This presidential election has introduced me to many new things. Among them are what exactly a community organizer (formerly known as rabble-rouser) does; why inexperience is only bad when it occurs in your vice presidential nominee, not in your presidential nominee; and a candidate’s given middle name (Hussein) is off-limits, but the foibles of a 17-year-old daughter is pertinent information. –Credit to various talk radio hosts and kooky conservative columnists, none of these lines are mine.
Perhaps the biggest revelation to me has been my introduction to the world of blogs. When I found there is a virtually boundless group of self-important, opinionated, geeky blowhards, I knew I was home. Now, blogs (or web logs) are nothing new. In fact, according to Joe Biden, FDR was famous for his comforting fireside blogs after the market crash of 1929. –My line. Sorry.
Being a political genius in my own mind, I have decided to enter the sparsely populated (ha) blogosphere. My hope is to create a blog filled with optimism, honesty, logic and the insight that springs from my life as a politically-conservative practicing Catholic living in the Midwest. I’ll do my best to add just enough dry humor, sarcasm, and obscure 80’s and 90’s pop culture references to make you a hit at any gathering of the socially awkward.
With that in mind, here are some random thoughts I’ve been having about current events:
Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama on Sunday—
Media’s Message: This is a big setback for John McCain. When a Republican former Secretary of State jumps party lines and endorses the Democratic presidential nominee, it’s just one more sign the McCain ship is sinking.
Opposite Side: McCain has been endorsed by four other previous Secretaries of State and hundreds of American military leaders. Obama admits Powell has been advising him for some time now. This endorsement underlines Obama’s weakness in foreign relations.
My Take: Powell’s telling statement during the Meet the Press interview was that he could not stand to see two more Republican Supreme Court nominees. I’m not sure McCain wants the endorsement of someone who feels that way.
There was always some question as to the depth of Powell’s enthusiasm for and loyalty to the Republican Party. Though a decorated hero from the Gulf War and a supporter of previous Republican administrations, he was never a conservative. His relationship with George W became increasingly lukewarm (to put it politely) after Powell’s famous UN presentation of photographic WMD evidence in Iraq.
The real damage for McCain is that ACORN has Colin Powell registered 71 times in various battleground states. That’s 71 votes against the McCain-Palin ticket where it really counts. Just a joke – or is it?
Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput labeled Barack Obama the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate from a major party in 35 years—
Media’s Message: Nothing to see here. Keep moving along. Separation of church and state. The Archbishop’s position is radical and out of the mainstream. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Obama thinks abortion should be rare, but supports a woman’s right to choose.
Opposite Side: Obama has served a relatively short time in elected office. We have a limited voting history with which to evaluate where he stands. Abortion is one of the few issues Obama has demonstrated a clear pattern of support in voting and in rhetoric.
My Take: First of all, the fact that Archbishop Chaput is the latest in a long line of Catholic theologians and laypeople who have not held their tongues this election year is a tribute to John Paul II. During his tenure, the People’s Pope instilled a hierarchy and environment in which the Church stands steadfast and in unison in defense of the unborn. That wasn’t always the case.
Obama’s is the radical viewpoint. When you vote four times against legislation that would allow a doctor to do his or her job in providing care and comfort to a baby born as a result of a botched abortion, that’s out of the mainstream.
McCain-Palin campaign continues to talk Ayres, ACORN, abortion and is labeling Obama a socialist—
Media’s Message: The Republican nominee is not talking issues. He has resorted to going negative and it is not working. He should immediately change his strategy.
Opposite Side: Sarah Palin continues hammering away at Obama on the three A’s and his promise to “Spread the wealth around” is a clear endorsement for socialism.
My Take: The fact is McCain’s polling numbers continue to rise against Obama’s among likely voters (a much more accurate snapshot of the way the electorate will look on November 4). McCain is closing the gap no matter how heavily the polls are Democratically weighted. That doesn’t seem like a failed strategy to me. And make no mistake: McCain following advice from the media about campaign strategy would be like the American military taking terrorist tracking advice from Osama Bin Laden.
Well, that’s the first of what could be many dry and irrelevant entries in my very own blog. Hope you enjoyed it. If nothing else, feel free to print it out and play the game “circle the Seinfeld reference.” In addition, if you record yourself reading it aloud and play it backwards, you will hear John Lennon clearly declare, “I buried Paul” or “Cranberry Sauce,” I’m not sure which.
All grammatical and spelling errors made herein were purposeful and deliberate.
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