First may I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the Obama family at the loss of Barack’s grandmother.  It must be good to know that the election process is finally drawing to a close so that there will be more time with family, time to honor her.

Please know that because my husband and I are not Democrats, and do not agree with many of the things on the Democratic platform, we do not let this come between us and the people around us.  Oh we talk back to the commentators on television, and make a nasty comment or two at something that is said, but the bottom line is that we care about family and friends no matter what the party or who they vote for.

That is something that is concerning me with this campaign…people are so passionate about it, that I’m concerned about what kind of reactions there will be when one candidate wins, and the other does not.  I do like how Obama always speaks of us having to come together, no matter what our differences are, and trust that will be what happens.

Still, as is almost always the case, tomorrow we will be voting Republican, for John McCain, Sarah Palin and those on the ballot in our State and local government.  I guess that is quite obvious from this blog.  At long, long last, it’s the night before election day.  My husband has gone to get his challenge papers (he’s on the local town committee for our party), and we have reviewed our sample ballots.  The yard is “decorated” with signage of his favorite candidates, and we were able to get ahold of a McCain/Palin sign a little while back, better late than never.

For me, election day and evening is almost like watching the Super Bowl, or the World Series, a game with a winner and someone who doesn’t win, but the far reaching consequences are so very much greater.

Get out and vote, everyone, and whatever the outcome, remember, we live in the greatest Country in the World…God has blessed America, don’t forget to thank Him for that, and lets come out of this excessively long campaign season, and the election, caring for one another, no matter what candidate we voted for, and no matter who wins.

The first Presidential Debate in Mississippi happened as planned, in spite of all the plot twists over the past 24-48 hours.

Obama, true to form, was well versed, so some of that time he spent practicing his lines in Florida over the past few days before going to Washington payed off, and there’s no denying he is very eloquent.  We all want a President that cares about us, and he knows everyone is worried about money, and he played to that very well just as he always does.

When I listened to McCain, I felt like a Mom who was watching her son up on stage (even though I’m much younger) and rooting for him because he is my favorite, but cringing at times because I wanted him to be able to PERFORM as nicely as Obama did.

That’s just never going to happen, McCain is a straight shooter, but he’s not a great performer…and I don’t care about that EXCEPT for the fact that appearances are so important to people who don’t want to look past the facade.  I thought McCain repeated himself a lot, and thought both candidates, instead of bringing something fresh and new, often reverted back to the speeches that they give during their Campaign stops, lines I’ve heard repeatedly as I’ve followed closely during the past many…too many…weeks.

So round #1, as far as performance, goes to Obama, but I know deep inside that I want experience, and someone who has has had the courage to stand up against even his own party when he doesn’t agree…so at present, my November vote still goes to McCain.

Now we look forward to the VP Debate next week on October 2nd…where did September go anyway? Have a great weekend!

Here’s the debate:

Today someone who means a lot to me wrote and asked me some questions about who I’m voting for and why, with some specific questions about some of the current issues, and how my Christian views play into my decision.  I wrote a long reply, sharing some of my thoughts.  They are a bit random at times, and  I’m not saying all of them are right. Since I spent so much time on that, I thought I’d share some of it with you below, enjoy getting into my head a bit…now that’s a frightening thought:-)

It’s funny you are writing this, I was just thinking about these things. Hubby is more in tune with some of the specifics that you ask about, and when he is of the frame of mind will answer them I am sure. I hope you can follow this, as I re-read it, it goes on some tangents :-)

For a time, both of us were not feeling terribly excited about the election this year as each candidate isn’t quite what we’d (I’d) want. I’m concerned about the needy, and where the line should be drawn between personal responsibility and helping those in need. I see many Christians volunteering to do wonderful things, and think there should be more of that.

I always want to be a Nation that welcomes people to come to our country LEGALLY to enjoy it’s freedoms, and have always loved the fact that we have been a nation that embraced what is on the Statue of Liberty (*I copied and pasted below), yet it’s hard to know the enemy any more in this strange war we find ourselves in that has been brewing for a long, LONG time while we were complacent.

As for abortion, it is an extremely important issue, and so are all the other things. It’s just that there are plenty of voices on both sides for the other things, economy, etc., but only Judeo-Christians will stand up for babies forming in their mother’s wombs that are not yet born, so that may be why they are a voice for that one issue that wouldn’t be heard otherwise.

I was just today thinking about whether having a Christian -v- non as President mattered, and why it is such a big issue, I don’t remember it mattering that much when our parents were voting, except for the talk about Kennedy being a Catholic when he was elected, but I was too young to really understand why that was an issue.

At first, I just put the “Christian” part out of my decision, and listened to as many speeches by the candidates as I could. I came away believing McCain was the tough, yet in some ways gentle, type of person we need in office at this time in history because we are a Nation at war whether we like it or want to acknowledge it or not, and he will not duck and run, but face it head on. He has been refined by time and experience in a way Obama has not. We CAN’T take our guys out of Iraq sooner than is wise, and we need a President who will admit who the enemy is and face the enemy head on.

I want us to continue to be the Nation that helps other Nations by giving our lives for them, that is what we are doing, just like we did in past wars, as agonizing as that is……

It wasn’t until the confusing years of the 1960’s and the Viet Nam war, a war with a Draft, that we changed…at least in my lifetime…when we did leave before the job was finished and had soldiers who had given their all, and are were forever marked by it, come back to anti-war protests instead of an appreciative America. I have long believed it is the grown up anti-war hippies that are making up many of the philosophies of the democratic party…at the same time that doesn’t mean there weren’t any lessons to be learned, I’m talking about the extremes.

