I Met Two Presidents in Two Days

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I don't know how many people get to say that... or when i will ever get the chance to meet even ONE other president, but the last two days have been amazing for someone like me who LOVES politics and who is such a big fan of Barack Obama!

by the way, i'm going to throw in the past two days in one HUMONGOUS post because otherwise, one or the other would never get done... as i've been getting about one post done per month for the last few months. I have a post that i barely started two weeks ago still sitting in my drafts that i just haven't had time to write out! :( hopefully, soon... because i definitely want to get it done.

Anyhow, after being hesitant for a few days whether i was even going to attend the political rally where Bill Clinton was coming to rally for Corzine at my own school (Rutgers) because of a long and tiring day, i did end up going right after class... and i had a great time. The waiting line was decently long by the time we got there, and soon it had become much much longer! One thing that surprised me was there were no security checks (considering a former president was going to be present).

I know my brother Ayaz and i were discussing this, and many others feel the same way... but those rallying for Corzine seem to be doing a better job for him than Corzine is himself. and of course, Clinton is a great speaker as it is.

On a sidenote, after the event my brother and I met a reporter/fellow tweep (one uses twitter) Mike Memoli and it was so interesting to meet someone you communicate with online! We saw and talked with him at the Clinton/Corzine and the Obama/Corzine event (and met his sister and nephew there too).

Until attending the Clinton/Corzine rally, i was 100 percent sure that i was absolutely not going to be attending the Obama/Corzine rally the following day at FDU because of work, school work, and whatnot. But then, after the Clinton/Corzine rally...i realized no matter how much else was going... they could all take a back seat, because who knows when i would get such an amazing opportunity again in my life (or if i would ever!).

Luckily, i have no classes on Wednesday and was able to get someone to cover my shift at work on campus. I am SO SO SO glad i convinced myself to go!

Ayaz and I left home around 12ish (it was about 40 - 50 minute drive without traffic to get to Farleigh Dickinson University) and doors opened at 3 PM. We got there around 1:15ish i would say, and somehow, there were no real lines of any sorts and we were lucky enough to get to the front of the line!! To think that i wasn't even going to go, and then i ended up in the front row!!! (Can you tell how great of a time i had? :) )

One of the many speakers before we finally hear from Obama, was freeholder/reverend Vernon Walton (the first African-American to serve as a Bergen County Freeholder). He was a great speaker and he was amazing at getting the crowd going and was definitely a tough act to follow. he was probably my favorite speaker, aside from Obama of course, from last night.



Oh, and a last minute addition to the rally was Caroline Kennedy. most of the crowd had no idea she was also going to be one of the notable speakers that we would witness, but my brother and i got a heads-up from the reporter Mike Memoli that we follow on twitter. While Weinburg teased the unknowing audience about the "she" that was about to speak, we already knew all thanks to technology. :)

Caroline Kennedy received a much deserved standing ovation. Like so many others, I've had a natural interest in the Kennedy family and the tragedies that have struck their family. and no matter what your political philosophies are, Caroline Kennedy comes of as "real" and comes off to be just one of us. Furthermore, what Ted Kennedy did throughout his life for healthcare was amazing, and hopefully the fight will continue.



It's scary/sad to think of how many people are not covered by health insurance... and how many of those people are little helpless kids! Education and Healthcare issues are two of the main ones that i am especially concerned with. It's nice to hear the politicians hear about what "they are going to do", but it'll be even nicer to see some action being taken.

I'm no huge fan of Corzine (i haven't researched him enough to be one) but some of the things Christie is against, is so hard to believe! I can't believe anyone would be against things such as having a 2 day hospital stay for new mothers, having mandated mammograms, and funding for education. If we elect Christie, that's taking some major steps backwards. Christie wants to make it not mandatory for healthcare insurance providers to cover mammograms!!!! can you believe that?? who could be against such things! especially when breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for females!!! not only that, but Christie also wants to cut funding for early education... because he thinks preschool is "babysitting". can you hear my frustration??

