What in the world is up with the McCain-Palin handlers; is anyone giving logical consideration to campaign songs?The senator should have called me to pull a “Zell” for him and watch his back.I see Hank Williams Jr. doing a McCain-Palin song to the tune of “Family Tradition ” (no comment) and I wonder if the Palins aren’t urban cowboys because anyone who has ever had a PBR at City Limit Bar in Tifton or Charlie B’s in Albany knows that the lyrics of Bocephus’s original tune glorifies alcoholism and substance abuse, and could turn off some conservatives.For the record, I love that song and PBR is Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Not to be out done, Obama-Biden will be coming out with “Vote Me, Baby” by Bell, Biv, DeVoe from battleground state Pennsylvania or “I love this Bar…Exam.”
Finally, thank you Hank Williams Sr. for “Hey Good Looking” which was my daddy’s favorite.
Family TraditionHank Williams Jr.
So don’t ask me Hank
why do you drink?
(Hank) why do you roll smoke?
Why must you live out the songs you wrote?
Stop and think it over
Try and put yourself in my unique position
If I get stoned and sing all night long
It’s a family tradition!
UPDATE: There is a comment on fathers and memories so a little good grew out of this post. It is classic Pavlovian conditioning because when I heard that Hank Sr. song or smell Swisher Sweet cigars, I take the trash out..lol Like Daddy just came home from work, better get the chores done.
My daddy never missed voting (after he was allow to vote) so Pookie and Ray-Ray better vote for McCain, Obama, Barr or someone…up and down the ballot. Anyway, here’s my father’s other favorite tune. What was your father’s or mother’s song.
My mother is reluctant about voting for Senator Obama because she is concerned that if he is elected something will happen to him.Mrs. Alma Powell talked General Colin Powell out of walking into the presidency from either party out of the same concern.
Thank you, Senator John McCain for honorably taking the high road today by telling the truth about Senator Obama.I have always said that this contest was between good and really good—a win, win race for a moderate like me.You proved me right.
I was also right in wishing that the African American community would support Republicans like Ray LaHood for what is now obvious reasons.(see the article below)As for as Georgia is concerned, I will support in this blog and publicly any congressional GOP candidate who wants to debate the issues rather than push fear.Remember that Dr. Condoleezza Rice knows too well where this ugliness might be heading.
I remember the bombing of that Sunday School at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963. I did not see it happen, but I heard it happen, and I felt it happen, just a few blocks away at my father’s church. It is a sound that I will never forget, that will forever reverberate in my ears. That bomb took the lives of four young girls, including my friend and playmate, Denise McNair. The crime was calculated to suck the hope out of young lives, bury their aspirations. But those fears were not propelled forward, those terrorists failed.[193]
– Condoleezza Rice, Commencement 2004, Vanderbilt University, May 13, 2004
LaHood: Palin Should Stop It
Steve Miller, WBBM NewsRadio 780 Reporting
CHICAGO — A seven-term Republican Congressman from Illinois is taking issue with fellow Republican Sarah Palin, saying some of the vice presidential candidate’s rallies “don’t befit the office she’s running for.”
Republican Congressman Ray LaHood represents the 18th District: central and western Illinois, including Peoria. He’s retiring in January.
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. This doesn’t befit the office that she’s running for. And frankly, people don’t like it.”
Congressman 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.”
You are a political junkie if you know the name Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.The mother of Chelsea Clinton’s boyfriend, MMM made the deciding vote in the House for Bill Clinton’s Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.That five year budget plan cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families, made tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers and mandated balanced budgets.
As Senator Joe Liberman mentioned on stage at the 2008 RNC Convention, President Clinton balanced the budget with his plan and the American economy grew stronger.On the day of that historic budget vote, the crafty Republicans waved goodbye to MMM as she walked in the chamber to vote—like the Lynyrd Skynyrd lyric said “shaking like a left on a tree.”Legend has it that two other Democrats were holdingMMM up.34 Democratic incumbents were defeated in the “Republican Revolution” in 1994 in part for making that vote.
This walk down memory lane supports the concept that sometimes the community as a whole is better served by the sacrifice of one.In one of those Star Trek movies, Spock went out like a solider—took one for the team- just like Congresswoman Margolies-Mezvinsky.It was 1982, Sarah Palin and I were finishing high school on opposite sides of the country and my sister was finishing Georgia Tech.I saw that movie while visiting her; walking across I-75, stopped at the Varsity for some greasy food and burped my way to the Columbia Theater—Star Trek: the Warth of Khan in doby sound. (Some movies need to be seen on the big screen.)
