Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Thursday, September 11, 2008

20080911 FoxNews Transcript: Obama sits down with Letterman discusses pigs

FoxNews TRANSCRIPT: OBAMA SITS DOWN WITH LETTERMAN, DISCUSSES PIGS

 by FOXNews.com Thursday, September 11, 2008

 Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama appeared on the “Late Show” with David Letterman in New York on Wednesday, a day after heated debate ignited over a “pig” remark some took as a slam against Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The following is a transcript of the “Late Show” interview.

Dave: “Let me ask you a question here.  Have you ever actually put lipstick on a pig?”

Obama: “You know,” (audience laughs) “the answer would be no.  But I think it might be fun to try.”

Dave: “I know the reaction to that was, ‘You were overreacting.’  You stand by that?”

Obama: “Absolutely.” (audience applauds)  “Look, this is - if you - this is sort of silly season in politics - not that there’s a non-silly season in politics.” (Dave, audience laugh) “But it gets sillier. But, you know, it’s a common expression in at least Illinois, I don’t know about New York City.  I don’t know where you put lipstick on here.” (audience, Dave laugh) “But in Illinois, the expression connotes the idea that if you have a bad idea, in this case I was talking about John McCain’s economic plans, that just calling them change, calling it something different, doesn’t make it better, hence, lipstick on a pig is still a pig.”

Dave: “Now what I like about this scenario is because they demanded, the Republicans demanded an apology.”

Obama: “Yes, they did.”

Dave: “So that means there had been a meeting at some point somewhere along the line.”

Obama: “All of them.”

Dave: “Yeah, they got together and they said, ‘You know what?  He called our vice presidential candidate a pig.’” (audience laughs)  “Well, that seems pretty unlikely, doesn’t it?”

Obama: “It does. But keep in mind that, technically, had I meant it that way, she would have been the lipstick, you see?” (audience, Dave laugh) “But now we’re…”

Dave: “I don’t know, you’re way ahead of me.” (audience laughs)

Obama: “Yeah, the failed policies of John McCain would be the pig.”

Dave: “Now, do you feel like for the last week and a half, last two weeks, that the campaign - ”

(audience laughs, Obama laughs)

Obama: “Now, I mean, you know, just following the logic of this illogical situation.”

Dave: “The fact that we’re talking about this now, do you feel like within the last week and half or so, there’s been - you’re derailed a little bit and now you’re campaigning against, not necessarily the Republican ticket, but John McCain, not him, but Sarah Palin?”

Obama: “Well, I - look, there’s no doubt that she’s been a phenomenon.  I mean, you know, as somebody who used to be on the cover of Time and Newsweek, you know.” (audience, Dave laugh)

Dave (laughs): “Those were the days.” (audience applauds)

Obama: “Those were the days.  I had a recent offer with Popular Mechanics.” (audience laughs)

Dave: “Take it, take it.” (audience laughs)

Obama: “Said they had a centerfold, yeah, with a wrench, you know.”  (audience, Obama laugh)  “But, no, look, she’s on a wild ride and there’s no doubt that she’s energized the base.  But ultimately what we’ve seen over the last week is a concession on the part of the McCain campaign that this election is going to be about change.  You’ll recall, you know, for the last two years, we’ve been talking about needing to change how Washington works, how the country is managed and people were saying, ‘No, it’s about experience, experience, experience,’ and over the last week and a half I think they recognized that, no, the American people want something fundamentally different and for a good reason. Because when you travel, it doesn’t matter whether you’re here in New York City or a tiny hamlet somewhere in the Midwest, what you find is people are just having a tough time right now.  The economy is not working for middle class families, incomes have gone down, people don’t have healthcare, you’ve got foreclosures all across the country, and so people want something different, and whoever makes the better case that we have had enough of the last eight years, we need something fundamentally new, whoever makes that case to the American people will be the next President.” (audience applauds)

Dave: (laughs) “You’re campaigning now, aren’t you?”

Obama: “I am.”

Dave: “Campaigning.”

Obama: “I had to throw a little - ” (audience still applauds)

Dave:  “I understand.”

Obama: “I had to throw a little campaigning in.”

Dave: “But now, Labor Day weekend, we hear that John McCain has selected Sarah Palin and nobody knows, except maybe people living in Alaska, who that is. And we think, in the beginning we think, oh my God, that’s the worst decision the man could have made.  And then, subsequently, it turns out to be a pretty good decision for the man, for the party, certainly for the ticket - and calculated, no question about it, calculated.  And I’m wondering, if he had picked Sarah Palin before you picked Joe Biden, is there a chance that maybe you would have selected somebody else?  Would that have affected your choice?”

Obama: “You know, the way I thought about it was, ‘Who’s going to help me govern? Who’s the person I want in the room if we’ve got a big decision to make?  Who’s going to be able to give me good counsel, good advice, who’s able to maybe have some ideas that I don’thave or give me a perspective that I haven’t seen, and I think that nobody can do that better than Joe Biden.” (audience applauds) “And I know what he cares about and what he stands for - I think he’s going to be a great choice.”

Dave: “When word came out that it was Sarah Palin, what was your personal reaction?  What was the reaction of the folks around you?”

Obama: “You know, we didn’t know much about her, and I think that, obviously, she’s a skilled politician and you know, she has energized their party.  But, what I think are pretty confident about - we’ll know, you know, if she does more interviews with people and talks to them - about what her ideas are. I think what we’re going to see is she shares John McCain’s view that the policies of George W. Bush have worked pretty well.  All right, so McCain has said we’ve made great economic progress, the economy’s fundamentally sound - you haven’t seen any separation between them and what we’ve seen over the last eight years.  And so the bottom line is if you think the last eight years haven’t worked, if you think that the government can do a better job creating jobs, building the economy, making sure kids that can go to college, providing healthcare to people who don’t have it, then it’s hard to figure why you would want four more years of exactly the same policy.” (audience applauds)

Dave: “Tomorrow is the seventh anniversary of the attack on the United States, and when we come back, I want you to tell us what you would have done, knowing what you know now, what you would have done had you been President then, what you would do if you’re President now and we get another attack, so we’ll be right back here with Sen. Barack Obama, everybody.”

