News and Politics

Getting out the vote

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Today was the second time I went out canvassing for Obama. Two weeks ago I went out with another volunteer. Last weekend I didn’t feel too well, so I stayed in the office and made calls. Today I was out on my own. The office gives us a list of addresses of Democrats who are infrequent voters. The objective is to make sure they vote.

More than half of the people on my list today had moved or weren’t home. A lot of the houses looked like they were abandoned, most likely foreclosures. We just skip any houses with McCain signs, like this one.

Hostile territory

Obama leaving campaign trail to visit grandmother

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We all need to keep Barack Obama’s grandmother in our thoughts & prayers. Madelyn Payne Dunham, who helped raise him, was released from the hospital late last week, but her health had deteriorated “to the point where her situation is very serious.” Barack Obama is canceling nearly all his campaign events Thursday and Friday to fly to Hawaii to visit her.

Colin Powell endorses Obama

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Powell said exactly what needed to be said:

It troubled me. You know, we have two wars. We have economic problems. We have health problems. We have education problems. We have infrastructure problems. We have problems around the world with our allies. And so those are the problems the American people wanted to hear about, not about Mr. Ayers, not about who is a Muslim and who’s not a Muslim. Those kinds of images going out on al Jazeera are killing us around the world. And we have got to say to the world it doesn’t make any difference who you are or what you are. If you’re an American you’re an American.

Un-American

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Like Scoble, I’m not an American.

  • I grew up in New York an lived in California, places that Sarah Palin considers unpatriotic and anti-American.
  • My family background is Jewish and I’m an agnostic. As a non-Christian, I can’t be an American.
  • I have friends who are Muslims.
  • I believe in science & evolution, not creationism.
  • I work for a Canadian company.
  • I drive a Toyota Prius rather than a gas-guzzling American car.
  • I support Barack Obama.
  • I’m registered as a Democrat and I’m a card-carrying member of the ACLU.

I’ve always felt that patriotism is a stupid concept. It’s nothing more than a weapon to use against those we disagree with. No nation is any better or worse than any other. Patriotism can’t be forced. Kids shouldn’t be forced to recite words they don’t understand. We should earn their respect as a free society that values all people equally.

Any flag is nothing more than a meaningless symbol. Instead of worshiping the flag, we should hold up our constitution as our most precious symbol that sets us apart.

A political campaign that strives to deepen our divisions and says that some of us are less worthy and less “American” than others deserves to lose.

McCain still has some honor

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McCain is starting to speak out against the vicious anti-Obama attacks. At a recent town hall event, McCain acknowledged the “energy” people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, “I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments.” People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: “I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are.”

Later someone said: “I’m scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president.”

McCain replied, “Well, I don’t want him to be president, either. I wouldn’t be running if I did. But,” and he paused for emphasis, “you don’t have to be scared to have him be President of the United States.” A round of boos.

GOP Rep. LaHood to Palin: "Cut it Out"

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At least one Republican is speaking out against the insanity of Palin’s supporters.

Via Daily Kos:

The proliferation of angry, unbalanced mobs at Republican rallies over the past few days has not gone unnoticed, even by Republicans. Illinois Republican Rep. Ray LaHood is the latest to call out the ticket for permitting this kind of behavior.

LaHood supports the McCain ticket, but doesn’t like what he sees at some of the McCain-Palin rallies: When Barack Obama’s name has been mentioned by Sarah Palin, there are shouts of “terrorist,” and LaHood says Palin should put a stop to it.

“Look it,” LaHood said. “This doesn’t befit the office that she’s running for. And frankly, people don’t like it.”

LaHood says it could backfire on the Republican ticket.

He says the names that Obama is being called, “Certainly don’t reflect the character of the man.”

LaHood, generally perceived to be a fairly moderate Republican, is retiring this year, and he also hails from Obama’s state. He certainly deserves praise for having the courage to call out the McCain-Palin ticket for enabling the politics of hate to dominate their campaign events.

Something very scary is happening

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The attacks and rhetoric we’re seeing from the McCain-Palin camp now goes far beyond run of the mill gutter politics to something far more dangerous. Campaign events for McCain & Palin look more like KKK rallies with shouts to “kill him“. They’re tapping into seething racism to fire up the base.

Andrew Sullivan points out how dangerous this can be:

But they are also very very dangerous. This is a moment of maximal physical danger for the young Democratic nominee. And McCain is playing with fire. If he really wants to put country first, he will attack Obama on his policies – not on these inflammatory, personal, creepy grounds. This is getting close to the atmosphere stoked by the Israeli far right before the assassination of Rabin.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin and her husband have been involved with a genuine terrorist organization, the Alaskan Independence Party.

If McCain had one shred of decency, he’d denounce these verbal attacks and tell his supporters to show some respect for Obama.

Vampire Weekend joins Crosby & Nash to support Obama

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Vampire Weekend is playing a special show in New York City on Sunday, Oct. 12. All proceeds from the show will go to helping Obama win in swing states.

With Wall Street in economic turmoil, Music for Democracy has proposed an economic stimulus package for this Sunday’s fundraiser event in New York.

“We’re releasing 100 pairs of tickets at $55 per pair to provide economic relief to fans of Vampire Weekend and Crosby & Nash to enjoy our intimate event at St. Raphael’s Catherdral on Sunday,” said Music for Democracy executive director Mitch Manzella, “These tickets will not be available at the door, they are only available through our online ticketing system.”

To purchase these special limited tickets please visit:

http://www.musicfordemocracy.org/nyc

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