The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good

I just read a wonderful article in the Christian Science Monitor today that gave me goosebumps,  a lump in my throat, and tears on my cheeks:  "My Wife Made Me Canvas for Obama; Here's What I Learned" by Jonathan Curley.

First, the catchy title caught my eye. Then the tone of the article took over. Jonathan Curley is a self-professed conservative banker, a white guy who voted for both Bushes. He was upset when Bill Clinton was elected, but says that in the end he wished Bill could have another term. He really endeared himself to me with his response to his wife who asked him to spend a morning canvassing for Obama. He said, "But I did, of course, what most middle-aged married men do: what I was told."

I got the goosebumps when he talked about he and his wife knocking on doors in a predominately Black neighborhood and the overwhelmingly positive response they received.

And I got the lump in my throat when he wrote, "I learned in just those three hours that this election is not about what we think of as the big things.... I've learned that this election is about the heart of America. It's about the young people who are losing hope and the old people who have been forgotten. It's about those who have worked all their lives and never fully realized the promise of America, but see that promise for their grandchildren in Barack Obama."

And the tears started to roll down my cheeks as I read his last paragraph: "My wife and I went out last weekend to knock on more doors, But this time, not because it was her idea. I don't know what it's going to do the for Obama campaign, but it's doing a lot for me."

The Bad

The bad side of this final week of campaigning has to do with winning at all costs -- voter intimidation. I came across another article today, 'Tis the season for tricking voters," from the Associated Press, that talks about the use of confusing emails, disturbing phone calls and insinuating fliers to keep people from voting through intimidation or misinformation.

If you read my earlier blogs, you already know about the situation in New Mexico. But here are some more --

In Philadelphia, fliers have circulated in predominately Black neighborhoods warning that voters could be arrested at the polls if they had unpaid parking tickets or criminal convictions.

In Virginia, bogus fliers that looked real with the commonwealth seal and all said that because of the anticipated high voter turn out there would be two elections. Republicans should vote on Tuesday and Democrats on Wednesday!

In Pennsylvania, emails were received linking Obama to the Holocaust. According to the AP, the email was sent by a group calling itself Republican Federal Committee and said, "Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930's and 1940's and made a tragic mistake."

Additionally, intimidating leaflets were taped to benches at Drexel University in PA; phone calls to Latino voters in Nevada from so-called Obama supporters ready to take their vote, right then and there, by phone. It is not that this never happened before, but this time, according to those interviewed, it is much more widespread.

The Ugly

This is really ugly; it is in the category of "so upsetting I didn't know whether to spit or to cry." But, believe it or not, the ending lifts you back up again.

Zorn Redeems Himself

Remember last week when I was upset that the Chicago Tribune blogger, Eric Zorn, moved away from reasons why Obama would win to 08 reasons why McCain could win? Well, he has redeemed himself with his posting on October 30th -- Counterpoint: 8 reasons Obama will win.

1.  Obama's supporters are more energized. 

2.  Obama has a superior ground game.

3.  Obama has a superior air game.

4.  McCain has lost his brand.

5.  Sarah Palin is turning out to be the disasta' from Alaska.

6.  Obama hasn't lost his cool.

7.  McCain hasn't been able to fight the Bush head winds.

8.  Obama has been lucky.

Zorn's explanations, evidence and eloquence regarding each of these reasons are right on! Reading his blog certainly helped to restore my optimistic hope for a double digit win!

Dear Red States

Not sure who originally wrote this, but obviously a liberal Californian.  I saw it forwarded to a Democratic discussion site by Sharon C. --

Dear Red States,

We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us.

In case you aren't aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama. We get two-thirds of the tax revenue; you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners), 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U. S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech, and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U. S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red States believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals than we lefties.

By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico.

Peace out,

Blue States