The Hillary Effect

My definition: the effect Senator Hillary Clinton has on making people either love or hate her.

No other woman in politics has been criticized in the ways Hillary Clinton has. For many reasons, Senator Clinton has a very polarizing effect on people. You either love her or hate her. Such reasons include peoples’ inability to separate her from their opinions of her husband, people are not ready to have a female president, or conversely just want to have a female president. Some people say she is too radical, while others think she is one of the few politicians who want to change completely Washington and to make politicians and policies work for the people, not the big businesses. But no matter what people say about her, everyone notices her. John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich could not say the same when they were in the presidential race. The attention she receives, both good and bad, might actually keep her in the race and help her make it back into White House.

A Republican for Obama!

A VERY interesting article in WASHINGTON POST (how many more ex-president family members need to come out and endorse Obama so people finally realize that OBAMA needs to be the NEXT PRESIDENT!!!)

I like Ike...and Obama. Why I'm Backing Obama
By Susan Eisenhower
Saturday, February 2, 2008; Page A15

Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades. In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term "military-industrial complex," and he offered advice that is still relevant today. "As we peer into society's future," he said, we "must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow."

Today we are engaged in a debate about these very issues. Deep in America's heart, I believe, is the nagging fear that our best years as a nation may be over. We are disliked overseas and feel insecure at home. We watch as our federal budget hemorrhages red ink and our civil liberties are eroded. Crises in energy, health care and education threaten our way of life and our ability to compete internationally. There are also the issues of a costly, unpopular war; a long-neglected infrastructure; and an aging and increasingly needy population.

I am not alone in worrying that my generation will fail to do what my grandfather's did so well: Leave America a better, stronger place than the one it found.

Given the magnitude of these issues and the cost of addressing them, our next president must be able to bring about a sense of national unity and change. As we no longer have the financial resources to address all these problems comprehensively and simultaneously, setting priorities will be essential. With hard work, much can be done.

The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry, noisy extremists. I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation's impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded.

No measures to avert the serious, looming consequences can be taken without this sense of renewal. Uncommon political courage will be required. Yet this courage can be summoned only if something profoundly different transpires. Putting America first -- ahead of our own selfish interests -- must be our national priority if we are to retain our capacity to lead.

The last time the United States had an open election was 1952. My grandfather was pursued by both political parties and eventually became the Republican nominee. Despite being a charismatic war hero, he did not have an easy ride to the nomination. He went on to win the presidency -- with the indispensable help of a "Democrats for Eisenhower" movement. These crossover voters were attracted by his pledge to bring change to Washington and by the prospect that he would unify the nation.

It is in this great tradition of crossover voters that I support Barack Obama's candidacy for president. If the Democratic Party chooses Obama as its candidate, this lifelong Republican will work to get him elected and encourage him to seek strategic solutions to meet America's greatest challenges. To be successful, our president will need bipartisan help.

Given Obama's support among young people, I believe that he will be most invested in defending the interests of these rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of this nation as a whole. Without his leadership, our children and grandchildren are at risk of growing older in a marginalized country that is left to its anger and divisions. Such an outcome would be an unacceptable legacy for any great nation."

BARACK THE VOTE

A lot of rambling

On February 12th, I took my 18 year old sister and we went and voted for the very first time. She seemed as excited about the process as I was, though in a much more subtle way. I know she voted in a democratic race, but she will not tell me who she voted for. I have a suspicion that she voted for Obama but I think it speaks of her growing maturity that she realizes how important this process is to our future and values her decision. I am proud of her and I hope she knows that we had a hand in whatever the outcome turns out to be.
I still have my "I voted" sticker on the bag that I took to New Hampshire with me. The bag that holds so many great memories, including a "Stop Global Warming Sticker," coffee stains from the morning that I fell asleep holding my coffee cup which then ended up in the bag, pen marks from when I was waving my pen around while talking about my annoyance with Rudy (I cant clean that mark off....oh Rudy, How I miss thee!!! haha).
Because of the trip to NH to observe the primary process, I feel that I have gained such an insight on how important this election process really is. I knew that I wanted to always be in an informed citizen, voting on issues that would shape my future, but I did not realize how greatly this trip would benefit me as an individual. At work, my boss refers me to the costumers as the 'Political Junkie" and "Obama girl wannabe." He always brings in articles from news papers and magazines that mention Obama, and we even began to read a book called "The Bound Man: Why we are so excited about Obama and why he will not win." (Needless to say I do not agree with the book but it is very interesting reading a Black mans perspective on why our nation still votes on issues of color....hopefully something we are moving past, but still a sad reality.)
One has to be a very open minded person in order to be able to surround themselves with people who are not just diverse in race or ethnicity but instead diverse in political and religious beliefs. I believe that this is also a very hard thing to do, people do not want to be disagreed with.
I know that I have friends who have a different position on political issues, and I know that I do not want to bring politics up with them. I can not expect to change their beliefs and would be offended if they wanted to do that to me,and so I think it is a lot easier to talk politics with people who at least share a basic similarity on political issues (not saying this is the right thing, just the easier choice).

