Jon Stewart of Comedy Central (more specifically "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart") had an interesting segment a few nights ago regarding conservative pundits and their views on certain events the past few days.
The three main events were the selection of Sarah Palin as McCain's Vice-President, the revelation of Palin's daughter's pregnancy, and the gender card. Watch and enjoy!
Can someone please tell McCain to stop using the "Rudy" Theme song! As a Notre Dame Alumnus, I am offended!!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Ana Banana: Dean's List!
Well, today in the Whittier Daily News, my good friend Ana Maria Vasquez made the pages! A very good friend who I've known since my high school years, she is always ready for a laugh.I am her "Papa" as to others in my circle of friends. After graduating from El Rancho High School, Ana traveled north to Santa Barbara and matriculated at the beautiful UCSB campus. After graduating this past spring, she moved on to graduate school at Loyola Marymount University near the Los Angeles International Airport. However, before she moved on to work on her Education Masters, she earned a spot on the Dean's List in the college of Arts and Science. Congrats Ana Banana (I am so used to the Arts and Letters combination)! Well, here is to ANA Banana! Good luck!
(Pictures are from our summer 2006 Puerto Vallarta Trip!)
Experience?...Oh She Has Experience!
As I've mentioned before, one of the main arguments of the McCain campaign against Obama is his last of experience, particularly in foreign affairs. Unfortunately, the argument has been rendered moot by the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate. However, the McCain campaign argues she has the experience (executive and militarily) to be ready on the first day! Well, at least that was the attempted portrayal of Palin. Cambell Brown of CNN grilled Tucker Bound of the McCain campaign with regards to Palin's experience. Simply said, Bound was Schooled:
The video speaks for itself. And now, McCain pulled his apperance from Larry King tonight because of the small altercation.
The video speaks for itself. And now, McCain pulled his apperance from Larry King tonight because of the small altercation.
Friday, August 29, 2008
McCain-Palin 2008
John McCain finally revealed his vice-presidential candidate: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Here is the announcement per NBC News:
Talk about an earthquake from Alaska. And from that earthquake a huge tsunami which overtook news coverage from coast to coast. Considering the anticipation of McCain's announcement this morning, Obama's speech was reduced to the second or third lead in most morning shows. While most people were expecting former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and even Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman. Well, everyone was wrong with the selection of Palin. She had a quick and interesting beginning first as councilwomen and then mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. In 2002 she unsuccessfully ran for Lt. Governor. In 2006, she defeat long time Alaskan political figure Frank Murkowski on her way to the governor's mansion. Now within two years of her election, she is on the verge of nomination as the first woman on a Republican national ticket. Her record fighting against corruption and the Republican establishment of Alaska has propelled her reputation as a maverick which is probably why McCain chose her.
Granted, McCain pulled one heck of a number on the press and the country. While Palin's 'maverick' image will be absorbed by McCain, the truth is McCain wants Clinton's voters especially women. However, I find it a bit crass to base Palin's selection for the purpose of pandering. When we consider women are supportive of abortion rights and gun control, it may be difficult to promote an anti-abortion and NRA-lifelong member to women. What makes McCain's pick even more insulting is his argument of experience. Obama has more experience in government compared to Palin. How can McCain accuse Obama of a lack of experience (especially international affairs) when Palin has almost no experience what-so-ever! Palin governs the largest state in the Union (land-wise), but Alaska's population is around 683,000 roughly the size of a congressional district. McCain's experience argument is now moot. While Biden can serve as a surrogate for Obama in international affairs (i.e. Biden went to Georgia the same week he was selected as Obama's running mate), Palin has no such experience to show. Palin was a choice based on opportunism. So much for bold leadership on behave of McCain.
With regards to the vice-presidential, Biden must be cautious in the debates in order to avoid accusations of belittlement. Watch in the coming months as Republican women's groups will pounce on Democratic attacks as sexist and per usual...elitist.
You can bet on one thing, as I've already seen on many websites, McCain sure knows how to pick the beauty queens!
Talk about an earthquake from Alaska. And from that earthquake a huge tsunami which overtook news coverage from coast to coast. Considering the anticipation of McCain's announcement this morning, Obama's speech was reduced to the second or third lead in most morning shows. While most people were expecting former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and even Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman. Well, everyone was wrong with the selection of Palin. She had a quick and interesting beginning first as councilwomen and then mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. In 2002 she unsuccessfully ran for Lt. Governor. In 2006, she defeat long time Alaskan political figure Frank Murkowski on her way to the governor's mansion. Now within two years of her election, she is on the verge of nomination as the first woman on a Republican national ticket. Her record fighting against corruption and the Republican establishment of Alaska has propelled her reputation as a maverick which is probably why McCain chose her.
