The Devil's in Denver

So, have you heard the talk about Obama being the devil? Amusing and interesting to ponder, like UFOs, but I'm not a subscriber. The emotion that follows "his holiness" is telling, however, and the just plain down to earth nature of McCain and his campaign is catching on.

It's kind of like falling in love. At the beginning you can't stop looking into his or her eyes, your heart races, you are enthralled by every word coming out of their mouth and the sound of their voice because it's all so new, and interesting. You would cheerlead your mate to the end of the earth because you believe in them and they make you feel so, complete.

Somehow though, the pheromones wear off a bit over time and the cool way they looked in those jeans and the sound of their voice doesn't quite have the same effect anymore, perhaps overshadowed by the belching, snoring, and constant nagging they started to do after you spent more time together. You still care about them, maybe even still love them, but the halo they wore is gone and realism of life with this person sinks in.

This is where McCain wins. He's 71. He's nearly bald, and he's disabled from the torture he suffered at the hands of the North Vietnamese after five plus years in a prison camp. He's a brusque speaker who overuses the phrase, "my friends," too much. He's straight talk, love it or leave it, he's not pretentious or overly vague in trying to please everyone. He's REAL.

It has been my experience that most voters would rather know what a candidate stood for, and maybe not agree with all of it, but not risk surprise once that person is elected, than go for something warm, fuzzy, and non-concrete because the risk of the unknown is just not something the American people favor.

Are the voters in this country waking up? I think so. Do not let Nobama's honeymoon in Denver scare you. It's temporary and his last moment to bask in the sun. Fall is coming and with it, the seriousness of a fact laden decision for the American people. Yes, Obama still looks great in that suit, but it really is empty.

John v. Messiah Obama

So now it's pretty much official. Did you catch Hillary's non-concession speech? Obama says it's "our time"...yup, it is, but not for his people. (no, that's not a racist comment, it's partisan...) Oh, he's got them on their feet..."this is the time..." to, "remake this great nation?" I agree it's pretty great, but I don't think it needs remaking, it's government that needs remaking. It's so great that Obama was able to learn these fantastic oratory skills from Reverend Wright during the time he was Obama's spiritual advisor, but what substance does Obama give us, that he can actually deliver?

This man will grow the government and raise our taxes. He will pull us out of a war that will leave the middle east in an even more precarious position in the world that will greatly decrease our security here at home. Does anyone remember terror training camps? Did you see the videos? Yes we all want the war to be over because no one wants any more young people killed, but God Bless them for volunteering to do this dangerous job to protect our interests, security and FREEDOM. McCain, I believe, will have a far more safer strategy to end the war in a fashion that will not further subject us to increased terror acts. And taxes? McCain wants me and my family to be able to keep more of our money so we can use it in the marketplace, either spending or creating jobs, and that's exactly what we will do with it if we have it...

So, think carefully. This is really no choice. I have no problems with new folks coming in with new ideas but not when they include higher taxes and knee jerk withdrawals from a war zone...it's all too important to try to "change" things at this point.

Washington State Republican Convention: The Postmortem

I now need a vacation. Half an hour in the hot tub and a couple of margaritas haven't made me whole yet, so I'm thinking jumping a plane where there are no politics for at least 48 hours will probably aid my psyche.

I come to you now several hours after the close of the Washington State Republican Convention, which I expect, will go down in history as one of the most contentious, interesting, and for some, disappointing conventions that Washington has seen. I'm not an old timer, but I've participated before, and while we all expected fireworks, it was disappointing to see how some of our delegates chose to exercise their privilege to serve.

I saw several cars decked out with "Ron Paul Revolution" bumper stickers and paint on their windows while on the way here and it was clear from all of the earpieces, hand over mouth conversations back and forth that much plotting had taken place in an attempt to not just be heard, but to take over the convention and make a mockery of it. They cried, screamed, called other delegates names, and I was personally called a traitor by someone I had not even looked at much less spoken to. GET THIS....you all constitute a minority. A vocal minority, and we all heard you, can still hear you, and will continue to hear you for some time to come as I am certain you are not all going to just fade away, but will maintain a solid presence in our political landscape. But, you are still a MINORITY. What this means, is if you have fewer votes on an issue YOU LOSE! Get over it and move on....

We spent two days with delegates using "points of order" to actually make speeches on their issues and it wasted so much time. They were indulged in an effort to allow them to be heard and educate them as to the process. These people spent so much time reading Robert's Rules of Orders but their application of obscure rules to attempt to get their way during on a specific issue was embarassing. The first day when a delegate yelled at our State Chairman, Luke Esser, and demanded to know if he "was from Acorn..." (a group that was recently found in Federal Court to have had employees that filed fraudulent voter registrations in WA), I was on my feet yelling. I believe in decorum, but it was absolutely lost at that moment.

Some Ron Paul folks did try to keep things intact, one that I recall went to the microphone and using a "point of personal privilege" thanked our permanent chair, Kirby Wilbur, for being fair and keeping order. Not long after this, however, things got dicey. I had to leave the floor for a while and when I returned there appeared to be a mass exodus from the convention floor, consisting mostly of people carrying McCain signs. I re-entered the floor to retrieve some of my belongings as I had to leave again shortly to meet my family and it appeared that the resolution process had been grueling, the convention was to close in about an hour, and the nonsense level of the resolutions being offered was getting higher and higher. McCain delegates were leaving the floor in an attempt to defeat quorum so that the remaining delegates would be unable to conduct any further business. There were 67 resolutions submitted.....Soon strains of patriotic songs came echoing out into the hallway....it all became a bit Fellini-esque. McCain delegates returned to the floor to participate only to find very disgruntled and in some cases downright angry Paul delegates. See, they liked using Parliamentary procedure to gum up the works to this point, but when the rules were used to discourage them they just became HOSTILE. These are the rules folks, and while frustrating to their purpose, it was all perfectly legal....

