My Grandma

My grandmother was born in Kansas. She was raised in South Dakota. She was a military wife. She has always been a staunch conservative.

She loved Ronald Reagan. She loves the works of William. F. Buckley, George Will, and all the conservative minds of this era.

She just turned 86. For the past 20 years, we have agreed to disagree on politics, because she has always been much farther to the right than I.

Grandma was hospitalized this week with a kidney infection. She had my dad get her an absentee ballot, because she was going to be out of action for a while.

She voted for Barack Obama.

I am completely floored by this news. I recently saw my grandmother in August before the conventions, and purposely avoided the discussion of Presidential politics, because I knew that would do nothing except create un-necessary tension.

I am guilty of underestimating my grandmother. And I am also guilty of underestimating the sensibility of my country.

Her major issue is Sarah Palin. She is obviously dissatisfied with Bush, but she hasn't heard anything out of either candidate that excites her. So, her vote basically came down to Joe Biden vs. Sarah Palin. And she is scared of Palin.

This is one of those "WOW' moments for me where i missed an opportunity to engage my grandmother in discussion about this. Luckily, she is on a road to recovery, so I will be able to talk to her about her vote, and talk to her about how important and proud that vote makes me.

I know nobody reads this, but I had to write it, because I am floored by this, and want to remember the moment forever. I love you Grandma.

It always amazes me

It always amazes me how when we get to late October, there is such hatred, paranoia and filth in the air.

I thought it would be different this year, with both nominees being outside of the party power - both eclipsed significant odds to win their party's nomination. Although McCain kissed Bush's butt for 6 years instead of busting his balls, the Republican establishment abandoned him for Mitt Romney. And he fought back and won, because he was not only a great American hero, but the only Republican that would take serious steps to reverse the horrible trajectory we have been on for the last 8 years. Unfortunately for his campaign, he did kiss Bush's ass for 6 years instead of shoving a stick up it, but Chuck Hagel did that, and he was not even a viable option to run for President, so basically, McCain did what he had to do to win the nomination. And America is fortunate that he did.

So also, is America fortunate that Obama won the Democratic nomination. 2008 was supposed to be the Hillary coronation. Bring Back Bill! And seriously, right now, if she were the nominee, she would be ahead by 20 points, even over McCain, because the country is in such a bad place. But would a HRC presidency been a better thing for America than either a McCain or an Obama presidency? I don't think so. I think I would rank her third.

Both Obama and McCain will bring change. Clinton would have brought back Bill's administration. Older, wiser, richer, but the same team, the same tired ideas.

I hope with all my heart that Obama wins, because I think in these times we need an inspirational leader that will not only motivate us with his words, but also move the world with his vision.

But I also know, deep in my heart, that John McCain is a man who first and foremost puts his country first, and does the right thing, regardless of politics. And he would be a breath of fresh air as a President, and would break the mold as a Republican president, I hate to tell you conservatives.

I haven't heard too many of the pundits say "We can't lose" in this election, which shocks me. Because we really can't. The first 100 days, and the major priorities of each will not be that different. Politics requires that they project giant differences, but reality is that both will operate 180 degrees from the disgraceful and discredited characters that currently occupy the Oval and surrounding offices.

Those of you that are out here arguing and baiting and bashing each other, from both sides, you are the problem. You are the idiots that the senseless soundbite and reckless rumor excites. You run with it and yell. You don't think or reflect, you just spew and spout. You are as reckless and thoughtless as Olbermann and Hannity.

I believe that most of us are comfortable with Nov. 4th. I believe that most of us are not scared of the result. While we really hope our candidate wins, if he doesn't, we are silently comforted by the fact that our ship will be finally be steered by a top notch captain, after 8 years of drifting being piloted by a drunken sailor.

So keep screaming, keep yelling. The only folks arguing with you seem to be insane, intolerant, immovable jackasses who's mind you will never change, no matter how loud or inflamed you get, and you get plenty loud and inflamed. You feel that you must be arguing with idiots, and in reality, you are. But look in the mirror - left is right, right is left, and you are the same idiot.

Here We Go

A month left to go, and John McCain is hopelessly behind, so he is willing to sell his soul to the devil to swiftboat Obama. Only he won't do it himself, his barracuda-in-chief will lead the charge.

Palling around with terrorists? That was her actual quote. Obama doesn't look at America like you or me, and he's palling around with terrorists. Give me a break.

John McCain is sleeping with a person who stole drugs from children to feed her own drug addiction. Should we say McCain is sleeping around with junkies?

Sarah Palin is in a bad situation. She is a great governor for Alaska, and John McCain should have just left her alone. Instead, he has not only ruined her progress in Alaska, he has also put our nation at risk, because if he croaks, and she assumes the Presidency, good golly we'll be in quite a pickle won't we.

But of course, the fear is that the absurd attacks work, and I guess we'll know in a week. Obama needs to call attention to them as shameful, desperate attacks at the debate on tuesday night, and then he must also portray McCain as a hypocrite for denouncing that sort of politics, until he reached for it in desparation to save his floundering campaign.

But mark my words, this is the Willie Horton moment, the excuse to not vote for the black guy, and McCain is going to cynically exploit it all the way to the White House.

So Help Us God.