another Tuesday another primary

Today is the Florida primary. It's odd that the Dems won't be collecting delegates, or, won't have their delegates seated. The Dems had all agreed they wouldn't campaign here and so local and national news has been covering the Republicans all over the state. It will be interesting to see if that race stays as unformed as the Democratic race appears. It's been quite a while since there was this much tension and excitement in a campaign year. But then, it's been a very long time since there was no incumbent (or V.P. heir apparent). The last time, I think, was 1968, when LBJ declared he would not run and the Democratic field ripped wide open.

Speaking of 1968...Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barak Obama was a bit surprising, but the the thing that was really surprising was how he compared him to his brothers. I don't feel that way about Obama, but if young people today feel the way I did about Robert Kennedy, then I understand the hope and excitement they feel for the future after the confusion and sadness of the past 7 years.

I think I have assumed that young people were too self involved, and too engaged in capitalism to care abut the USA or the world at large. But the way they are reacting to Obama makes me think that they just aren't as pissed off as we were in the sixties, but that doesn't mean they're not turned off. That doesn't mean they don't know it's a bad time for America. And it doesn't mean that they can't change it. Perhaps they just needed to be inspired by someone closer to their age and ideals. Maybe the person had to look a lot different than all those who came before him, for them to even want to listen. Maybe they needed their own prophet and not some recycled one from their parent's youth.

So, if Obama is the RFK for the youth and young adults of America, then hallelujah for them -- all is not lost. I still don't think he has the skills YET to make real his dream and his ambitions. But that is my prerogative to feel that way. That is the privilege of my age. The best thing about America, though, is that we all get one vote, no matter how old, how committed, or how inspired (or not) we are.

I'm rooting for Hillary, but I'm also rooting for the youth of America to make this a better place than it is now.

What Goes Around

Well, you don't always know how long it will take for karma to come slapping back at you, but it always does. I was disappointed and upset with how both democratic candidates behaved in the debate Tuesday night, and then even more disgusted with how the media played with it all week. It culminated in an impressive win for Barak Obama in the South Carolina primary yesterday. It was a "shame on you, you should know better" loss for Hillary.

I hope this brings an end to this kind of volatile, sniping exchanges between those in the same party during this primary season. I really think Clinton paid the price for her heavy handed push back at Obama. We know she's tough. She doesn't have to beat up the altar boy for everyone to know she's tough.

How tough is she? She's Golda Meir tough. She's Margaret Thatcher tough. She's more than tough enough. Now she needs to show that she is also dignified enough.

Another Day

Today I cast my first ever vote for Hillary Clinton. Florida conducts early voting in all primaries, national and state-wide elections. I have taken advantage of this option since its inception. Why fight the crowds? I hope to cast 2 more votes for Hillary Clinton -- in November 2008 and November 2012. After that she can retire at age 72 after a 2 term presidency.

I'm kind of amused at how the talking heads are trying to shape the election. They keep using old tactics to designate what they want to be of most interest to voters. They are frustrated by there being no run-away-from-the-pack front runner, although they would be bored to death if there were. The primaries are all they talk about. It's as if America weren't at war in two countries. They are talking about the economy, but mostly in context of the candidates. They showing film clips of candidates from both parties dissing George W. Cheney, but they aren't dishing Bush themselves.

I was going to write a long rant about politics and the media, but I just got a call from an old friend who gave me two pieces of really good news about 2 people I love very much.

The first is about my longest friend, Marcos. He is well, working his way back to his profession, is single, and has just transferred to Tampa. While I don't go to Tampa enough to get to see him, I am so HAPPY for him that he has made it through his long dark night and landed on his feet. Watching and knowing Marcos has been going through this hard time for these past 6 - 7 years has been painful. There is nothing I could do for him but pray for him and love him. Anything else would not have helped. I had to stand on the sidelines and love him in silence. It's been extremely difficult, and I am so happy he has made his way through it all. I understand the making a new way for himself. I am just filled with love and admiration for him.

The other good news was that Clio got a very good job, a little more money, doing something she loves! I am SO HAPPY FOR HER!!!!!!

Ok, the rant...
...back to Obama. Was I talking about Obama? I watched the National Black Caucus debate the other night. I have to say that I really disliked the tone and energy of the sniping that Clinton and Obama did at the debate. By default, John Edwards looked more mature and was able to stay on his message and get a lot of info about his proposals out there.

