away from the most powerful, complicated, difficult job in human history.

...and plenty of conservatives:

It doesn’t seem as though McCain knows Palin well. Do we have much reason to think they would work well together?

She is younger and less experienced than the first-term Illinois senator, and brings an ethical shadow to the ticket. Just 20 months ago, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town of 6,500 where the biggest issue is controlling growth and the biggest annual worry is whether there will be enough snow for the Iditarod dog-mushing race.

She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?

And here's the Daily Show's perspective:



But really, folks, what does it say about the Republican Party today when John McCain thinks Sarah Palin is the best person to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency?

Obama/Biden 2008!

I'll have more thoughts on Biden soon, but for now, enjoy this video - posted to YouTube in January!

McCain can't tell how many houses he owns

Daily Kos has more:

Is McCain's memory really that poor, and if so, what does it say about his ability to be president? Or is the number of houses he has such an unimportant question to him that it's not worth remembering? That he has a house everywhere he goes, so why bother singling them out to remember?

My question is, what does it say about the politics in this country when the current president's party is about to nominate someone who doesn't even know how many houses he owns?

This Is Your (Precinct) Captain Speaking

I am a Democratic Neighborhood Volunteer (a.k.a. Precinct Captain) here in Kentwood, MI, and founder of the Neighborhood Leaders group on PartyBuilder. One of the things I am trying want to do this summer is to get Obama supporters and other Democrats to get involved with the Obama Campaign and the local Democratic Party.

What follows is a letter I wrote to Democrats in my hometown. Feel free to use a similar template to get in touch with people in your area.

My name is Scott Urbanowski, and I am a Neighborhood Leader for the Obama campaign and the Michigan Democratic Party here in Kentwood. I would like to share with you a few excellent ways you can get involved in this critical election season to not only help Senator Obama, but also to support our community and to get your neighbors involved in the election.

1. Online tools: Since you have internet access, please be sure to sign up for an account at my.barackobama.com. Through my.barackobama.com you can get in touch with Obama supporters who share your interests (i.e. students, Catholics, environmentalists, teachers); find out about events in the area; post comments on Obama's campaign blog; and learn about other great opportunities to get involved.

I also hope each of you takes advantage of the Neighbor to Neighbor tool. You will be given a list of undecided voters near you, along with tools to help you speak with them about supporting Senator Obama.

2. Yard signs, bumper stickers, etc.: The Obama campaign and area Democrats have an office at 1433 Wealthy (east of Eastern). The office has a lot of resources, including bumper stickers, yard signs, buttons, and information on other Democrats running in the area. So if you happen to be in that part of town, be sure to stop by, pick up some Obama gear, and ask how you can help. (They do suggest a small donation to defray the cost of these items.)

3. Hosting an event: If you would like to host a house party or a voter-registration drive, then by all means please sign up or get in touch with Aaron at kauffman.aaron@gmail.com .

4. Library millage: Mark August 5 (this coming Tuesday) on your calendar; that is the day of the primary election for state and local offices. The Kentwood Library millage will be on the ballot, as well as the renewal of the Kent County Corrections Millage. It is very important that you take a few minutes of your time to stop by to vote next Tuesday.

5. New voting locations: As you may recall, voting locations in Kentwood have changed since the last election. Be sure you know where your new voting location is, and don't forget to remind your neighbors. Here is the list of the new locations. We don't want anyone to be confused as to where to vote!

6. First-time voters: If you haven't voted before (or have moved since your last vote), keep in mind that you will have to either:

• Register to vote in person (at City Hall on Breton or at the Secretary of State's Office);
• Request an absentee ballot in person at City Hall; or
• Cast your first vote at a polling place on Election Day.

In other words, you may not simply register to vote by mail and then mail an absentee request form unless you've voted before. However, if you

I am very excited about the possibility of finally electing a President with the sound judgment we need to tackle the enormous challenges we face. Yet, as we have seen in the past several days, Obama's critics opponents will stoop as low as they can go to try to stop him. This means that it is up to people like us to reach out to our families, friends, neighbors, and coworkers and remind them of the importance of supporting Senator Obama.

Michigan is expected to be a very close state in this election, and if Obama doesn't win Michigan, it will be very hard for him to win the election. If Obama does well in Republican West Michigan, he will be in great shape to win our Great Lakes State.

Thank you for all you do to bring about this much needed change for our nation. Yes We Can!

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT DUKAKIS!!!

Michael Dukakis, Forty-First President of the United States

Okay, so he's not President yet, but he's gonna win, because it's the end of July and he's dominating George Bush, 55-38%! So you might as well call him our next President!

In the aftermath of the Democratic National Convention, the party's nominee, Michael S. Dukakis, has expanded his lead among registered voters over Vice President Bush, the probable Republican nominee, according to a Gallup Poll.

This was among the findings of a national public opinion poll of 948 registered voters conducted late last week for Newsweek magazine by the Gallup Organization. The telephone interviews took place on July 21, which was the last night of the convention, and on the night after that.

Fifty-five percent of the 948 registered voters interviewed in the poll said they preferred to see Mr. Dukakis win the 1988 Presidential election, while 38 percent said they preferred to see Mr. Bush win. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.