Results of Tuesdays Election........ I am left a little SHOCKED!
While in NH Professor GP and Muir stressed the importance of the role that Media played in the election process, and I think I have been noticing it more and more. I went to sleep thinking that Obama had lost Ohio but it was ok because he had won Texas. I woke up to a whole other story. But what was shocking was the huge deal they were making the election to be. "She is back from the dead!" they kept repeating about Clinton and making the situation look very scary for Barack (I am not doubting that they did the same thing for the last 12 elections that Hillary lost to Obama....but maybe I am a little more biased about this!) But the fact remains that Clinton only received 4 more delegates than Obama did, but you'll never hear that on the news. They like the exaggerate this results so much that we don't even know what is really going on.

To quote Toi..."now I'm just rambling!" haha I guess that's what you get when you wait to post and you have so much to say you don't know where to start and go to...... I need a couple more posts before I get everything out of my head and onto this blog!
By the way, I AM STOKED ABOUT THE REUNION TONIGHT!
See you soon,
Homa

Listen to This

Take some time out and listen to this. To me, there is a huge similarity to me between Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. It could just because the way this video was made as far the black and white lighting or the chants... such as "Yes We Can" and "I have a Dream"... thats just me, but see for your self.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fZHou18Cdk

Ohio and Texas

Was anyone surprised by Clinton's victories last night? At first I was surprised by the margin of victory she had in Ohio but then when I thought about it, I realized that it really shouldn't be that surprising, as well as her victory in Texas. Because of Obama's, (was it 11?) straight victories, there has been a lot of talk about how Clinton needed these victories to avoid the nail in the coffin and i imagined that pushed Clinton supporters to the polls in droves. That probably also helped keep Obama supporters away from voting, as well as the weather (in Ohio), which was nasty. Maybe Obama fans figured his momentum was so great he would sweep Ohio, Texas, Vermont with ease and they didn't need to go out in the nasty weather to vote? It's going to be interesting to see the caucus results for Texas. It's a shame the Republican primaries haven't been this exciting/close. I wonder if Mitt Romney had remained in the race, in those areas where Huckabee almost took McCain, could he have won them? Is it really that people love McCain that much or just that they prefer him over Huckabee? I really can't understand why he dropped out so early. Oh well. Now it's McCain vs. the winner of the Democratic fight to the death!

Frustrated Voter

So as I look at the calendar by my computer I noticed it is March 2nd, and there are five people left in the race for the White House: John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Hiliary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Ron Paul. Where has everyone gone? Well all the money is disappering from donors and a large number of states have had primaries already. The candidates we have now are the same candidates we had a month ago. Less than 5 weeks after the New Hampshire primary that included thirteen candidates from the Republican and Democratic Parties combined the field has dwindled to five. What happened to nomination process that included the candidates actually fighting and still camapaiging in March? With everyone so eager to have a hand in picking the nominee we've sped the process up so fast that its not even Spring and we know who the nominee is in the Republican party and there are two candidates slugging out in the Democratic party. I love politics, I love the election process, I just love everything political but I have to admitt that this primary process is annoying me. I would love to get actually see candidates fighting for votes across the country through Spring but that might not happen til 2012. Which brings me to another point: when does campaigning for 2012 begin? 2011? 2010? 2009? The day after election day this year? Why can't we be satisfied with just one election at a time? We shouldn't have to have a nominating process that last two years. Some of these candidates have been campaigning for a year already, and its only March. Is that right? I have to admit that I'm sick of this election, sick of the fighting, sick of delegates and super delegats. Lets just talk issues and make America better.

Bill for Obama??

so I dont know if this is a real ad.. but this is something that i saw and has been playing via internet (at least what ive seen)

I am confused.. reactions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe0BPwWAxnk

Questioning Obama....

So today i heard something very interesting and i am not sure if it is true or not:
Obama recieved 10 million dollars from a "slum lord" named Tony Rosco (i believe)...and JUST IRONICALLY there-soon-after bought a 1.6 million dollar house. What was the 10 million dollars for and will this make Obama a "puppet" in office because he took unofficial bribes and therefore may be pressured in making some changes that is in the best interest of Rosco but maybe not the American people?? Again i do not know the specifics of the case i was just hoping someone would clear it up for me.....also i heard that Obama's wife made the comment "having my husband run for Presidency is the first thing that has ever made me proud to be an American".....does that mean that she was ashamed of this great country? Was America so horrible that she was right in saying that?

Recent Talk

Hello All,

I have read everything that has been said and I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts and/or experiences with all of you since we got back from New Hampshire. After reading Patrick's recent response, it encouraged me to share a story. I went out and voted on Feb. 12th {my birthday : ) } but I am not too sure if all of you knew that I am a Hillary supporter but after talking and listening to my family and friends, some may say that my decision is either smart or stupid. I will try to explain briefly why some feel that way.