===============

Dave: “All right, Barack Obama is here.  Had a lot of time to think about people, you know, when Washington was attacked, when New York City was attacked, and for us in the Northeast, it was, I think, more about Rudy Giuliani - he was our savior here in this city - than it was about George Bush and the national strategy.  But now, this is stuff you’ve got to think about.  You have to think about it.  What would you have done then?  What kind of a situation would we be in now if you had been the President?”

Obama: “Well, first of all, I think Giuliani deserves credit.  He kept calm and he was clear.  You know, I still remember your show after it happened and how moving that was.  That was one of the most powerful moments on television.  I think that George Bush did the right thing by going after the Taliban in Afghanistan, and I would have done the exact same thing, and the big difference between myself and George Bush I think would have been to stay focused on Afghanistan, not get distracted by Iraq.  I think we would have tamped down Al Qaeda, we could have, if not captured or killed Bin Laden, at least made sure that they weren’t setting up the kind of base camps that have now reconstituted themselves, so they’ve got safe haven in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan.  And I think in terms of the United States, there was just this outpouring - you remember, people wanted to do something, and, you know, George Bush asked them to shop, and if we had instead said, ‘You know what, we are going to reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil,’ or, you know, ‘We are going to create the kinds of energy-efficient economy that will allow us to weaken the forces of terror,’ that could have made an incredible difference and I think you could have mobilized the American people around bold plans on energy that would make sure that we weren’t continuing to be in the situation we’re in today.”

Dave: “Now, two things:  it’s been called to my attention, and you see it on television, there’s documentaries about it and there’ve been books published about it, that seconds after the first plane hit the tower, there was chaos in Washington, D.C.  Is that your understanding, that systems that everybody took for granted about being in place were not in place and if they were, nobody knew how to run them?”

Obama: “Well, there’s no doubt it was a shock to the system, and, you know, the failures of intelligence have been well-documented.  I think some of the systems broke down, but, you know, my interest is not in playing Monday morning quarterback.  I think that any president who was there would have had to deal with a whole range of problems that we hadn’t anticipated before.  What I am concerned about is that we have not taken the steps since that time that would make us safer.  I think that if we had stayed focused in Afghanistan, if we had, instead of spending a trillion dollars in Iraq, had focused on our energy problems here at home, if we had started hardening our chemical plants and our ports in ways we that we still haven’t done and implemented the 9/11 Commission reports then, we couldn’t guarantee that 9/11’s not repeated, but we would be further along in making sure that America was safe.  And the other thing we would have done is we would have maintained the sympathy of the world and the alliances that have been frayed so badly over the last several years.”

Dave: “More or less decimated.”

Obama: “Absolutely.”

Dave: “Now, you mentioned twice staying focused in Afghanistan, and we have seen relatively so, we had a short visit in Afghanistan militarily, and now, there’s trouble there in Afghanistan.  What would maintaining focus there mean?”

Obama: “Well, it means a couple things.”

Dave: “Would it mean a similar situation as we have in Iraq? Would it mean an American and military control of the country?”

Obama: “Well, I do think we’ve got to have more troops there, so I think we’ve got to have a couple of more brigades.  But just as important is the non-civilian side - what are we doing in terms of giving farmers there an alternative to growing poppy, right, so narco-trafficking has funded terrorism in that region. What are we doing about rooting out corruption in the Afghan government, so people actually trust what’s going on there?”

Dave: “Also schools?”

Obama: “Schools, medical care, and what are we doing in terms of dealing with Pakistan, because the fact is that Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, they are on the Pakistani side of the border, we were funding this guy Musharraf, providing him $10 billion in military assistance, and they were not going after these folks that are sitting there hatching plots to attack the United States again.  And, you know, one of the things that we’ve got to recognize is that if we are protecting dictators because we think that’s the best we can do, we’re actually creating an environment in Pakistan that becomes anti-American and feeds the kinds of militancy that can end up damaging us badly.”

Dave: “This sort of discussion, because I don’t have the brainpower for it, makes my head hurt.” (audience laughs)

Obama:  “Does it hurt?”

Dave: “Actually makes my head hurt.” (Obama laughs) “I want you to tell us a little bit about, I think when you were 10 or 11 years old, was your first trip to the mainland.”

Obama: “That’s right. I was living in Hawaii at the time.”

Dave: “And you came with your, uh, sister?”

Obama: “I came with my two-year-old sister, my mom and my grandma, and we went to Seattle because that’s where my family had lived before they moved to Hawaii.”

Dave: “And they decided it was time, as nice as Hawaii is, time to see more of the country.”

Obama: “Time to see more of the country, so we went to Seattle, we went to Disneyland, which was big.  They got a lot of points for that.” (audience laughs)

Dave: “As a kid, you responded the way kids respond to that?”

Obama: “Yeah, Dave, I mean, you know, kids in Hawaii, they know about Mickey Mouse and things like that.” (audience laughs, applauds)

Dave: (laughs) “I don’t know.” (Dave, Obama laugh; audience applauds) “Just checking.”

Obama: “Yeah, yeah, it’s Disneyland, man.” (Audience laughs) “I mean, you know, kids like that.”

Dave: “I don’t know what it’s like in Hawaii, I don’t know what’s going on over there.”

Obama: “So, what do you think?  We went and kind of looked around and said, ‘What the heck is this?’” (audience, Obama laugh)

Dave: “Yes, yes, I do.” (audience laughs)

Obama: “No, so, we went to Disneyland, we went to the Grand Canyon, we went to Yosemite.”

Dave: “Grand Canyon.”

Obama: “Grand Canyon was great. My first trip to Chicago was on that trip, and went to the Field Museum, and I still remember this, they had shrunken heads.  Real shrunken heads, which, you know, when you’re - 10-year-old boys are kind of strange because,” (audience laughs) “or 11-year-old boys, that was fascinating to me.  That was actually the highlight.  That was almost as good as Disneyland.” (Dave, audience laugh)

Dave: “Right up everybody’s alley.”

Obama: “Shrunken heads.” (audience laughs)

Dave: “Shrunken heads, that’s right.” (audience applauds)

Obama: “I thought that was pretty cool.”