After a floor count was taken and quorum was declared, I had to leave again, but I received word later from a colleague that voting went on for another hour and finally a vote was taken to cease business and it passed. There are hundreds of confused, sad, angry, exhausted delegates on their way home soon to ponder this experience and my hope for them all is this:
Learn from this experience and if you feel unhappy or disappointed figure out a way that
can solve your disappointment the next time around while maintaining order, respect, and
provide some heightened unity for the body.
The simple fact that I take from this convention is something I have known forever...you can not get a room full of over 1,600 people to agree on anything. The fact that you can get a majority to agree on some things is a fantastic feat and is the best we can do in any situation of this kind. To cram something down the throat of your neighbor will never cause a thinking person to join your cause, only to think of you as an ignorant soul who must resort to yelling and finger pointing to make a point. As one of my dinner mates said the other night, "being obnoxious is not cute."

I applaud and treasure our right to speak freely on ideas, especially political speech, but to lower ourselves to name calling on the convention floor is simply unacceptable. I hope that we never have to see this kind of debate again, but it certainly is a weekend I will never forget!

And now? Well, I simply can not wait for the dems in Denver...I am certain that no matter what we did here in Spokane, we would have a hard time beating the democrats at their own game...

Washington State Republican Convention

Coming to you from Spokane...I just checked in for the state convention. Rumor has it that Ron Paul's folks are planning something big and judging by all the "Ron Paul Revolution" marked cars I saw on my way here from the western half of the state I'd say we're in for a rolicking ride.

Don't get me wrong...some of Ron Paul's ideas aren't far from my own. I consider myself pro-life, tough on illegal immigration, (and it is illegal not undocumented), adamant about the individual right to bear arms protected under the Second Amendment, and a few other areas, but the isolationist anti-war position Paul takes I believe is completely unrealistic in the current "world community" we live in.

I heard Senator McCain today on Michael Medved's show. It was a fairly planned interview I think as Michael appeared to have set questions and there seemed to be an allotted time for the interview that allowed the Senator to give detailed, yet brief answers. McCain has it right on two extremely important topics; judges and the war.

I became politically active after 9/11 when I realized how vulnerable we were as a nation and how much people want to kill us. As I held my baby daughter in my bed and watched the World Trade Towers crumble I vowed to her and my other daughters that I would do what I could to assure they did not grow up in a world where they had to fear leaving the house, going to school, or any other public place, at least in our own country. Senator McCain understands the threat we face in this area and I believe is adamant about fighting this threat to ensure that this country continues to be the land of the free.

He has it right on judges too. One of the few places a President can really impact social policies in this country is to appoint judges that lean one way or another. I don't mean Republican or Democratic, although that might have something to do with it in the end, but I mean their judicial philosophy. There are judges who look at the facts before them, decide what a fair outcome would be, then tailor their opinion using existing law, no matter how loosely it fits the facts at hand, and crafts an opinion that tries to connect the law to the facts so that the desired outcome is met. This is judicial activism, or as some call it, "legislating from the bench."

Other judges, recognize their job is to review the facts, then the law, make a secure fit, and declare, (in the case of the Supreme Court), whether or not the issue at hand is Constitutional or not. They don't try to make it fit....Justices Alito, Thomas, Scalia and Roberts are our current Supreme Court Justices that fit this mold, and if you read the Constitution you will find that this model is what the framers and ratifiers of the Constitution had in mind.

As Republicans, we are all here together to nominate our State's nominees for office, and we should be putting our differences away to support the presumptive nominee for President, Senator John McCain. Do I agree with him on everything? Absolutely not. But I can see where our values meet and travel down the same road, and as a conservative within the party, I look forward to communicating with him and his staff to remind him of what conservatives stand for, and to ask him for support.

He's our nominee folks. I appreciate all the enthusiasm that comes from other corners, but please don't disrupt the business we are all here to do.

Memorial Day

Apologies for the absence. My mother was in the hospital and she, thankfully, has returned home in better health than she enjoyed before. The experience, however, for those of you that haven't gone through this kind of thing, leaves you exhausted, and behind.

This Memorial Day I planned nothing special. Laundry. It's been a while since I had done any for myself, did I mention I fell behind on everything recently? My nineteen year old daughter surprised us all with a family movie afternoon and chose, for this Memorial Day, Top Gun for our viewing pleasure.

Some background here....I met and was dating my husband during the time when this movie was released. He was not a Naval Aviator, but a Naval Submariner, and I remember the pride of our forces and especially of our sailors ran very high in those days. I could not help but watch this movie today and remember, again with pride, the service my husband and those like him have given so selflessly to this country. The movie definitely showed some of the best of the Navy during that time, all adventure, confidence and well, nice looking guys in white uniforms? I digress....

I meet young military men and women today and am still filled with that sense of pride and thanks and want them all to know how grateful I am to them for the job they do that helps me and my family be safe at home. I know the anti-war gang out there would like us to believe that any terror threat is so attenuated for us here in the homeland that we don't need to be fighting anyone abroad....such naivetee will be the death of us all.

My father-in-law served in WWII in the Navy, as well as my uncle, who served as a Naval Officer in the Pacific. My dad was in the Coast Guard here in the Puget Sound region. I have had sons-in-law in the Air Force and a daughter who continues to show interest in serving today, with a war in full swing, and our future uncertain with respect to the threats we face from Radical Islam would-be martyrs. I look forward to the day that I return to Arlington to visit my father-in-law's place of rest, and to give my thanks to all of those who rest around him.

So, remember them today, and every day, with thanks and gratitude, because without these brave young men and women we would have no new individuals to remember in future Memorial Days and our country would face great peril. It is not that we want to have more young people die in service, but it is clear to me, that freedom can only be preserved with the occasional spilling of blood. It is with wonder I see generation after generation continue to turn out young men and women eager to serve, and I think it says a lot for our country, its values traditions and principles, that serves as the foundation for these young people to make such a decision to serve.

And hey, watching Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer play volleyball ain't all bad either...

Pope Benedict's historic visit

I am not a member of the Catholic church. I do wonder, sometimes, if perhaps I should be, as I often agree with its teachings and practice them far more diligently than some Catholics I have known, but that aside, I am watching Pope Benedict at a special blessing service for disabled youth in New York at St. Joseph's Seminary, and I find myself moved beyond words to accurately convey my feelings. I will, however, try to share some of them...

I am the mother of a disabled child, and the Pope's message of a valued and important life no matter what, is so lost on many, and yet cherished by some, who like me, see that value and importance every single day. I remember when my daughter was hospitalized at a Children's Hospital for a week after her birth. Her disability had been diagnosed but along with that came a cardiac defect and immature lungs that required oxygen support until her lungs matured so that she could come home with heart medication to stabilize her until she needed surgery, or outgrew the defect. (It could possibly repair itself as she grew.) There was a pump room on the infant ward so that breastfeeding mothers could use to pump milk for their hospitalized babies, and I became aware of a mother who was pumping milk for her infant son, who had another form of a genetic defect, but one that does not allow the child to live outside of the mother for more than a few days.

I sat in the next room and could hear her speaking to the nurse about her fear, her questions, her wondering why did this happen to her and her baby? The nurse had words of comfort and did her best to console this woman in her odd circumstances of working to use her body to feed a child she knew she would have to say good-bye to within the next few days.

The answer to her questions? God. I too asked similar questions at times, but I knew from the moment I received the news from my doctor that my daughter had Down Syndrome, that there was a reason this child was given to us. Our first reaction was to love her, and get her the very best medical care possible to stabilize her physical needs. In her 17 years we have celebrated the smallest of accomplishments, focused on these small gains and pushed aside the greater problems that we cannot control. We have learned patience. Not enough of it sometimes, but we have still gained far more than we probably would have if it had not been for this beautiful child.

We do not know the reasons for a child entering this world who leaves so shortly thereafter that he or she has not "accomplished" anything conventional in his or her short life. But, think of the inpact that child's short life, his or her birth, and death, have had on those around him. These are the lessons learned, the purpose for his or her birth, absolutely. God is the source, the strength, and the light to shine the way for our learning these lessons to better our lives and live them with greater meaning.

God Bless Pope Benedict, and may he have a safe journey home.

A Good Friday message

With all of the turmoil in the world and the various hardships that some of us face it can be hard to remember the big picture. On this Good Friday I hope that everyone can take a moment to remember the great sacrifice that was made on our behalf and ponder what it means for us.

Falling behind on a mortgage, losing a job, devaluation of a stock portfolio, lack of food for our family...these struggles can consume us, engulf us, and send us into a state of despair. By remembering what God sent us in the gift of his son, and Jesus's sacrifice so that we may have eternal life with the Father, is the antidote for this despair and the salvation we seek.

Not everyone that reads this may be a Christian so I know that there are different points of view on what I write, but being that this is Good Friday it is an important day in Christian lives, and I am compelled to share my thoughts. Be thankful, be open to the message and the miracles, and with faith in Him, all things are possible. Cast off the doubt of tomorrow and use the gifts God gave you to better yourself and the lives of your family, for today, we celebrate the gift of all gifts, the sacrifice that changed the world. God Bless.

Thanks Eliot...

Eliot Spitzer. Wow. I am constantly amazed at the hypocrisy of public officials who institute policy for the rest of us, and continue to do whatever they want, whenver they want. People can make mistakes, heaven knows we're all imperfect. But, when a former Attorney General and current Governor allegedly hooks himself up (did I say that?) with a prositution ring it's just absolute stupidity and narcissism that has to be behind such acts. I sit here and look at his beautiful wife on tv and hope she is strong enough to go through this, protect her daughters where she can, and if she desires, take him for everything he's got. People that do these things do not learn unless they're hurt, and my suspicions are that Mr. Spitzer has enjoyed being on top (did I say that too?) for too long and thought he was untouchable by his family and the law.

Prove him wrong. Press forward. Do not look at this as just "a personal matter." It wasn't when Bill did it and it isn't here, because it gives us a peek at his psyche, how he understands himself in the real world, and Eliot sees himself as above everyone else. Shall we wait for a sexual addiction defense to his actions? Oh, now his public statement states he doesn't think politics is about individuals but policies...who carries out the policies? People do, and if you can't trust them, if they have no personal integrity, politics is just a sham and we the people should no longer trust the office or the processes that place people in those offices.

'Tis the political season folks...stand by for more.

Special Olympics victory!