Anyways, getting back to the rally, talking about Caroline Kennedy reminds me of one of the funny moment as we waited for the "real" speeches. one of the secret service agents brought out a black portfolio to the podium that i am assuming was carrying Obama's speech and the crowd was so anxious, that the secret service agent got a huge ovation from the crowd for simply bringing the portfolio out to the podium and walk back to the back area. the agent just smiled, shook his head, and headed back out. The pretty cool DJ promoted a second wave of cheers/applause from the crowd for him too. :)

here's Caroline's speech:


Loretta Weinberg spoke before Caroline Kennedy and Jon Corzine spoke after Caroline Kennedy. Weinberg's speech was the same as the one from the night before at Rutgers. Corzine started off by saying he'll keep his speech short because he knew the real reason we were all here was to listen to Obama. Obama, of course, spoke last. i think one of the best techniques Corzine has been doing lately is linking Christie to Palin - that's ingenious right there and anyone with half a brain will negate them. the latest polls (from today) show Corzine leading by a three point margin (very small)... but this is the first time he's been leading for a while. all of the powerful speakers this week have definitely helped Corzine, undoubtedly.



by the way, did you guys know Corzine's mom is a registered republican?? i had no idea until Corzine mentioned that yesterday!

Obama came out to a loud and cheering audience, of course... and the atmosphere was amazing. and it only got better as Obama spoke. I've said it many times before - Obama is a great, inspirational, and eloquent speaker... and even more so in person! Ayaz and i were so lucky to meet him from so close up, and shake hands with him! I truly believe he has the potential to make a big difference for the country.

I've heard the "fired up" story many times before, but i heard it again last night live as Obama ended with the story (and i was wearing my 'fired up' shirt too!). it's one of those things that never get old. Obama said the moral of the "fired up" story was that "one voice can change a room...and if can change a room it can change a city... and if it can change a city, it can change a state...and if it can change a state, then it can change a country...". Obama, intelligently, connected this with urging each of us individually to go out there and knock on some doors, call some people, get our friends/family/neighbors out to vote, etc because we could make the difference.





this next image shows just how close we got:


also, during Obama's speech... near the center in the front row alone we had three girls "faint" in the same general section. i found that really weird, but the secret service just came in and carried each of the girls out as it happened.

here's obama's speech btw:


I know i would have regretted it later had i not gone to either of the events (ESPECIALLY the Obama event)! This is a pretty long post as it is, but i'll probably add more thoughts to this as i remember more things.

These past two days have been pretty amazing... and one of those things i'll remember forever!

UPDATE: this post is as long as a 5 page essay! to think how productive i could have been school-wise today! :( :)

Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Obama Win is "Victory" for the Country

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The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck (the only Republican of the 5 hosts) responds (surprisingly well)to Obama's victory. I have to give credit to Elisabeth for her response.

Election 2008 Political Cartoon from XKCD

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I got the following political cartoon from XKCD .. and I couldn't agree more.



At least for the first few days you are watching the results and what not.. but it will be really weird after that without a doubt.

Palin Reponds to Election 2008, Remarks about 2012

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Palin's remarks on Election 2008 and possibility of a 2012 bid for President. Palin says: "Right now I cannot even imagine running for national office in 2012".

McCain's Concession Speech for Election 2008

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You can watch McCain's concession speech here:


Here's the transcript for his speech:

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.


My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.


A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him. VideoWatch McCain's speech »


To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.


In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.


This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.


I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.


But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.


A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.


America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.


Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.


Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.


Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.


These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.


I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.


Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.


It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.


We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.


I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.


The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.


I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.


I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.


You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.


All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.


I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, her husband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.


We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.


To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.


I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.


This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend Sen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.


I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.


Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.


Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama -- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.


I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.


Americans never quit. We never surrender.


We never hide from history. We make history.


Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Barack Obama's President-Elect Victory Speech

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Obama's victory speech from tonight:



Here's the transcript from Obama's Speech:

Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

President Obama!

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Barack Obama officially wins Election 2008 to become the 44th President of the United States!

I, along with millions and millions of people, just witnessed history in the making.

Live Blogging - Election 2008

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Thursday November 6th; Obama wins North Carolina! Final Electoral College numbers: Obama 364 - McCain 174.

Wednesday November 5th; 9:02 AM - McCain is the "apparent" winner of Missouri. Obama 349 - McCain 174.

From whats left over - Obama wins Indiana. McCain wins Montana and Alaska. Obama 349 - McCain 163. North Carolina and Missouri are still too close to call ! Not that it matters anymore, but I still want to know.

11:25 PM - McCain wins Arizona. Obama 338 - McCain 157.

11:22 PM - Obama wins Hawaii, California, Washington, Nevada and Oregon. McCain wins Idaho, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Obama 338 - McCain 147.

11:16 PM - Obama wins Florida. Obama 256 - McCain 125.

11:11 PM - Obama wins Colorado. Obama 229 - McCain 135.

