McCain on Blagojevich

I already miss John McCain. He's a sincere, genuine man filled with integrity, and has a sharp, witty sense of humor. Enjoy this clip from the Late Show with David Letterman featuring McCain doing a Blagojevich imitation and also voicing his opinion of the corrupt governor.

Internet Political Censorship Woes

It came as little surprise the other day when I read the article by Chelsea Schilling featured on World Net Daily regarding the censorship by Google of the conservative blog Atlas Shrugs for anti-Obama articles according to it's publisher, Pamela Geller. Daily hits to the website have dropped from as high as 45,000 per day to less than a hundred after Geller featured a story about a certified forensic expert claiming the Barack Obama Certification of Live Birth posted on Daily Kos and other sites a forgery and an obvious fake. Why would that comes as any surprise as Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, prepares to leave the internet giant to assume a position in the Obama cabinet?

I've noticed this political censorship occurring on a much smaller scale during the last several months. I noticed as far back as September that articles I posted that were not favorable toward Obama appeared quickly in top 10 searches but several days later completely disappeared, but yet when I wrote an article during the same time frame about a 1972 Harley shovelhead formerly owned by David Lee Roth of Van Halen fame, the article still appears high on search lists. Many articles that I wrote painting either John McCain or Sarah Palin in a positive light never appeared in the search engines at all.

I've also noticed similar occurrences on sites owned by Google such as YouTube and Blogger. Videos on YouTube that even hinted about Obama's Muslim heritage often disappeared after only a few views. As late as this date, when clicking on Leo Donofrio's blog, Natural Born Citizen, one receives the following warning: "Possible Blogger Terms of Service Violations". I searched the site rather carefully and could find nothing offensive or in violation of Bloggers' Terms of Service.

Almost comedically, Google's partisanship shines through when searching the word "idiot", a YouTube video declaring, "Is Bush an idiot?" displays at number 4 and when searching the word "messiah", "Is Barack Obama the Messiah?" rings in at number four on the list. We all realize that the Google censorship team consists of a group of 20-something geeks in cubicles but please try to be a little more center of left. I always thought that liberals despised censorship.

Google, you've done a great job throughout your short but highly successful history so don't let politics become the monkey on your back. Please keep the censors busy scrubbing kiddy porn while the internet remains a free applicable place for debate on American politics.

The Obama Regime

Barack Obama handily beat John McCain yesterday in what appears to be an electoral landslide. Republican strongholds Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, and my beloved Florida all turned blue and North Carolina and Missouri still remain too close to call. So on January 20, 2009, Obama will be sworn in as America's first black president. The United States poises itself ready for an African-American leader but my views are more clouded by issues rather than race so personally I would have preferred Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice to have earned that designation.

I hope and pray that Obama holds true to his campaign promises of a more moderate form of government rather than taking us to the extreme left which would be more aligned with his voting record. I remain optimistic that 95% of you will actually receive the tax relief promised although I find myself one of the 5% to be penalized for success.

As a Christian I strongly feel that I must eventually repent and accept Obama's authority over me as commanded by Romans chapter 13 verses 1-3 and Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17. Unless of course, Mr. Obama does actually prove to be the Antichrist for then I must rebuke him at every opportunity.

Before Inauguration Day, there still seem to be constitutional issues that must be resolved. There are several court cases, most notably Berg vs. Obama, which question his status as natural born citizen. Berg's case now sits with Justice Souter at the U.S. Supreme Court. Obama, the defendant, has until December 1st to respond. What happens if Obama is found not to be qualified to serve as President? Apparently, if this discovery takes place before the electoral college meets, the electorate may designate another candidate as president. The new president would most likely be Al Gore or Hillary Clinton. If the discovery occurs after the electoral process, then Joe Biden becomes president by default. Senator Biden seems an honorable man and would probably make a good president. Either way, John McCain is out of the picture whether the election was fraudulent or not.

Apparently, there are other similar cases filed around the country including one in Hawaii with a hearing scheduled for November 17th. There is also a case in the Illinois courts questioning whether Obama commited perjury when applying to the Illinois Bar. When asked if he had ever assumed an alias, he answered no, when in reality he has lived under the other names of Barry Soetoro and Barry Obama.

I still find it hard to believe that a man who would be denied a security clearance by the CIA or FBI may now govern our entire country and be privy to the most sensitive of classified information regarding national security. Hopefully, someone in power has the common sense and good decency to see that this does not lead to the complete demise of our country. Anyway, Mr. Obama, I pray that you will do what's right for the American public and our country overall. God Bless both you and John McCain!

