Anyway, here's the report I wrote about the part I did see. Hopefully, I'll have more when I get back to C'ville.
The best was the Q&A- Biden was able to show his depth of knowledge on many subjects.
My husband is active duty military and neither of us are registered with either party -- we are bonafide independents, and vote for the best person, without regarding to what letter is behind their name.
We were going to sit out this election, as neither Presidential candidate inspired us or spoke to the core issues that affect us.
We both have huge issues with McCain -- I think it is ironic that people assume because my husband is active duty, we are automatically McCain supporters. Not so.
However, on the other side of the aisle, Obama and Biden seem to be johnny-come-latelys when it comes to issues regarding Veterans. My husband is combat injured. Biden has 35 years in the Senate, but I have not seen him take the lead on issues for veterans. Same with Obama. Now that there is a race for the White House, suddenly they are concerned? Sorry, that's too cynical for me to accept. Sen Webb is the only one who has consistently addressed military and veterans issues with sincerity and has taken a leadership role.
Secondly, the decision to exploit the term "Blue Star Families" for political purposes has offended me, and many of my peers, greatly. An article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch even quoted the "real" authorized Blue Star Families and their concerns that this would negatively impact their ability to fundraise for bonafide non-partisan troop morale and welfare. I am deeply disappointed and turned off by this decision in the Obama camp, and I am not alone.
Thirdly, the sexist, derogatory and demeaning language that Sarah Palin has had to deal with has me very concerned. I find it interesting her speech is being cited as "shrill" and "sarcastic". Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but the "mayor of 9,000 from nowhere" first response from Team Obama was pretty gosh darn sarcastic and insulting. As a women who has had to fight against this type of sexism, it doesn't make me very happy to hear this from the media or the democratic campaign. As a result of the "mayor of 9,000" comment, I went over to PUMA pac and sent money and joined. That is the first political organization I have ever joined, and it was because I was insulted and offended at the way Sen Clinton and Gov Palin have been treated.
I am sure this commentary will be deleted because it is not rah-rah-rah Obama but unless you address the concerns of truly independent voters you will not win this election.
My husband and I are still listening and evaluating, but Biden's commentary was not a "home run" and I don't buy it, but then, McCain's stance on military issues hasn't been compelling either.
Thanks for the website, and I hope you will provide a forum for other independents to voice their opinions as well.
To address some of your concerns: I do not think it is a sexist remark to criticize the fact that Palin's real experience is serving as a mayor and only has 20 months of serving as the Governor of Alaska on top of that. If she were a man, we'd be concerned about the same thing. If you look all over this site you'll surely find plenty of criticism of the possibility of a Gov. Tim Kaine VP pick. Gov. Tim Kaine served as mayor of Richmond first and then as Governor of Virginia for a year longer than Palin. Both substantially larger places than Wasilla or Alaska. Sure, sexist arguments have been made but I think, overall, we, as well as the Obama Campaign, have tried to steer clear.
I am unaware of the Blue Star Families thing, I'll look into that though I can see a conflict of interest.
Obama and Biden are not military people. I cannot imagine that they will ever truly appeal to many military families. But I think the opportunity now to listen and support our troops, veterans, and their families in every way possible is an extremely important point. As President, Obama can write policy that in the Senate he would have to push Republicans to accept (ie Jim Webb).
I don't expect you to believe suddenly but I would hope that you would trust a Democrat to give a try at taking care of your family where a Republican hasn't these past 7-8 years.
I agree with you that discussing whether or not her experience in Wasilla or Juneau is enough or appropriate is necessary, just like discussing whether or not Obama has enough legimitate foreign policy experience.
I am not "buying" into any of the spin on either side; but want to listen and evaluate all viewpoints.
Does Obama have foreign policy experience? Not a lot, no. He has visited countries and foreign governments when he can. He is a junior senator so the legislative opportunities are thin but he has sponsored some major legislation, like his efforts to control spread of nuclear material or others regarding aid to other countries. He did sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chairs the subcommittee on European affairs. His travels are usually in relation to that.
He is still new, to be sure, but has performed about as good as anyone could do. Biden brings a ton of foreign policy experience to the ticket and there is plenty of talk of Obama and Biden working together more in Washington than most presidents and their VPs do, which is a comfort.
Buchanan's go-to line? Give a speech that sends a tingle up your spine, or at the very least, a tingle up your leg. All he needed to do was add the wink-wink-nudge-nudge-say-no-more-say-no-more.
But, moonpie, as others have pointed out, questioning her qualifications because she was mayor of a town with a population of less than 9,000 and then only 20-months into her term as governor of the 47th largest state is not sexist. If Obama had tapped, say, Adrien Fenty (Washington, DC's mayor) as his running mate, we'd see the Republican Party raising the same concerns and fears. Well, Fenty has about the same amount of political experience as Palin and with similarly sized constituencies (the District is actually larger, population-wise, than Alaska). Would anyone consider Fenty a credible VP candidate even though running a city like Washington, DC, probably provides equal, if not more, "hands-on" executive experience?