Just a plug for my daughter's Special Olympics basketball team who won the gold medal in Wenatchee at the State Games March 2. It was a fabulous event and the team was pumped and unstoppable! I urge all of you to look into supporting your local Special Olympics program as this is a fantastic program for disabled athletes to be able to compete, stay active, and achieve personal and team goals they would not otherwise be able to even participate in.

Go Bainbridge Island Golden Eagles!

McCain's In....

Tonight I watch as my party is handed its nominee for President by Ohio, Vermont, Texas and Rhode Island. John...practice losing the teleprompter. Huckabee's off the cuff verbal skills nearly killed you tonight when comparing his concession speech to your acceptance. It's not the words, your speechwriters are top notch, it's the looking at the teleprompter. Even George has managed to get away from that after 8 years, your years in the Senate I would have hoped had prepared you for this.

It's important because you have conservatives to convince, and liberals to defeat, and knowing what's in your heart is crucial to our understanding about how you will lead. You said the right things tonight, you're humble, thankful, and understand that you're not destined to lead, (as someone on the other side of the fence might think she is....) but I just hope you can tell me that without me being so keenly aware you're reading it to me, and not just telling me what's deep in your soul.

So, is Obamamamaman finally starting to slip? Is the polish being peeled away so we can see the layers underneath? I've got to tell you, Hillary scares me, but Barack's hope is far more frightening because, well, it doesn't seem to be based on anything! So, let her have her victory, their war is becoming far more fun to watch at this point anyway.

I will be back soon, sorry so brief this evening, but I am trying to recover from the plague that has hit the country. I'll be back soon, in fighting spirit, and hope to see you all again soon!

Lib Media Begins the "Hate" part of its Love/Hate Relationship with McCain

You gotta love this. The old gray lady, as she was known when she was the queen of the print machine, the New York Times, runs a story insinuating that John McCain and a lobbyist had an "improper" relationship when he ran for President....the FIRST time. That's right. Let's sit on a story for nine years and call it research time.

What's fascinating to me is that the NYT endorsed McCain in the primary because of his integrity and principles. Apparently they think slinking around with another woman while you are married is a hallmark of integrity. Either that, or they KNEW IT WASN'T TRUE BUT RAN A STORY WITH ANONYMOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WITHOUT ANY CORROBORATION, AND, THE STORY IS NINE YEARS OLD. Phew, the lack of integrity in journalism these days is getting exhausting.

The kicker in this? I was not a McCain supporter. I am still angry with him for all of the policy differences I have stated earlier. But today, I considered, yes considered, sending the campaign money. It was a maternal reaction to my party's lead candidate being railroaded by a story that would not make the cut for journalistic standards at a junior high school paper. I am hearing at this hour, that McCain's campaign reports that this story has garnered this same kind of support for him today and it's bringing in money...I am not alone! (I have yet to send a penny, still just considering...)

Now, if you're really a conspiracy theorist you might think that McCain's people pushed for this story to leak for just this reason...right-wingers like me detest the liberal leaning mainstream media so we would believe the NYT had malicious intent in printing this, and my initial reaction today might be just what McCain's people wanted to shepherd the conservative masses his way. I think though, that this is even too contrived for modern day Washington politics. (Or, as it turns out, New York politics...) I think the NYT has lost its way, and has never fully rebounded from its debacles over the years that have brought it crumbling down toward National Enquirer level, (although, the NE does sometimes get things right...) My thoughts are that this story belongs in the same box as CBS and Dan Rather's National Guard story. And then, it should be burned.

Senator McCain? If you did nothing wrong, move forward, point this out for what it is and you and Cindy can pity the left wingers who salivated over this story this morning. If you did do something wrong? Get out of the race now. It will never get better, more will come out, and it is indeed a sign of a lack of integrity. Cindy, either way, God Bless you and keep smiling, there is a tougher road ahead.

Congress needs a playpen

Dear Nancy Pelosi,

QUIT WASTING OUR TAX DOLLARS. I certainly hope your grandchildren are better behaved than you are. The U.S. Senate, even in the midst of hearings on steroid use in Major League baseball, (which they shouldn't be involved in...) managed to pass a FISA bill. You and your minions in the House decide to play games a pre-schooler would delight in..."Let's demand a cookie before we pick up our toys..." it's your job to vote on this bill. It's not new, it's been around a long time, and sure since 9/11 we have had changes. Some people don't like those changes, and some of those people are in the House, fine, DEBATE AND VOTE. Isn't that what we pay you people to do? Tell the people what you don't like and why and work it...get it done, however it needs to be done.

This ridiculous position you are taking demanding Harriet Myers to testify about the U.S. Attorney firings has nothing to do with FISA and is an exercise in futility. U.S. Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President and you know it, you are just trying to make mountains out of specks of dust. (No, I don't even see the slightest molehill.) So now, I am looking at the Republican House members assembling on the Capitol steps to protest your protest and all I want to do is go to Wal-Mart (yes, WAL-MART...) and buy a carton of pacifiers to send to you folks so you can have "time-out" to think about what you've done wrong and make the decision to come out and do what you are supposed to be doing.

It's called the "people's business." And, we pay you to do it. GET TO WORK!

Washington State Caucuses

Wow. It's been quite a day. Today I led my caucus in electing delegates to our county convention and turned in my caucus members' preferences for President for the Republican party. I am pleased to report that most, if not all, of my caucus participants were first time participants, and they were interested, curious, and anxious to have their voices heard. While so much apathy in the Republican party is reported, I saw none today. We had grass roots activism for everyone from McCain to Romney (who officially suspended his campaign this week) Huckabee and Paul...it was a fantastic day to be an American citizen and to be a Republican and see independent minded people coming together to find common ground, have their ideas heard, and participate in the democratic process.

I am listening to Barack Obama right now in Virginia giving his victory speech for his wins in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington. Did you know he is wiping the floor with Senator Clinton? Now, I am no Obama supporter. He is a wonderful speaker and he is even now poking fun at his critics that take issue with him over his perpetual hope with no actual policies to back it up. There is nothing wrong with hope. Without it, most of us would not get through the day. This, however, is not sufficient to get us through a war, staggering economy, faltering social security policies and everything else we face. He tells us that it is not blind hope, and for that I give him credit for moving forward on this platform and kicking Hillary's behind with it. Yet, while I do not agree with his policies of universal health care, (hey, wasn't that Hillary's idea?), pulling out of Iraq and "changing the mindset that got us into war in the first place"...(sorry Barack, still TOO naive for my taste...) I am heartened that many democrats and left leaning independents are pulling away from the tired old Clinton machine.

Just do not forget...for all his uplifting rhetoric, if there are not sound, firm policies that can be implemented on day one, we all suffer for the hope we desire that comes unaccompanied by actual policy that a country can be run on. But, I digress...what about those Republicans? Well, McCain is still the frontrunner, but I am so awestruck by the results here in Washington State with McCain being taken out by Mike Huckabee. As I write there are 37% of the precincts reporting and Huckabee is up by 4% with Ron Paul pulling in 11%. (Paul has a HUGE grassroots effort here...) This, as we are often told, is a BLUE state. Huckabee should not be anywhere near the percentage lead he currently has, yet, there it is. I have already spoken about the left's efforts to leave the Clinton machine, perhaps Republicans here in Washington are pushing against the Republican machine of putting the "inevitable" old guy whose turn it is to serve in place in the White House.

At any rate, democracy is alive, people's voices are being heard, and it is a healthy thing. Elections should not be predictable. As candidates are heard more and more from place to place it should be a logical thing that people change their minds, make up their minds, and perhaps in some cases, move forcibly against a frontrunner they do not agree with. This is a wonderful thing, and it should be embraced.

Mitt, we hardly knew ya...

So, as I sit here and watch Mitt Romney suspend his bid for President, I cannot help but wonder what has happened to the conservative movement. It's not just a "base", but a movement of people who want limited government, lower taxes, freedom to pursue their own goals, safety for ourselves and our children, judges who interpret a law's constitutionality, and a strong military to defend us and our interests abroad.

Now, some of you will say that John McCain wants those things too, and he is saying so, but his record often does not support that. BUT, now is no longer the time to harp on those things, but to look forward to what he can do for our country in the future. We in the conservative movement must remind him of the principles he says are at his core. We must hold his feet to the fire. Should we fail, we may end up with a President with but one issue we have in common, (national security against Militant Islamists) and the rest of the landscape looking like a democrat is in the White House.

Anyone out there not ready to give up on barraging him with questions about his record? Don't worry, the dirty laundry will come out in the debates with the democratic nominee, never fear. The only difference here is that the dirty laundry is not an affair while married, cheating on taxes, hiring illegals, (they tried that one on Mitt) but actual policies that will or at least could impact McCain's ability to be a good Republican President.

So, as the planet warms and cools in cycles, (yes, I don't think man is all to blame for the melting of the ice caps, just ask those woolly mammoths..) the conservative movement ebbs and flows. We are still here, we will not be quiet, and we will not give up. But, we can see the writing on the wall, and it simply redefines our job for us. We may not be on top, but it is our calling to continue to educate, persuade, and rally around our principles to remind people of what they are, why they are important, and why moving too far in the other direction would be bad for our country, our families, and our future.

Mitt understood this. To divide the Republican party any longer made it easier for Obama or Clinton to win. This is not, and never was about ego, but what is best for the nation. Mitt, I salute you, and look forward to seeing you in the future. I know you're not going away, and neither are we.

Senator McCain, could Rudy be your VP?

Okay, so I'm not as melancholy as I was watching President Bush's last State of the Union last night. Now I'm just plain scared. There was a time, oh, six months ago, when I could have seen John McCain as our Republican nominee in the general election; electability when faced with Hillary Clinton was so important and I thought he could probably do it. Then, other candidates surfaced and did really well...Rudy was out front there for a long time and McCain faded far, far away.

Tonight we see McCain pulling yet another victory over Mitt Romney, and Rudy pulling a poor third with a drop out in the near, near future. Rumor has it that he will support McCain as early as tomorrow. I watched McCain's speech and he touched on security and strict constructionist judges...good, but what else? I guess a lot of what I don't like that much about him can be construed in a different way. Maybe I'll take some of that psychology I learned and start "framing" things differently and I will soon become a hard core McCain supporter.

McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, and the Gang of Fourteen...instead of looking at these past positions as moving away from conservative ideals I will start looking at them as "reaching across the aisle." If McCain has a good working relationship with these democrats perhaps it will be tougher for the dems to fight him on policy once he moves into the White House. As much as I was a fan of George it is clear, there are those that LIVE TO HATE HIM, and it drove them in their votes, their policies and their point of view while serving in Washington.

It is ironic because as I listened to Senator McCain tonight I found myself being uncomfortable with one of the same things I first fought when I listened to W...his speaking style. Where George was a plain spoken cowboy McCain is grandpa reading me a bedtime story. (Nothing seemy here, I swear...) I start wondering if I can listen to the guy for four years, during good times and bad, and I have to hope that as I got used to George I will, if necessary, get used to John McCain.