11:00 PM - MSNBC and CNN announce Obama as President-elect!!!!!!

10:58 PM - Obama wins Virginia. Obama 220 - McCain 135.

10:09 PM - McCain wins Mississippi. Obama 207 - McCain 135.

10:00 PM - Obama wins Iowa. McCain wins Utah and Kansas. Obama 207- McCain 129. Nebraska and South Dakota are still too early to call.

9:55 PM - McCain wins Texas. :( Obama 200 - McCain 118.

With a definite Obama win for California, Oregon and Washington -- we will be at at least +3 in electoral votes. We now unofficially have the first African American President-elect.

9:31 PM - Obama wins New Mexico. Obama 200 McCain - 84.

9:26 PM - McCain wins Louisiana. :( Obama 195 - McCain 84.

9:23 PM - McCain wins West Virginia. :( Obama 195 - McCain 75.

9:22 PM - Obama wins OHIO. Obama 195 - McCain 70. No republican has gone on to become president if they lost Ohio. Woohoo! AND Ohio is a red state that Obama flipped!

9:07 PM - McCain wins Arkansas. :( Obama 175 - McCain 70.

9 PM - Obama wins Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
McCain wins Wyoming, and North Dakota. North Dakota is the first toss up to be called.

Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraka, Ohio are too early to call. Arizona is too early to be called. :) Florida and North Carolina are still to chose to call.
175 - 64. McCain needs to go 7 - 0 in order to have a chance to win.

8:36 PM - McCain wins Georgia. :( 103 - 58.

8:33 PM - McCain wins Alabama. :(

8:30 PM - Arkansas is too early to call.

8 PM - Obama wins PENNSYLVANIA, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Delaware, District of Columbia. :)

McCain wins Tennessee, Oklahoma. :(

Missouri, Alabama, Mississipi is too close to call. Whoever has won Missouri in the past, has usually won the presidency.

Obama 103; McCain 34

7:46 PM - McCain wins South Carolina. :(

7:30 PM - polls close in North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia, but cannot project as it is "too early to call".

7 PM - McCain wins Kentucky, Obama wins Vermont. Unable to call Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, and Virginia.

McCain 8; Obama 3

How about CNN's holograms, huh? Pretty neat.

Hyder Election Headquarters

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o we are having our own little election party at our house -- and here's a picture of the Hyder Election Headquarters:

Dixville Notch, New Hampshire Votes

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Woohoo!

In Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, 100 percent of registered voters -- all 21 of them -- cast their ballots just after midnight in the first moments of Tuesday morning. For the first time in 40 years, the town voted Democratic in the presidential election, 15 to 6.

On a side note, record numbers of people have already cast ballots in early voting. As of Monday, more than 24 million voters had voted. Election experts predicted more than a third of the electorate would have voted before the polls opened on Election Day.

I'm Fired Up ... He's Ready to Go

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I've been saving this shirt to wear for election day and i think this shirt says it all, in my opinion:

The front of the shirt:The back of the shirt:

"Let the Issues be the Issue"

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So I saw this earlier on the news and thought it was great.


The caption says it all: "Let the issues be the issue" and not a race election based on the races of the candidates.

With One Day Left

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With one day left , I urge you to exercise your right to vote in the election! Not only is the presidency at stake, but local elections are too.

Tomorrow is definitely going to by an exciting day.. and I can't wait! :)

On a much sadder side note, Barack Obama's maternal grandmother Madelyn Payne Dunham passed away today after a long battle with cancer. In a joint statement that was released, Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng said:

She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility,"

"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."

Obama and Soetoro-Ng asked that donations be made for the search for a cure for cancer in lieu of flowers

McCain Stood Up By "Joe the Plumber"

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And it gets even better - almost too good to be true.

"Joe the Plumber" didn't even show up to the rally he was supposed to be at with McCain. McCain's aides that "he decided not to come" and may show up later in the day, but when CNN's Mary Snow talked to Joe, he said:

it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher [AKA "Joe the Plumber"] said nobody from the McCain campaign confirmed he was attending the event and called the incident a "miscommunication."

He also told Snow that he had no plans to meet with up with McCain later.

When CNN contacted him a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place and that he would now try to meet up with McCain later in the day.

Here's the original article.

Decision '08

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Using this "Decision '08" Widget, you can watch the 2008 presidential results roll in and get real-time election results on Nov. 4! You can see the electoral vote count and the congressional balance of power with the national U.S. map or choose a state and see how individual counties are voting. As soon as either McCain or Obama is declared the winner, you’ll know!

