Musing...

(Little Harbor continues to improve bit by bit and Annika is being discharged from the hospital today...I know she is GLAD to get to be going home.)

Okay, I don't get political very often...but, it is a little hard NOT to this campaign year...I mean, from the beginning of the earliest primaries right on through the present time, you would have had to have been comatose NOT to be fully engaged in the entire process! It has definitely been a unique year, politically. I had a post on my brain that I was going to write Monday, but then I didn't have time to sit down and write it out. What I was going to say Monday, though, has been tempered a bit since last night. Monday, I had been musing over the first segment of the interview between O'Reilly and Obama that was aired late last week. I have always like O'Reilly, but, after watching that first segment of his interview with Obama, I realized my perception of him had grown even warmer. What I really like about O'Reilly is that he can vehemently disagree with your views, your opinions, your policies...yet still like YOU. That was again so apparent in the interaction between himself and Obama in that first segment of the interview series. O'Reilly is dead set against almost everything Obama is hoping to get done, yet, I think he actually likes Obama, himself...you could just see it in the interactions between them. That warms my heart. I was really applauding O'Reilly in my heart...but, then he went a bit too far this week! When he featured Michelle Obama in his "Patriot's" segment for dancing on the Ellen show and then featured Elizabeth Hasselbach in the "Pinhead" segment for making the statement that it was a relief to interview someone who didn't give her a list ahead of time of topics that were off limits to discuss...well, at that point, I felt like O'Reilly needed to step back and get his bearings. Dancing with Ellen makes you a Patriot? A gentle reference to actual history in this election makes you a Pinhead? Maybe all that close proximity to Obama has made him a little light headed, afterall...maybe some of that tingle Chris Matthews is so susceptible to!

Grant got to chortling in the interview when Obama asserted he had FRIENDS who were on the far right and O'Reilly said, "Oh, really?...Who?!" and when Obama side-stepped it, again asked, "WHO?! Name me one..." We never did hear who these friends were! O'Reilly let it pass, but later laughingly commented to Obama, "I was hoping you would say you go golfing with Limbaugh!" I definitely have enjoyed the interview/friendly sparring segments between O'Reilly and Obama.

I have also enjoyed every speaking engagement of Palin's that I have had the chance to hear. ....the whole "lipstick on a pig" thing: personally, I think Obama knew exactly how the crowd he was speaking to would interpret that before he ever said it. Certainly, the MINUTE he said it, he knew exactly how it had rung in the ears of the audience he was addressing...and didn't seem to mind the fact that he had just thrown them some red meat. I have heard a lot of right wing pundits saying today that they don't think he meant it as a veiled reference to Palin. Baloney! I am sure he did...and I say that after listening to what he said leading up to the use of that analagy and what he followed it with (ie the full context). I think Obama is very intelligent. I think he is intelligent enough to insult his opponent yet give a plausible plea for his own innocence in the matter! He enjoyed the crowd's reaction the moment it fell from his lips and he knew exactly how THEY were taking it. That said, let me add that even if it was an intentional jab, I don't think it is newsworthy! Good grief...let it go!

I have to admit, that my respect for Hillary Clinton has grown this year. Honestly, I had a fierce dislike of her before the primaries began...but, as I saw her grace under fire throughout the primary process and her tenacity, I found things in her (as a person) that I liked. Now that she has turned down Obama's request that she put Palin square in her sights and go gunning for her, I have again seen a glimmer of something in Hillary that is honestly admirable. Maybe she isn't going after Palin personally because of her own agenda...I guess that is possible...I mean if McCain/Palin win, then the field would (I assume) be wide open for Hillary to make a Presidential run herself in four years (which will not be the case if Obama wins). But, I think it is more than just out of political expediency. I think Hillary doesn't want to do to Palin what the press did to Hillary, herself. I think her refusal to jump square into the fray now, is out of respect to her own conscience on this matter. And that gives me more reason to respect Hillary...even though I do disagree vehemently with her politically.

I am so encouraged that McCain picked Palin...not because she is a woman, but because she embodies what I would want to see characterizing the Republican party...integrity, courage, tenacity, solid common sense, and the belief that government should be limited in size. I think the sudden profound enthusiasm being seen throughout the Republican party over the placing of Palin on the ticket speaks more to the disenfranchisement the majority of the party was feeling as the party leadership has moved completely to the center more than anything else. What I mean is, if Palin had been a woman but HADN'T been rock solid conservative, I do not think we would have experienced this electric surge in enthusiasm that has occured.