I heard a very interesting thing on Rush Limbaugh's show today...a gentleman called in who had a friend that was a blogger and considered himself a conservative, and explained his support for McCain this way: Because of McCain's age he will only seek one term. Because he will only seek one term, he will not do ANYTHING with an eye to a future election for himself. He will get things done, take no prisoners, (no pun toward the Hanoi Hilton...) and just plain move things on through. This will leave his VP in a firm position to be the nominee four years later so we do not have to fear another democrat for some time to come.

Rush said he'd not heard this before, but it clearly interested him. When the caller said that he too had thought about it quite a bit but hey, McCain has come out for term limits so this might make sense...Rush LAUGHED.....Sure, he said, McCain has supported term limits, BUT HOW MANY YEARS HAS HE BEEN A SENATOR? This is the problem with John McCain...he says the right things when it matters, but does he really believe it? If this IS true, who could be a VP pick for McCain if he takes this win on through Super Tuesday? Rudy? Thompson? It was just announced that Rudy will bow out tomorrow and endorse McCain...Who would the conservatives that are so far bucking the McCain trend want to see as a VP if the McCain train keeps on rolling through the St. Paul convention?

Another interesting thing off Rush's show today...(I do listen to everyone a bit, today was just a great Rush day...) Rush was mentioned prominently in Carol Devine-Molin's blog, American Daily, where she asked, "Who is Rush Limbaugh..." and asked why is he trying to tear apart the Republican party? It is clear, if you listen to him, that he disfavors McCain and thinks a little more highly of Romney...but while he has a huge audience, of which I have been a regular member for many years, he is still free to give his opinion! He is not a "spokesman" for Republicans or conservatives...he just happens to BE a conservative, albeit a prominent one. Devine-Molin missplaced her comment that Rush should enjoy free speech...well he sure should, he's a private citizen!

Who's Rush Limbaugh? He is a dedicated commentator, conservative, and private citizen who enjoys sharing his opinions, researching political stories and the future political landscape, and telling us what he thinks of the past, present and future, with respect to the politics within our country. He is funny, human, sarcastic and self-depracating, and he is not responsible for the rise or fall of any particular political candidate. Rush takes pride in the fact that his audience is full of people smart enought to think for themselves, and he will never take them for granted.

And...I'll be listening tomorrow to see what he has to say about his home state's pick for the GOP candidate...

Dear Mr. President....

Dear W,
Pardon my familiarity, but I feel as though I know you so well. You are family. You see, in 2000 I was a reluctant voter, but I just could not ever, EVER, send a democrat to the White House. I was a recent law school graduate and you seemed, well, to have the right ideas, but you had a hard time expressing them in a way that I felt would reach as many people as possible. I had friends who just couldn't listen to you...You had my vote, but I was ambivalent about your ability to do the job, to be meaningful, to be a President for the ages.

We coasted on into 2001 and I had no problems with you. I had just had a baby girl, the youngest of five in our family, and my life was gravy. You were superfluous, but I was glad, in a non-aware way, that you were there. On September 11, 2001, my world changed. I awoke to my husband urging me to wake up and turn on the tv...he and our middle-school aged daughter had watched earlier the reports showing the first World Trade Center Tower burning, after a plane had hit it. While they watched, a second plane hit the second tower, live. By the time my husband woke me he had taken our daughter to meet her school bus which took her to a private school some 25 miles away, across a large suspension bridge, into another city. I watched in disbelief and after a bit, my phone rang. It was a good friend, a woman who did child care for my infant daughter, and had taken care of our two older daughters, one who had just boarded a bus to cross a bridge to what now seemed a far-away place.

"Are you going to let her go to school?", she asked. I had to think. "Yes," I said...rationalizing that in the grand scope of things, the suspension bridge my daughter had to cross was small potatoes for terrorists who were now going after American icons...the trade towers, the Pentagon...I had to believe my daughter would be safe. She was, and in very much a minority, became a supporter of yours and your administration's position in fighting terrorists where we find them.

Later, I watched footage of you at that elementary school in Florida. I cannot even imagine what went through your mind at the time, but as a leader, you moved forward, fought with your Secret Service detail and returned home to Washington, DC to perform your job....to be our President. I turned on my tv every day looking for reassuring words in a new, dangerous world.

In the years since I have looked at you as a beloved family member. I lost my own father two months before the September 11 attacks, and I have always maintained that it would have killed him; I am glad he moved on before witnessing this event. As a family member, I have loved you, supported you, funded you, voted for you, but I have not always agreed with you. Yet, in those disagreements, I have found understanding, acknowledgement of the basis of your beliefs.

As a taxpayer, well, I can't forget that the money we send to DC is moved toward certain programs, some of which I believe in and some that I don't. Again, even in those that I do not agree with, I understand your compassion and why it is there. Your plan to expose other societies to democracy is admirable, and those that embrace it will be our allies for decades to come. Anyone's failure to see that is shortsided and smarter than everyone else in the room, and I cannot support them. Pell grants for school kids? Interesting...have to see the plan to see if I support it, but maybe it works. Just worried about what it costs. Our education in my area certainly needs help. Vetoing earmarks? GO FOR IT.....Please...I wish you'd been tougher in this area in the past years.