Granted, McCain pulled one heck of a number on the press and the country. While Palin's 'maverick' image will be absorbed by McCain, the truth is McCain wants Clinton's voters especially women. However, I find it a bit crass to base Palin's selection for the purpose of pandering. When we consider women are supportive of abortion rights and gun control, it may be difficult to promote an anti-abortion and NRA-lifelong member to women. What makes McCain's pick even more insulting is his argument of experience. Obama has more experience in government compared to Palin. How can McCain accuse Obama of a lack of experience (especially international affairs) when Palin has almost no experience what-so-ever! Palin governs the largest state in the Union (land-wise), but Alaska's population is around 683,000 roughly the size of a congressional district. McCain's experience argument is now moot. While Biden can serve as a surrogate for Obama in international affairs (i.e. Biden went to Georgia the same week he was selected as Obama's running mate), Palin has no such experience to show. Palin was a choice based on opportunism. So much for bold leadership on behave of McCain.
With regards to the vice-presidential, Biden must be cautious in the debates in order to avoid accusations of belittlement. Watch in the coming months as Republican women's groups will pounce on Democratic attacks as sexist and per usual...elitist.
You can bet on one thing, as I've already seen on many websites, McCain sure knows how to pick the beauty queens!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Next President of the United States
For those of you who were not able to catch Barack Obama's speech, here it is:
In my humble opinion, I found the speech effective and full of zingers. Everyone was waiting for Obama to finally take charge and give a few swings a long the way. Coupled with Biden, Obama should be able to hold his own through November. Considering the today was the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech," the symbolism was obvious. While some were hoping for MLK's speech to have a central theme in Obama's speech, I would argue he embodied MLK's dream. Obama acknowledged and celebrated the "young preacher from Georgia." The fact alone that Obama has captured the nomination represents MLK's dream of having his children walk with their heads held high with no fear of retribution because of their skin color. Obama represents a set of ideals which are universal in this country. His ideals are not just "Black," "Latino," "White," etc. They are ideals worthy of an American president. While some in this country cannot fathom a president who 'doesn't look like me,' the country is still reaching a milestone which will show the world the advances the United States has achieved.
With regards to the so-called "lack of unity," Obama's recognition of success during the Clinton years was what many Clintonistas needed to hear. Coupled with the Clintons' remarks this week, the Democrats will and are united!
While we would all hope the campaign would remain positive, we all know it is never the case because each campaign accuses the other of negativism (why be negative when you have third parties working the angle for you?) In a sense, Democrats are usually castrated because they tend to take the high road while Republicans (or their "independent expenditure groups") avoid the issues. Granted both parties tend to be negative, but the Republicans have mastered the art.
But for now, here are some of my favorite quotes from tonight's speech! Enjoy Amigos!
"Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough.""
"But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."
"It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect."
"That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."
"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have."
" John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."
"The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess."
Enough Indeed!!
In my humble opinion, I found the speech effective and full of zingers. Everyone was waiting for Obama to finally take charge and give a few swings a long the way. Coupled with Biden, Obama should be able to hold his own through November. Considering the today was the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech," the symbolism was obvious. While some were hoping for MLK's speech to have a central theme in Obama's speech, I would argue he embodied MLK's dream. Obama acknowledged and celebrated the "young preacher from Georgia." The fact alone that Obama has captured the nomination represents MLK's dream of having his children walk with their heads held high with no fear of retribution because of their skin color. Obama represents a set of ideals which are universal in this country. His ideals are not just "Black," "Latino," "White," etc. They are ideals worthy of an American president. While some in this country cannot fathom a president who 'doesn't look like me,' the country is still reaching a milestone which will show the world the advances the United States has achieved.
With regards to the so-called "lack of unity," Obama's recognition of success during the Clinton years was what many Clintonistas needed to hear. Coupled with the Clintons' remarks this week, the Democrats will and are united!
While we would all hope the campaign would remain positive, we all know it is never the case because each campaign accuses the other of negativism (why be negative when you have third parties working the angle for you?) In a sense, Democrats are usually castrated because they tend to take the high road while Republicans (or their "independent expenditure groups") avoid the issues. Granted both parties tend to be negative, but the Republicans have mastered the art.
But for now, here are some of my favorite quotes from tonight's speech! Enjoy Amigos!
"Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough.""
"But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."
"It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect."
"That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."
"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have."
" John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."
"The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess."
Enough Indeed!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
End of a Chapter
2008 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a degree in History. What exactly will I do with my life, I do not know, but I will enlighten my readers with a variety of opinions ranging from sports to politics, and even some daily updates. Keep posted...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