Obama's 30 Minute Ad

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Today, Obama's 30 minute ad aired tonight on a few of the major news channels.
If you missed it, here it is:


Less than 6 days until the most historic/exciting election in our lifetime.

"Joe the Plumber" Has No Plumbing License

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Too good to be true? The [Toledo] Blade reports that Joe Wurzelbacher - or "Joe the Plumber" as we now know him has said he doesn't even have a plumbing license and that he doesn't need one because he works for someone else - Newell Plumbing & Heating Co. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell’s license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work. Furthermore, he is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio, which means he’s not a plumber.

Anyone that watched the third presidential dabate last night noticed how many times "Joe the Plumber" was brought up by McCain. McCain kept bringing using "Joe the Plumber" as an example in the debate of someone who wants to buy a plumbing business would be hurt by Barack Obama's tax plans, even though Obama's plan would tax less than McCain's in reality.

Another fact check by CNN showed that a recent study indicated that 100% of McCain's ads had been "advertisements attacking Barack Obama", which McCain denied last night at debate

I really wanted to blog about my thoughts about each of the debates - but time just didn't allow for that. 18 days until the election! I am definitely going to miss the excitement of the election season - it's been like no other.

DNC

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The Democratic National Convention at its best in review:

Monday, Day One:

Jesse Jackson Jr. (from Illinois): He was great! His speech was great and so was his delivery. My favorite part was right at the beginning of his speech:

"On the day President Johnson submitted the Voting Rights Act to Congress, he said, “At times, history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for freedom.”


So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was at Appomattox. So it was in Selma, Alabama. Tonight, I would like to add: and so it shall be in Denver, Colorado, with the nomination of Barack Obama to be President of the United States."

Caroline Kennedy: She's a Kennedy - what can I say? That alone makes her a favorite.

Senator Edward Kennedy's appearance was a great part of tonight's events. A quote to remember from him tonight: "This November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans... The work begins anew. The hope rises again and the dream lives on". We all wish him well in his recovery.

Michelle Obama being the eloquent speaker she is, was absolutely amazing. She spoke passionately and portrayed her story well. Her energy, enthusiasm and just the way she presents her self says so much about the type of person she is.

She stressed her and Barack Obama's middle-class backgrounds, saying they both:

“were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.”

Click here to read her whole speech.

Tuesday, Day Two:

Dennis Kucinich's theme : WAKE UP AMERICA! Kucinich slammed the Bush administration, saying, "If there were an Olympics for misleading, mismanaging and misappropriating, this administration would take the gold. ... We cannot afford another Republican administration." He definitely was energetic and his speech definitely got the crowd going.

Janet Napolitano: The quote to remember from her speech:

"Arizonans are also proud of their political tradition, from Barry Goldwater to Mo Udall to Bruce Babbitt. There’s a pattern here. Barry Goldwater ran for president and he lost. Mo Udall ran for president. He lost. Bruce Babbitt ran for president. And he lost. Speaking for myself, and for at least this coming election, this is one Arizona tradition I’d like to see continue!"

Hillary Clinton: It was of course the anniversary of when women were allowed to vote, so it was historic in more than one way. "No way. No how. No McCain." She did well and her enthusiasm was greatly presented...whether it was real or not. In the end, you do have to give her credit for her campaign as she did amazing. Click here to read what she said.

Wednesday, Day Three:

As the roll call was continuing and came to the State of New York, Hillary Clinton asked to cut the roll call short saying,

"With eyes firmly fixed on the future, and in the spirit of unity with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let's declare together with one voice right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president."

To which, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California asked the crowd which consisted of more than 4400 delegates: "Is there a second?" ... which of course resulted in a roar of approval. Pelosi officially adopted the motion which of course officially ended the competition between Clinton and Obama.

Bill Clinton: Whatever his personal opinion is for real, all that really matters is that he let on his approval for Obama in his speech. He got the crowd going and highlighted some of Obama's positive points and that's all that was really expected of him. Click here to read the transcript of his speech.

Beau Biden: He's the son of Joe Biden, and he was an amazing speaker. He talked a lot about losing his mom and baby sister and what type of father Joe Biden is and about Joe's second wife, Jill. My favorite part from his speech, even though it was all great was after he explained about the deaths and then said:

I was just short of 4 years old. One of my earliest memories was being in that hospital, Dad always at our side. We, not the Senate, were all he cared about.