Remember, Spock and Jim said, “It is logical, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…or the one.I have been and always shall be your friend. Live long and prosper.”
Of course, we learn in Star Trek III that Spock planted his Kattra (living spirit) in McCoy.Movies have always been tools to me that shape or parallel stuff happening in life. Petite MMM went out like Spock saving the Enterprise; she helped the enterprise known as the American economy by doing what she felt was right.
Senator Sam Nunn did not vote for that budget plan and Vice President Gore broke the tie in the Senate.Nunn could do that because he is “Sam Nunn”—the staff joke on the Hill was Nunn did not want to be VP because it would be a demotion.Nunn’s role in national defense gave him icon status—presidents came to see him.Since this rant has developed a movie theme, Nunn and the Democrats made me think aboutColonel Jessep (Jack Nicholson’s character) in A Few Good Men:
Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls need to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and curse the Marines; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives and that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said “thank you,” and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…there it is; naïve people wonder why some people boldly stand up while others stand idly by.I am puzzled by the local, state and national Democratic Party officials’ quietness on Rep. Jim Marshall party attitude.As I have written before, Marshall would have my respect if he endorsed Obama or McCain but this no comment stuff does not fly when members of Congress have faced political peril to fight for what they believed.Rep. Bishop and Rep. Barrows courageously put their political futures on the line by supporting Obama while many members of the Congressional Black Caucus did the same by supporting Senator Clinton.
Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky is not a footnote in congressional history because she can hold her head up high. The Dem Team needs White male southern support and Jim Marshall is AWOL.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…Why did it take me so long to figure out that Marshall obviously has a pass from Speaker Pelosi—keeping the House is more important than getting the White House.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…Marshall also has a pass from the African American leadership in Macon—Obama got sold down the river for earmarks and pork.I might not be the brightest person and clearly I can write well but even I know that shortly after the election Democrats are going to plan how to marginalize Marshall and that will justify him moving to the GOP.Yes, he would have just used Dem money to win an election, did not support Obama/Biden and might join the Republicans.
Last movie: ice-cold Michael Corleone talking to his brother Fredo about the family and loyalty.“Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again….ever.”“I know it was you Fredo…you broke my heart.”Michael Corleone should be head of the DNC but we really should think about Frank Sinatra, who is singing in the following Godfather video.Sinatra is rumored to have secured the election of Kennedy by making “certain” calls to certain people who were “connected” to labor unions in Illinois and West Virginia.He watched the back of MLK, Sammy Davis, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis; Sinatra was all about loyalty and that was a close presidential election.
I told my friends that Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez would cost the Democrats the election and I was right.I have a feeling that one person (I am not saying who) could cost the Democrats Georgia and therefore the Presidency is year.
I did not want to waste time and energy on this mess but since it is taking concentration away from the real issues, let’s do this.
I was wrong. I heard that Rep. Westmoreland called the Obamas uppity and my head dropped.Westmoreland actually said that the Obamas are part of “an elitist-class individual that think they’re uppity.”Honestly, the statement primarily focuses on elite and not just African American elite.
But, the focus should be on “think” because that one word changes the statement all together.If I am calling you uppity, that is one thing; but if I say you “think” you are uppity, I am saying you are not uppity but you have a false sense of superiority.Like a woman saying about another woman, “she thinks she is fine.”
Lynn Westmoreland has been around actual uppity African Americans—the Obamas are salt of the earth but I hope one day to be successful enough to play 18 at that Black Enterprise Golf and Tennis Weekend and bump elbows with the uppity Black elite whom W.E.B. Dubois termed the “talented 10th.”Westmoreland defeated Dylan Glenn, prep school and Davidson College grad and one uppity brother on the real.Speaker Gingrich supported Glenn’s candidacy fully in an effort to expand their party.But to me, most GOPers like their camp “as is” and are guarded about their ranks.
The Bush White House strengthened Glenn’s governmental experience with several important appointments.In the GPTV debate, Glenn pulled a sweet move by asking Westmoreland which committee in the House would receive a tax bill.Westmoreland said, “the Committee on Taxation” rather than Ways and Means.Glenn pounced on the response and Westmoreland gave him a look liked he was thinking “you uppity so and so.”
But, Westmoreland got the last laugh because the people in that district must have been thinking “Newt is not going to send that young guy down here to beat up on our guy.”
The end justifies the ways and means.