Before the caucuses and primaries began, A LOT of family and friends were all about Hillary as I am. I am not sure if it was because of the great reputation she has behind her husband or simply because of her views. But all I know now is that most of the previous Hillary supporters are ALL about OBAMA now. One day a good friend of mine and I were talking, and he was telling me that he simply was not voting for Obama because his name sounded too much like Osama. Although that sounded very immature, I have come to find out that were many people's thoughts in the beginning. But after his countless victories over Hillary, their views change about him and suddenly think, "he may not be that bad after all". Whether they truly sat down and did their research or not, it's funny how people change from week to week. Facebook alone has amazed me because I see so many of my friends writing notes about it saying, "Hilary just needs to drop out of the race... there's no hope". Many of my male friends who at first was all for Hilary, now refuses to put that woman in office. However, I hear a lot of the older woman in my family who would rather vote for Hilary because they say the risk of becoming the President is not worth Obama's life, assuming because of the recent talk that there have been death threats towards Obama if he was in office. I think with any democratic female minority, the decision was and will forever be a hard one because I don't like feeling like I let any particular person down and I know that's how a lot of closest friends feel. Many ask me, "why wouldn't you vote for Obama?"... "Do you know how long and hard our ancestors fought for this opportunity?" Those are just some the questions that I hear whenever the topic of politics come up. For instance, their are nationally recognized african american organizations that have made Obama T-Shirts to show that they are supporters. I have even heard people talk in the future and say, "President Obama". I have even heard McCain make reference to Obama in his speeches as if he already knows that Obama is going to be his only competition in the end.

I know I am starting to ramble now, but I hope some of this makes sense... I am going to get some more thoughts together and come back later... so it won't be so confusing.. : )

Voters

Hello Everyone--
I hope everyone's doing well, and I cannot wait for the reunion! But, I wanted to blog just a bit on something that is troubling me. I went home to Roanoke this past weekend for a wedding and to see one of my good friend's first born child--the fact they they are my age is troubling, but not the reason I'm writing.
While sitting with my friend and holding his newborn, we started talking politics. That was a mistake. He asked me who I was voting for, and I said Hillary. He could not believe it-- he was stunned and was telling me how horrible she was. Then I proceeded to ask him who he was voting for and his response was (get ready for it...) HUCKABEE!! Oy, I reacted the same way he did when I admitted my support for Hillary. I asked him the reasons he had for voting for Huckabee and he said, "He seems calm, cool, and collected." I immediately ended the conversation because I could not handle where this was going. We have been friends for a long time, and this was an issue we had never talked about before. I don' think we'll do it again anytime soon to save our friendship!!
But the scary thing is, even at the wedding reception, several of my other classmates voiced their support for Huckabee. But, very few of them could answer (in an articulate manner) why they supported him other than very vague reasons (parents support him, church endorses him, Chuck Norris supports him).
As an issue voter with liberal tendencies, I find this very troubling. As a younger demographic, we always hear about the importance of voting. It is our civic duty, and one that should not be taken for granted when taking into account the many lives that fought, and the ones that were lost protecting that right. Now, I know I'm preaching to the choir, but hear me out. We know we are supposed to vote, but what if the people voting are not educated about what the person stands for, and are making choices based on character traits such as "calm, cool, and collected". Should they still vote? How can someone work to change their opinions or educate them when their minds are made up?
I do not have a good answer to any of these questions, but i found it very fascinating (and scary) that this was such a dominant theme in my hometown among my peers. Granted, the people that I was talking to have never left the town, and have minimal education after high school. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing-- but I know my views have definitely changed since being in college. I don't think that every person in college is going to become enlightened and vote Democrat-- we have plenty of very educated Republicans on this campus whom I respect very much. BUT-- I do wish that people could figure out what they believe in and take the initiative to make an informed choice. Is that too much to ask?

Obama and Clinton neck and neck

So I get washington post emails everday, and the latest polls say Clinton leads in Ohio, 50 to 43 %, Obama! wow, good job Clinton, finally getting something. Actually Ohio is were my brother and sister in law live, so i have a feelin they might vote for Clinton, because i parents did in MD polls... but i dont know specfically why.. maybe they like her economy plan, which seems to be her stregnth. In Texas, clinton barely has a winnig prediction in polls of 48% and Obama 47%.. maan that is close, eeks.. thats when you got to campaign galore. She seems to be be a lead for most hispanics in Texas, which might be the reason they predict that 1% lead. Unfortunetly for CLinton, wining these two latest states still wont be good enough to beat out all the states Obama has won.. it helps a lot, but still she needs to do some serious campaigning, and convice a lot of people, inorder to get a tighter grasp and better chance, to beat Obama. Well they have until march 4 i believe, is the offical day Ohio and Texas vote? Bill even said that it is vital for Hillary to win Ohio and Texas, because that will then keep her in the race for nomination. Democrates are split between the two because they all want an experienced candidate who can bring real change and progress, which is most likely thought to be Hillary, but they also find that Obama will be a good president who will fufil the needs and would bring the most change in Washington. For this exact reason i was not sure who i was going to vote for back in the MD elections, its such a tough choice, because i think they are both great candidates who will get a lot done. A lot of what the demographics is in each state, is what will be the big counter for who will win each state. (like any other election). Oh man this election process has been crazy. Its such a close race, its like you never know whats gonna happen each time!
Oh what about the supposed affair McCain had? Does that seem to be affecting his campaign? Can someone tell me more about that becasue i just heard about it and therefore do not know whats going on with that and the rublican votes.