Dave: “And did that create any kind of yearning?  Did it create any kind of an awareness?  Not the shrunken heads, but the whole trip.” (Obama, audience laugh) “You know, I mean - ”

Obama: “No, you know, what it did, and this is actually something that happens, people ask me, ‘Well, what’s - you know, what have you learned as you’ve been campaigning for 19 months?’  And you know, you realize what a spectacular country this is.” (audience applauds) “And how big it is and how beautiful it is, and so it really underscored for me just how lucky we are to be Americans.”

Dave: “Yeah, all right, good enough. We’ll be right back with Sen. Barack Obama, ladies and gentlemen.”

======

Dave: “Well, it’s pretty short now.  Just a couple of months and there will be the election and the inauguration in January.  Do you ever think about going to Kenya as president of the United States?”

Obama: “You know, I do think about that.  I went there a couple of years ago after I’d been elected senator and, you know, it was moving for me to see people’s response.  You know, sometimes we forget how people overseas look at America.  They place so much hope in the United States, and that’s something I think we’ve forgotten because we always hear bad news about how, you know, people don’t like Americans anymore.  That’s not true.  They’re disappointed precisely because they’ve got high expectations, and obviously, given that my father’s from Kenya, there was a special connection, so we were just seeing these enormous crowds, and you know, I went up to the village where my grandmother lives and folks were lining the roads for miles.  And, you know, we took an AIDS test because the CDC, which is doing great work - this is something that George Bush has done well is work on AIDS issues in Africa, he has made a serious commitment to it and I give him credit for it.  But the CDC that’s working over there, they asked Michelle and I to take a test because they said just the act of you as a married couple taking a test, potentially a million people will see it, and you can save thousands of lives just by people getting tested. So it was a great trip.  I can only imagine what it would be like if I were president, but we have 55 more days of work before we get to that point.”

Dave: “What - I, for like the last 10 years, even longer - for as long as I’ve been aware of stuff,” (audience, Obama laugh) “rarely do you hear positive stories coming out of Africa to the point where you can create the impression the continent could be lost.  And you mention George Bush actually providing medical care and food and funding and so forth.  Is it a lost cause?  Is that a false impression?”

Obama:  ”You know, it is.  Look, we tend to focus on the negative, and when you go there, first of all what you realize is that the people there are more energetic and optimistic than you would ever imagine.  In fact, there’ve been some surveys done showing that Africans are surprisingly happy and positive about the future, and there are a lot of good things going on there.  You go to a place like Rwanda that suffered such brutality and now it is thriving, it is growing.  President Bill Clinton has done some great work in helping to foster economic development and other efforts in those areas, Bill Gates’ foundation has done great work, so it makes a difference.  But what is true is that we’ve got to have better governance in Africa.  You know, sometimes we spend so much time running down government that we forget what it means, how important it is to have a functioning government, one that can deliver services, one that, you know, if you want to get a telephone, you don’t have to pay a bribe, if you want to start a business, you don’t have to give a cut to somebody.  All that makes an enormous difference, and hopefully we can hold governments there more accountable so that their people actually have a chance.”

Dave: “Is there a way for this country to do that without pushing people around and being resented?”

Obama: “Well, no, I think that if we send a signal, and this is true whether it’s in Africa or the Middle East or anywhere in the world, if we say we want to be a partner with you, we respect you, but if you’re getting our help, then we’ve got certain expectations, that we’re not just helping the wealthy or the people who are going to send the money to Swiss bank accounts, we expect to actually see results on the ground.  Just holding people accountable but doing it in a respectful way, I think that could make a big difference.” (audience applauds)

Dave:  “And - absolutely.  And then I saw today, closer to home, in the Caribbean - Haiti - things just get worse and worse and worse and worse.”

Obama: “They’ve had a long, long run of bad luck, and, you know, we need to make sure that we’re providing help to them - obviously, our prayers go out to the families who’ve just been devastated by the recent hurricane.  They already had little, they have even less now.  But one of the things that I think it’s important to remind ourselves is, you know, New Orleans hasn’t been in great shakes either, and you know, if we’re not doing our job with respect to our fellow citizens here during crises, then it’s a bad sign for us being able to help others and that’s part of the reason why we’ve got to have a government that works, and I am campaigning now, Dave.  That’s why I’m running for president of the United States.” (audience applauds)

Dave: “But it’s frustrating to me because even I know that the resources are here.  You know, we have the resources, just in terms of money, we have the money.  We can raise the money, the world can raise the money to solve these problems.  Africa can be solved, Haiti can be solved, New Orleans could be solved.”

Obama: “You know, part of it is that we’ve been sold a bill of goods, I think, that says just look out for yourself and everybody’s on their own.  Now, I am a big believer of individual responsibility and whether it’s improving our education system or dealing with issues like welfare, I’m a big believer that you’ve got to take care of yourself and take care of your kids.  But, I also believe that part of what makes this country great is that we rise and fall together, and that our attitude is, you know, if there’s some child out there that doesn’t have a decent school, that that affects Harry and that affects my kids, and it affects everybody.”

Dave: “That’s right, it’s everybody’s problem, absolutely.  Yeah, that seems to have evaporated, yes, I think so.”

Obama: “We’ve lost that, let’s see if we can restore it.”

Dave: “We’ll be right back with the Senator.”

===========

Dave: “Now, tell me about the big lunch with Bill Clinton. Is that tomorrow or the next day?”

Obama: “You know, I’ve got lunch with Bill Clinton, which I’m looking forward to.  There’s nobody smarter in politics,” (audience applauds) “and he is going to be, you know, he’s going to be campaigning for us over the next eight weeks, which I’m thrilled by because, you know, the race that he ran in ‘92 is - it was similar to what’s taking place now.  You had an economy that wasn’t working for people, you had a party that had been in power that didn’t seem particularly concerned that it wasn’t working for people, but, you know, he was new.  He was young and people were still trying to figure out whether or not the guy was up to the job, and so, you know, I think giving - having him talk about, you know, why we need to change the economy in a fundamental way so it works for middle class families so that they can get ahead, so that they can send their kids to college, I think he can be a great advocate on behalf of the campaign.”

Dave: “Would he be, if you are elected, would he be somebody that you could consider in a Cabinet position, somebody in the administration, or is that not done with former Presidents?”

