revelations.
ah another monday. you would think after 30 years i would be used to them by now. i still find myself a bit tired and cranky on mondays.
the weekend was a good one. race for the cure on saturday morning was a BLAST. i always enjoy seeing everyone and walking for a good cause. this is the first year that i've done the 5k. it takes a looooong time when there are a billion people everywhere!! k8tlou and i had a nice time chatting for the hour and a half that it took us to walk everything. adam was a great sport and came along with us. we didn't end up sticking around to wander the booths. it was just too crowded. my anxiety couldn't handle it.
so how about colin powell endorsing barack obama?! how wonderful. he is a thoughtful man that i have always admired. i was pleasantly surprised when he announced he would vote for barack. to read the transcript of the interview you can go here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27266223/page/2/
he made some great points:
"But right now we're also facing a very daunting period. And I think the number one issue the president's going to have to deal with is the economy. That's what the American people are worried about. And, frankly, it's not just an American problem, it's an international problem. We can see how all of these economies are now linked in this globalized system. And I think that'll be number one. The president will also have to make decisions quickly as to how to deal with Iraq and Afghanistan. And also I think the president has to reach out to the world and show that there is a new president, a new administration that is looking forward to working with our friends and allies. And in my judgment, also willing to talk to people who we have not been willing to talk to before. Because this is a time for outreach."
powell, being a retired general, feels that we need to figure out why the hell we are in iraq and afghanistan and make decisions concerning the war quickly. THANK YOU. i also agree very strongly that we need to be a country willing to talk to people and find solutions rather than run in with our guns and take over.
"I think the American people and the gentlemen running for president will have to, early on, focus on education more than we have seen in the campaign so far. America has a terrible educational problem in the sense that we have too many youngsters not finishing school. A third of our kids don't finish high school, 50 percent of minorities don't finish high school. We've got to work on this, and my, my wife and I are leading a campaign with this purpose.
Also, I think, the new president has to realize that the world looks to America for leadership, and so we have to show leadership on some issues that the world is expecting us to, whether it's energy, global warming and the environment. And I think we have to do a lot more with respect to poverty alleviation and helping the needy people of the world. We need to increase the amount of resources we put into our development programs to help the rest of the world. Because when you help the poorest in the world, you start to move them up an economic and social ladder, and they're not going to be moving toward violence or terrorism of the kind that we worry about"
to this, i simply say AMEN. is this a republican leader and retired general speaking to the importance of education and the care of the poor? my my, how times change.
"In the case of Mr. McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as to deal with the economic problems that we were having and almost every day there was a different approach to the problem. And that concerned me, sensing that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had. And I was also concerned at the selection of Governor Palin. She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired; but at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made."
an eloquent way of expressing what concerns most democrats about the republican candidates right now. thank you colin powell.
"On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at problems like this and picking a vice president that, I think, is ready to be president on day one. And also, in not just jumping in and changing every day, but showing intellectual vigor. I think that he has a, a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well. I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines--ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values, not just small towns have values.
And I've also been disappointed, frankly, by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently, or his campaign ads, on issues that are not really central to the problems that the American people are worried about. This Bill Ayers situation that's been going on for weeks became something of a central point of the campaign. But Mr. McCain says that he's a washed-out terrorist. Well, then, why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have these robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that, because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow, Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate.
Now, I understand what politics is all about. I know how you can go after one another, and that's good. But I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for. And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign and they trouble me. And the party has moved even further to the right, and Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift. I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration. I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
So, when I look at all of this and I think back to my Army career, we've got two individuals, either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities--and we have to take that into account--as well as his substance--he has both style and substance--he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the world--onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."
nice. he also went into the fact that he is not voting for Barack based on race. i appreciated that explanation also but i figure that i've bombarded you with enough text and you can read the rest on your own. i am very much looking forward to being at mary's on election night! i think that obama has shaken things up just enough that he may be our next president. wow!
i have been having a back and forth conversation with logan today via email. you all remember logan right? the one that i dated for five years? anyway, he made a comment today about how calm i sound and how pleasantly surprised he is about that (keep in mind he knew me when i wasn't on medication, i'm sure you can imagine what a nightmare that was!). i do go through periods of extreme stress and anxiety and was hitting it hard this past month. in the last week though, i've been feeling a sort of peace about things. i am dating this wonderful man who cares about me and shows it in a million little ways each day, i am almost finished with school and will have done it without getting any loans, i have received all points possible on every assignment in my last class so far, i already have my school and teacher for student teaching, i have the most amazing friends and family...taking the time to reflect, i am completely and utterly blessed. i hope that i am able to remember that in most if not all of the days ahead!
