Former Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein told CNN's Fareed Zakaria Friday he intends to vote for Democrat Barack Obama this Tuesday.
Duberstein said he was influenced by another prominent Reagan official - Colin Powell - in his decision.
"Well let's put it this way - I think Colin Powell's decision is in fact the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."
Powell served as national security advisor to Reagan during Duberstein's tenure as chief of staff.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Top 10 Scary Movies
This is my list. CNN's: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/30/creature.features/index.html, was lame.
10. The Strangers -- I just watched this. Its pretty good. If you haven't seen it, watch it in the dark after a cup of coffee -- there's lots of down time.
9. Pan's Labrynth -- I think the creepy characters are what make this one a winner. I mean, sure the storyline is dark and disturbing, but that weird half horse thing gives me goosebumps.
8. Rosemary's Baby -- My mom first saw this when she was pregnant with my sister. She almost didn't have any more kids.
7. The Thing -- This is one of those movies I can watch over and over again...and still get freaked out everytime that guy is half-alien and half-man and gets blasted by Kurt Russel. Ick.
6. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original) -- I'm putting this on the list not because its ultra weird, not because its scary. I mean, the whole thing gives me the willies, so I guess mission accomplished.
5. The Shining -- I saw this the first time with my cousin and we were entrenched throughout. Then, at the end, with Jack frozen in the snow I said to her: Wow. That image will stick with me the rest of my life. She looked at me and said: Great. Me too NOW.
4. The Blair Witch Project -- I don't care what anyone says, if you bought into the hype of this movie (like I did), it would FREAK you out. Especially if you got home from the movies late at night and you live near huge, dark trees and no one's home. I'm just saying...
3. Night of the Living Dead -- I know it seems a bit campy now, because of all the ripping off on other movies that's gone on, but honestly...its still fucking scary. I mean, what the hell would you do if zombies were real? Or are they...???
2. The Orphanage -- If you haven't seen this (subtitled, but you barely notice), SEE IT. Not only is it eerie, its downright depressing. All the while keeping you hooked.
1. The Exorcist -- This one is still scary, I don't care who you are. The music, the plot, the imagination...you'll pee your pants. And if you don't, you're doing it wrong.
10. The Strangers -- I just watched this. Its pretty good. If you haven't seen it, watch it in the dark after a cup of coffee -- there's lots of down time.
9. Pan's Labrynth -- I think the creepy characters are what make this one a winner. I mean, sure the storyline is dark and disturbing, but that weird half horse thing gives me goosebumps.
8. Rosemary's Baby -- My mom first saw this when she was pregnant with my sister. She almost didn't have any more kids.
7. The Thing -- This is one of those movies I can watch over and over again...and still get freaked out everytime that guy is half-alien and half-man and gets blasted by Kurt Russel. Ick.
6. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original) -- I'm putting this on the list not because its ultra weird, not because its scary. I mean, the whole thing gives me the willies, so I guess mission accomplished.
5. The Shining -- I saw this the first time with my cousin and we were entrenched throughout. Then, at the end, with Jack frozen in the snow I said to her: Wow. That image will stick with me the rest of my life. She looked at me and said: Great. Me too NOW.
4. The Blair Witch Project -- I don't care what anyone says, if you bought into the hype of this movie (like I did), it would FREAK you out. Especially if you got home from the movies late at night and you live near huge, dark trees and no one's home. I'm just saying...
3. Night of the Living Dead -- I know it seems a bit campy now, because of all the ripping off on other movies that's gone on, but honestly...its still fucking scary. I mean, what the hell would you do if zombies were real? Or are they...???
2. The Orphanage -- If you haven't seen this (subtitled, but you barely notice), SEE IT. Not only is it eerie, its downright depressing. All the while keeping you hooked.
1. The Exorcist -- This one is still scary, I don't care who you are. The music, the plot, the imagination...you'll pee your pants. And if you don't, you're doing it wrong.
I think the negative attacks are working...
I really do. I think, as a country, we are still so divided and so angry that when someone like McCain tries to tap into our frustration, he has little trouble doing it.
We're also very skeptical, with good reason. Mark Foley, Coingate, Ted Stevens, Tom Delay, Nixon...the list is endless. At every turn, we expect our politicans and leaders to disappoint us and when they do, we throw up our hands and say: forget it! it doesn't matter anyway!
I think it does matter. I watched the 2004 Keynote Address Obama made with my mom. We sat in her kitchen, watching on the small 13 inch screen TV and we both cried. We were so overcome with emotion, thinking: wow. THIS is possible.
We both were convinced by Obama that it doesn't have to be about egos and favors, that politics can be about doing things that are fair and just. We don't have to accept the status quo and say: well, they have more money. they have more power. they will win anyway.