Obama: “Yeah, I think if you’re a former President, you don’t take Cabinet positions.” (audience laughs)  “I think your attitude is, you know, sort of been there, done that, you know.” (Dave, audience laughs) “It’s sort of like getting, you know, Mickey Mantle, you know, to play Triple A, you don’t do that.” (Dave laughs) “But obviously you consult with him as often as you can because, look, there are only a handful of people who’ve actually done the job.”

Dave:  “Right.  So, what do you do now?  What’s ahead of you in terms of the campaign?”

Obama: “Well, I have to keep Michelle and the girls happy.”  (audience laughs, applauds)

Dave: “How are the girls?  They just started school.”

Obama: “The girls just started school.  You know, they started late at the school where they go, so my - Malia started 5th grade and Sasha started 2nd, and I don’t think Malia wanted me to walk her to the class because 5th grade’s kind of a big deal.  You - she gets get a combination lock now, so she had gone to practice the combination lock, and so her father there was generally an embarrassment.” (Dave, audience laugh)  “But, I didn’t care, so.”  (audience laughs, applauds)

Dave: “Yeah, that’s right.  Now, let me - your grandmother - 87 years old?”

Obama: “Eighty-seven years old.  She can’t travel.  She has terrible osteoporosis so she can’t fly, but, you know, she has been the rock of our family and she is sharp as a tack.  I mean, she’s just - she follows everything, but she has a very subdued, sort of Midwestern attitude about these things.  So when I got nominated, she called and said, ‘That’s nice, Barry, that’s nice.’”

Dave: “‘That’s nice, that’s nice.’” (audience laughs)

Obama: “‘I thought that was a very nice speech, yes.’”

Dave: “At 87, are you worried that she may not vote for you and vote for someone maybe closer to her own age?” (audience, Obama laugh; audience applauds)

Obama:  “You know, I, uh, I have been sending her out to some of her bridge partners trying to peel off votes from that demographic.” (Dave, audience laugh)

Dave: “All right, well, great pleasure to have you.”

Obama: “It’s great to see you, Dave.”

Dave: “Good luck on the campaign trail.  Barack Obama.”

(Dave and Obama shake hands; audience applauds)

*     *     *

20080911 FoxNews Transcript: Obama sits down with Letterman discusses pigs

Real Clear Politics – “Palin Truth Squad: Dems in Meltdown” by Blake Dvorak

Real Clear Politics – “Palin Truth Squad: Dems in Meltdown” by Blake Dvorak
South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler said that John McCain had chosen a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn't had an abortion."

September 10, 2008 Palin Truth Squad: Dems in 'Meltdown'

Posted by BLAKE DVORAK

As the Politico's Jonathan Martin reported, South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler said that John McCain had chosen a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn't had an abortion."

Almost immediately, the McCain campaign's "Palin Truth Squad" held a conference call with reporters to highlight and respond to Fowler's comments.

On the call was Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said he was "shocked and surprised [Fowler would] say such a thing."

"Our Democratic colleagues and opponents are in a meltdown mode over Gov. Palin," said Graham. "If this were done the other way, it would be a firestorm of national proportions."

[…]

Also on the call was Rep. Marsha Blackburn who said that Fowler's comments are part of "a pattern that has come into play" from the Obama campaign and surrogates to "diminished [Palin's] accomplishments and demean the work she has done."

American women "are offended that the [Democratic] party ... is showing such a disrespect for all women," said Blackburn.

[…]

Read more: Palin Truth Squad: Dems in 'Meltdown'

Obama Camp Responds to McCain Rally The RCP Blog Home Page Fund's 'Mini-Army' Not True, Says DNC »

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/09/palin_truth_squad_dems_in_melt.html

20080910 Real Clear Politics – “Palin Truth Squad: Dems in Meltdown” by Blake Dvorak

John Fund for the Wall Street Journal: The Hunt for Sarah October

John Fund for the Wall Street Journal: The Hunt for Sarah October

The Wall Street Journal

JOHN FUND ON THE TRAIL

The Hunt for Sarah October

City slickers invade Wasilla September 9, 2008

Democrats understand Sarah Palin is a formidable political force who has upset the Obama victory plan. The latest Washington Post/ABC Poll shows John McCain taking a 12-point lead over Barack Obama among white women, a reversal of Mr. Obama's eight-point lead last month.

It's no surprise, then, that Democrats have airdropped a mini-army of 30 lawyers, investigators and opposition researchers into Anchorage, the state capital Juneau and Mrs. Palin's hometown of Wasilla to dig into her record and background. My sources report the first wave arrived in Anchorage less than 24 hours after John McCain selected her on August 29.

Read the rest of John Fund’s column here: The Hunt for Sarah October

20080909 John Fund The Hunt for Sarah October

Recent columns by John Fund:

September 9 The Hunt for Sarah October
September 4 She Shoots, She Scores
August 30 Obama Should Come Clean on Ayers, Rezko and the Iraqi Billionaire

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

20080910 This Wednesday in The Tentacle

20080910 This Wednesday in The Tentacle

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Three “E’s” of the GOP Convention

Kevin E. Dayhoff

I made a concerted effort to arrive early on each of the four days of last week’s Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.

The convention was held in a sports arena retrofitted for the quadrennial gathering of the party faithful for the purposes of nominating a Republican presidential and vice presidential candidate for the upcoming national elections November 4.

The arena is located in St. Paul near the banks of the Mississippi River and it had the appropriate name – Xcel Energy Center.

Read the rest of the column here: The Three “E’s” of the GOP Convention

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Ivins' Mystery Still There
Roy Meachum
Sunday readers of The Frederick News-Post and The New York Times should not have been surprised. The investigation of the Fort Detrick anthrax incident is still very much alive, despite declaration of its death by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Following politics rather than proof, Jeffrey Taylor officially closed the case.

Summer’s Dog Days: Elephant Time – Part 2
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
So, after a cautious decision to postpone the GOP festivities in St. Paul, Gustav's lack of massive destruction allowed a resumption of good old fashioned partisan-bashing.

Scaling The Abyss
Farrell Keough
Many have heard or read about the new math system being instituted by the Frederick County Board of Education. This program, TERC (now called Pearson Math Investigations) has a poor foundation and virtually no books or parent involvement. In short, the child taught under this program will fall well behind within a few short years.