He decided not to take the oath of office. He said, “Delaware can get another senator, but my boys can’t get another father.” ...So he was sworn in, in the hospital, at my bedside. As a single parent, he decided to be there to put us to bed, to be there when we woke from a bad dream, to make us breakfast, so he’d travel to and from Washington, four hours a day.


Five years later, we married my mom, Jill. They together rebuilt our family. And 36 years later, he still makes that trip. So even though Dad worked in Washington, he’s never been part of Washington. He always sounded like the kid from Scranton, Pennsylvania, he is. And even that is a story of overcoming.

I know I am big on sentimental things, but come on.. anyone with a heart felt how real their family is.

Joseph Biden: I was wary of Biden when I first heard of Biden as the V.P. pick because I didn't know a lot about him and because of his comments (very derogatory .. and even some towards Obama) earlier, but I am definitely warming up to him. Either way, he's a part of the ticket for the democrats back into the White House, so I'll take it.

Anyhow, from Joe Biden's speech at the convention, my favorite part was:

These are common stories among middle-class people who worked hard and played by the rules on the promise that their tomorrows would be better than their yesterdays.


That promise is the bedrock of America. It defines who we are as a people. And now it’s in jeopardy. I know it. You know it. But John McCain doesn’t get it.


Barack Obama gets it. Like many of us, Barack worked his way up. His is a great American story.

At the end of Biden's speech.. Obama surprised us by showing up.. which like never happens (as the candidate usually waits until the fourth and final day to address the crowd). Too bad the surprise was ruined for me earlier because news reports spoiled it.

Thursday, Day Four:

Al Gore: Gore did his part to talk about the dangers of global warming and I firmly believe Obama needs to pay more attention to that factor as well.. both candidates do actually.

My favorite part of Gore's speech:

Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them. The same policies all over again?


Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.

Barack Obama: It was the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. There were like over 90,000 people packed into the Invesco Field to watch Obama's speech. He is such a great speaker and brings people to awe.. and I keep hoping he'll be able to deliver as well.

I don't even know what to use as my favorite part, so I'll do what I thought was the most powerful part in his delivery:

Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."

What an amazing week! Actually what a month - first 16 days of Olympics and then to top it off, the DNC.. too bad it's all downhill from here with school starting on Tuesday.

Obama Officially Announces His V.P Candidate

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The long awaited day FINALLY (and I stress on the finally) arrived as Obama officially (and personally) revealed his Vice President candidate: Joe Biden from Delaware.

We definitely didn't first hear the news from his campaign.. even though I did get the news from a text message - but I got it from CNN.

I am not sure what to think of Biden as the V.P. candidate yet, so I definitely have to read up on him before I make an impression. From the looks of it from their first joint rally earlier this afternoon, Biden's enthusiasm definitely matches that of Obama's.

Apparently Biden found out on Thursday that he was picked to be the V.P, so the secret was held for... not even 24 hours.

Anyhow, here are some excerpts from today's rally:

Barack Obama formally announcing Joe Biden as his running mate:

"I’ve searched for a leader to finish this journey alongside me, and to join in me in making Washington work for the American people. I searched for a leader who understands the rising costs confronting working people, and who will always put their dreams first," Obama said. "A leader who sees clearly the challenges facing America in a changing world, with our security and standing set back by eight years of a failed foreign policy. A leader who shares my vision of an open government that calls all citizens – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – to a common purpose. Above all, I searched for a leader who is ready to step in and be President."

"Today, I have come back to Springfield to tell you that I’ve found that leader – a man with a distinguished record and a fundamental decency – Joe Biden. "

Biden:

"President Lincoln once instructed us to be sure to put your feet in the right place and then stand firm," said Biden, a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, whose working-class roots and foreign policy experience Democrats hope will help Obama. "Today in Springfield I know my feet are in the right place and I'm proud to stand firm with the next president of the United States of America, Barack Obama."

Biden taking a shot at McCain's house gaffe (and a good one, I might add):

Ladies and gentlemen, your kitchen table is like mine. You sit there at night before you put the kids -- after you put the kids to bed and you talk, you talk about what you need. You talk about how much you are worried about being able to pay the bills. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's not a worry John McCain has to worry about. It's a pretty hard experience. He'll have to figure out which of the seven kitchen tables to sit at.

Click here to read the whole transcript of what Obama said at the rally and click here to read Biden's remarks.

And the V.P is...

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"CNN confirms Sen. Barack Obama has chosen Delaware Sen. Joe Biden to be his vice-presidential running mate."