"mutts like me." Three little, ordinary words that carried far more weight than President elect Obama might imagine.
I was a bit miffed when my favorite soap was interrupted by a press conference by our new President elect. We are definitely NOT going to get along well, I huffed as Vicki, Charile, Natalie, Jarrod and Tina were rudely preempted by this new kid on the block, just three short days after winning the single most historic election this country has ever seen. But, there he was, grinning from ear to ear, telling all and sundry about the puppy he was going to get for his girls.
Now, I can pretty much swallow those tiresome Presidential interruptions of my soaps when they are about , well, really just national security, but a puppy? Not a good start, my friends, not a good way to win this voters admiration, I can tell you.
But then he uttered those three little words, and my ears perked up and I began to really listen to the guy.
By the end of his conference, I was somewhat mollified by his interruption.
Here we have this tall, handsome, young man calling himself a mutt. I know he was referring to his racial heritage, but coming from Obama, the word mutt sounded almost complimentary.
This is the next President of United States of America and here he is, standing in front of dozens of cameras, calling himself a mutt in front of millions of people, indeed in front of the world, and I actually felt a lump, a tiny one mind you, but a lump nonetheless, of pride in this country and in this man.
And then I began to think about mutts. Mutts, as a rule are by far more intelligent, more loyal, more fiercely protective of their people than any purebred out there, and I got the message President Obama was trying, oh so subtly, to convey to the world.
We have a man in the White House now who will put America first; a man who will do whatever is necessary to protect his country and his people and one who is intelligent enough to understand that sometimes force is necessary to protect his own, but he will try reasoning first. He will try conversation, and will try to convince anyone who would think to undermine this country that it would be in their best interest to stop and re-think their position. Kind of like that old mutt, giving a warning growl before snapping at the would be intruder. Smart man, Obama. I wonder how many others came away from that press conference with the same notion that I did?
I think, most likely for the vast majority of folks out there, President Obama's reference to mutts was taken as a racial reference, and from the news reports I read this morning, I see I'm right.
Everyone has stayed on that old bi-racial bandwagon. Here is a man who had a white mother and an African father, a bi-racial man who is now President of the United States. And everyone is calling him the first African-American President, everyone but me apparently.
When I look at President Obama, I see a man, just a man and I have to wonder why he has to have that label. Why does he have to be either or? Why does he have to be labeled as half white or half black? Why can't he just be an American?
We have elected a mutt to the highest office in the country and for that we need to be applauded. We chose intelligence, loyalty, and a fierce protectiveness over the weakened bloodlines of a purebred. And just as most American's love and care for their mutts, let us love and support our new President, regardless of his lack of pedigree.
Oh, and for the record, I didn't vote for him. Did I make the wrong choice? Only time will tell.

President Obama
bi-racial
mutts
linda l rucker
President Obama

With the election only four short days away, I still haven't made up my mind.
As a member of the G.O.P., I am of course inclined to vote for my candidate, but I am not sure if that is the correct choice. Of course Dems so no, and Reps say of course it is, but I don't know.
I like and respect John Mccain. He has a proven track record, he is well versed in the ways of Washington and most of all, he has the experience to see this country through any threat to our security. But, on the other hand, I'm not sure I like his thoughts on the economy. And, I question his choice of running mates. I really like Sara Palin, she's quirky, cute and funny, but is she ready to lead this country if the worst should happen to Mccain? I don't think so.
Which brings me to Obama. I like him. I was almost as drawn into the Obama-mania as millions of others have been, but managed to stop just short of blind adoration. There is something just the least bit off about Obama. I don't know what it is, can't really put my finger on it. Perhaps it is his Jim Jones ability to work his followers up into a blind and rabid frenzy, or maybe it's his smooth, enticing speech that draws people in. But, one has to wonder if that smoothness hides something inherently evil? Is he the anti-Christ as has been said? Not being a believer in such nonsense, I doubt it very much. But, you have to admit there is something that has caused normally stoic and intelligent people to go absolutely ga-ga over this man. His rallies put me in mind of the Beattle's concerts back in the 60's, with the screaming and the swooning and the crying.
Question now is, do we want a president that is a rock star, and the target of hate mongering, redneck lunatics or do we want one that is subject to kicking off before the end of his term leaving us in the "capable" hands of a soccer mom?
Decisions, decisions.

Obama
Macain

Ted Kennedy finally got something right! After years of watching him sit on his fat tookus, eyes bleary, jowls sagging, I was beginning to wonder if the last of the Kennedy wunderkinds was ever going to do something to draw attention to himself.
Looks like he did, when he endorsed Senator Barrack Obama over that Clinton woman.
For Obama, that was quite a coup, for Clinton, mostly a slap in the face.
While Obama is young,and may even be lacking in experience, he is far from lacking in fresh, new ideas. His stance on health care and the economy is a bright star of hope on an other wise dismal horizon for Americans.
While Clinton's on the other hand is more of the same tired old B.S. the Clintons and other hard line Dems have been espousing for years, and doing nothing about.
America is definitely ready for a change. Why elect a woman to the office of President if all she can do is repeat the same failed policies that she tried to implement ten years ago? Electing Clinton simply because she is a woman would be a disaster for this country.
If we, as Americans really want change; want a fresh new approach to politics as usual, then why elect someone who's basically already been there, done that?
A fresh, new appraoch to politics in D.C. really rests on the shoulders of Barrack Obama.
Yes, he is a black man, and yes we still, even in the 21st century still have a lot of idiots out there who are appalled at the very idea of a black man sitting in the oval office.
To them I say, get over it. Your brand of patriotism is, to quote Margaret Mitchell, "gone with the wind" or should be.
If we are entertaning the idea of electing a woman as President, then it makes equal sense to entertain the idea of electing the first blck man as President. Given a choice between the two, I'll take Obama any day.
He is basically untried, so he brings new ideas to the table, unlike Clinton who apparently hasn't a single original idea in her head, but rather is riding her husbands coat tails to the White House.
I think Mitt Romney said it best when he said, "you can't effect change if you keep putting the same people in Washington in different chairs."
Am I an Obama supporter? Certainly. Will I vote for him? Depends on who the Republican candidate turns out to be. I am, after all, a registered Republican, but even I am ready for a change.

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