McCain vs. Obama - the Finale

Earlier this year, while still in the primary season, I must admit that I was not particularly fond of either Barack Obama or John McCain. Obama's extremely liberal view on abortion, especially partial birth and live birth abortions, sickened me and McCain seemed a bit too moderate for my conservative taste. Living in southwest Florida and feeling the negative effects of illegal immigration caused me to label McCain's proposed amnesty programs as way too lenient and detrimental to America's financial well being.

So I performed my due diligence to determine the lesser of what I considered two evils. With a voracious appetite for reading, I devoured as much news as I could on both candidates. And now I must finally admit that the more I learn of John McCain, the deeper my respect grows for the man, and the more I learn of Barack Obama the more apprehensive I become.



John McCain stands today as one of America's great heroes. He's been tried and tested and never once failed his country. Descended from a long line of warriors, McCain draws from a heritage that few may claim. His grandfather served in the Pacific commanding aircraft carriers during World War II and proved himself one of our country's fiercest leaders during adversity. McCain's father served as Commander in Chief, Pacific during the Viet Nam conflict. McCain followed in their footsteps into a Navy career. As a naval A-4 aviator, he was gunned down over Viet Nam and lived five long years as a prisoner of war. He survived two broken arms and a broken leg, repeated torture, tropical disease, and two years of solitary confinement to arrive home not a bitter and broken man but a stronger one, more mature and more in love with his country. After painful rehabilitation for injuries that had not been treated and torture suffered, his body once again became useful enough to regain flight status and complete a military career although you can still see him wince from pain when attempting to lift his arms. After retiring a captain from the Navy, he continued serving his country by serving two terms in the House of Representatives and now four terms in the Senate. McCain has fought corruption in government, especially pork barrel spending during his entire career and is a man who can be trusted. He's drawn much executive experience as military leader and realizes the demands placed upon Commander in Chief. He attributes a strong faith in God for surviving many of life's difficulties. John McCain definitely has the ability to run our country.



On the other hand, Barack Obama remains an enigma. He attempted to conceal or seal many of the records from his past including birth certificate, travel documents and passports, and school transcripts. Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to Stanley Ann Dunham and Barack Hussein Obama, although others including his paternal grandmother claim that he was born in Mombassa, Kenya. His parents divorced after two years and his mother soon remarried an Indoenesian national, Lolo Soetoro. Apparently (although the record is sealed) Mr. Soetoro adopted young Barack and the family moved to Jakarta where Obama attended school under the name Barry Soetoro. His school records from Jakarta state his religion as Islam and his citizenship as Indonesian. Obama's mother sent him to Hawaii at the age of ten to live with his grandparents where he attended a very exclusive private school. He graduated and attended Occidental College in California before transferring to Columbia University, another elitist school. The summer between schools he travelled on an Indonesian passport to Indonesia to visit his mother and sister then on to Pakistan and India. At the time Pakistan was on the U.S. no travel list and also forbade non-Muslims from visiting the country without prior diplomatic approval. After graduation Obama worked in Chicago as a community organizer before attending Harvard law and eventually practicing and lecturing back in Chicago. He then served in the Illinois Senate before running in 2004 for the U.S Senate and now in 2008 as a presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.

During his career, Mr. Obama has kept company with some rather unsavory characters. Frank Marshall Davis a communist party leader in Hawaii served as a mentor to Obama during his teenage years. Obama launched his political career from the living room of Bill Ayers, a domestic terrorist who once planned to bomb both the Pantagon and White House. He was counseled for twenty years by Jeremiah Wright, a bigoted and racially devisive pastor in Chicago. Black Muslim leader Louis Farakhan proclaimed Obama the next messiah. Behind the scenes manipulator and billionaire George Soros has dumped million of dollars into the Obama campaign.

McCain counts as his friends two fellow prisoners of war, and fellow legislators like Joe Lieberman and Joe Biden. With the exception of the Keating five scandal, there is no other blemish on McCain's professional record and little controversy.

Fellow Americans, we may not have now and may never have the perfect candidate running for President of the United States but if you need to put your trust in a man capable of leading this country through a miserable economy and and a war on terrorism and defeat partisan politics, there is only one logical choice and that is John McCain.