Potomac Primary and More

I don’t know how many of you guys actually voted past Tuesday, but it was really interesting to see so many people at the voting stations. I live right across voting station in my voting district, and I think I saw as many people as I would normally see for the presidential election. There were many people in the line! As far as I remember, I didn’t see that much people back in 2004 primary in the same place, so I guess this primary is really different. There wasn’t much surprise or excitement compared to the Super Tuesday from last week, but I was happy to see that Sen. Obama finally made his breakthrough, which he supposes to made a month ago in NH. Now, for the first time in this campaign, Hilary has to run her campaign as an underdog, and it would be really interesting to see how she would make a great comeback like she did in NH. It would be very interesting to watch Obama campaign too. Since he is considered as a front runner, both Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain would attack his campaign, and it would be very interesting to see how Sen. Obama reacts on those negative spins. Speaking of negative campaign, I heard very disturbing stories about Hilary campaign in Texas. As many people expected, Sen. Clinton won CA primary by winning over Latino voters, and she might win Texas by the same mechanism. However, what really disturbed me about Hilary campaign’s Latino strategy was that her campaign tried to use the century-old division between African Americans and Latino population in the Southwest, especially in CA and Texas. Hilary campaign already launched rapid negative ads against Sen. Obama specifically targeted to Latino voters in Texas, which is pretty large blocks of voting coalition. I also heard from my Latino friends in Texas along with some online sources saying that Hilary campaign is raising unpleasant racial campaigns there like she did in South Carolina. Hilary’s TA campaign theme goes something like this – if you Latino people put inexperienced Black man on the White House, you all would regret and suffer. Of course, she stays clean on all those unpleasant businesses, but Texans are saying that those kind of ugly words are clearly out there. Hilary desperately needs to win TA and Ohio, but I really hope that she wouldn’t purposely try to divide the country to win her presidency.

Now that Obama campaign made a major breakthrough and Sen. Obama became an unstoppable rock star figure, I was started to worry about if he could really bring us changes that he promised over and over again on the campaign trail. After all those excitements from campaigns are over, he needs to seriously working for American people who gave him enormous support and enthusiastic spirit in his historical campaign. Some people were really disappointed by Clinton’s eight years of presidency because he campaigned like he would be the next JFK, but he turned out to be just an ordinary president who did his job relatively well compared to other average presidents. I guess people are really excited about Obama campaign now because they see next Dr. King or next Kennedy from his campaign. However, if Obama turned out to be very ideological, but not practical president like President Carter back in 70s, it would be another nightmare and disaster for liberals. I was really surprised to hear about Romney drop out last week. Obviously, I think he is an extremely good candidate for conservative (R) s, and I thought he was kind of guy who would fight until his last man, last dollar. But, I guess it’s always smart decision to quit while you still have a choice rather than forced to quit. Some says Gov. Romney looks for 2012 bid, but I’m not sure how it would work for him. Waiting for next chance seems worked very well for Sen. McCain, but it was completely opposite affect for Sen. Edwards. Everybody thought John Edwards had a bright future back in 2004, but he couldn’t even come to second on his own party. I don’t even know Gov. Romney would go for another round, but I hope he could make a great comeback for next round to make 2012 primary more interesting.

Voting Day

First, THANK YOU! professor Muir-i think was who helped me be able to post!

ok second lets talk about voting day.
So i was really excited to vote yesterday, Ive never voted before, i knw im horrible for not votin at the last presidential election but Im out of state and couldnt drive to MD.. and i knew my absentee ballot wouldnt count so.. ya
So im driving to MD, i call my dad to make sure i got what i need and all.. im pumped lets go, voting in a primary is just and exciting thought, this is prob the biggest election in history, you know and im pretty up to date, it becomes a big deal to me (esp after NH).. my moms all mad that im 'wasting' my time to drive to MD.. whatver i didnt have a class til 4:30pm.. so i get to my community center where the voting was being held, gave my info and whatnot.. THEN the lady tells me im registerd as an independent!!!!!! I was like, ok, what do i do now? and she was tellin me how MD is a closed primary, only democrats and republicans can vote.. BUT I THOUGHT I WAS REGISTERD AS A DEMOCRATE!! (crap).. grant it i registerd like 5years ago, so maybe then i wanted options, bc you never know a candadite from a diff party suprises you and you like there ideas/stands.. so she tells me i can vote for the board of education.. i didnt know anything about the candidates! but since thats my field i thought it was important to do it.. they gave me a booklet with the runners info.. so i made the best choice i could and voted for that.. i mean im proud i did that bc its important too.. HOWEVER.. i was SO upset that i couldnt vote for the presidental primary.. im not gonna lie, i got emotional.. as you all know this election will/has made history! I know I can still vote in the actual novemeber elections.. but still i dunno, i kinda feel jipped (sp?).

I'm happy at least the person i was gonna vote for won, with great numbers.. all of the district.. I mean both democratic candidates i think are great choices.. but i like Obama more. The problem however is that evryone says that Obama wont get the nomination bc hes black and he will get assasinated as soon as he becomes president.. what the heck.. and then i hear from others that if he gets the nomination, democrates are gonna vote for McCain instead!! none of the older crowd seem to want Obama (even though he got so many states). I dont know whats gonna happen, this really is such a close race, not just for the Democrates, but I mean you really dont know which political party will win! It can go either way and it is just crazy!!!

ok, everyone stay warm, be safe, and try not to stress out :) ~Nishah

Today is the Virginia Primary!!! Dont forget to vote....unless ur voting against my party...just kidding vote vote vote!!!!

Heartbroken Follower

Well I guess it's official now. Mitt Romney has decided to stop compaigning and leaving it up to McCain, the dinosaur. Now the republican party will lose the election it seems since Obama and Clinton have such steam going behind them.

As the whole group knew I was supporting Romney and now...I'm heartbroken. There goes my vote.. Now since he is out I will have to decide on who to vote for next teusday and I'm certain its going to be for Ron Paul (youre welcome David). If he decides to drop out now too I'm voting Obama.

This just looks to me like the Republican party is giving up. McCain has the nomination it seems and I really hope he doesn't get it. I'm surprised Romney dropped out, I figured Huckabee would drop out before him but he is still on the ballot. This republican is quite upset. hah

Mitt Romney!

Mitt Romney has decided to suspend his campaign! At first I was pretty surprised, but then I thought back to Tuesday and figured it was coming. His Super Tuesday results were pretty disappointing and that would have been his biggest chance to top McCain, butI thought he might have waited until after the Kansas/Lousiana primaries coming up in two days. Since distribution of his delegates is left up to each State's Republican party, it's going to be interesting to see where those votes go. I feel like his suspension, along with the fight between McCain and the ultra-right wing conservatives could catapult Mike Huckabee into a position where he could pose a threat to McCain's front-runner status!

Hillary

So, it not much of a secret to anyone who went on the trip that I am a republican. Despite that, I feel the need to defend Hillary Clinton in one specific aspect....her attire. Yesterday in one of my classes we were talking about her choice of attire. The majority of the class was bashing her because they said that she wasnt wearing appropriate clothing because she "did not look presidential". Some people made fun of the blue turchoise necklace and the brown suit she wore at the debate in California.
Who can say what is the correct attire for a female running for president?
I believe that there is no guideline for what she can and cannot wear mainly because she is the very first female to run. Now im not saying that she can wear jeans but I dont think because she wore a blue necklace and a brown suit makes that she looks unpresidential...am I wrong?

Super Tuesday Results

So, who watched the results? Can you predict now who will be the next President? What do you think of Huckabee's success? Any surprises?

JM

Two more bite the dust!

John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani have both dropped out of the presidential race. While I'm not surprised at Giuliani's departure, given his dismal performance in Florida, I'm still a little surprised that Edwards is calling it quits so soon. His numbers haven't been that great, but a few days prior to his dropping out he issued a statement saying that he "wouldn't drop out, no matter what." Why the change of heart? I'm a little curious. I’m also curious about his decision not to endorse anyone and whether that will change before Super Tuesday. Obviously, his decision to endorse someone would have a relatively big impact, but should the not, I think most of his votes will go to Hillary and only a fair few to Obama. I can’t wait to watch it play out over the next few days. People have been talking about what Edwards will do next, does anyone see him or NOT see him on the VP ticket?
I'm also wondering what the ramifications of Giuliani's endorsement of McCain are going to be. While I think it's going to pick up some votes for McCain, I think it's going to concern the ultra-conservatives who have taken issue with Giuliani for his pro-choice views, as well as some of his other more liberal policies. McCain isn't seen as a die-hard conservative anyway, which may be an appeal to independents and moderates, but being endorsed by a Pro-Choice Republican isn't going to go over well with Evangelicals or ultra-right wingers, who don’t want to be ignored, and who shouldn’t be. Last night’s Republican debate is a testament to that as McCain and Romney essentially waged a “Who’s the true conservative?” debate. We haven’t heard a whole lot about the evangelical vote (which makes up a large portion of the “ultra conservative” category) this primary season but I think on Super Tuesday we’re going to see the evangelicals show up in masses. One thing’s for sure: Super Tuesday is going to be awesome and exciting. I can’t wait!

Bringing Home the Youth Vote

Every four years people complain that voters under 30 are all talk. They like to get involved initially, but then get bored and often don't vote at all.

Prof. G-P and I are doing some research on this topic. What do you all think about this? Based on your newfound knowledge and the awareness of your friends, do you think more young people will vote this year? Is the Obama excitement working?

Please let us know your thoughts on this topic.

Thanks,

JM

Families Divided

I wonder what everyone is thinking about Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama. Remember our wonderful visit with the Kennedy children in Nashua (Bobby, Kathleen and Kerry) who support Clinton?

This is not the first family divided over these two candidates. Jesse Jackson and his wife are also split between Obama and Clinton. I know many other couples/families in the same situation. Why is this the case? What resonates about each candidate?

I know that one of Kennedy's reasons for the Obama endorsement was the campaign strategies used by Bill Clinton in S.C. My thought about Bill is that he needs to get out of the way and let Hillary find her voice again. He's too much the attack dog now. He loves campaigning - he was always at his best doing this. This is likely his last big hurrah and if Hillary doesn't win, he'll be taking it very personally.

Anyone watch the State of the Union address last night? Thoughts????