Instead, we can make a REAL decision this year with our heads and our hearts.
I heard someone on Fox News say that Obama supporters are like cultists -- that they just believe whatever he tells us.
Guess what? McCain supporters do the same thing. You believe what he says about his committment to keep us safe, to not give up in Iraq, that Obama will restribute the wealth.
Here's the thing...I WANT to believe more what Obama says. Its not that I think either one is telling more or less truths than the other. Its that what Obama says is what I want. Elections shouldn't be about what people have done or what they will do -- but what they make YOU do.
I'm not naive. I don't think that politicans can do everything and to claim that they can is setting yourself up for failure.
But what I do think they can do is make me believe in something greater than myself. To help me to understand why the world is the way it is. And to inspire me to want a better life for myself and my family.
That's what Obama does. McCain doesn't tap into that fundamental urge I have to get my life on track and put some good out into the world.
McCain doesn't speak to the desire in me to see others around me succeed while I succeed. He doesn't convince me that he will work hard for my rights...because he already has his.
My life isn't awful. Neither is anyone else's who gets to live in the country with the most freedom and prosperity of any other on the planet.
But I think that now is the time to believe that everyone deserves more.
For the child who has HIV -- that they can get their medications and treatment and live a long and healthy life.
For the senior citizen who is living on a fixed income -- that they will see their social security payments increase with inflation and know that they can get their medications without breaking the bank.
For the young person of color who struggles to overcome the shadows of the past -- that they will go to college and get a job and not be thought of as "affirmative action", but as just one of the team.
For the young woman who knows she cannot bring a baby into this world and protect it, feed it, nuture it and give it a good life -- that she has the choice to do what she believes is best and that we put the faith in her to do that.
For the young immigrant who comes here with hope -- that he can keep his culture and learn American culture without the oppression and hate that exists in other places in the world.
I believe that Barack Obama wants this too. And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe all these months have gone by and I wasn't paying close enough attention or I just blindly believed what I wanted to because Obama is so well spoken and tugs at my heart strings.
But if he spends the next four years tugging at those heart strings, and inspring me to be better, to want more and do everything I can for my fellow man, then he really is the "Commander in Chief" we need.
Mandy for Obama
We're also very skeptical, with good reason. Mark Foley, Coingate, Ted Stevens, Tom Delay, Nixon...the list is endless. At every turn, we expect our politicans and leaders to disappoint us and when they do, we throw up our hands and say: forget it! it doesn't matter anyway!
I think it does matter. I watched the 2004 Keynote Address Obama made with my mom. We sat in her kitchen, watching on the small 13 inch screen TV and we both cried. We were so overcome with emotion, thinking: wow. THIS is possible.
We both were convinced by Obama that it doesn't have to be about egos and favors, that politics can be about doing things that are fair and just. We don't have to accept the status quo and say: well, they have more money. they have more power. they will win anyway.
Instead, we can make a REAL decision this year with our heads and our hearts.
I heard someone on Fox News say that Obama supporters are like cultists -- that they just believe whatever he tells us.
Guess what? McCain supporters do the same thing. You believe what he says about his committment to keep us safe, to not give up in Iraq, that Obama will restribute the wealth.
Here's the thing...I WANT to believe more what Obama says. Its not that I think either one is telling more or less truths than the other. Its that what Obama says is what I want. Elections shouldn't be about what people have done or what they will do -- but what they make YOU do.
I'm not naive. I don't think that politicans can do everything and to claim that they can is setting yourself up for failure.
But what I do think they can do is make me believe in something greater than myself. To help me to understand why the world is the way it is. And to inspire me to want a better life for myself and my family.
That's what Obama does. McCain doesn't tap into that fundamental urge I have to get my life on track and put some good out into the world.
McCain doesn't speak to the desire in me to see others around me succeed while I succeed. He doesn't convince me that he will work hard for my rights...because he already has his.
My life isn't awful. Neither is anyone else's who gets to live in the country with the most freedom and prosperity of any other on the planet.
But I think that now is the time to believe that everyone deserves more.
For the child who has HIV -- that they can get their medications and treatment and live a long and healthy life.
For the senior citizen who is living on a fixed income -- that they will see their social security payments increase with inflation and know that they can get their medications without breaking the bank.
For the young person of color who struggles to overcome the shadows of the past -- that they will go to college and get a job and not be thought of as "affirmative action", but as just one of the team.
For the young woman who knows she cannot bring a baby into this world and protect it, feed it, nuture it and give it a good life -- that she has the choice to do what she believes is best and that we put the faith in her to do that.
For the young immigrant who comes here with hope -- that he can keep his culture and learn American culture without the oppression and hate that exists in other places in the world.