I hope that what they did at the debate is the last time they snipe at each other in that way. I think they both are better people than that. That said I would like to comment on some of the things that Obama said, that stuck out to me.

He said he didn't know who he was running against, Hillary or Bill. I don'tknow why the media didn't pick up on that being a negative about him, and not Hillary's campaign tactics. If he doesn't know who he is running against because he is being verbally attacked, how is he going to stand the type of criticism and animosity he would experience as the leader of the free world? It was said in a cute way to dis Hillary, but instead it made him seem as though whatever Bill was doing was working. As Bill is not the candidate, it is clear that Obama is sexist, as he is listening to "the man" and not the rival who's name is on the ballot with his.

The other thing that came out was his voting record while he was in the IL state legislature. He voted 129 times "present." Apparently it is an option in the IL government. His explanation as to why he did that on important bills, including one he introduced into the process, was that he was showing his support for the idea of the bill but not the content of it as it came up for a vote. Even if it made things better, if it wasn't the way he wanted it to be, he wasn't going to vote yes, but wouldn't be so bold as to vote no. The example Hillary gave and Edwards picked up on was a bill to cap off the amount of interest credit card companies could charge. The bill came to vote with a 30% cap. Obama voted "present" because he wanted a lower cap. What Edwards pointed out was that there is now no cap. Credit card companies are free to charge as much as they want, and do, in poor and black communities. So he didn't get what he wanted, but he didn't help make it better either.

The clear message to me is that he wouldn't and couldn't compromise. How can he be President and believe he can turn around a humongous beauracracy like the U.S government without negotiation and compromise with the Congress. Does it mean he will do nothing if he doesn't get his way? Will he stamp his foot too?

He threw mud at Hillary for sitting on the board of Wal-mart (before it was super-duper-mow-down-all-small-businesses-Walmart). She threw mud at him for having a client that is a slum-lord, who, by the way is (still) a major contributor to his campaign. He said he worked on his account for 5 hours. He said it was years ago. What he didn't say was that this same slum lord bought a piece of property next to the house that Obama bought for his family. In 2004. Half of the property was sold to Obama, so he could expand his own property. The guy was under Federal indictment at the time. One who lives in glass house should not throw stones.

I do not have an expectation that candidates be squeaky clean. I would be very suspect of them if they were. (Romney) Politics is a dirty business, and only the dirtiest, shrewdist players get to the top (B. Clinton/George W. Cheney). It's the hipocracy of it I can't stand. It's Obama's attitude that all his foibles are behind him, not part of how he does business to this day. They are not behind him. He should own up to them. If he doesn't they will be thrown in his face, when he least expects it, like they were Monday night. He set out to throw mud at Hillary, and she threw a rock back at him.

I'll say it again...Obama is not ready for the game...or the job.

I'm for Hillary! Still!

It's Primary Day in New Hampshire. This is the real start of the election process as the candidates will now begin amassing delegates to the nominating convention scheduled for August 25th-28th in Denver CO.

My support of Hillary Clinton for president has not wavered one bit as a result of Obama's surge. As a matter of fact, the cult of personality momentum that is building around Obama is beginning to frighten me.

My gut tells me this man is not yet ready for such a heavy load. It feels like ..."be careful what you ask for (people), because you just might get it." If Obama is elected we wind up with a situation we've had for the past 8 years, a President in over his head, allowing those with a stronger, clearer agenda and much better behind the scene skills and connections setting the pace and agenda for his presidency and the nation. This lesson has been chiseled into the historical record by the Chaney led administration of George W. Bush. It's been disastrous for the country on every level imaginable. If we learn nothing else from the last 8 years, let us learn that.

I wish the best for Hillary in this month. I know she will stay in there.

I pray the American people will look beyond the "magic" of Obama and seek answers as to how he intends to accomplish this change he is promising. Lofty goals are easy. Planting a seed of hope after the past 8 years is not so hard. Making them real is the hard part. Making them real in Washington is a monumental task that takes experience, connections, and strong support internally and externally. This is not a government ruled by a President. It is a government ruled by a triumvirate structure, the President being only 1 aspect of that structure. If he (she) does not have the internal support and the connections, and the experience, someone else within the structure will and they will determine the change.