Candidate Rick Goddard’s defense of Newt from an interview with an African American reporter is a different matter. Newt was in his element; Newt being Newt like Manny being Manny for baseball fans.Newt is one of the craftiest debaters in American history and he has the magical ability to convince the people of all kind of stuff.I watched that interview live and I could see two things in Newt’s eyes: Newt did not half believe his argument himself and that that reporter going against Newt was like going bear hunting with a switch.
Goddard backing Newt was noble but Newt must have said to Goddard “I got this, you should moderate your vibe and win that seat.”
Memo to Goddard: you already have like 97% of the GOP voters and Palin might help you get some PUMA/Hillary supporters; avoid the hard-line rhetoric, pick up some “Marshall dissed Obama” folks and you could win this thing.(I must admit that two years from now a real Democrat will be running against you.)
A page and dozens of typos later let me finish with one real example of uppity.One of the most positive people of my lifetime is positioned to become president from our party and Rep. Jim Marshall is to good to fly to Denver to listen to him speak.That’s uppity.
One thing I have learned from Governor Palin during the hours she has been on the national stage is the importance of “thinning the herd.” P.E.’s rap anthem from the movie “Do the Right Thing” opened with the quote:
“Yet our best trained, best educated, best equipped, best prepared troops refuse to fight! Matter of fact, it’s safe to say that they would rather switch than fight!”
Princeton grad Rep. Marshall needs to stop being truly uppity and get with Obama/Biden before talk turns to Democratherd thinning.(Who in Macon or Tifton will be ready in 2010)
The Project Logic Ga contributors have agreed to use “soapboxes” for general issues and items.Disclaimer: the moderate comments found on Slyram’s Soapbox do not necessarily reflect the dignified views of HBA1 or the “conservative since kindergarten” outlook of Coastalmom.Nor do they understand why Slyram does not patiently proof properly.Geesh
My man Secretary Colin Powell wrote in his first book “it ain’t as bad as you think.It will look better in the morning.” So I wake up this morning knowing that most of my family would be thinking, “That Alaska governor lady Palin goes to my kind of church.”Of course still go to the AME church where we were brought “from a mighty long way” by of church civic involvement.Since I took communion the other day and “intended to lead a right life” I better get on with my comment.
I turn on CNN at 6 this morning and Joe Johns was reporting on the number of African Americans at the RNC Convention.Yesterday, I basically posted that numbers and faces on the stage was no big deal but the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies reports that only 36 of the delegates at the 2380 were African American—which is a 78.4 percent decline from the 167 African American delegates at the 2004 GOP convention.
The Joint Center even has a state by state delegate list—Costalmom knows most of the Georgians and could fit them comfortably in her minivan.
U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman said it right Tuesday night when he addressed the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. “So tonight, I ask you whether you are an independent, a Reagan Democrat or a Clinton Democrat, or just a Democrat: This year, when you vote for president, vote for the person you believe is best for the country, not for the party you happen to belong to.”
I couldn’t have worded that better myself. As an Independent who leans conservative, the notion that one simply believes he/she must vote for a person because of the Political Party is antiquated. We’re in a change political climate like something we’ve never seen in our lifetime. There’s a change factor on the Democratic and Republican side. And I love it.
I believe all politics is local. The State and local races in the State of Georgia are equally, and really, in my opinion, more important than the Presidential race. Why can’t an African-American who considers himself a Democrat look at what U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss has accomplished and if satisfied, vote for him. I think it is irresponsible for someone to simply go to the polls and vote for the person just because of their Political Party. Remember in the General Election, you can vote Democrat and Republican without repercussion.
Oh, yes I forgot. Some folks feel they will be ostracized if he votes for a Republican. That is ridiculous too. But when you get in the voting booth, the only one who knows, besides you, is God.
I urge African-American voters to become more informed. Take heed to Senator Lieberman remarks and think about how logical it sounds. Logical, in politics, that’s something new, right? But serious.
And the idea of Congressman Marshall, who has Republican opposition, by the way, made a decision to stay in his district and NOT attend the Democratic Convention tells me that African-American voters need to take a look at the other candidate. But sadly many people will complain that this sitting Congressman didn’t even make a cameo appearance, almost like he is ‘dissing’ Senator Barack Obama….but then will go back to the polls again, because you’ve ‘always voted for Democrats,’ and vote for him anyway.
Now does that make any sense to you?
Become an Independent Thinker. Don’t let tradition keep you from being the change agent that both presidential camps are running on. You can become a part of the change, by changing the way you think about voting for candidates. Remember what Senator Lieberman said…..
Project Logic Ga 