This represented a shift in Mr. Dukakis's lead from the 47 percent to 41 percent advantage he held in the last pre-convention Gallup Poll, taken by telephone July 8-10. In that poll, 1,001 registered voters were interviewed.

It's refreshing to know that after eight long years of Republican rule, we will have a Democrat in the White House!

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

Except, of course, that Dukakis lost.

Granted, the poll was taken 15 weeks before the 1988 election, and we are less than 14 weeks from the 2008 election. Plus, this poll came on the heels of the Democratic National Convention, before the Republican convention started.

And yes, the Democrats are viewed in a much more favorable light than Republicans in 2008, something that couldn't be said two decades ago. And the Republicans are nominating a less-than-inspiring McCain to succeed an unpopular Bush, twenty years after an uninspiring Dukakis was nominated to succeed Mr. Likable.

However, Obama's lead over McCain is considerably smaller. And this poll form 1988 showed Dukakis above the all-important 50% mark.

My point is that so much can change in so little time. The election is 96 days away, which leaves plenty of time for fraud, Willie Horton-style attacks, and the like...

...and plenty of time for you and me to do something about it. Register some voters. Talk with your neighbors, friends, family members, etc. Write a letter to the editor.

Our nation - really, our world - need Barack, and Barack is counting on you and me. So please don't allow complacency to creep in.

Leaders vs. Complainers

Do you have 26 minutes of free time?


Once again, Obama has shown himself to be the leader we need during these times. A leader more than capable of working together with foreign leaders and the people of their countries to tackle the serious challenges of the present day.

Obama has used his overseas trip to establish a strong rapport with leaders such as President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Jordan's King Abdullah. He understands that America is at its strongest when our leaders work with others to advance the causes of human rights across the globe - to put a halt to the various threats to the safety of the human race.

Meanwhile, it is John McCain who has shown the same lack of integrity that has marked the Bush presidency. McCain's campaign has been stepping up his criticism of Obama, to the point where they have contradicted their own criticisms.

1. Seventeen days after taking a trip abroad to Columbia and Mexico, five weeks after giving a paid campaign speech in Canada, and two months after criticizing Obama for not going to Iraq, the McCain campaign criticizes Obama for taking a trip abroad that includes a stop in Iraq.
2. Eleven days after holding a press conference to claim that Obama is a serial flip-flopper, McCain argues that Obama is the most extremist member of the Senate.
3. Five days after releasing a documentary criticizing Obama for flip-flopping on Iraq, the McCain campaign argues that Obama is too inflexible on Iraq.
4. After spending April and May calling Obama an elitist, they spent June and July calling him "typical."

As we are acutely aware, attacks like the ones McCain have launched are about as commonplace in politics as snow is in a Michigan winter. And, quite frankly, I do see some need for Obama to continue to call out McCain, just as the DNC has been doing and just as I am doing here.

But if all someone has to offer is negative, contradictory rhetoric, then they cannot be trusted with the safety and security of the American public. Fear will not defeat terrorism, lies will not educate our kids, and neither McCain nor anyone else can distort their way to energy independence.

Bits of Tid: June 30, 2008

• Have you seen Barack's new ad?
  
  
• Here are three things you might want to tell those of your friends who aren't yet in the Obama camp.
• Whaddya know, it's June and they already have a tentative budget deal in Lansing.
• I'm on PartyBuilder!
• Did you hear that sprinter Tyson Homosexual set an American record in Olympic qualifying in the 100 meters? Actually it was Tyson Gay, but not according to a far-right news website.
• This credit card advice could save you a bundle.
• Can you believe that were are almost halfway through 2008?

How Michigan could tip the election

Since Michigan was first given electoral votes in the 1836 election (before it even became a state!), only once has the Great Lakes State proven to be a deciding state in a presidential election. That is to say, only one election would have had a different outcome had Michigan's electoral votes been gone to the other candidate. That was in the hotly contested (and highly controversial) Hayes-Tilden election of 1876.

While many polls and Electoral College models put Obama as the current favorite to win this year's election, keep in mind that things can change very rapidly. Michael Dukakis led by double digits following the 1988 Democratic National Convention before losing by quite a bit that in November.

There is the very distinct possibility that our state will become the deciding state of the 2008 election. Here I outline some of the ways in which that could happen.

Here are the results of the 2004 election:

<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Now when we change the map a little bit, we see just how important Michigan will be. In each of the following scenarios, neither candidate has the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Presidency. Michigan's 17 electoral votes would be enough to put either candidate over the top; whoever takes the Wolverine State, takes the White House.

Obama wins Florida:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Ohio and Iowa:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Ohio:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Iowa and Virginia:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Iowa, Colorado, and New Mexico:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Iowa, Missouri, and Virginia:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia; McCain wins Pennsylvania
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Then there are those cases where Michigan could make or break a tie in the Electoral College.

Obama wins Florida and Iowa:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Colorado, New Mexico, and Ohio:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

Obama wins Florida, McCain wins Wisconsin:
<p><strong>><a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/'>Electoral College Prediction Map</a></strong> - Predict the winner of the general election. Use the map to experiment with winning combinations of states. Save your prediction and send it to friends.</p>

There are many, many other possibilities which I haven't outlined here. The point is, Michigan will be very important in this election, and it just might be a deciding state in this contest. Therefore, what we do here in the next 18 weeks could very well determine the future of this country.