The questions about Palin are not because she is a woman, but because she was picked, it seems, only because she's a women. If McCain was really looking for someone who shared his values, there were far more qualified candidates out there. Off the top of my head Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Condoleeza Rice, Christine Todd Whitman, Elizabeth Dole, or (if McCain really wanted to go with a "stretch" pick) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
For me, Palin's pick sends this message:
The McCain campaign recognizes that women are important to win the election. That's a good. But the way they try to appeal to women is by simply putting a woman on the ticket. Afterall, in their minds women are unsophisticated voters who will fall for this kind of pandering. Issues are unimportant. All those disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters will flock to this pick simply because Palin is a she, not a he. Nevermind the fact that on nearly every issue where Palin has views on the record (and so far, that ain't too many--one of the other reasons the pick has been criticized), she is the antithesis of Hlllary Clinton in terms of her political leanings and positions.
As a Webbhead I'll offer you this opinion since you seem to respect the fact that my favorite Senator, once elected did exactly what he said he was going to do. Namely fight for a GI Bill and pushing it through, in spite of an obstructionist President Bush and his veto supporting Republican lapdogs .... pathetically John McCain foremost among them.
You will find that Senators Obama and Biden fully supported Jim Webb's bi-partisan effort, though Republican Chuck Hagel was more of a "full" partner and co-sponsor of the bill.
Whom do you think Senators Hagel and Webb are fully supporting in this election? Why the Obama Biden ticket. And why is that? For many reasons, but not the least of which is the concern and support the Obama Biden ticket has focused on Veterans.
And as far as Women issues are concerned there has been no greater champion of women issues (actually getting bills passed) then Senator Biden. Read his legislative biography.
You know in the primary I was very critical of the Clinton campaign for many reasons ... but most notably because I felt Hillary was a careerist politician. As an observer of the Clintons over these past 15 years ... whatever good they provided in service was shadowed by ambition ... that was my view.
During this Democratic convention as she let go of that ambition ... I could not have been more impressed. It was not easy .... perhaps she felt it was not deserved ... but Hillary Clinton did the right thing in a BIG UNSELFISH way. I have nothing but respect for her.
Sarah Palin has gone down the path of Karl Rove (as directed by her Rove trained handlers) and consequently richly deserves what she gets ..... full scrutiny by all Americans. Because a doctrinaire / dogma breathe lipstick pitbullshitter is not what I want for Vice President ... do you?
Because 8 more years of brain dead dogma is not what this country needs .... think about it (the operative word there is think). I'm sure your logical thought will over come those emotional prejudices you've aired in the above blog.
However, Obama doesn't have the same track record when it comes to military issues, and he has been very wrong on national security issues.
I was a Hillary supporter and am having a hard time accepting that Obama would be a good choice. I am hoping that entering into positive discussions with people who are committed to Obama can convince me he is.
Second, thanks to you and your husband for your sacrifice.
Now, just a few comments about your post:
You write:
we are bonafide independents, and vote for the best person, without regarding to what letter is behind their name.
Well, we all do that, don't we? Why is it that independents take on this air of superiority when it comes to their voting decisions, as if those of us who work on behalf of apolitical party are simply brainwashed individuals who simply base on our votes on one's political party affiliation without regard to the person or their positions.
In some ways, I think of independents as somewhat narcissitic. People like Lowell put a lot of time and energy into party building and creating opportunities for people like you and your husband to have a choice when it comes to elections, but when it comes to voting you seem to place your decisionmaking abilities above his. I just don't get this.
You also state:
I just joined the site after lurking for a long time[.]
and:
I am sure this commentary will be deleted because it is not rah-rah-rah Obama[.]
Really? Can you please cite me one example of a comment being deleted from RK because it was not pro-Obama? I've written some pretty tough anti-Obama posts here, and have never had a single one deleted.
Interestingly, beyond that I appreciate the content of your post, and don't really argue with anything you wrote.
In any event, welcome to the debate!
Wow. That was unbelievably offensive.
Sorry you took offense the first time you are asked to defend what you wrote. I actually thought they were relatively gentle questions.
Feel free to drop it.
With all due respect, it is
people like my husband who risk their lives in order that people like Lowell can have the freedom to develop blogs and have opportunities to express themselves.
My husband chose military service in 1986 because of deep, abiding love for this country. Politics had nothing to do with his choice.
To paraphrase Jack Nicholson's character, it is men and women like him who provide the blanket of freedom you sleep under.
People like you just don't get it.
Apparently, you don't care to answer.
Senator McCain did not support or even take time to vote on the bill.
Obama and Biden are the candidates who support our veterans ... they also work and serve "to provide a blanket of freedom you ("People like Lowell" and every American) sleep under" and they deserve your vote.
However, this is the Joe Biden I want to see when he's debating Sarah Palin: