Obama VS Palin/McCain

So, a month or so ago, I confessed that I was raised as a Republican and that--being the strong-headed woman I am--it only made sense that I was President of the Teenage Republicans in high school. [I cringed as I wrote that, I swear.] It was before I'd taken a hard look at the issues and before I had any sense of self, so I was really just another sheep. That all said, I got a free trip to Washington DC with my best friend Mel (see rap sheet to find out how being a Republican worked out for her, but then again, I'm on the same rap sheet, so being a liberal now hasn't faired me well either). Since we were from Arizona (I grew up in Scottsdale), we got to do a meet and greet with a much-younger, cancer-free Senator John McCain. For hours last night, I tore my condo apart looking for the picture I know I have (somewhere!!!) of he and I together, but couldn't find it. I posted this one of he and Melanie, since I was the Republican who took it. Good enough?

Thanks Goddess sake I've since wised up. And besdies, politics--and what each party represents--has really changed since I roamed my high school halls.

Anyhoo, I say all this because I haven't been able to tear myself away from CNN and MSNBC since 3pm this afternoon. It's too fascinating and I'm all caught up in Republican nostalgia because this week (especially tonight) Americans are watching the ticket of McCain/Palin (soon to be McCain/Romney my brother and I predict) implode. Seriously, McCain's move to cancel Letterman and try and bail on the debate and then, once in DC, fuck it all up? And I can hardly even write about Palin's interview with Katie Couric. It was like driving by a horrible car accident. I'll let you be the judge; her soundbites about Russia are below.

In honor of Republican Implosion Day, I give you the below counterpoint (below Youtube). Read it, digest it and think hard about who you're voting for on November 3rd, which just so happens to be one day before Melanie's birthday. Happy early birthday Meline!

Point counter point for Barack Obama and Palin/McCain:

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.