anyway, that's all i've got!
hope everyone had a nice weekend.
the weekend was a good one. race for the cure on saturday morning was a BLAST. i always enjoy seeing everyone and walking for a good cause. this is the first year that i've done the 5k. it takes a looooong time when there are a billion people everywhere!! k8tlou and i had a nice time chatting for the hour and a half that it took us to walk everything. adam was a great sport and came along with us. we didn't end up sticking around to wander the booths. it was just too crowded. my anxiety couldn't handle it.
so how about colin powell endorsing barack obama?! how wonderful. he is a thoughtful man that i have always admired. i was pleasantly surprised when he announced he would vote for barack. to read the transcript of the interview you can go here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27266223/page/2/
he made some great points:
"But right now we're also facing a very daunting period. And I think the number one issue the president's going to have to deal with is the economy. That's what the American people are worried about. And, frankly, it's not just an American problem, it's an international problem. We can see how all of these economies are now linked in this globalized system. And I think that'll be number one. The president will also have to make decisions quickly as to how to deal with Iraq and Afghanistan. And also I think the president has to reach out to the world and show that there is a new president, a new administration that is looking forward to working with our friends and allies. And in my judgment, also willing to talk to people who we have not been willing to talk to before. Because this is a time for outreach."
powell, being a retired general, feels that we need to figure out why the hell we are in iraq and afghanistan and make decisions concerning the war quickly. THANK YOU. i also agree very strongly that we need to be a country willing to talk to people and find solutions rather than run in with our guns and take over.
"I think the American people and the gentlemen running for president will have to, early on, focus on education more than we have seen in the campaign so far. America has a terrible educational problem in the sense that we have too many youngsters not finishing school. A third of our kids don't finish high school, 50 percent of minorities don't finish high school. We've got to work on this, and my, my wife and I are leading a campaign with this purpose.
Also, I think, the new president has to realize that the world looks to America for leadership, and so we have to show leadership on some issues that the world is expecting us to, whether it's energy, global warming and the environment. And I think we have to do a lot more with respect to poverty alleviation and helping the needy people of the world. We need to increase the amount of resources we put into our development programs to help the rest of the world. Because when you help the poorest in the world, you start to move them up an economic and social ladder, and they're not going to be moving toward violence or terrorism of the kind that we worry about"
to this, i simply say AMEN. is this a republican leader and retired general speaking to the importance of education and the care of the poor? my my, how times change.
"In the case of Mr. McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as to deal with the economic problems that we were having and almost every day there was a different approach to the problem. And that concerned me, sensing that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had. And I was also concerned at the selection of Governor Palin. She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired; but at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made."
an eloquent way of expressing what concerns most democrats about the republican candidates right now. thank you colin powell.
"On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at problems like this and picking a vice president that, I think, is ready to be president on day one. And also, in not just jumping in and changing every day, but showing intellectual vigor. I think that he has a, a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well. I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines--ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values, not just small towns have values.
And I've also been disappointed, frankly, by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently, or his campaign ads, on issues that are not really central to the problems that the American people are worried about. This Bill Ayers situation that's been going on for weeks became something of a central point of the campaign. But Mr. McCain says that he's a washed-out terrorist. Well, then, why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have these robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that, because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow, Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate.
Now, I understand what politics is all about. I know how you can go after one another, and that's good. But I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for. And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign and they trouble me. And the party has moved even further to the right, and Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift. I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration. I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
So, when I look at all of this and I think back to my Army career, we've got two individuals, either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities--and we have to take that into account--as well as his substance--he has both style and substance--he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the world--onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."
nice. he also went into the fact that he is not voting for Barack based on race. i appreciated that explanation also but i figure that i've bombarded you with enough text and you can read the rest on your own. i am very much looking forward to being at mary's on election night! i think that obama has shaken things up just enough that he may be our next president. wow!
i have been having a back and forth conversation with logan today via email. you all remember logan right? the one that i dated for five years? anyway, he made a comment today about how calm i sound and how pleasantly surprised he is about that (keep in mind he knew me when i wasn't on medication, i'm sure you can imagine what a nightmare that was!). i do go through periods of extreme stress and anxiety and was hitting it hard this past month. in the last week though, i've been feeling a sort of peace about things. i am dating this wonderful man who cares about me and shows it in a million little ways each day, i am almost finished with school and will have done it without getting any loans, i have received all points possible on every assignment in my last class so far, i already have my school and teacher for student teaching, i have the most amazing friends and family...taking the time to reflect, i am completely and utterly blessed. i hope that i am able to remember that in most if not all of the days ahead!
anyway, that's all i've got!
hope everyone had a nice weekend.