Religious Fundamentalists In the USA

HOPE

Barack Obama's Grandmother Dies a Day Before Historic Election

Barack Obama with his grandmother Madelyn Dunham,
during his high school graduation in 1979.

A day before the election in which her grandson could become the first black president of the United States, Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandmother, age 86, died of cancer.

Barack Obama has said that one of his greatest regrets was not being by his mothers side when she died of ovarian cancer in 1995.

It seems sad that Mrs. Dunham could not have lived another day or two to see if her son makes history. Then again, she was there for Barack when he needed her. She has been such a large inspiration and support to Obama, and helped him get to where he is today.

I really and truly wonder if Republican strategists and pundits like Brad Blakeman are feeling any remorse for attacking Obama for his visit to his grandmother last week or if these humans are in fact as soulless as they seem. It is really beyond me to imagine how these people think, people like Blakeman, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, W. Bush plus a few of my relatives and acquaintances.

If stressful events like this election bring out the true essence of an individual, I have learned quite a bit about those on the modern right and left. I have witnessed so much downright skulduggery as well as compassion and empathy. I have learned about people that spin and spin and spin and haphazardly cast the worst insults they can dream up vs. those who keep an even keel and stick to their principles.

All of this makes me remember a time when I was proud of this great country; and today I have hope reborn that this pride can return in the near future.

Sen. Barack Obama cries while speaking about his grandmother
during a rally at University of North Carolina on Monday.

The ROP is Even Mean to Kids!

Thanks Mark Z. of Chico

Bush Street Renamed

From the SFist (thanks for sending this Erika):

In the spirit of change, Bush Street got a makeover over the weekend. We suspect Hogarthian vandals at work here.

Update: Tim Redmond has the scoop: This is the work of local artist Alex Zecca. It seems Zecca "managed to get all the way from Presidio to Grant" with this rechristening effort before the fuzz made him remove all the stickers. Heh.

Bush Street highlighted in red.

Possible (Vice) President Fooled, Ya Betcha

Not sure what scares me more, that a vice presidential candidate could be so easily fooled by a random caller or that McCain had the lack of judgment to choose such a dimwit.

Sarah Palin duped by prank call

US vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin has become the victim of a prank phone call by a Canadian comedian posing as the French president.

Marc Antoine Audette convinced Alaska's governor she was speaking to Nicolas Sarkozy during a six-minute chat aired on a Montreal radio programme.

Topics discussed ranged from the beauty of Mr Sarkozy's wife, Carla Bruni, to the prospect of a joint hunting trip.

Masked Avengers

Mr Audette said he would be keen to join her on a helicopter hunting trip.

"I just love killing those animals. Mmm, mmm, take away life, that is so fun," he said in an exaggerated French accent.

"I'd really love to go, so long as we don't bring along Vice-President [Dick] Cheney."

Excerpts from BBC.com

The GOP is despicable!

To deny any American the right to vote is un-American (well, convicted felons, depending on the state, is another story explained in the Straight Dope, 2000). Seems this may come to a surprise to some Republicans. Every four years we hear the same thing coming form the Grand Old Party. Its happening again.

Two days ago I wrote about a few of the nefarious tactics Republicans are presently using to deny honest Americans from casting their vote or to paint an evil cloud over those left of center. I forgot the very story that inspired the post.

This from the Washington Post:

Virginia elections officials said fliers are making the rounds in several Hampton Roads localities attempting to confuse voters.

The fliers advise Republicans to vote on Nov. 4, and Democrats on Nov. 5.

Election Day for everyone, of course, is Nov. 4.

The bogus advisory features the logo of the State Board of Elections and states the two voting dates are intended to ease the load on local balloting officials.

State police are looking into the source of the fliers.