1. When did you first hear that your preferred candidate was definitely running for president?

1.a.  I didn’t have a preferred candidate (see 2.)
1.b.  After February 2007
1.c.  Prior to February 2007
1.m.c.  Prior to 2000

2. What were your primary concerns, if you didn’t have a preferred candidate? (see 4.W. through 5. and check all that apply).

4.W.: Iraq
Y.naught(0): Peace
Two(2)w.m.n.:  Pro-Choice
O.1-10K.: Economy
F.U.(2).:  Ethics & Reform
5. Other: (Please explain on a separate form)

6.  Are you still willing to give your vote to the same candidate you started out with?

6.a.  Yes
6.b.  No

If affirmative to 6.b., why?

DE.e(P).6. Because my candidate dropped out
7.c. Because I changed my mind

(If you selected 7.c., go to 1.a.)

 

(an apology, of sorts)

I want earth-shattering
mouth-spattering
heart-splattering
love

Fireworks
1812 Overtures
big explosions
from above

I want deep thoughts
full of equations
explanations
syncopation

No frustration
no castration
just crazy love
crazy love

Insanity
some profanity
make me wonder
make me think

Put your bones
your heart
your soul
your tears
your feelings

in your ink

 

And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?

And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?

And you may ask yourself
Am I right?…am I wrong?

And you may tell yourself
My god!…what have I done?

Letting the days go by….

Same as it ever was…same as it ever was
Same as it ever was…same as it ever was
Same as it ever was…same as it ever was
Same as it ever was…same as it ever was

Colin Powell recently praised Obama during a news interview.

Chuck Hagel recently praised Obama during a news interview.

Colin Powell has not endorsed McCain.

Chuck Hagel has not endorsed McCain.

Someone (was it Tim Russert?) tonight said on MSNBC about this:  Interesting that two left-leaning and/or moderate Republicans are in this position.

Before I leave you with that thought, I'd like to add another non-endorsement:  Moveon.org had a contest wherein people had to make a 30-second video endorsing Obama.  Amongst the many judges are none other than one of my three heroes (the other being my nephew in Iraq and John Lennon):  Pearl Jam's Ed Vedder himself.

Veddy interesting.

Some people are voting for McCain just because he's a Republican.

Some people are voting for Obama just because he's half black.

Some people are voting for Hillary just because she's a woman.

Some people are voting for a Dem just because they want to bring an end to the situation in Iraq.

Some people are voting for a Republican just because they think we need to fight a war on terror.

Some people are voting for a Dem just because they want better health care for everyone.

Some people are voting for a Republican just because they feel Republicans share their values.

Some people aren't voting at all just because they don't care or they're pissed off.

Some people are voting because they care so much about their country and its future that they can't possibly sit this one out or make an uninformed decision, so they do their homework and make it a point to learn as much as they can, and they keep others informed as well, even to the point of being a pain in the ass about it.

It's those people I dig the most....even if they choose someone other than my chosen candidate.

Hey.  At least they're doing their homework.

Having just dissed Hillary in my comment to the excellent (and recommended) post entitled, "I Think Hillary Clinton Has Completely Lost Her Marbles", I will now give the woman kudos where kudos are due. 

As most of you now, I'm an ardent Obama supporter.  But I have to say that I was impressed with both of our Democratic candidates yesterday as they grilled Petraeus and Crocker, and I'm very glad that Hillary Clinton raised the issue of Bush's intentions to sign an agreement with Iraq that will solidify our commitment there, without getting said agreement passed by Congress first.

Last night, in a post that already got buried, I wrote out the definitions of the words “War” and “Occupation”.

I then pointed out that, to McCain, we are at war.  To Obama, we are in the midst of an occupation.

I think everybody would agree with me, here.

So….how does one end a war?  Well, one hopefully wins it.  Sometimes, one loses, and the other side has the victory.  But clearly, in a war, there is a victory somewhere down the line, for somebody.

How does one end an occupation?  One leaves.  One just gets up and decides to go home.  One picks up their toys and gets out of the sandbox.  Another word for leave?  Withdraw. But not “surrender”.  Surrender is not another name for leave.  Surrender denotes failure.  See war, above.

My point here is that McCain keeps accusing Democrats of wanting to “surrender” in Iraq.  But that’s because McCain is looking at Iraq as if it were a war.  Everyone knows we are not fighting a war in Iraq, but that we are occupying Iraq, and so therefore, to speak in terms of winning or losing is downright wrong. 

Somebody go and tell McCain that. 

 

Webster's Online Dictionary:

War

1 a (1): a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations (2): a period of such armed conflict (3): state of war b: the art or science of warfare c (1)obsolete : weapons and equipment for war (2)archaic : soldiers armed and equipped for war
2 a: a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism b: a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end <a class war> <a war against disease> c: variance, odds

Occupation

1 a: an activity in which one engages <pursuing pleasure has been his major occupation> b: the principal business of one's life : vocation
2 a: the possession, use, or settlement of land : occupancy b: the holding of an office or position
3 a: the act or process of taking possession of a place or area : seizure b: the holding and control of an area by a foreign military force c: the military force occupying a country or the policies carried out by it
synonyms see work

"See Work"?

See how it works?

War v Occupation
McCain v Obama

This is what it should all boil down to, in November.