Yes, we wish we could go back to the days gone by when everything SEEMED fine, the days when Clinton was screwing around in the White house, or the days when Reagan was President and we saw the end of the Soviet Union (at least for a while), but that’s not where we are, and just voting for the guy on the other side of where we are now isn’t going to change that. The “present administration”, a term used often, is at a stand-still because of politics…the Democrats are the majority in the congress/house and holding up almost anything our Republican president wants to do, while they constantly speak against him.

Anyway, I digress, I came to terms with McCain as President…Obama simply does not have the experience, and there are to many things he says that I simply don’t agree with, and I am concerned about the brain-washing he received while in the church he attended.

Sarah Palin was a nice addition to the ticket, I like her, she is REAL, someone you feel like you could comfortably sit down and talk to, and she is a Christian, yes, yes, that is important to me. I’d be a fool if it wasn’t.

When I think of Bush, who liberals and some media have been brain-washing us to hate for about 8 or more years, I think of Moses….just because Moses lead the people, and was before God all the time on their behalf, it didn’t always guarantee “change” because people are stupid, we all want our own way, especially when the going is tough like it was wandering in the wilderness. God had to intervene many times with his judgment, and I wonder if we are seeing some of that today.

I have rambled…. Bottom line, at least for today, I’m voting McCain/Palin, I think that they are the people for the time that we are in even if I don’t agree with every single thing they say.

God bless, and God bless America,

[Me]

PS - I thought I heard not that long ago that the ozone layer was doing better, and the “hole” in it was smaller now? I don’t trust all scientists. Did you see the movie “Expelled” with Ben Stein yet?

——————–

*The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I am not a big fan of “The View”, the television talk show with Barbara Walters, Whoopie Goldberg, and the rest of the gang, often I find these woman caustic and abrasive to listen to, and even during those times I’ve attempted to watch, I never make it through the show.

I’ve been listening to the press on how John McCain and his wife, Cindy were treated on the show as opposed to how Barack Obama (the candidate of the Stars, as far as I’m concerned) when he and his wife were on a while back.  Rather than give my opinion on the stark difference between how the two were treated, why don’t you watch for yourself?

JOHN McCAIN, FEELING THE PAIN?

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

….AND BARACK OBAMA, FEELING THE LOVE.

PART ONE:

PART TWO:

PART 3

PART 4

The attacks are out of control, and I hope an embarrassment to the Democratic party, as I can’t imagine they are coming from Obama’s campaign, at least I hope not.  If it is true that when you’re on the right side of things you can expect attacks, Sarah Palin must be on target!  But I am disgusted, how childish have people become?

I understand that John McCain and his campaign are very upset by all of this and have the following plans:

• A memo addressing the outrageous questions and false reports
• Ad coming out in her defense at around noon today.
• Press conference with female supporters of Sarah Palin.
• Press conference with Joe Leiberman and Eric Cantor, I believe, who will call on Barack Obama to condemn comments by Obama’s Florida spokesman that say Sarah Palin was a Nazi sympathizer.
• There is also a website that has been put up in her defense…I didn’t catch the URL but will post it when I have it….and there’s more to come in the days ahead.

Despite all of this, I think we have a Nation that is looking forward to hearing what she has to share tonight at the Republican National Convention.

I just received an email inviting me to make a contribution to John McCain’s campaign, and I’m sure I’m not alone. It was sent to an email address that I normally wouldn’t receive an email like this, but is loosely attached to this blog, so I’m wondering if they have picked up on my positive comments about McCain. We don’t have a lot of extra money, live quite simply, actually, so I’m not sure we’ll be giving, but here’s the info I received, and by the way, if I get an email asking for money from the Obama campaign, out of fairness, I’ll post about it as well. Here’s what I received:

Dear Supporter,

The reviews are in from Saturday’s Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency, moderated by Pastor Rick Warren. The critics agree - John McCain’s straight talk emerged as the big winner of the night.

After watching both candidates answer the same set of questions, it’s become clear why Senator Barack Obama has run away from debating John McCain and refused joint town hall meetings. Senator Obama dodged answering the toughest questions. But John McCain gave straight and direct answers to Rick Warren and the entire audience about issues like national security, personal faith and values, education, taxes, energy, and the Supreme Court.

The bottom line is that John McCain will put our country before his own self interest. He has done so his entire life. And that is why it is so important we do everything we can right now to elect John McCain as the next President of the United States.

Will you join our campaign today by following this link to make an immediate contribution before our fundraising deadline on August 31st? Your financial support is needed now more than ever.

I won’t mince words. Senator Obama has a financial edge over our campaign right now. He raised $51 million in July alone. And Sunday, he raised $7.8 million from Nancy Pelosi and her friends in San Francisco. This is money he will use to spread misinformation and distortions of John McCain’s record.

We must raise money today to fight back against these distortions. We must have the financial ability to spread the messages and ideas John McCain shared at the Saddleback forum. Will you help elect John McCain as our next president by making an immediate donation of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or $2,300? As always, your support is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Rick Davis
Campaign Manager

We had a wedding today, and I just got home and listened to the full two hours of the Saddleback Civil Forum (not a debate) lead by Pastor Rick Warren. Both Barack Obama and John McCain are good men, I like both of them very much as people, but I must say that John McCain won the night hands down. There were no vague answers, they were very concise, knew exactly what he believed and there were no hesitations in his answers. His experience was clear in his answers, I was literally moved by some of his answers. I’m sure there will be much discussion and analyzing of this in the days to come…but I’m going to hold onto the memory of this night tightly, and not let spin sway me…truth, yes, but not spin. I could say more, but it’s midnight and I need my “beauty sleep” so I can get up for our wonderful early church service in the morning. Sunday is the Lord’s Day in our home, so may I wish you a blessed Lord’s Day!