It was lovely seeing Laura and the girls there this evening. I was to watch your speech at an organized event that I have attended the last three years, and due to weather it was cancelled, and I watched at home. BIG mistake. I'm a Mom. I'm a somewhat emotional Mom. When you began your speech, though I knew this long ago, I realized it was the last time I will ever watch you give a State of the Union speech. Was this your best speech? Probably not. You're on your way out, you know it, and while I will never doubt your desire to "get'er done" before you walk out the door there is a finite amount of time until you and Laura retire to the ranch and enjoy more private life...BUT, it hit me when you started. I will never see this again. I sobbed. I hid it fairly well from the rest of the folks in the room, but I have to tell you, I will miss you.

See, like a family member, while we have had our disagreements, you have been my leader, MY PRESIDENT, in some of the most important times in our history. I looked to you to see what kind of world my children will grow up in, and for the most part, I was reassured. There is so much uncertainty in our future. Hillary? Oh, I guess as a woman I feel compelled to apologize for her absolute heinous attitude and posturing during this, AND EVERY OTHER, State of the Union Speech. I don't know what gets into that woman, but I can't stand the thought of watching her in a joint session listening to a speech much less standing where you were....Oh....the nausea.

I will deal with my uncertainty. I will find the right candidate and I will move on. I never thought I'd ever find another President I trusted as much as Ronald Reagan, and you surprised me. You're different, but you earned my trust. I will miss you, but I will persevere. That's what American's do, don't we? Go, have a beautiful wedding with beautiful Jenna, do what you can to keep our country secure, (can we say, FISA?) and while I will bid you a bittersweet farewell after your term, I want you to know that you changed me. You made me believe again, and you reinforced my commitment to family and country.

You will always be that George, family.

President McCain?

Can I get used to saying that? Y'know, I was a reluctant Bush voter in 2000 but I was pleasantly surprised. I have been saying all along, and I'm certainly not alone, that this is such a historically odd election season that all the old rules go out the window. One rule that hasn't been thrown out yet, and may not be until after Super Tuesday, is that the Republican winner in SC goes on to be the party's nominee for the general election.

McCain is giving, at this time, a fairly decent acceptance speech for his win in SC, and I know he dearly wants the old adage about SC to be true, but is it? Keep watching, we simply don't know. While it is true that McCain will probably get a bounce out of this Romney still has strong support in many parts of the country, Rudy is still holding out for a strong showing in FL, and I don't think we know yet what will happen with Huckabee. I think we have seen the last of Fred Thompson, but if the rumors are true that if he's out he'll support McCain he might be able to sway staunch conservatives over to McCain's path by being an influence on McCain's balance of his campaign.

Hillary took another win in NV, even with the culinary worker's union standing behind Obama. It is starting to look clearer now that whoever the Republicans send up, he HAS to be able to beat Hillary. There is nothing more frightening for conservatives than four more years of Clintons and possible Hillary health care.

President McCain...has a nice ring for some I'm sure. I am not convinced yet. I do think Cindy McCain would make a lovely first lady...she has great taste and is beautiful but not showy. While looks and image aren't everything I have to tell you that with women especially, first physical impressions can make or break an image. But, the REAL important thing here is delegates. Start counting...the big count will be February 5.

Mitt's a Winner!!! Who's next???

Here we go again...so let's see, one for Huckabee, one for McCain, one for Romney...is it possible Thompson could take South Carolina and Rudy will win in Florida? This is great folks, a real live campaign season with no clear winner and we need to keep this going...all you Super Tuesday folks are really going to have the attention of the nation, and I suspect after that we will finally have a clear frontrunner, or at least a couple that stand out from the rest of the pack.

Now I will tell you right now, I am a Republican but I do not have a candidate right now. If anyone cares, I'll tell you a few things about them all that I think about at this point, so here goes

Rudy...loved you being strong in New York and your stand on being tough on terrorism and standing by America in her darkest days. If you can translate that into a national security policy and convince our allies that the United States will do what it needs to protect itself you're starting to reel me in. Stick with strict constructionist judges because I know that's the true extent of what a President can do on the issue of abortion and you will pull me in further. You told me in DC in November you'd do it...remind me.

Fred. Oh Fred...I saw you debating your compadres in South Carolina and you did a great job! You got me all excited about your positions and gave me hope that you would break out and show people who you were and what you are all about. Do you still have a shot? Sure...this particular cycle favors you because it seems that everyone gets a win and it will be awhile before the national frontfunner emerges, so keep it going and keep talking! Lower taxes, close the borders, strong national defense policy and fighting terrorism and the endorsement from the Right to Lifers and you really parallel my personal policies, but you've got to push, push, push!

Mitt. A fantastic success at most of what you have tried, with the possible exception of Massachusett's health care plan you enacted which might be a good thing. If you get in...don't do that again. As a businessman you know private enterprise should be handling our health insurance issues and our people will benefit most from that, not government health care. You're a family man, a pro life guy (and I have no problem with you having changed your mind on that over the years...it happens to a lot of us) and if you will listen to conservatives and swing this country back toward Reaganism you can take this thing. Congratulations on your win tonight.

Senator McCain, a brave, funny, wry war hero. A lifetime public servant. John, you could have had me, but the Gang of 14 and McCain/Feingold sent me running. Do NOT mess with my first amendment rights. And, you know what? I understand why you thought you needed to do it, because money can corrupt absolutely but in our system, it is also part of how we exercise our free speech rights and so I'd go with transparency. Take what you want from whomever you want but let everyone know you've done it. I will exercise my First Amendment right if you are the nominee...you may get my reluctant vote in the end, but you won't get a penny from me, since I don't think you want it anyway. Oh, the corruption...

