Today's the big day. I love Great Equalizers. There's so many high mountains and low valleys in our social landscape. This is the one time I have as much power as the rich and famous: in the voting booth. From the looks of things we Democrats should do just fine. We're energized by the failure and false leadership of the Bushies and the corrupt Republicans. The only sad note is that it's just the primaries and we have another 10 months of campaigning and debates. On the up side
there's not a finer place to cast a ballot than the St. Therese church on Wishon and Floradora. I look forward to seeing my friends and neighbors today. Thanks for the comments.

Dear Famous Guest:

Must you resort to such an immature comment such as that of replacing the name "Obama" with "Osama" in expressing your dislike for Barack Obama's candidacy for president?

By all means, you certainly have the right to state your opinions, however, I would hope that one would certainly be above the deliberate misidentification of a hopeful presidential candidate for the poster-child of terrorism.

Perhaps if you make another similar comment, the least you can do is not be a coward and hide behind the guise of 'famous guest'.

Anyone that walks around with a sign asking for change makes me nervous. Would someone please just give the guy a quarter so he'll put the sign down?

Whoever is stupid enough to believe that politics will suddenly be different with Osama shouldn't bother to enter the voting booth.

Disclaimer:
I'm a card holding democrat.
(I'm also a former hard core Republican.
I'm also a Bible thumper, AND I'm a treehugger, and love garage-punk.
(...I think most modern country music is proof that there is something out there worse than 'gangsta rap.')
...scarey, huh.
I'm so glad that there's only ONE of me out there voting, and you should be too.
;)

Personally?
I don't think it's going to go to either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama
(It's interesting, you can make him Irish, just by writing it: O'Bama...(O'Bamaugh?? -that may help in some states... but anyway.)

I've had Hillary as my senator in NY, and she did a great job.
Despite the sexual issues of her husband (when he was president,)
I think the Clinton Administration did good, and found it kind of clarifying when I pulled up behind a (conservative looking) 'rancher type,' in a Dodge K car that had the bumpersticker:
'...with all the shit Bush has gotten away with, do you realize that they wanted to impeach Clinton over a blow-job?'
...not exactly meant for sensitive readers, but the thing certainly made a point.

But, finding the line of logic in this, I'm not really pleased, but think it's realistic.

Hillary:
-The country is not going to 'vote for a woman to be president.'
(It's too soon, ---they may 'say,' 'yeah, she'd be great, and she and Bill did great before,' --but they're not going to vote for a WOMAN, -yet.
(pity.)
I think I may vote for a woman.

Barack:
-The country is also going to have a hard time voting in a 'person of color,' -particularly one with an 'Islamic sounding,' name.
-(STUPID AND SAD!, ---but I think people will have issues with this)
Now, they're going to go saying 'oh yeah, he's great, he's the guy we need,'
--but in the end (for the democrats or the country on a whole?

They're going to go with a 'safe,' alternative.
---Which is weird, because, I mean, who do we have left?
Edwards dropped out... So I dunno, I am starting to feel that we may not have a Dem. in the whitehouse coming up...
(...which I'm less than thrilled with, I'm starting to feel like a RedSocks Fan 'pre- Yankees vs. Socks World Series win...')

-Which means???

I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to wind up with McCain,

-He's going to get all dolled up as one of those 'tough, yet, sensitive types, who's both (pro) military,
-----yet (pro) compassion (as he's a combat-vet.) (POW, too, right?)

----and they're going to build that 'compassionate conservative,' thing
---without all the religous trappings and overwhelming 'hardcore right wing,' send up.

How they're going to cement the deal?

1. Well, we're already headed into a recession, (already there, somewhat,)
-so times are going to be tough, and folks are going to be less inclined to want to take risks...
-throw in some 'worry,' and religious overtones, ---and people are not going to want a candidate that is not a person of 'faith,'
---And for the past (however long,) ---the 'Faith Party' has been the 'Republican' party.
---Show McCain around a few churches, ---and you got that covered.

But the real hat-trick?

2. Probably not too soon before the election, we're gonna see an escalation of military involvement somewhere, (could be mid-east, could be asia, -who knows?)
--THAT will be played up on, and folks will (mixed in with the recession,) and the whole 'need God on our side in battle,' mindset kicks in.
---again, the Republican 'Christian,' Right side will be the magnet.
(They did the same thing post 9/11 with the last election, -even so much as to publish front page stories of a possible 'new,' attack the day after Kerry beat bush in the polls for the debates, (turned out that the story was, like years old... but it threw folks and made them nervous... sent this subliminal thing out:
'...Hi, this is God, here, and as you know, George Bush is my guy, and if you even CONSIDER voting for this (Catholic) heathen John Kerry, I'm gonna let the pagans attack you again, so you best behave...'

Unfortuntately, that's a huge card to play these days.

I'm still voting Dem.
Not decided between 'Bama and Hil,' but, like I said, Hillary did good by us in NY State.

(And truth be told, and Ideologies aside?
If the goal is to turn the ship away from the Republican groove, the goal is to get a Dem. in there, 'cause actually pulling in (either) of the lead Dems at this point, may be too much of a stretch for most folks.

--and the person with the 'most folks,' votes (usually, well, is SUPPOSED to, WIN.)

Unless you're Al Gore. (Then all bets are off.)

as some one commented to Hillery on the Debates last night it's been almost 30 years that a Bush or a Clinton has been in the Executive Branch. Since 1981.

It's really time for a real major change for the better.

"Senator Clinton, that you have claimed that your residency would bring change to America. I'm 38 years old and I have never had an opportunity to vote in a presidential election in which a Bush or a Clinton wasn't on the ticket."
"How can you be an agent of change when we have had the same two families in the White House for the last 30 years?"

-LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) Jan 31, 2008

I'm waiting for him to win the primaries so that I can buy this shirt at Urban Outfitters. Not that I'm against Hillary or anything, but "Hillary is my homegirl" just isn't as catchy. And, if I wore the latter shirt, I might get excommunicated from my staunch republican, anti-Hillary family.

We've gotta make light of politics, right?

He is exciting a lot of people. He has intelligence and charisma. We will see if that is enough to overcome his lack of political experience.

I think intelligence and leadership ability and the ability to inspire people is enough to overcome inexperience.