Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Truth express....Indeed

The Real McCain has a fascinating collage of McCain contradicting himself time and time again. I am not suggesting that a person cannot change his mind but as you watch the video, the question is not one of changing opinion, it is that of saying what is convenient at that moment.

Friday, May 02, 2008

What's not to like about Hillary Clinton?

A few weeks ago, during the debate in Philadelphia George Stephanapoulous and Charles Gibson were having a field day muckraking and continuing to drag non-events on and on. Along the way, they fed Hillary Clinton with several chunks of yellow journalism and she ravenously lapped it up.

However, at one point, GS & CG gave Barack Obama a rare opening to attack Hillary Clinton. The topic was Hillary Clinton "misspeaking" about her trip to Bosnia time and time and time again. They asked Obama what he thought. After endless slanderous accusations against Obama up until then anyone would have excused Obama if he had keelhauled Hillary Clinton on this one. But he took a serious high road. Here's the relevant part of the exchange:

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Obama, your campaign has sent out a cascade of e-mails, just about every day, questioning Senator Clinton's credibility. And you yourself have said she hasn't been fully truthful about what she would do as president.
Do you believe that Senator Clinton has been fully truthful about her past?
SENATOR OBAMA: Well, look, I think that Senator Clinton has a strong record to run on. She wouldn't be here if she didn't. And you know, I haven't commented on the issue of Bosnia. You know, I --
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Your campaign has.
SENATOR OBAMA: Of course, but --
SENATOR CLINTON: (Laughs.)
SENATOR OBAMA: Because we're asked about it.
But look, the fact of the matter is, is that both of us are working as hard as we can to make sure that we're delivering a message to the American people about what we would do as president.
Sometimes that message is going to be imperfectly delivered, because we are recorded every minute of every day. And I think Senator Clinton deserves, you know, the right to make some errors once in a while. I'm -- obviously, I make some as well.
I think what's important is to make sure that we don't get so obsessed with gaffes that we lose sight of the fact that this is a defining moment in our history. We are going to be tackling some of the biggest issues that any president has dealt with in the last 40 years.


And off he went talking about policy issues! Wow! What a difference. That, to me epitomizes his campaign.

I know that both candidates are well rehearsed before they ever get in front of the camera for the umpteenth debate. However, Hillary Clinton's performance -- yes, performance -- at the debates is so choreographed, it is revolting. Her head nodding when she is listening to the question (especially from viewers) and the concerned look is nothing short of affectation. Every-time I see her doing that I am reminded of the episode from Everybody Loves Raymond where Ray pretends concern when he and Debra go to a marriage counselor.

Then, there is the latest holier-than-thou sermon from Hillary Clinton about repealing the gas tax for 3 months. That's like the "stimulus package" all tax payers are being given by George Bush. What good does that do? I'll tell you what good it does --- it helps Hillary Clinton's campaign that is counting on myopic voters. Obama again, took the principled high-ground at the risk of losing serious political capital. He called this gas tax gimmick for what it is -- a political, opportunistic stunt.

Hey look! Its Hillary Rodham from Illinois, no she's from Arkansas y'all; she's from New York, Yo! Naah she is from Scranton PA...she's super Hillary! Don't you know she's gone to 80 countries? She has 35 years experience.

In the past 20+ years when she wasn't in the Governor's mansion, she was in the White House and then lived as a senator. Last year the Clintons filed taxes for $10,000,000! And she wants to tell me she is one of us!!! I hope her supporters have been paying attention to how the tune of her song sheet has changed over the months and just how much she values "us".

Pursuit of Happyness

I just watched this movie yesterday and boy, what a movie it was from various perspectives!

Firstly, it is a powerful story. A true story of perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. Yes, I realize it was a movie that was inspired by a true story; meaning that the screen-writer may have taken liberties. However, I have also read that it was pretty close to how it happened.

In this day and age where people feel entitled to everything, complaining at the first sign of trouble, trying to point the blame at the government, foreign workers, predatory banks -- in short, anything but the man in the mirror, Chris Gardner's attitude was inspirational. He could very easily have quit, gone wayward or taken any other easy route but persevered.

To top it off was Will Smith's performance. Bravo! What range! Over the years we have seen him in various larger-than-life personae. He was Fresh Prince the rapper, agent J the alien fighter of the MIB and the teflon fighter pilot Steve Miller -- again fighting aliens in Independence Day. What a switch for this movie. He was completely believable as the down-and-out, destitute Chris Gardner. His acting was very controlled and powerful. It's a shame he didn't win the Oscar.

In the off chance that you haven't seen the movie I won't go into specific details other than saying that you owe it to yourself to watch the movie. You will not be disappointed. However, you may go through some Kleenex.