Debate 3 - More of the Same Again

Last night's debate proved to be another fairly dull event. We already know that John McCain considers himself a loyal, dedicated, lifelong public servant capable of leading us as President, and that Barack Obama blames the failed policies of George Bush for all that ails the world. Trailing behind in the polls, John McCain needed to come out swinging but you cannot win a bout utilizing only short jabs with no knockout punch.

McCain had a few very brief shining moments especially when he declared, "I'm not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should've run four years ago.", and the Freudian slip when he referred to Senator Obama as "Senator Government".

Senator Obama remained calm and collected throughout the debate and never appeared rattled as he did in the first debate several weeks ago. His smug looks and snickers while McCain spoke may prove to be a slight turnoff to some voters.

Senator McCain appeared a little stiff and uncomfortable throughout the night. His plastered on smile did not cover the emotion behind.


Moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS refereed the bout well and attempted to move the debate along when either of the participants rambled.

I'm no political strategist but I felt that Senator McCain needed to become more the aggressor to turn the tide on voter sentiment. Why did he not further explore Obama's questionable relationships with characters such as Bill Ayers, Raila Odinga, Jeremiah Wright, Louis Farrakhan, and George Soros? Ayers, a domestic terrorist bent on destroying the US government, has been a prime mentor to Barack Obama, for somewhere between 10 and 20 years, and possibly served as a ghost writer of Obama's book, Dreams of My Father. Obama supported fellow Luo tribesman Odinga's campaign for president of Kenya; a man who attemptd to topple the Kenyan government, desired to win by hook or crook, treatied with Muslim terrorists, and incited a riot where hundreds of Christians were killed. Jeremiah Wright, a racist anti-white, anti-Jew pastor, baptized Obama and his children in his church that they attended for 20 years. Louis Farrakhan recently declared Obama "the Messiah" and has stated that Obama's election as President would further Islam around the globe. And what about Soros? Is a man capable of bringing England's most powerful bank to it's knees the ultimate puppet master? Why is no one, including McCain and Palin, addressing these unsavory connections?


Why has the McCain campaign never exploited the questionable citizenship of Barack Obama and the lawsuit filed by Phillip Berg in Pennsylvania? Born in the Panama Canal zone to two American citizens, McCain's citizenship was questioned early in the race. When the Department of Homeland Security refused to release any documents to the courts, McCain himself produced the vault copy of his birth certificate and all medical records to squelch the problem. Now Obama's citizenship has been challenged legally and he has refused to release any of the required documents to settle the case. Instead he chooses to use legal motions to delay discovery.

I respect Senator McCain as the master strategist so there must be a reason he remained the gentleman and did not exploit the poor judgment, shady friends, and the dark secrets of Barack Obama. The election approaches quickly, Mr. McCain. I hope you have a rabbit up your sleeve!

Debate 2 - More of the Same

I've heard the "More of the Same" mantra from the Obama camp this entire election season but it must now be reassigned to describe tonight's debate. Tom Brokaw stunted the town hall format, for unknown reason, and turned the second debate into a repeat of the first. Each candidate was given ample time to reiterate their campaign position on issues such as the economy, energy and foreign policy. Normally, a format like tonight's allows ordinary citizens the opportunity to ask unusual questions but we heard none of it tonight except for the very last question.

That question was, "What don't you know and how will you learn it?" Obama stated that he asks his wife anything that he does not know and she tells him, but he never did admit to not knowing anything. Senator McCain stayed slightly less vague by admitting he does not know the unknown in regard to challenges both here and abroad but again did not get very specific.

John McCain did seemed to display a better understanding of the fundamentals causing the financial crisis and discreetly unveiled a plan to help stabilize the housing situation. He understands that besides bailing out Wall Street and the banking sector that we also need to provide help to individuals by reassigning mortgages based on current home valuations. Senator Obama just rhetorically continued to blame President Bush and his failed economic policies.

Both candidates endorsed Warren Buffet as a potential Treasury Secretary. I wonder if Mr. Buffet would be willing to take the pay cut? Both candidates agreed or held similar positions on most issues with the exception of taxes. Senator Obama stressed the importance of government investment in programs to stimulate energy research and the economy, but Senator McCain supported the ideals of the government fostering an environment which allows free enterprise to thrive and stimulate creativity by individual entrepreneurship.

Senator Obama remained calm and collected throughout the night and showed none of the agitation he displayed during the first debate. Senator McCain, understanding his underdog position, became more the aggressor and at times seemed slightly uncomfortable. McCain needed to score big tonight to turn voter sentiment and failed to do so making tonight's debate a default win for Obama.

Sarah Palin Visits Fort Myers

My wife and I had a wonderful opportunity today to attend a Republican campaign rally featuring Sarah Palin. Approximately 9,000 people jammed into Germain Arena in Fort Myers, Florida to see the vice presidential hopeful. Palin attended two private fundraisers in Naples earlier in the day before motoring north to the packed stadium. Escorted by Florida heavyweights, Charlie Christ and Mel Martinez, Palin arrived to thunderous applause and a very warm welcome.

I heard nothing overly profound today from Palin's lips. She shows a deep, genuine respect for men and women in uniform and understands the difficulties they face. She addressed the energy crisis and affirmed McCain's stance on developing more renewable resources. Palin also focused on the phony Obama tax cut claim and how impossible it seems with his $1 trillion increase in spending. She also stressed the relationship between Barack Obama and domestic terrorist and 60's radical, Bill Ayers. I've often wondered why the McCain camp has not played that up a bit more. It's a very disturbing fact. Unless I missed it, I did not hear much about the current financial crisis. Maybe that's too depressing to mention during a high energy positive rally.

Apparently, Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott garnered all the controversy by mentioning McCain's opponent's full name, Barack Hussein Obama, during his speech at the rally. By the time I made it home, Scott's address had already received national notoriety. I'm not really sure why Obama's middle name is off limits. I guess because the Hussein name is a clear indication of Muslim heritage. I would think the McCain camp would want to exploit that.

Overall, I'd say it was worth the 1/2 mile hike from the neighboring Miromar Outlet parking lot and the two hour wait in the blistering Florida sun to get inside. Way to go Sarah! Have a safe trip to your next destination.

Please enjoy my amateur video clip of a portion of this event.

Smear the Queer

I remember, as a third-grader during the late 60's, playing "Smear the Queer", a game in which participants attempted to tackle or "smear" the ball handler or "queer". While in possession of the ball, you either succumbed to the tackling or threw the ball to another who would catch it and then become the new "queer". I don't know whether the game is still played by youths but I'm certain, if it is, that the politically incorrect name has been changed.

The political arena now serves as the new venue for the smear game. Apparently, whoever possesses that ball and runs strong becomes the victim of attack by all other participants. For most of this election season, it appears that Barack Obama has possessed the ball the longest. Hillary started the Obama smear by having us question his patriotism, his citizenship, his credentials and his religion.

At times, John McCain's taken the ball from Obama and become the victim. We've heard of his illegitimate black child and that he's milking the story of five years captivity in a Hanoi prison. Jimmy Carter, I thought you had more class than that!

But Mr. Obama retrieved the ball back from McCain for another round of Muslim bashing before handing it to the newcomer, Sarah Palin. We've heard her Down syndrome son is actually her daughter's. We've heard she's involved with the Alaska Independence Party. We've heard democrats calling her "white trash". Sarah, you've taken enough abuse. Please throw the ball to Joe!

VP Debate Anticipation

Although the second card of the fight and not the main event, the vice presidential debate may prove a bigger draw. Predictability surrounded the McCain-Obama debate. The skilled rhetorical orator versus the seasoned combat veteran left little to speculation. But a lot of uncertainty surrounds the matchup between Pitbull Palin and Bigmouth Biden. Will Sarah Palin hold her ground and not stammer as she did in an interview with a less intimidating Katie Couric? Palin may offer a surprise punch since few outside of Alaska realize her debating skill. Will the more experienced Biden, whose first political debate occured while Palin was in second grade, tone himself down enough to not come across as condescending and rude? All bets are off for this one folks. Tomorrow night's matchup should prove to be very entertaining.

Clinging to My Guns and Religion

“And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

These words have resonated eerily through my psyche since first uttered by Barack Obama back in April of this year. Our country's founding fathers ensured us certain inalienable rights when the first ten amendments to the constitution, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The First Amendment states in part: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; guaranteeing us opportunity for free expression without consequence. The Second Amendment ensures that the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Mr. Obama, I along with many others do cling dearly to these rights afforded to us by our forefathers; not to explain our frustrations, but out of love for our country. We have no desire to live in a world that touts a "one world religion" like proponents of the "new age" or abolition of religion like the former Soviet Union. We greatly respect our right to own firearms for self protection in a hostile world.