I believe that Barack Obama wants this too. And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe all these months have gone by and I wasn't paying close enough attention or I just blindly believed what I wanted to because Obama is so well spoken and tugs at my heart strings.
But if he spends the next four years tugging at those heart strings, and inspring me to be better, to want more and do everything I can for my fellow man, then he really is the "Commander in Chief" we need.
Mandy for Obama
I thought this was good...
Georgia State junior Justin Godbey said he considers Obama and McCain as "exactly the same." He created both backgrounds with the words, "Their system doesn't work for you."
NOOOOOOOOO...
McCain to appear on SNL this weekend
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (CNN) — Mandatory stops on the GOP campaign trail this year: Pennsylvania. Florida. Saturday Night Live.
Two weeks after running mate Sarah Palin made an appearance on the late-night comedy show, a McCain campaign aide tells CNN that the Republican presidential nominee will appear on the NBC program tomorrow night.
The Arizona senator has appeared on the show several times over the years.
McCain's most memorable appearance on the long running show was in October 2002, when he hosted the program for a night: In a spoof commercial hawking an album called "McCain Sings Streisand," sang several of the Democratic loyalist's songs.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (CNN) — Mandatory stops on the GOP campaign trail this year: Pennsylvania. Florida. Saturday Night Live.
Two weeks after running mate Sarah Palin made an appearance on the late-night comedy show, a McCain campaign aide tells CNN that the Republican presidential nominee will appear on the NBC program tomorrow night.
The Arizona senator has appeared on the show several times over the years.
McCain's most memorable appearance on the long running show was in October 2002, when he hosted the program for a night: In a spoof commercial hawking an album called "McCain Sings Streisand," sang several of the Democratic loyalist's songs.
No Wonder They Still <3 GWB
A new poll finds that 23 percent of registered voters in Texas believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim, even though the Democratic candidate has repeatedly explained that he is a church-going Christian.
The poll, conducted by the Texas Politics Project and Department of Government at The University of Texas in Austin, showed Obama trailing John McCain by 11 points in the Lone Star State.
Forty-five percent of those polled accurately described Obama as a Protestant. But the 23 percent who identified his religion as Islam is about twice as high as in typical national polls.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Obama has been fighting false rumors, largely hatched on the Internet, that he is secretly a Muslim.
On Obama's Fight the Smears Web site, which his campaign set up to battle harmful claims, it says that Obama is a "committed Christian" who regularly attends church with his family.
The Texas poll interviewed 550 registered voters in Texas from Oct. 15-22, and had a margin of error of 4.2 percent.
The poll, conducted by the Texas Politics Project and Department of Government at The University of Texas in Austin, showed Obama trailing John McCain by 11 points in the Lone Star State.
Forty-five percent of those polled accurately described Obama as a Protestant. But the 23 percent who identified his religion as Islam is about twice as high as in typical national polls.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Obama has been fighting false rumors, largely hatched on the Internet, that he is secretly a Muslim.
On Obama's Fight the Smears Web site, which his campaign set up to battle harmful claims, it says that Obama is a "committed Christian" who regularly attends church with his family.
The Texas poll interviewed 550 registered voters in Texas from Oct. 15-22, and had a margin of error of 4.2 percent.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Say its so, Joe.
Joe the no show
(CNN) — Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, has become an integral part of John McCain's presidential bid, but it appears the Arizona senator's campaign and the now-famous Toledo plumber need to work on their communication skills.
McCain aides told CNN's Dana Bash Wurzelbacher would appear with the Republican presidential candidate at his first campaign event in Defiance, Ohio. But in what was a slightly awkward moment for McCain, Wurzelbacher was nowhere to be seen when the Arizona senator called out for him.
A campaign aide later said Wurzelbacher had "decided not to come" and may join McCain later in the day.
But reached at his home by CNN's Mary Snow, Wurzelbacher said it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher said nobody from the McCain campaign confirmed he was attending the event and called the incident a "miscommunication."
Wurzelbacher also said he is headed to Philadelphia for a charity event unrelated to the campaign and has no plans to meet up with McCain today.
UPDATE: Contacted by CNN a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place. He will now try to meet up with McCain later in the day.
Wurzelbacher also said he had gotten an initial call about coming to the morning rally, "but no one called back to confirm," and was "not happy" that McCain had called out his name and he wasn't there.
(CNN) — Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, has become an integral part of John McCain's presidential bid, but it appears the Arizona senator's campaign and the now-famous Toledo plumber need to work on their communication skills.
McCain aides told CNN's Dana Bash Wurzelbacher would appear with the Republican presidential candidate at his first campaign event in Defiance, Ohio. But in what was a slightly awkward moment for McCain, Wurzelbacher was nowhere to be seen when the Arizona senator called out for him.
