Vote!

[frogboy4]

I almost bought Obama's change stuff. Until he indulged in the same mud slinging all other politicans get into.

Now that the Clintons are out of the race there's been remarkably less mud than usual from either side. I attribute that to both candidates for President. I really want brand name, partisan, snarky, win at any cost politics to die. This was really a new "Rove and Carvell-free" campaign.

I do like how Obama changed the way that campaigns can be financed - smaller sums from individual supporters over the internet rather than taxpayer money and primary fat cats taking the lion's share. It can create a candidate that feels beholden to the people for a change.

McCain has maintained much class and dignity over the campaign. He was the first guy to really try to get something done with campaign finance reform. It didn't really work, but he spoke up even when it hurt him politically. If elected I know he wouldn't leave the wounded soldiers out in the cold when they return like some other conservative leadership has. I have a lot of respect for the man. I was expecting him to go all shades of crabby-crazy toward the end and he hasn't.

I have no party affiliation and will be casting my vote tomorrow in the hope that my choice will win and improve this country and the world. It is a cautious optimism. There was a time I didn't think the guy in office really mattered anymore...boy was I wrong!

 

[CensoredAlso]

If elected I know he wouldn't leave the wounded soldiers out in the cold when they return like some other conservative leadership has. I have a lot of respect for the man. I was expecting him to go all shades of crabby-crazy toward the end and he hasn't.

Maybe that is true since himself has been a solider (unlike some Presidents, heh ).

There was a time I didn't think the guy in office really mattered anymore...boy was I wrong!

How true that is!

 

[Speed Tracer]

Here are my pre-election jitterish thoughts. I ramble a lot. Feel free not to read, just needed to share.

The other day, I overheard a pretty heated political conversation. One citizen claimed that with Barack Obama as our 44th president, we'll just have another 9/11.

And, you know... I think that's what we really need.

When the Twin Towers were hit, we had never been closer as a country. Never as united. For the first time since anyone could remember, we were all working together, caring about each other regardless of what our respective views were when it came to how the country should be run. Somehow we lost that in the last seven years. Somehow we've become more self-absorbed and spiteful of anybody who didn't believe what we did than.

Somehow we've become completely and totally un-American.

George W. Bush should have never been elected office. This much is true, and denying that at this stage in the game is frankly moot. It's not a matter of opinion anymore. Whether or not he meant to flush us down the drain like he did is irrelevant. I truly feel for anybody that is put in the uncomfortable situation of trying to defend his "decisions".

But that doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done and we've got to look ahead. We don't have the time to let our checkbooks run the country anymore. We don't even have the checkbooks to use to run it. The next four years are going to be as difficult as they've ever been, but with luck, we'll have a leader who is fully prepared to put us in the direction we need to be in.

Honestly, whether Obama is elected or not... he's already done more for us than he'll ever do for us in office. He's made us a whole again. For the first time I see people in my age group caring about what is happening in our country. For the first time I see people wanting to make a difference. For the first time I see people caring about each other and the place they live in because it's their home. For the first time... I see what it had to have been like when America was founded so many years ago.

My favorite movie of the year is "WALL-E", for about a thousand different reasons. One of them is the ending, where the first plant in 700 years is being planted, and the Earth is set back on track to being a good place to live again. That plant is Obama. That plant is all of us, and we have to set ourselves in the ground.

I'm terrified about tomorrow. Something could go wrong. We're assured by polls and predictions, but then, things looked good for us in the last two elections as well. Can't have a false sense of security.

But thinking negatively won't do. It's not our way anymore. Like I said... Obama has given us another 9/11. We have a sense of togetherness again. We're looking ahead instead of looking back. I think now more than ever, the phrase "United We Stand", which truly has had no place in the last eight years, is relevant. It means something.

No matter what happens, we have that. We know what's important.

For anyone for whom this soothes... our 11th, 22nd, and 33rd presidents - Polk, Cleveland, and Truman - were Democratic. We're about to have our 44th. Doesn't mean fourth multiple of eleven's a charm, but hey.

History changes tomorrow.

God Bless America.

 

[The Shoe Fairy]

I saw a phone poll on TV, and 88% of people said that if they lived in the US, they would vote for Obama.

 

[Drtooth]

Now that the Clintons are out of the race there's been remarkably less mud than usual from either side. I attribute that to both candidates for President. I really want brand name, partisan, snarky, win at any cost politics to die. This was really a new "Rove and Carvell-free" campaign.

To be quite frank, the McCain campaign has been playing so foul and Dirty lately, even Dick Dastardly would blush. "Oh, he served on a board with someone who was a terrorist while Obama was watching Sesame Street. He didn't really know him well, but... yeah!" and "Hey! The more we can make people think of that 'Crazy' Reverend of his, the less people will remember McCain's strongest religious supporter was a Nazi sympathizer who really said despicable things."

Obama's stuff has been different. He basically says that McCain is like Bush, and attacks McCain's record. Seems that the right is running scared and pulling all sorts of crazy crap. It reminds me of the Massachusetts governor's race of 06..... the right side, so desperate to keep into power brought up the instance of a convicted rapist that conned a lot of people into believing he was innocent. And the Republican candidate's commercials pretty much said "If you elect the Democrat, rapists will run all over the streets."

And guess what? People said that went way too far. And it cost them the election.

Mudslinging, no matter who or what, is tight with politics. If you can't find a reason for people to vote for you, find a reason not to vote for the other guy. BUT, watch out for what you say. If you go too negative, you'll alienate people.

 

[bazooka_beak]

Speed Tracer, very nice comments ;____;

Even if Obama loses, he's still opened a window for others.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

That's basically how I feel. I mean, I'm not expecting sweeping dramatic change, but we DO need to change the ruling party to get any sort of change at all.

And I think the Republican party needs a loss so they can go back, look at the last 8 years in Office, and the last time they were in power of Congress and see where their party went wrong. Hey, maybe listen to Ron Paul that wants to take the party out of the hands of the Neo-Cons that held it too long.

Plus, I'm sick and tired of making the same Bush jokes. They aren't HALF as fun or funny as Clinton jokes.

According to ABC last night on their World News with Charlie Gibson, it seems like that McCain is having a tough time getting votes from some of the states that help decide the electorial college. Also senators that are republican running in certain states are also having a hard time securing votes. Most voters aren't voting for the republican side because all they see is more of the same that has been going on for the past 8 years or so.

One person who is running for senator but is having a really hard time securing votes is Elizabeth Dole, the wife of Bob Dole

 

[Drtooth]

Anyone else think the word Marverick has lost all its meaning? you know, when you say or hear a word long enough, and all you can think of is how funny it sounds, and you can't even remember what it means?

Try it. Say bacon 10 or 20 times. Now all I can think of is how it's pronounced.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Anyone else think the word Marverick has lost all its meaning? you know, when you say or hear a word long enough, and all you can think of is how funny it sounds, and you can't even remember what it means?

Try it. Say bacon 10 or 20 times. Now all I can think of is how it's pronounced.

I'm still trying to figure out what McCain and Palin mean by saying Maverick. What does that imply?

 

[SSLFan]

I'm still trying to figure out what McCain and Palin mean by saying Maverick. What does that imply?

Whatever it means, it's annoying.