Governor Huckabee. I've seen you speak in person and you are inspiring. Your personal accomplishments are many and I believe they have changed you and perhaps made you more bold and I like hearing what you have to say. Your record, however, is a bit more troubling; it's just not as conservative as I would need it to be come November. Then there's this tape I heard today on Michael Medved's show...what's this speech you gave where you said that maybe it was time we changed the Constitution to match God's plan? Whoa...I just jumped off any wagon train that was trailing behind you. Our founders were overwhelmingly God fearing men who absolutely knew the tyranny that came with State sponsored religion, and changing our Constitution to match what YOU think God wants would be just that...what about Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc....when do they get a turn to change the Constitution into what they think God wants? This was an extremely careless and ridiculous thing to say for a presidential candidate. Baptist Minister? Yeah, go ahead and say it, but then go back to being one, don't try to be my President.

Did I leave anyone out? Oh yes, Ron Paul. Mr. Paul, I actually do believe in some of your ideas, like abolishing the Department of Education...there are a lot of beautiful huge buildings in DC that would make great condos...so the libertarian part of me likes your policies in some areas. Your national security policy is the most naive I have ever heard. It's far too important. Your folks are excited, and great at fundraising...the only question I have is, where will the money go once you're out?

So, this is where I stand today...be on the lookout for video posts as this thing heats up. We're on to South Carolina!!!! And, don't worry about me trying to keep up, you know, I have just had so many opportunities in this country, (sniff, sniff...) and I just don't want to see it slide backward...(thanks Hil...will be looking for some more great material from you over the next few weeks...)

Billary is alive and well in NH

Ladies, ladies, help me out here. It has just been reported that Hillary has taken the ladies' vote in New Hampshire, married and single. She's also taken the older citizen vote, so I am also worried about our older generation...

I have anecdotal evidence that there are many women out there that will "vote for Hillary because I think it's about time that we have a woman President." Oh...what a wrong answer. Gender is NOT a requirement for public office. Either way! Can we get back to issues please...?

Now some of you actually choose your candidate based on their positions and what they will try to do once elected and I respect you, even if I don't agree with you. It's the rest of you, the puppy dogs that trail behind someone you think is smarter than you that told you it's time for a woman to be President...PLEASE...take a look at that woman!

Okay, she teared up in New Hampshire. She's human. I'm glad I finally have empirical evidence of that fact. Of course campaigning is hard, it's demanding, tiring, and she has every right to feel exhausted and spent and let a little of that out. Maybe that's what some NH voters were waiting for...a sign of life and not just a cord coming out of her that's plugged into the nearest wall. But, being human is not ENOUGH! McCain's human, Romney's human, Obama's human, so let's get beyond what they all have in common, and start looking at what's separating them, what makes each of them different.

So, here's where we get to it...being a woman is not a qualification for the Presidency. Of course she can run, she now has some public service behind her, but that doesn't mean she will be the best person, person, to be elected to the Presidency in this country. Can we move away from this gender thing? It's like Nancy Pelosi standing on the House floor hugging her grandkids and telling us all how the glass ceiling had finally been removed. It's been gone for a long time, it just takes the electorate wanting the right PERSON, regardless of gender, race, or religion to be elected and a certain person being THAT person at THAT time. Let's not forget, Barack Obama is the first black male to ever make it this far with this level of popularity and support, Mitt Romney's the first Mormon, and to some, race and religion arejust as important as gender, although I don't believe any of these factors are as important as ideas, policy, record and ability to perform under pressure.

Whoever you vote for, and I'm not going to tell you who to vote for because I have no horse in this race yet, except to tell you I will be looking at the Republicans...I can't imagine a Democrat in this race that would ever get my vote. (If I wanted socialism I'd just move to Sweden....) All I ask is that you become informed. Know who you are voting for and why. Don't vote for someone because your husband/wife/dad/mom/boss voted for them. This election is way to important. We are at war and our economy needs work. Please, go back to school, just this once, for something really, really crucial.

On to Nevada, Michigan, Oy....this is going to be a long year!

Happy New Year and what about Iowa?

Happy new year and a shot of Nyquil to each and every one of you. Apologies for being away...the flu and holidays hit at the same time.

We just took our collective trip through Iowa and find Huckabee and Obama leading the pack on to New Hampshire. Does it mean anything? Nope. It's simply the first shot heard 'round the world and this thing is way too much of a free for all to be called. I expect this could be true until the conventions, but we'll see....

One interesting thing that came out of this to me was Fred Thompson basically tying McCain for third when his presence has been little seen or heard by cable or mainstream news agencies. Some I have watched are complaining they can't get Fred to come on. Contrast that to Mitt Romney's ten million dollar push that netted him a distant second to Huckabee and it just goes to prove to me how wild this thing is and will probably will continue to be.

What about that Hillary? Have to tell you guys, I have never been fond of the woman and I can not think of a worse first woman president for this country. I can't stand to hear her TALK. It's actually her voice, her cadence, her pitch. She's monotone and scripted. I don't feel as though she's a REAL person, but someone who has been programmed and plugged in. I know that is not actually the case, and people that are close to her say she is a caring, loving mother but to people who she is not personal with I find her wooden and impersonal. I was thrilled she dragged in at third.

So, that's my first of the year boost and now we're on to New Hampshire. I will be back more often now that the race is on...and I hope you are all having a great new year.