why can't we be friends

a political parody video - someone obviously had a LOT of fun with Photoshop.

blue Hampshire

New Hampshire sure has changed a bit since I lived there. How ironic that the border area closest to Taxachusetts is now one of the most conservative areas of the state. Much of that area went for McCain.

Here's a map and some figures to give a little more detail.

it's a beautiful day

The reality of last night's election results is starting to sink in. I look forward to the conversations I will have with so many others who have hoped for this day. Yesterday I heard many people say that they'd just voted for the first time because they finally felt like they could make a difference.

If you didn't see Barack Obama's speech last night, click here to watch. McCain's gracious concession speech is here. Both are worth watching.

And here's a musical thought to wrap it up.

beyond words

I'm sure that Barack Obama's grandmother must be watching with pride and joy at tonight's news. I don't have words to express my own joy at the knowledge that we did it, that Barack Obama will be our next president.

John McCain's concession speech has been a class act. I hope that he will follow it with actions to help our country recover from the current crises.

the stage is set

Crews have been working for the last several days putting up the stage, lighting, bleachers, fencing, temporary cell sites, etc., getting all in order for tomorrow night's Obama rally in Grant Park. I'm on the wait list for a ticket, but I doubt that I'll get one. Going south on Lake Shore Drive the other day, I was struck by how photogenic the setting is, with the Field Museum in the background behind the stage. This will be an event to remember.

still on the fence?

Have you tried the Obama tax calculator to see how his tax plan would affect you? Click here to check it out.

the whole world is watching

On the eve of the election, I wonder how much America considers the intense interest of the rest of the world in the results. Our relationship to the rest of the world in the coming months will be critical to the job market, the economy overall, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The question is whether our choice will help to repair the years of damage from Shrub's "shoot first, ask questions later" non-diplomacy or increase it.

I strongly believe that Barack Obama represents our best chance to get our country back on the road to the healthy international relationships that can help to pull us out of the current economic tailspin.

The whole world is watching. And they definitely have opinions.

Here at home, we all wait to see how the big night will unfold in Grant Park and downtown. I hope that it is nothing like 1968.

more politically inspired silliness

Ah, someone had a lot of fun with Sarah Palin video clips and an old Devo tune. And if this gave you a nostalgic craving for the original, here's Devo in all their geekiness.

un-Alaskan?

A perspective from the north on Sarah Palin.

Alaska's largest newspaper endorses Obama

I was just reading a wire story about the Anchorage Daily News endorsement of Barack Obama. It's a well-reasoned editorial piece, worth a few minutes of your time.

overspill

Listening to Chicago radio stations, lately I've been hearing lots of radio ads that begin "here in Indiana." The first one made me do a double take. Most of the ads we hear are aimed at Chicago and nearby suburbs. It's a consequence of living in a metro area that spills across multiple states.

For those of you reading this outside the Chicago area, we do have a lot of folks from northwest Indiana who work in Chicago and many more who listen to Chicago radio and watch Chicago TV stations.

The Obama and McCain political ads aimed at Indiana are here in abundance, because so many people in/from northwest Indiana listen to Chicago radio stations and/or work in the city. I haven't been watching much TV lately, but I'd imagine it's a similar picture there.

Added note 10/26: Today's new ad was a well done radio spot by John Mellencamp saying that a vote for McCain is a vote for 4 more years of tax credits to the corporations that keep sending jobs overseas and closing down American factories.

Opie, Andy and the Fonz endorse Barack Obama

This one is fun.

family values?

what most of us didn't know about McCain's family

interesting turn of events

Seeing the Sun-Times endorse Barack Obama wasn't a surprise. The Trib's endorsement wasn't surprising in light of their editorials on Obama in the last several months, although it is a bit of a change from their historical penchant for Republicans. The comments on the Trib endorsement are quite entertaining. Now Colin Powell is on board. Here's Powell's interview on Meet the Press where he discusses his reasoning in detail. It's long but worth watching to the end.

As a nation, are we ready for a return to civility, respect, diplomacy, and thoughfulness? I hope so.

lots of laughs

Lots of fun with Photoshop here: movie poster spoofs featuring our presidential and VP candidates. Enjoy!

talking and saying nothing

Two clips of Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric: on Supreme Court decisions and on staying informed.

chickens

In an e-mail exchange with a friend in New Hampshire, he was talking about a conversation with a co-worker who is a fervent McCain supporter. He was amazed at some of his co-worker's views. As he put it, "working people supporting McCain is like chickens supporting Col. Sanders." Couldn't have said it better, my friend.

approval

a cartoon commentary

an opinion on the debate from across the pond

I find it refreshing to step back and get an international perspective on our national events. Here's one from the BBC. How did you think that Obama and McCain did in the debate?

what about keating?

Over the weekend, I was working on this piece and looking for one more item to finish it off.

As we get closer to the election, I'm really surprised that I'm not hearing more about a particular skeleton in John McCain's closet: his role in the Keating savings and loan debacle. More sources here: 1, 2. And the pattern may be repeating. Having Phil Gramm in his pocket may end up being a liability.

Then the skeleton re-emerged. More later...