Monday, September 8, 2008
Summer’s Dog Days: Elephant Time – Part 1
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Two weeks ago, Barack Obama wowed 'em in Denver. Last week, John McCain tip-toed across the balance beam of public opinion, beginning the week with a compassionate whisper and ending it with a partisan roar.

Dressing the Moose
Steven R. Berryman
I’m loving the political jokes now: What’s the experience difference between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama? Answer: Not much when taken in aggregate, but Governor Palin is a better ice hockey player and can shoot straight…


Friday, September 5, 2008
More Political Hypocrisy
Roy Meachum
Reading Sunday's Frederick News-Post, you could believe Frederick's ex-mayor Jennifer Dougherty, in selling her self-named restaurant, made a great sacrifice for the public good. She told reporter David Simon: "I don't want to look back and say I wasn't 100 percent committed to the race."
Travelogue: Salt Lake City
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Although I have been very fortunate to have had opportunities to travel a great deal over the years, I have never visited the great American west. I recently had a chance to spend a week in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was not disappointed.


Thursday, September 4, 2008
One Massive Blunder
Tony Soltero
John McCain, over the years, has been very meticulously building up a brand with the media as a serious, experienced "straight-shooting" politician, who was somehow a bit different from the other rubber-stamp Republicans.

One Superlative Choice
Patricia A. Kelly
Hurrah! A breath of fresh air has come into the presidential race. I laughed with delight at the perfection of the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as soon as I heard it. I have felt strongly all along that the men on the “short” list would not be able to help John McCain win, and now a new choice is available, a choice that enhances his chances.


Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Plucking the Golden Goose
Norman M. Covert
It was the remote’s fault that John L. (Lennie) Thompson, Jr., popped up on my television screen. Mr. Thompson was trashing the reputation of a man testifying before the Frederick Board of County Commissioners about the New Market Regional Plan. Mr. T didn’t have the aggies to look him in the eye, a clear indication our commissioner is a Bum!

“La Policía”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Carroll County history is replete with colorful conflicts, many of operatic proportions, between the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, the Carroll County delegation to Annapolis, and the sheriff.


Tuesday, September 2, 2008
David Brinkley
Roy Meachum
David Brinkley stopped by for coffee. He received a yawn and nod from Pushkin, who proceeded to his usual spot in the library. The English pointer and the state senator knew each other from earlier encounters. David and I headed for the patio. This was last week, during the brief hiatus from the overbearing humidity.

The Joy of Selling
Nick Diaz
Not long ago I described to TheTentacle.com readers my adventures and thoughts on traveling to Maine to purchase and ride home a “new” 1988 Yamaha Venture.


Monday, September 1, 2008
Dog Days of Summer – Donkey Chronicles
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
We're into the heart of the most active season for a political junkie, the Super Bowl of partisanship. The conventions show the best and worst of the two major parties, and in this cycle, all of that magic is playing out over a two-week period.

Waiting for the President
Steven R. Berryman
At least the conventions are a stepping-stone along the road to electing a new president, but here we sit, waiting. We wait for a president to solve our problems for us, as is human nature. Surely they will, as their speeches tell us so.

“Sliming Palin” by Annenberg Political Fact Check

“Sliming Palin” by Annenberg Political Fact Check

Sliming Palin

September 8, 2008

False Internet claims and rumors fly about McCain's running mate.

Summary

We’ve been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain’s running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.

Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn’t cut it at all. In fact, she increased funding and signed a bill that will triple per-pupil funding over three years for special needs students with high-cost requirements.

She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin's first term.

She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She’s been registered as a Republican since May 1982.

Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesy" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.

Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. She has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the evolution question, but she also said creationism "doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."

Read the rest here: Sliming Palin

20080908 Sliming Palin by Annenberg Political Fact Check

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html

http://www.factcheck.org/

Carroll County Times letter to the editor: Disaster can strike at any time by Joseph Ensor, Finksburg

Carroll County Times letter to the editor: Disaster can strike at any time by Joseph Ensor, Finksburg

September 7, 2008

Carroll County Times Editor:

Disaster can strike at any time. It can come in the form of a house fire in the middle of the night, a loved one who suffers a heart attack or a power outage that leaves a family in the cold. In just the past two months, Carroll County Red Cross volunteers have responded to seven fires, bringing aid to those who were put out of their homes. While we can't control what happens, we can control how we prepare for and respond to emergencies.

September is National Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross of Central Maryland wants Carroll County residents to take steps to be Red Cross Ready. The best part is it's easy to do.

Make a disaster preparedness kit with a few basic supplies in case you have to evacuate your home for up to three days. Next, make a plan about where to meet your family in the event that phone and other communication lines are down. Also, be informed about the types of disasters that can strike where you live, including home fires, terrorism and severe weather. Finally, get trained in First Aid and CPR.

If you've been putting off getting prepared, now is the time to do something about it. We've even created a free online education module at the Get Prepared section of our Web site www.red
cross-cmd.org, to help you out. Together, we can make Carroll County a safer place to live, work and play.

Joseph Ensor, Finksburg

The writer is the chairman of the Carroll County District of American Red Cross of Central Maryland.


20080907 Disaster can strike at any time by Joseph Ensor

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Carroll County Times: Shedding light on candidate myths by Ann McFeathers

Carroll County Times: Shedding light on candidate myths by Ann McFeathers

Shedding light on candidate myths

By Ann McFeatters, White House Watch

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn.

So, it's up to us, folks

The balloons are popped, the fireworks are spent, grand acceptance speeches have been made. The elaborate Hollywood-type sets have been struck, the flags and strange hats are packed away, the country music CDs silenced. The conventions are over.

As good citizens who want to make our votes count, we must sort through the verbiage, spin, disinformation, wild promises, clever attacks, innuendo, sexism, racism, classism and religiosity to pick the next president and vice president on the basis of substance, critical issues, vision, quality of experience and gut instinct.

This will not be easy.

Because of the unpopular war in Iraq and the weak economy, both blamed on President Bush, Barack Obama should be ahead in the polls. He's not. Statistically, he and John McCain start the general election campaign about even.

No astute person denies that Democrats will gain House and Senate seats, but it's impossible to say whether McCain or Obama will win. Flat predictions are based on emotion, gut feelings or wishful thinking. Swing voters are still deciding.