It will change. Nothing stays the same. But will it continue to change in a way that squeezes, endangers and embarrasses the American people or will it change to a climate of support, security and pride for the American people? That's what's at stake in NH today and during the primary period.

Keep going Hillary!

Back to the Grind

Monday morning again. It comes so quick. I would have loved a lazy weekend. I would have loved 48 hours of aloneness and quiet time. I didn't get that. What I got wasn't bad, but it wasn't that.

F and I have a grandson living with us again. Not sure how long it will be. He's a good kid, easy to be around. But it is an additional person here with us. My parents drove through Jax on Saturday on their return from NY. F and I met them at Smokey Bones for lunch. Afterwards she brought T to work and we had a quiet evening and dinner of cheese and crackers. Watched the Jags beat the Steelers (barely). It ended when F had to go pick up T from work. Short, but sweet.

Yesterday was F's birthday. She originally said she wanted to just stay home and be left alone. I insisted that we actually "do" something. I contacted family and friends and made arrangements for a brunch out. Wound up cancelling it and F got her original wish and stayed in all day. She got lots of sleep-in time, alone reading, breakfast in bed, chores done for her, and as much quiet time as she wished. I brought T to work, and brought her home krispy kremes, and she spent about 2 hours working on her bonzai plants out on the deck with the noodles. She said she loved it. F & D came by for a little while, bearing gifts, pizza got delivered, and T came home and a nice evening was had by all.

In a few hours I go back to work, for a full 5 day work week, in a position I'm not liking no matter how hard I try. I try, try, try to like it everyday, and just don't. I do it anyway. I do it anyway. I do it anyway.

That's it for a Monday morning.

Iowa

Last night's Iowa caucuses officially launched election year. I wrote the following predictions in my journal yesterday morning:

Republican
1. Romney
2. McCain
3. Huckabee

And it didn't happen that way. It went Huckabee, Romney, McCain/Thompson. I thought for sure that Huckabee's gafs and apparent lack of knowledge of global politics would do him in. It didn't. My immediate reaction was to think "he'll never get elected!" But then I remembered thinking that with Reagan and more recently with Dubya. Then I felt the thud in my stomach and actually heard myself say "OY" out loud.

Democrat
I had 2 scenarios for the Democrats:
1. Clinton
2. Edwards
3. Obama

or

1. Obama
2. Edwards
3. Clinton

The second scenario was what came to pass. In both scenarios I knew that John Edwards would benefit as a second favorite choice from the 4 or so candidates that would not achieve 15%. It seems that he and Obama both benefited from that peculiar Iowan ritual.

As in the past, the press pays much attention to the winners in Iowa. Only 2 non-incumbents have actually been elected President after winning in Iowa: George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, both incumbents at the time, won Iowa and were re-elected.

So how important is Iowa? It is 5 days important. In five days, the Primary in New Hampshire takes place. Iowa will be a memory. As we move through January there will be 5 primaries, including FL on the 29th, leading up to Super Tues Feb 5th, when 20 states will have their primaries.

The excitement of being an American.

There's Always Room For Jello

The mind, my mind, is a really weird thing. In the course of a day, hundreds, if not thousands, of words, images, phrases, cross my mind. Some of them are so nonsensical, like the title of this blog. Some of them are horrifying, like remembering an awful time in my life, thinking someone is going to die or a plane will crash, or something equally tragic and painful. Sometimes it's a song lyric....

When I as younger
so much younger
than today,
I never needed
anybody's help
in any way.

And now my life
has changed
in oh so many ways,
My independence seems
to vanish in the haze.

There's no reason for me to have thought of this song. I haven't heard it in a long time. It's the opposite of my experience. I don't know why it popped into my head. But there it was.

I have no explanation for many of the things that come into my head. It's like being on a long train ride and looking out the window. The train is moving and the scenery becomes a blur unless I focus on something. Even if I spend a second with it, I will get a clearer picture. It will be something I am aware of.

That's kind of how my mind is. This constant whirring blur, and occassionally something will catch my attention, and I will spend some time with it, until something else catches my attention. While all this is going on I am either eating, working, thinking, watching tv, talking, listening, playing a video game, driving... Sometimes, several of these at once. So, like I said, there's always room for jello.

"Help" lyrics by Lennon/McCartney, published by Northern Songs, Ltd.