The Scores are Even

With a win in South Carolina on Saturday, January 26, 2008, the Obama and Clinton camp enter into Super Tuesday on a two and two tie. African American’s were the group to pull during their trail throughout the state, especially African American women. Although both fought hard to rally votes, Senator Obama came out on top. In most reports the Senator of Illinois collected 80% overall of the African American vote with Senator Clinton picking up 18%. As the trail moves forward I feel that we will continue to see gender and racial line divides. Obama wins South Carolina, but will he win Florida? As an African American, I often wonder if blacks can have an affect on who becomes the next president? We vote, but not always in large numbers. Will Obama’s skin color bring us out to the polls? Time and time again I have heard from all of my friends and neighbors that I too should vote for Barak, because “ he looks and thinks like me.” He does? Setting aside our “tanner skin”, I don’t see much resemblance between the senator and I. His hair is shorter, legs taller, and age, well lets just say he was not born in the 80’s. As the battle gets tighter, and by now I guess you can tell that I am a Democratic, I find it harder and harder to set aside what the media reports and what I truly feel. My schoolwork is tougher, graduation is nearer, and my concentration on the daily move of the candidates is becoming slim. Like most people, I only have time to read what the news decides to report. Gone are the days of rallying behind the candidates, when all we really needed was picture and a smile.

South Carolina and Fred Thompson

I can’t wait to see what happens with the South Carolina Republican Primary on Saturday, January 19^th. If Fred Thompson wins, the entire Republican field will, in all likelihood, slowly tumble into chaos. With Rudy likely winning Florida, each of the 5 major Republican candidates will have won a race, resulting in no clear frontrunner: Huckabee (Iowa), McCain (New Hampshire), Romney (Michigan), Thompson (South Carolina) and Giuliani (Florida).

Also, when Super Tuesday rolls around:

Every major Republican candidate’s home state will be voting, of which, each of the candidates are expected to win: Huckabee (Arkansas), McCain (Arizona), Romney (Massachusetts), Thompson (Tennessee), and Giuliani (New York).

For the rest of Super Tuesday:

Giuliani will do well in California because of a closed Republican primary. Due to the nature of the closed primary, independents will be unable to vote for McCain, the independent favorite. This would lead the independents to most likely flock to Barack Obama in the open Democratic Primary. Giuliani will probably also win New Jersey because of name recognition.

Huckabee, a former pastor of several Southern Baptist churches, would remain competitive in the Bible Belt.

Thompson, would give Huckabee a run for his money by picking up several delegates in the Southern States and the Bible Belt.

Romney would do well in the heavily Mormon state, Utah. He would also remain competitive in Connecticut, mainly due to name recognition from neighboring Massachusetts.

McCain, currently the frontrunner by about 10 points, will most likely take the rest of the February 5^th states.

If all goes well and Fred Thompson wins South Carolina, there will be no clear nominee and the nomination will come down to the votes of the Superdelegates, making for a most exciting Republican National Convention in September.

I can't wait till Saturday.

Candidate Quiz

I was really surprised by the candidate quiz that I took from the Washington Post website. I always thought that I’m a solid Obama fan who hated Hilary a lot. The result of this quiz was very different than what I believed. I agreed with Sen. Clinton’s policies more than Sen. Obama and Sen. Edwards all together. Although I found out that I agree with most of Hilary’s policies, I still don’t support her candidacy because of the way she alienates people who wouldn’t support her and the way she raises a nasty negative campaign that could undermine her campaign and the Democratic Party. The real problem that I’m currently sensing from the Hilary campaign is that if she would elected as the president, I think she would be much more like George W. Bush. More than half of the country hated him because he is such a great polarizer. If Sen. Clinton would be elected, most of liberals might like her, but the rest of the country, majority of (R) supporters, would not support her presidency, and we would have another 4 to 8 years of divided country. Anyway, I really recommend taking this quiz because like my case, you might support someone but you might not support his/her policies.