A campaign aide later said Wurzelbacher had "decided not to come" and may join McCain later in the day.
But reached at his home by CNN's Mary Snow, Wurzelbacher said it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher said nobody from the McCain campaign confirmed he was attending the event and called the incident a "miscommunication."
Wurzelbacher also said he is headed to Philadelphia for a charity event unrelated to the campaign and has no plans to meet up with McCain today.
UPDATE: Contacted by CNN a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place. He will now try to meet up with McCain later in the day.
Wurzelbacher also said he had gotten an initial call about coming to the morning rally, "but no one called back to confirm," and was "not happy" that McCain had called out his name and he wasn't there.
I'm not doing my blog for naught either, Sarah.
(From Guardian UK) Sarah Palin yesterday increased speculation over her intentions to remain in the presidential hunt for 2012, remarking pointedly that "I'm not doing this for naught," when asked about her political future.
Palin's prospects as a presidential nominee in four years' time have sparked heated debate inside the Republican party, while angering some in the McCain camp who privately fret that their number two is "going rogue".
Her remarks to ABC news are unlikely to quiet that internal tension. When asked about mounting a campaign in 2012, if McCain loses on Tuesday, Palin said she is "thinking that it's going to go our way" but declared she would not return to Alaska if she failed.
"Absolutely not," Palin told ABC. "I think that if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we've taken ... I'm not doing this for naught."
ABC news issued an initial press release interpreting the phrase as a promise to be a "player in 2012".
That drew fire from Republicans last night. Palin adviser Tucker Eskew told reporters travelling with the candidate that ABC had apologised for "a terrifically misleading headline" on the interview, according to the New York Times.
Eskew said: "I think it's a time for us, as this campaign builds an occasionally acknowledged but real momentum towards a very fast-approaching Election Day, that this record get corrected … [Palin] felt there was an error."
ABC later sent out a second transcript of the Palin interview without a 2012-related headline, but the early coverage ensured questions over the Alaska governor's political ambitions would continue for another day.
Palin was asked during the ABC interview about her suggestions during campaign rallies that Barack Obama is less American than McCain, particularly her quip that the Democrat was "palling around with terrorists" – a reference to Obama's past link to 1960s radical Bill Ayers. Challenged on that issue, the vice-presidential nominee notably softened her rhetoric.
"I am sure that Senator Obama cares as much for this country as McCain does," Palin said.
Meanwhile, McCain defended his running mate during a separate interview last night with CNN, telling chat-show host Larry King that he has "total" confidence in Palin's ability to assume the presidency, should circumstances necessitate it.
"She not only would take over, she would inspire Americans," McCain said, calling Palin the "most popular governor in America".
Although Palin's popularity rating in Alaska had neared 90% before she joined the Republican ticket, her current 63% approval means that she no longer holds the title of the most popular US governor.
Palin's prospects as a presidential nominee in four years' time have sparked heated debate inside the Republican party, while angering some in the McCain camp who privately fret that their number two is "going rogue".
Her remarks to ABC news are unlikely to quiet that internal tension. When asked about mounting a campaign in 2012, if McCain loses on Tuesday, Palin said she is "thinking that it's going to go our way" but declared she would not return to Alaska if she failed.
"Absolutely not," Palin told ABC. "I think that if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we've taken ... I'm not doing this for naught."
ABC news issued an initial press release interpreting the phrase as a promise to be a "player in 2012".
That drew fire from Republicans last night. Palin adviser Tucker Eskew told reporters travelling with the candidate that ABC had apologised for "a terrifically misleading headline" on the interview, according to the New York Times.
Eskew said: "I think it's a time for us, as this campaign builds an occasionally acknowledged but real momentum towards a very fast-approaching Election Day, that this record get corrected … [Palin] felt there was an error."
ABC later sent out a second transcript of the Palin interview without a 2012-related headline, but the early coverage ensured questions over the Alaska governor's political ambitions would continue for another day.
Palin was asked during the ABC interview about her suggestions during campaign rallies that Barack Obama is less American than McCain, particularly her quip that the Democrat was "palling around with terrorists" – a reference to Obama's past link to 1960s radical Bill Ayers. Challenged on that issue, the vice-presidential nominee notably softened her rhetoric.
"I am sure that Senator Obama cares as much for this country as McCain does," Palin said.
Meanwhile, McCain defended his running mate during a separate interview last night with CNN, telling chat-show host Larry King that he has "total" confidence in Palin's ability to assume the presidency, should circumstances necessitate it.
"She not only would take over, she would inspire Americans," McCain said, calling Palin the "most popular governor in America".
Although Palin's popularity rating in Alaska had neared 90% before she joined the Republican ticket, her current 63% approval means that she no longer holds the title of the most popular US governor.
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