Additionally, we have no antipathy toward others who aren't like us but only a strong desire to see all people treated equally and no one receiving preferential treatment because of race. With the exception of the native American population, we are all essentially immigrants so we are not "anti-immigrant" as long as the immigration was acheived legally. And we're certainly not anti-trade; we just don't enjoy seeing our beloved country sold out to foreign interests.

Mr Obama, we may need change as you declare but as long as change is for the better. If change means restrictions on our expression of free speech or our ability to worship, we must say "no thanks". If change makes hand guns illegal, we must say "no thanks". If change means whining about a war to fight terror that costs $10 billion a month but allowing illegal immigrants access to our social programs at a cost of $300 billion per year, then we must again say "no thanks". If change means selling our assets to foreign interests and allowing a huge trade deficit, we must say "no thanks".

We do need change, Mr. Obama. We need a legislature that eliminates "pork barrel" spending and promises true tax reform rather than false boasts about tax cuts. We need affordable health care for all people. We need a strong military that deters the threat of terrorism anywhere on earth. We need repair of our economy and a system that allows people affordable home ownership. What we really need, Mr. Obama, is less rhetoric and more action. John McCain may not be the answer either but he's fought evil and has the scars to prove it!

As for me, I'll cling to my guns and religion; not as a way to express my frustration, but out of deep respect and reverence for a country that shines above all others. God bless the USA!

Bailout Blues

With a large display of closet partisanship, the House defeated the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. An effort advertised as nonpartisn by leaders from both parties became another political debacle. While it's true that fiscal conservatives detest the thought of bailing out free market businesses that fail from poor decision making by management, what alternatives remain? Personally, I'm not fond of increasing our national debt to bailout Wall Street but I also don't relish the prospect of facing a several year economic depression.

Surprisingly, the House democrats worked well in drafting the bill originally proposed by George Bush's staff, most notably Henry Paulson, and apparently acted in true nonpartisian fashion. Senator John McCain jumped onboard, realizing the need for a quick solution, and made numerous phone calls to the fiscally conservative republican House members, but to no avail. Apparently, he holds less influence over fellow republicans than he had assumed.

Barack Obama, somewhat oblivious to the disaster happening in Washington, campaigned yesterday in Colorado. Although slightly ambiguous, Obama supported the plan but displayed little effort in attempting to rally fellow democrats.


Before the vote was taken on the House floor, Nancy Pelosi made an embittered, ridiculously partisan speech aimed at attacking the failed Bush economic policies. Where was the House leadership when so desperately needed? Rather than rally all House members together to approve an unpopular but necessay measure, Pelosi chose the opportunity to deepen the chasm between both parties.

One must wonder whether Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, along with other democrats in both the House and Senate, sabotaged this bill before it even had a chance. How much more effective would Obama appear to the American public if he is able to capitalize on the failed economic policies of the Bush regime?

As Americans, we're faced with a financial crisis like no other with a dire need to be addressed. Partisanship serves no place in attempting to find a solution to a problem with such severe potential consequences. House republicans, if you don't like the bill proposed on the floor yesterday, give us a plan that will work or a formula for avoiding disaster. Members of all parties, in both the House and Senate, need to throw partisanship to the wind and address this problem immediately. There's no time for political grandstanding, celebrating Rosh Hashanah, or taking fall recess. The nation faces a giant problem so grab a cup of coffee, roll up your sleeves and get to work! That's what we do here on Main Street!

McCain Pummels Obama 7-1

After telephoning most of the night to rally fellow Republicans over the financial bail out, attending morning meetings to attempt to shore up differences in the plan, and boarding a plane to Oxford, Mississippi, John McCain still found enough energy to demonstrably dominate tonight's debate with Senator Barack Obama. If Senator McCain's age had ever been a negative factor, his tirelessness over today's rigors effectively display his possession of the stamina required to execute the duties from the oval office. PBS's Jim Lehrer magnificently moderated tonight's event maintaining equal time in the spotlight for both candidates and refocusing and redirecting questions when answers wandered off track.

The debate began amicably as the first round topic focused on the current financial crisis. Senator Obama eloquently orated his stand on the crisis and sounded quite believable even though he rarely addressed specific issues. When the questioning turned to "What will you give up to pay for the financial bail out plan?", Obama's vagaries became more apparent. Senator McCain focused on cutting out wasteful spending in most government agencies and completely eliminating earmark spending. He forayed into Obama's record of requesting over $900 million in "pork barrel spending" during his first three years in office and immediately put the junior senator on the defensive. Mr. Obama became more irritated and agitated as the night progressed.