This is my scorecard of the smokescreens and false arguments we should avoid from both parties:


Read the rest of her column here: Shedding light on candidate myths

Scripps Howard New Service columnist Ann McFeatters has covered every national political convention since 1976. E-mail her at amcfeatters@ nationalpress.com.

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2008/09/09/news/opinion/opinion/opinion514.txt

20080909 Shedding light on candidate myths by Ann McFeathers

Recent columns by Susan Reimer


Recent columns by Susan Reimer

September 8,2008

Hard to choose sides in the Mommy Wars
September 8, 2008
I was grousing to my husband about my crazy-quilt days - planning a bridal shower, helping my daughter sort through the benefits program offered by her employer, swapping out cars at the repair shop, not to mention showing up at the office - and instead of offering to pitch in, he said:

Gloves came off when column came out
September 5, 2008
On Monday, I wrote a column criticizing the McCain campaign for what I saw as a cynical attempt to gather in unhappy women voters by naming Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin his vice presidential candidate and for exploiting the poignant story of her youngest child to appease the Republican Party's pro-life base.

A woman — but why this woman?
September 1, 2008
So. This is what being pandered to feels like.

Watching the convention is like seeing a bad divorce
August 25, 2008
The Democratic National Convention that begins today in Denver looks to me less like the coronation of Barack Obama than a soap opera wedding. The kind everyone tunes in to for the fireworks.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-columnist-reimer,0,964061.columnist

20080908 Recent columns by Susan Reimer

Baltimore Sun: Class action settlements may aid in repairing leaky Qest, Big Blue, and Polybutylene pipes

Baltimore Sun: Class action settlements may aid in repairing leaky Qest, Big Blue, and Polybutylene pipes

Keyword search: Qest, Big Blue, Polybutylene

Consuming INTERESTS

September 04, 2008|By DAN THANH DANG | DAN THANH DANG, dan.thanh.dang@baltsun.com



Pipe problem getting fixed November 21, 1999



[…]

Polybutylene piping is made from a plastic resin and was used extensively in residential construction from 1978 to 1995. The system, which was used for the main plumbing from the water meter to the house and the supply pipes inside the house, consists of the pipe and acetal or metal fittings.

For those who aren't sure, PB pipe for main plumbing lines can be blue, but the piping is usually gray and sometimes black plastic. Acetal fittings are usually gray and occasionally white plastic, while the pipe and fittings are secured by crimp rings made of aluminum or copper. PB pipes may be visible in the attic, basement, behind the walls or near the water heater of the home or structure in which they were installed.

It is believed that PB pipe was installed in 6 million to 10 million homes during those 17 years. By 1980, frequent failures of the piping were reported, and several lawsuits were filed as a result. Homeowners affected by PB pipe leaks may seek recourse through two class action suits: Cox v. Shell Oil et al. or Spencer v. Shell Oil et al.

Homeowners may qualify for a free plumbing replacement and possible compensation for damages if they file their claims by May 1, 2009, under the Cox suit, which is run by the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center (CPRC), the authorized administrator of the settlement.

Read more here:

*****

Back to school message from Dr. Chuck Ecker, Carroll County superintendent of schools



Back to school message from Dr. Chuck Ecker, Carroll County superintendent of schools

September 9, 2008

Editor,

It’s hard to believe, but the 2008-09 school year is here. As a school system, we are looking forward to an outstanding year filled with academic achievement and success for all of our students and staff.

As Carroll County citizens, we can take a great deal of pride in the education our students are receiving. Student achievement results rank among the highest in the state. Our employees are leaders in the field of education. Our support staff is second to none. However, we have many challenges that will face us this year. We must find ways to address the higher expectations for public schools, societal and cultural changes impacting students and their behavior, and limited fiscal resources.

As we begin a new school year, I would like to express how important the involvement of parents and the community is to our school system. I firmly believe that we cannot be successful and meet the challenges that face us without the help and support of parents/guardians, the business community, our elected officials, our fiscal authorities, and all other members of our community.

As parents, please take the opportunity to be involved in your child’s education. Take the time to visit your child’s school. Attend the programs and activities planned for the school year. Remember the importance your involvement can make not only to your child, but our school system as well. Only by working together can we provide our students with the opportunity they deserve to learn, to explore, and to grow.

Best wishes for the year,
Chuck Ecker
Superintendent of Schools

20080909 Back to school message from Dr Chuck Ecker

A focus on media bias


A focus on media bias

September 8, 2008


The NYT Tackles US Weekly's "Scandalous" Cover Story on Sarah Palin

A focus on liberal bias: "The celebrity magazine, which usually focuses more on Britney and baby bumps than elections, drew criticism from readers for the cover. A record number of commenters on the Us magazine Web site -- more than 6,600, at last count -- weighed in, most focusing on the magazine's perceived bias."

Posted by: Clay Waters 9/8/2008 2:22:59 PM

In an uncommon acknowledgement of the media bias issue, reporter Stephanie Clifford tackled allegations of pro-Michelle Obama, anti-Sarah Palin bias in the celebrity magazine US Weekly in a Monday Business section story, “
Readers See Bias in US Weekly’s Take on Sarah Palin.”

"One of the tricks of the magazine trade is attracting attention at the supermarket checkout. For Us Weekly magazine, which featured a cover story about Sarah Palin titled “Babies, Lies & Scandal,” it was mission accomplished. "

[…]

"Many contrasted the cover of Ms. Palin with a June cover, “Why Barack Loves Her,” featuring Barack and Michelle Obama. “Barack and Michelle in an embrace and a fluff article on their marriage....only to be followed by a picture of our possible future VP with her newborn baby and an insulting and untrue title to the magazine cover?” one reader posted."


* * * * *


September 8, 2008 - Pictured above - - On the left: “US Weekly” June 2008 cover featuring a pleasant article about the marriage of Barack and Michelle Obama. On the right: “US Weekly” September 2008 cover featuring Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in an unpleasant article about Ms. Palin and her family.

Let’s be honest. I’m not sure I really consider “US Weekly” to be media of any substance. It’s really just provocative middle school typing and salacious pictures.

Then again, the compare and contrast between the two magazine covers comes at a time in which the elite media in this country continues to be called on the carpet for its situational ethics and moral relativism – and there continues to be a momentum gathering to hold the media responsible for its documented, albeit unapologetic bias.