My Political Thoughts

Growing up I learned a lot about different political issues in a lot of different ways. My opinions on different issues was influenced by my family and our beliefs and I grew up hoping that politicians I supported would be elected. The politicians I supported were people I thought could help the country, not a certain small group. I know that my reasons for supporting certain politicians are clearly different than other peoples. I always thought it was funny why some people supported a certain position on an issue when it would never impact them. An example is the Bush tax cuts. The tax cut only helped a very small but very wealthy group of people. Growing up in a small town in Missouri there weren’t a lot of wealthy people, and certainly not a lot of people who would benefit from the tax cut and yet people thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I know that my family would have supported and needed a tax cut that helped people who did not make a lot of money. As I reflect on the candidates we saw in New Hampshire and what they stand for I see several positions and policies I agree with and several I do not. One of the biggest ones is the tax cut, I would appreciate a tax cut that would help the those who made below at the poverty line not a continuation of the Bush tax cut. Some candidates would support a flat tax rate but would it be fair? No, the poorest would be paying more and the wealthy would be paying less, how is that fair? Another big issue is healthcare, it is no secret that many people do not have healthcare in this country and for numerous reasons. Premiums are too high, jobs don’t offer it or the health care that is available is horrible. A few candidates proposed taking the healthcare plan that Congress has and opening up to America, what’s wrong with that? If my Congressman can go see a doctor and get his medicine paid for and not worry about what to do when he is sick, why can’t I? My Congressman was elected to serve me and make my life better, not make it harder for me to go to the doctor and get medicine when I’m sick. Education is also very important to me. Growing up my mom and my grandmother always encouraged me to finish high school and go to college. My mom didn’t go to college; in fact she didn’t get past ninth grade. Yet she wanted me to go to college but it is hard when you make less than my tuition is for George Mason. Some candidates proposed programs that will pay for part of school but require volunteer work, fine by me just as long as I can get my degree at a school I want. For me it is really hard to agree that we need to cut taxes for the wealthy, that we need to leave healthcare alone or at least protect the companies who make tons of money from high premiums or leaving interest rates high on student loans. Maybe I’m a little biased, but if the government is supposed to help you then they should help you and not hold you back. I don’t see how cutting government jobs which would increase the unemployment rate helps me. I don’t see how cutting taxes for the wealthiest 5% of our country helps a college who made nearly $8,000 this year and who’s mother only made $4,000 dollars and who has a college tuition of over $25,000 a year. I don’t see how keeping premiums high and protecting insurance companies helps me when I’m sick and need medicine. I don’t see how high interest rates on student loans helps me when I have to go out-of-state for college because I want to follow my dreams and George Mason is one of the top schools in the country for my program. I don’t see how spending over $300 million dollars a day on a war that is poorly organized and we were lead into falsely helps me. So I don’t see why I should vote for someone who wants to protect the wealthy, the privileged, those who don’t have to worry about paying their bills, about not getting sick or hurt and someday graduating but then being in debt over $100,000. I don’t see why I should vote for someone who doesn’t help me, and I don’t know why the American people should vote for someone who doesn’t help them. Sure a tax cut sounds great, or a slight drop in interest rates, or a small cut in premiums or cutting a few thousand federal jobs may sound great. If you’re wealthy and have a house by the water in another country and can afford your kids college no problem and buy almost anything you really need. But if you’re a family of four and you work as a cop and your spouse is a teacher and you have a child that is sick a lot and you’re still paying student loans, do you really benefit? Is your President really helping you pay the bills and make your kids future brighter? More than likely not so why vote for the candidate who is going to do anything for you? Why not vote for a candidate that wants to make this an America for everyone not just a few. Didn’t we fight to make this a land of opportunity, a place to follow the American dream? Not a place for a few to benefit and the rest to work and struggle for their rent and car payment. I wonder almost daily how long I’ll be in debt, how long it will be until I own my own and can have a better future. I wonder when we will have a president that will make this an America for all Americans and how long it will be before we can all follow our dreams and actually be able to achieve them.

Campaigns and the Media

Doc jay and I have been chatting about how awesome it is to read your reflections on this experience.  WAY TO GO!!!  (read:  keep it up:)  Several of you have made comments about the role media play in shaping public opinion and the campaign process.  Have you noticed any similarities or differences between what you experienced in NH and the news coverage of the candidates since you returned?  Are there any surprises in the way the media are covering candidates?  Are you optimistic about or disappointed by what you are seeing?  Are there any issues that you believe ought to be covered but aren't receiving attention?  Just a few thoughts to add to the mix!  prof. gp

Well the trip is over, but the excitement has just begun! Everyone seems to be shocked at the results of the New Hampshire primary, myself included, but I have to admit I was happy. It wasn't the results, necessarily, but rather the fact that the voters made their choice: not the media, not the polls or the expert, but the people, as pointed out by the most recent issue of Time which did a whole special on the New Hampshire primary. I see the media as a double-edged sword: it certainly helps to inform people, but at the same time, I feel it has a significant role in shaping the election that it shouldn't necessarily have. My views towards the media's impact on the election certainly has solidified as a result of our trip up to New Hampshire.
This trip was the trip of a lifetime. I learned so much and had a blast doing it. It challenged me so much as well. Despite my conservative views, I made it a personal goal to go with an open mind and really hear what the candidates had to say, because, personally, I feel that when you close your mind you become part of the problem, not the solution. And, I have to say, I was certainly surprised by the outcome, particularly when it came to Hillary Clinton. I have to come clean and admit I was 100% anti-Hillary before this trip. I bought into the whole "wicked witch of the east" persona and thought that she would have nothing persuasive to say. Yet, at the end of her speech, I was pleasantly surprised. She was smiling and laughing (something I previously thought she was incapable of doing) and made some strong points about her experience and her willingness to go through any test to lead this country. Other candidates, like Obama, and McCain were like that as well.
I want to go into more detail about each candidate and my experiences with them on the trip at a later date. I just wanted to use this first post, after the New Hampshire primary, to consider the fact that maybe we put too much trust in the media and the experts and not ourselves. All the polls said that Obama had a solid lead, and the experts were predicting a significant win for him. Apparently the voters didn't agree. I think the unpredictability of the primaries is what makes it so much fun (and so nail-biting)! I look forward to continuing watching the primary/voting process happen!

What an experience here at the New Hampshire Primary!!!