As the line of questioning turned more directly to the topic of foreign policy, McCain's attacks increased and he repeatedly pointed out the naivety of Senator Obama while bolstering his own level of expertise. Senator Obama stated many times during the evening, "I agree with Senator McCain" while McCain repeatedly claimed "Senator Obama does not understand". Senator McCain drew from many years of foreign relations experience to point out areas where Senator Obama used faulty reasoning or logic to arrive at conclusions on topics such as how he would handle Iraq, Russia and Iran, or whether there could be another 9-11. McCain only dropped his guard once when he slightly squirmed during Obama's statements on negotiations with Iran but Mr. Obama spent the last hour of the debate noticably agitated.

During 8 rounds of specific topics, John McCain clearly won seven. I'm quite surprised that after the last two days in Washington, that he even had the energy to attend. I guess the years of boxing during college paid off, Senator McCain, you sure know how to spar!

Political Chess Part 2

Mr. Obama, I'm very pleased to see that you've acquiesced, thrown partisanship to the wind, and headed to Washington for the meeting with President Bush and Senator McCain to assist in negotiating a solution to this financial crisis. Hat's off to you, sir. Thank God you've humbled yourself enough to learn from the senior leadership. I wonder if President McCain will possibly have a cabinet position for you.

The Analyst's Couch: McCain and Obama

As a student of human behavior and by no means a professional in the field of psychology, I've observed two very distinct personas manifested in those who wield power; especially modern day politicians.

The first "service above self" is best epitomized by Mother Theresa, one who gave her life to the betterment and care of others. She spent 45 years ministering to those with leprosy and HIV, and concerned herself little with her own need or pursuit of materialism.


The second, "service about self" is best characterized by Saddam Hussein. He utilized an accumulation of power and influence for self gratification and the satisfaction of hedonistic lust.


Realizing that no modern day politician personifies either of those extremes, we can still examine behavior and observe patterns, beginning near birth and lasting through life that would indicate which of these behaviors one would gravitate toward.

John Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan all lean more toward the persona of "service above self". In Christian circles, this is referred to as "Christ-like" character. Rather than attempting to benefit personally from political power, they placed the needs of others before themselves. Despite criticism from others, all three publicly supported equal rights for citizens of all races, and worked diligently for the advancement of human rights internationally. Originating from different socio-economic backgrounds, we observe commonality in that all three were raised in traditional households with strong family values and each found faith in God as a source of inner strength.

The trend toward "service about self"' appears only more recently. Bill Clinton serves as a shining example of one who displays this personality and source of personal motivation. Controlled by sexual addiction and a lust for power, Clinton used his power and influence over others as a source of personal gain. Unlike most politicians who bring wealth or financial means into office, Clinton's sole source of income derived directly and indirectly from his role as a public official. Clinton grew up in a less traditional household. He never knew his biological father, spent many years with grandparents and lived with an abusive alcoholic stepfather.


It appears to me that the father plays a huge role in the future persona manifested by the son. In traditional strong father households, the son struggles to please the father by becoming publicly successful but also maintains the strong tie to family and utilizes influence to nurture rather than control others. In the case of absentee fathers, it appears that the son's drive for success is largely controlled by a need for over-achievement to receive the adoration, praise and attention not received at home.
How does any of this relate to the current presidential race?


John McCain
As a youth, John McCain undoubtedly faced tremendous pressure to succeed. In a family with both father and grandfather attaining the rank of admiral in the U.S. Navy, how could he not have been expected to also attend the Naval Academy and follow in their footsteps? As a young naval aviator, he barely survived the USS Forrestal fire which is still used today as an example of fire control aboard naval vessels. Later that year while flying combat missions over Viet Nam, he was shot down, injured and eventually captured by the North Vietnamese. As a prisoner of war, McCain refused early repatriation to remain captive until others captured before him were released as well. McCain retired a captain from the Navy in 1981, realizing that he "could do more good" in public office rather than pursuing further naval advancement. McCain's genuine concern for his constituency propelled him quickly into the senate where he has served for 28 years. As Republican presidential nominee, McCain recently remarked, "I'd rather lose the election than lose the war." Raised an Episcopalian, McCain now considers himself a Baptist and allows his quiet faith to serve as his moral compass. Considering the entire life of this man, it's quite clear that he easily leans more toward a persona of "service above self".