I personally witnessed the incident at the Republican National Convention of which David Bauder writes:

“During her acceptance speech last week, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin talked about the "Washington elite" not accepting her qualifications for the job. Some delegates on the convention floor began chanting, "N-B-C, N-B-C.’ ”

In the long run, it may prove to be serendipitous for advocates such as “US Weekly” to “endorse” Illinois Senator Barack Obama – and for the surrogates of the Obama campaign to keep kicking Governor Palin as the middle of the road independent voter will not be compelled or persuaded to vote for the Obama-Biden ticket by endorsements by nutbars.

####

Related:

20080818 Time blog - Real Clear Politics: “A Media Coverage Mea Culpa” by Heather Wilhelm

20080817 McCain protests NBC coverage by Mike Allen at Politico

Readers See Bias in Us Weekly’s Take on Sarah Palin By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

Timeswatch: The NYT tackles US Weekly cover story on Palin



MSNBC says Olbermann, Matthews won't anchor

By David Bauder The Associated Press 11:45 AM EDT, September 8, 2008

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/bal-lifestyle-msnbc0908,0,2365390.story

NEW YORK - MSNBC is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage with David Gregory, and will use the two newsmen as commentators.The change reflects tensions between the freewheeling, opinionated MSNBC and the impartial newsgatherers at NBC News. ...


20080908 A focus on media bias

TimesWatch Tracker for September 8 2008


TimesWatch Tracker for September 8 2008

Documenting and Exposing the Liberal Agenda of the New York Times

TimesWatch Tracker: Our Latest Analysis

Monday, September 8, 2008


The "Fraudulent...Fiction" of the McCain-Palin Ticket
Conservatives are happy, and columnist Frank Rich is spitting mad.

The NYT Tackles US Weekly's "Scandalous" Cover Story on Sarah Palin
A focus on liberal bias: "The celebrity magazine, which usually focuses more on Britney and baby bumps than elections, drew criticism from readers for the cover. A record number of commenters on the Us magazine Web site -- more than 6,600, at last count -- weighed in, most focusing on the magazine's perceived bias."

Times Media Columnist Saw Journalistic Contempt for Palin at RNC
Mark Leibovich dismisses Republican arguments about liberal media bias as a campaign tactic, while media columnist David Carr takes them to heart.

No More Mr. Nice McCain: Advisor a Rove Acolyte Spreading "False," "Fierce Attacks"
"[Steve Schmidt's] stamp was reflected in the sharp tone of the scathing prime-time speeches, all of which Mr. Schmidt reviewed and approved, and some of which were criticized as stretching the truth."

Sticking Up for Harry Reid Against Sarah Palin
Reporter Carl Hulse: "Now Harry Reid is hardly thin-skinned and almost anything else Ms. Palin could have said about him might not have drawn much of a reaction. But to the former boxer from tiny Searchlight, Nev., that insinuation from Governor Palin amounts to fighting words. He sees himself as more than capable of standing up to Mr. McCain..."

GOP Convention Reminded Reporter of "Belligerent" Buchanan Speech of '92"The Republican National Convention this week in Minneapolis-St. Paul hardly measures up to the belligerence of Patrick J. Buchanan's 1992 call for a 'cultural war,' but some of the same refrains are playing in the background."

Egan on Sarah Palin, "Alarming" Alaskan Outsider
Liberal reporter turned nytimes.com blogger Timothy Egan argues that the Alaskan Palin may be too strange for mainstream America -- a week after attacking Cokie Roberts for calling Hawaii a "foreign, exotic place" for Barack Obama to grow up in.

Check out our website today at http://www.timeswatch.org/!
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20080908 TimesWatch Tracker for September 8 2008

Monday, September 08, 2008

Thoughts on Westminster posting an agenda in a timely manner

Thoughts on Westminster posting an agenda in a timely manner

The existentialism of the simple task of Westminster city officials posting an agenda for its council meetings in a timely manner

September 8, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff


After an e-mail to a city official earlier in the day; for which I never did get a response, the city of Westminster has finally posted an agenda on the city’s web site.

Heck, I’m just not sure what their rush was – the agenda was posted at approximately 3:22 pm. The meeting is 3 ½ hours away…

Since 2005 the city of Westminster has added two new positions – a city manager and a director of administration at an annual cost to the taxpayer of over $200,000 and yet the city can’t manage to get an
council meeting agenda posted timely – or adopt a budget or have an annual audit performed on a timely basis.

The city spent anywhere from $20,000 to over $40,000, depending on whose version of the story suits your fancy,
to move some offices to a rented building from City Hall and other offices from the rented building back over to City Hall; in order to provide better services. It was, in reality, rearranging the deck chairs on The Titanic. And yet the city all-too frequently can’t get an agenda posted on a timely basis.

The city increased taxes, increased the size of government, has borrowed money like there is no tomorrow and is actively discussing cutting back on city services – in order to serve us better. And yet the city seems to have a great deal of difficulty in
posting an agenda on a timely basis on a web site that is so woefully inadequate and opaque, it often seems like the city resents even having a web site…

Web sites can be difficult as I am all too aware; however in theory, a web site is no longer an afterthought or a bother, it is a critical information dissemination resource in today’s governance. Then again there are many folks who find current Westminster government so opaque, unapproachable, and inaccessible, that the web site is probably emblematic of a government that all too often seems too annoyed by citizen contact to be bothered with disseminating information.

After-all, our elected officials are some of the smartest folks in the world – and they certainly know what is best for us; so having meaningful contact with the public is probably unnecessary now isn’t it?

I’m glad that Westminster citizens work for such an august group of elitists. It gives us a purpose in our backward shabby meager existence.

Related:

20071130 City municipal offices relocate by Ryan Marshall

20080611 No agenda is sign of poor government

20080720 Carroll County Times Westminster shutting out the public

20080908 Thoughts on Westminster posting an agenda in a timely manner

Westminster mayor and Common Council Agenda for September 8, 2008

Westminster mayor and Common Council Agenda for September 8, 2008

City Council

City Council Members Minutes of City Council Meetings

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND

Mayor and Common Council Meeting of September 8, 2008

City Hall Coucil [sic] chambers- 1838 Emerald Hill Lane

AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER – 7:00 P.M.

