On Politics

Conan O'Brien: "While she was addressing the crowd, Sarah Palin spent a lot of time criticizing Barack Obama's campaign speeches for not having enough specifics. ... Obama was reportedly angry about the claim, but didn't say exactly why."

This quote made me laugh and reminded me of how I felt when I was watching the conventions the last couple of weeks.

While watching Obama's speech, listening to his declarations of Change and what he was going to do, I found myself asking out loud, "And how, exactly, are you going to do that? What are you going to do to make that possible? What does that even mean?" My questions hung in the air in my living room like so many dangling prepositions, unanswered and unaddressed.

While watching McCain's speech, I found myself starting the same questions. "So how are you going to do that...?" Only before I could say more I found myself staring at the screen in astonishment when I realized that, instead of going on to the next goal, McCain was elaborating on how he planned to accomplish the one he just mentioned. My jaw dropped and I resisted the urge to look around my living room for secret listening devices. Did he just hear me? How did he do that?

Even if you know who you're going to vote for, I've always thought it a good idea to try to stay informed about what the other candidate is all about. I don't always do this very well in my busy, soccer mom world. And it can be even more difficult when you're trying to read between the lines of a biased media.

The Democratic Convention? It was a regular scheduling blackout. All the major networks aired it live, leaving no other options for the couch potato too lazy to get up and find the remote.

The Republican Convention? Completely different story. I thought maybe I had the wrong night. Only PBS and a couple of cable stations were airing it live, the major networks completely ignoring it and airing regularly broadcasted shows...

Was this nation-wide? Or just in Ohio? I guess they thought the little people wouldn't notice...

Ohio is supposed to be one of the deciding states in this year's election. Ever since the conventions, it would seem that more and more people around here are starting to pay attention -- and advertise their political leanings. Obama signs went up first on these suburban properties, for the most part. Our neighbor across the street has an Obama bumper sticker on his car.

But the neighbor next to him has a McCain sign in his yard, as do more and more homes in this Dayton suburbia.

I knew who I was going to vote for well before the conventions. Maybe not so much because I was for a particular candidate, but simply because I am not a socialist. But like so many others, I am also excited about Palin. Oh, yes I am. Not just for this election, but for the possible future ahead for her, and what it could mean for women of this country, for the Republican Party, for the country as a whole.

Naysayers can nitpick and criticize all they want. The only reason they have anything to pass judgment on is because she's actually made decisions and has implemented policy that directly affected people and their government. She has led. Talk, schmalk. Leadership requires action, not just ideas. Leaders have to make decisions, not just show up and press the present button.

And this is just the vice presidential candidate.

I'm excited about this election because, either way you look at it, history is being made. We will either have our first African American President, or our first female Vice President. And I don't have any problem with Palin being a mother of five, the youngest special needs. I mean, there is a father in the picture, after all. What is he, chopped liver? So many women have to work. She is obviously called to serve in public office, and she does it with passion. She's fitter than many women half her age, and while her type of work carries with it much responsiblity, yes, it also likely affords more creative flexibility than the schedules of most working mothers.

That is my two bits, though I don't usually get half that far with anyone I actually talk to face to face. Talking politics is so difficult, so potentially volatile. In Germany you could have a great debate and disagree and yell at each other -- then walk off and grab a beer, arm in arm. Americans hold their views so dear, so personal. It's difficult to disagree with someone's viewpoint without feeling like you're offending their person.

We don't have any political signs up in our yard -- though John does sport some ... interesting stickers on his car. He was at Home Depot the other evening, and he came out and noticed a guy standing behind his car and looking at this:

John couldn't decide if he was looking so intent because he was confused, or fuming.

He's a funny guy, that one.

When we were living in Italy, John put some stickers on our vehicles that were, um, a little misleading. When my friend Ruth saw mine from a distance she thought maybe John had decided a peace symbol would detract from any possible anti-Americanism. You know, toward the not-so-subtle American SUV.

I said, "Um, look a little closer."

I suppose you could find two meanings in that, depending on whether you spoke English or not.

He has one more sticker on his car, one that I still have to have him explain to me from time to time, so vague and random it seems to me.
I'm not going to try to explain it here; I'm very curious if anyone reading can get it on their own. Anyone? Anyone? Let's just say I'd be DOUBLY impressed if you get it and are a female type. Because this one is so strictly a guy thing to me.

And please mention who you're going to vote for, or if you intend to vote, and who you think is going to win. No pressure -- and no obligation. I'm just curious, and I think this will be so interesting to look back on once more history has been written.