Barack Obama
As a child, Barack Obama faced pressure of a different kind. Abandoned by his muslim Kenyan father as a baby, he spent years being raised at times by a single mother, his mother and muslim stepfather in Indonesia, and his grandparents in Hawaii. Also, an over-achiever, Obama graduated Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Prior to law school, he served as a "community organizer" in Chicago and afterward practiced and taught law. Groomed by Chicago's elite liberals, Obama entered public service first as a state legislator, then U.S. senator and now Democratic candidate for President of the United States, all within an amazingly short eleven year time frame. Early in his political career, Obama converted to Christianity at the insistence of his wife due to the view of Islam from mainstream America. FOX News's Bill O'Reilly described Obama as being extremely driven to be president of the United States, someone who would do anything to attain that position! Although, not nearly as clear a pursuer of self gratification as Bill Clinton, Barack Obama certainly leans toward that direction and would certainly qualify under the persona of "service about self".

So, as citizens of the United States, we desperately need to make an intelligent heavily weighed decision. Do we want a president serving our country with our best interest at heart and prepared to put our needs first or a president driven by a need to be in power who will do or say anything necessary to achieve that position?

McCain Can't Type! So What?

I'm confused by the Obama campaign television ad that portrays John McCain as being "out of touch" with voters because of his lack of computer skills. I didn't realize that knowing how to send email was a prerequisite for the presidency. Has Senator Obama pondered whether Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan or either George Bush possessed excellent typing skills? Was President Clinton proficient at email or did he delegate those online activities to his VP, Mr. Gore, the self proclaimed inventor of the internet.

My father-in-law, the pastor of a small church and at 72 the same age as McCain, knows little about computers or email. Is he unfit for ministry? In my opinion, good management relies more on the proper delegation of authority rather than computer aptitude. On the other hand, I've met more than one proficient computer wizard who, although quite adept at gaming, was still very much "out of touch" with the average voter.

Additionally, are the Obamites aware that the abuse Senator McCain suffered during captivity in Viet Nam renders him nearly incapable of operating a computer or using email. So Mr. Obama, are you smearing a man for being "out of touch" with voters or ridiculing a man's handicap. Would you belittle a paraplegic for being "out of touch" with sprinters or a blind man for being "out of touch" with librarians? I think not!


In Obama-land, Franklin Roosevelt would have been unfit for presidency, Stephen Hawking would be unfit to lecture, and many war vets would be unfit for life. But wait a minute, this isn't Obama-land, it's the United States of America, where all men (and women) were created equal, there is opportunity for all, and people are not judged because of their handicap. And if they were, Senator Obama, you would most definitely be "out of touch" with bowling voters!

Senator McCain, if you can't type or email, that's alright. We the people are more concerned with your ability to protect us from terrorism, a poor economy, and a democratic Congress that likes to waste our money. And Mr. Obama, if you're such a skilled typist, I'm sure President McCain could use a good secretary.

Less of the Same

How many times have we listened to Barack Obama's recitation, "John McCain is another 4 years of George Bush. It's just more of the same." I don't understand the mantra. In the Republican party, fewer members differ on issues as greatly as McCain and Bush. Yes, they are both pro-life and believe in less big government but on other issues, there are considerable differences. McCain supports embrionic stem cell research, Bush does not. There views are also quite different on illegal immigration, taxes, government spending, treatment of native Americans and gun control. Seems like less of the same to me. Throw Sarah Palin into the mix and the differences increase.

When Senator McCain announced Sarah Palin, a Washington outsider, as his running mate, the repsonse from the Obama camp was, “Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” quipped Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.

Zero Foreign Policy Experience?

Exactly where did Senator Obama receive his foreign policy experience? I can't see where he has any more than zero. And it seems to me, that as governor of a state that borders two countries, Russia and Canada, Governor Palin must utilize a fair amount of diplomacy.

How do Sarah Palin's views on big issues differ from both Bush and John McCain?

On Abortion:

Palin probably feels more strongly about overturning Roe vs. Wade than either Bush or McCain. McCain appears somewhat ambiguous on the issue. He feels that the supreme court ruling should be made irrelevant but not repealed. Obama is certainly the least compassionate candidate on abortion. In the senate, he supported both partial birth and live birth abortions. Personally, I don't see how a baby born from a botched abortion could be left in a room to die and that not be considered murder.

On the Agenda of Big Oil
An oil man himself, George Bush certainly supports the agenda of big oil. But does Sarah Palin? Her serving as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission led to the resignation of both Randy Reudrich, head of the Alaskan Republican Party, and former Alaska attorney general, Greg Renkes. from the commission due to conflicts of interest in both cases. Sarah Palin shows no fear of either corruption in her own party or big oil. That's a very big case of "less of the same". John McCain seems to favor advancements in nuclear power technology rather than catering to big oil. Additional investment in solar and wind turbine technologies also rank high on his priority list, unlike President Bush.