Mayor’s Proclamation – National Constitution Week

Maryland Municipal League Geocache Trail – Council Member Utz

2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF AUGUST 25, 2008

3. CONSENT CALENDAR:

Reimbursement of Commerce Center Water Line – Jeff Glass

4. BIDS:

Roop’s Mill Contract – Jeff Glass

Salt Spreader Inserts – Jeff Glass

5. REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR

6. REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

a. None as of September 4, 2008

8. NEW BUSINESS:

a. None as of September 4, 2008

9. DEPARTMENT REPORTS

10. CITIZEN COMMENTS

11. ADJOURN


20080908 Westminster mayor and Common Council Agenda for September 8, 2008

Alaska’s new license plate


Alaska’s new license plate…

September 8, 2008

Hat Tip: CJ

For more posts about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin:

AK Gov. Sarah Palin videos on Kevin Dayhoff YouTube web page

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

Good site for McCain/Palin info

Kevin Dayhoff YouTube web page

November 2008 US presidential election

September 1-4 2008 Republican National Convention

20080908 new Alaska license plate

Last week in The Tentacle

Last week in The Tentacle

http://www.thetentacle.com/

Posted Monday September 8, 2008

Friday, September 5, 2008
Travelogue: Salt Lake City
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Although I have been very fortunate to have had opportunities to travel a great deal over the years, I have never visited the great American west. I recently had a chance to spend a week in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was not disappointed.


More Political Hypocrisy
Roy Meachum
Reading Sunday's Frederick News-Post, you could believe Frederick's ex-mayor Jennifer Dougherty, in selling her self-named restaurant, made a great sacrifice for the public good. She told reporter David Simon: "I don't want to look back and say I wasn't 100 percent committed to the race."


Thursday, September 4, 2008
One Massive Blunder
Tony Soltero
John McCain, over the years, has been very meticulously building up a brand with the media as a serious, experienced "straight-shooting" politician, who was somehow a bit different from the other rubber-stamp Republicans.


One Superlative Choice
Patricia A. Kelly
Hurrah! A breath of fresh air has come into the presidential race. I laughed with delight at the perfection of the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as soon as I heard it. I have felt strongly all along that the men on the “short” list would not be able to help John McCain win, and now a new choice is available, a choice that enhances his chances.


Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Plucking the Golden Goose
Norman M. Covert
It was the remote’s fault that John L. (Lennie) Thompson, Jr., popped up on my television screen. Mr. Thompson was trashing the reputation of a man testifying before the Frederick Board of County Commissioners about the New Market Regional Plan. Mr. T didn’t have the aggies to look him in the eye, a clear indication our commissioner is a Bum!


“La Policía”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Carroll County history is replete with colorful conflicts, many of operatic proportions, between the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, the Carroll County delegation to Annapolis, and the sheriff.


Tuesday, September 2, 2008
David Brinkley
Roy Meachum
David Brinkley stopped by for coffee. He received a yawn and nod from Pushkin, who proceeded to his usual spot in the library. The English pointer and the state senator knew each other from earlier encounters. David and I headed for the patio. This was last week, during the brief hiatus from the overbearing humidity.


The Joy of Selling
Nick Diaz
Not long ago I described to TheTentacle.com readers my adventures and thoughts on traveling to Maine to purchase and ride home a “new” 1988 Yamaha Venture.


Monday, September 1, 2008
Dog Days of Summer – Donkey Chronicles
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
We're into the heart of the most active season for a political junkie, the Super Bowl of partisanship. The conventions show the best and worst of the two major parties, and in this cycle, all of that magic is playing out over a two-week period.


Waiting for the President
Steven R. Berryman
At least the conventions are a stepping-stone along the road to electing a new president, but here we sit, waiting. We wait for a president to solve our problems for us, as is human nature. Surely they will, as their speeches tell us so.


Friday, August 29, 2008
Norm Knows
Roy Meachum
Columns on the government's monumental faux pas in the Fort Detrick anthrax scandal have caused people to ask if the fort's research scientists, particularly Bruce Ivins, were friends or acquaintances. None is.


20080908 Last week in The Tentacle

Republican National Convention blog posts on the Carroll County Times by Larry Helminiak September 1-7, 2008


Republican National Convention blog posts on the Carroll County Times by Larry Helminiak September 1-7, 2008

Carroll County Times: 2008 Political Conventions


Monday, September 8, 2008 Update: use this link to access Mr. Helminiak's posts: http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/talk/conventions/

Sept. 7: After the convention

Sept. 5: Final day
Friday, September 5, 2008 9:30 AM EDT

Sept. 4: A giant line drawn in the sand, and you have to decide which side you stand on
Thursday, September 4, 2008 1:27 PM EDT

Sept. 3: Speeches of the day
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 11:44 AM EDT

Sept. 2: Demonstrators in Minneapolis
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 11:03 AM EDT

Sept. 1: Day one at the Republican Convention
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:06 AM EDT

People Helminiak-Larry

20080907 RNC blog posts on the CCT by Larry Helminiak

Related: AK Gov. Sarah Palin videos on Kevin Dayhoff YouTube web page
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Good site for McCain/Palin info
Kevin Dayhoff YouTube web page
November 2008 US presidential election
September 1-4 2008 Republican National Convention

Carroll County Times convention blog by Larry Helminiak: Sept 7, 2008 – After the convention

Carroll County Times convention blog by Larry Helminiak: Sept 7, 2008 – After the convention

Talk about the issues…

Sept. 7:
After the convention By Larry Helminiak Sunday, September 07, 2008

When I arrived home from the Republican National Convention, my answering machine was filled with requests for lawn signs and bumper stickers. If you’ve ever run for public office, you know how difficult it is to get people to display your name on their lawn or bumper. Getting asked to supply them is almost unheard of. And these are not “party-regulars.” These are people who have never been involved before.

[…]

The political fever seems to have started on Wednesday night with the speech by Sarah Palin. But the icing on the cake was when John McCain said Republicans were also guilty of overspending and growing government too much. That is the message they have been waiting to hear.

[…]


Read the entire post by Mr. Helminiak here:
After the convention By Larry Helminiak Sunday, September 07, 2008

20080907 After the convention by Larry Helminiak