Failed Economic Policies
Both John McCain and Sarah Palin seem more reminiscent of Ronald Reagan than George Bush in this arena. McCain learned many lessons in economic policy from President Reagan and his staff during his early years in office and seems to carry that knowledge forward. Both McCain and Palin vow to veto bills laden with "pork barrel" spending and distribute excesses to the citizens. Palin has already done this in Alaska with excess revenue from oil and gas taxes.

In my opinion, I don't see any of this as "more of the same"! Both candidates, Obama and McCain propose change, and I believe regardless of who is elected, change is what will see. Keep in mind though, that change is not always good.

When Joe Biden enters the picture, I see quite a bit of "more of the same". Do we need more of the same rhetoric, wasteful spending, higher taxes, big government, liberalism, and erosion of the country's moral fabric? I view the mentor/student relationship between McCain and Palin as perfectly normal but with Biden coaching Obama, don't we get another four years of Cheney and Bush?

Lipstick on a Pig: Where's the Pork?

"You can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said as the crowd cheered. "It's still a pig."
"You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still gonna stink."
"We've had enough of the same old thing."

Barack Obama's sexist faux pas may cost him an election. Whether or not he aimed that double barreled shot gun at Sarah Palin, his crowd certainly understood it that way. And if unintentional, is Obama not astute enough to cover the misunderstanding? Of course he meant it as a dig on Palin. Maybe it's alright in Indonesia to call a woman a pig or remark that she smells like a fish but my Momma said it's not o.k. in the good ole U.S. of A.

I believe the reactor fueling the democratic national campaign malfunctioned and is now suffering from meltdown. I'm certain the democratic strategists devised a plan to counteract two Washington "good ole boys" like John McCain and anyone else but they've lost their marbles in attempting to overcome the popularity of Sarah Palin. Within 48 hours, we heard the pig and fish comments from Obama, Carol Fowler's comment that McCain chose a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion” and possibly the most insane from Tennessee Rep Steve Cohen, “Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus, who our minister prayed about. Pontius Pilate was a governor.” How many voters were alienated during those two days?

The democrats recent attacks also focus on earmark funding, or "pork barrel" spending. Keep in mind that mayors and governors approve none of these funds, they are approved by Congress. Barack Obama and Joe Biden both voted to approve the Ketchikan Bridge, or "bridge to nowhere" defeating a motion proposed by Senator Tom Coburn to shift those funds to Hurricane Katrina relief. For the record, John McCain has never, in 28 years in office, supported earmark funding and proposes to abolish it if elected. Last year, Obama requested $311 million in earmark funds and Biden $120 million for their respective constituenticies, Illinois and Delaware. McCain has voted 0% of the time to approve earmark spending, opposed to Obama's 90% approval of pork barrel spending and astonishingly, Joe Biden has supported wasteful spending 100% of the time during his 35 years in office!

So, let me ask these questions:

Who's the pig?

Where's the pork?

Who smells fishy?

Palin's Popularity Propels McCain Past Obama

Admittedly, when I first heard of John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, the words "McCain's a moron!" foolishly blurted out of my mouth. Why choose a relatively unknown governor from a remote state when there were so many better choices? Now I must face the facts and realize that I'm the moron!

I now believe that McCain's selection will possibly prove to be one of the best strategically calculated moves in political history. This morning's recently released Gallup poll shows McCain with a 48% - 45% lead over Barack Obama and the first lead since the campaign began. And now that I've eaten crow, who better than Sarah Palin could serve as John McCain's running mate. It certainly doesn't take long to realize that in spite of her short career, Sarah Palin stands as a woman and politician of action. A newcomer who fights corruption in her own party sports larger kahunas than most men in office. With her selection, McCain aligns with Christian fundamentalists that could not have supported a Mormon in Mitt Romney on the ticket or a supporter of gay rights and abortion like Rudy Giuliani, yet still maintains ties with moderates and suburban women in a way that Mike Huckabee could not have accomplished. Regardless of the outcome of Presidential Election 2008, Sarah Palin, at only 44 years of age, faces a possible political career spanning another 30 years or more. Beware liberals - the Barracuda's been unleashed! God bless you Sarah Palin!