I came to the New Hampshire’s presidential candidate campaign with an open mind to learn more about each candidate from both the republican and democratic political parties. I don’t belong to a particular party so I have looked at the candidates that I was able to meet through a neutral lens in order to observe their personalities and eloquence, learn about their professional and personal experience, as most importantly to understand their message and see if I could envision them as the next President who will bring about the changes that many Americans are hoping for.
Voters come from different backgrounds and levels of social class; they have different interests, views, personal and social beliefs, as well as expectations from the future President. These differences were very visible in the audience of the candidates’ rallies that our group witnessed. I must say that I was surprised to find that New Hampshire’s population isn’t at all diverse as it is back home in the DC Metropolitan area. I should travel a little more inside the country. J I would say that 99% of the population is white. Although race was the common denominator among the audiences, I found some clear differences, such as age, family structure, religious orientation, and social class to some extend. For example, I found Giuliani’s audience to be an older crowd of middle upper and high class. McCain’s audience was mainly composed of military veterans and their families, as well as a mixed age crowd of adults. I noticed that although Clinton’s audience was diverse in age and sex, the number of women dominated the crowd. Huckabee’s audience seemed to be composed of lower to middle class families of different ages, as well as religious practicing people. The most diverse in age, gender, race, and family type in my opinion was Obama’s audience; I saw the most minority groups in his rally than I have seen in the entire trip. Romney’s audience was highly composed of well-dressed families, which in their majority had more than one child. IThese differences had me reflect on the accuracy of the polls’ results that we saw in Iowa and that we are soon to see here in New Hampshire. Would these results really predict the future presidential candidate for each party? It is evident that each candidate has to be ready to target the different audiences that populate the various cities they have to campaign. I can’t wait to see the NH results tonight. My prediction is that Obama will win for the Dem party and McCain for the Rep party. Best luck to all candidates and I pray for the President who is going to get the job done.

The Huckabee Peformance

As our tour of New Hampshire comes to an end, we complete our round of rallies with a bang! Last night we joined Major Huckabee and "crew" for a night of chili, music, and of course the one and only Chuck Norris. I am unsure of how many of us really knew who Huckabee was before deciding to attend this trip, but if we were looking for answers on health care and foreign relations last night was not the place. Instead, Huckabee provided us with a minor celebration of his victory in Iowa and hopeful success in New Hampshire. His favorite band, Mama Kicks, performed a variety of rock classics while his volunteers directed the audience to have a taste of the "huckabee chili." Supporters from New Hampshire and California spoke along with Mrs. Huckabee and Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris was one of the main attractions to Huckabee's meet the candidate rallies, and we were all eagerly excited to meet the famous ranger. With all the excitement of food, music, and Mr. Norris I almost forgot why I was even around to see Major Huckabee. I felt as if I were attending a town hall celebration rather than a political rally. Don't get me wrong, the "I like Mike" audience was definitely in attendance. The major gave a 20 minute speech none of which I can recall and saluted us by playing guitar with the band. I must say he plays very well for his age. He spent a lot of time after the rally meeting and greeting his supporters which was great. Mr. Huckabee seems like a great guy to party with, but I'm not sure I want my next president feeding me chili and famous actors instead of dealing with issues of my country. What do you think?

First of all, this trip so far has been an amazing experience!! I came to New Hampshire with a very open mind. I really did not have a definate candidate in mind to vote for so I was very excited to meet each potentical president. Ill be honest, I was leading toward Rudy Giulliani when I first came but nothing was certain. Since seeing each candidate speak, I can honestly say that my vote is now up in the air. When I saw McCain speak at a townhall event, I was really impressed with his responses to his questions. I was especially impressed with the way he listen to one man who was not a supporter of him yet encouraged him to keep asking questions about his platform, views, and policies. This to me was a sign of strength. It showed that he was not afraid to speak with members of the local community who did not share his views. This to me meant that he was a strong candidate worthy of consideration.
Hillary Clintons rally was an experience in itself. She was a very powerful speaker who was not afraid to voice her opinions and elaborate on her political platform. She, like McCain, took questions from the audience. She was very quick to answer the questions (which Im not convinced were truely answered) but as a political candidate that is not too much of a suprise. Many candidates tend to avoid answering a questions with definate responses because they do not was to offend potential voters. I will say that meeting Bill Clinton, a former president, was definately an exciting experience.
Obamas Rallies were very uneventful ( I know many disagree with this view of mine). Listening to him made me feel like I was listening to a motivational speaker. He is a great public speaker and I was definately impressed with the way he spoke to the audience. It seemed that he said everything that people want to hear but never explained how he was going to accomplish his goals. Having high hopes and setting goals is a great thing but as president, it is important to elaborate and spell out how he is going to reach his goals and not just say 'change' as if it has a definate meaning. I also feel that Obama was the most impersonable candidate I have heard throughout this entire trip. Getting a picture with him was like winning the lottery...nearly impossible. He did not take any questions from the audience ( but as Lisa said, that may be due to the fact that he is the front runner). I will say that he was definately the most popular democratic candidate in New Hampshire ( considering that each of his rallies were overflowing with supporters and many were unable to enter the rallies.)
Continueing on the topic of uneventful...another name- Rudy Giulliani. I sadly was not impressed with him at all. I was definately expecting more from a man who was elected in a Democratic state as a Republican. He stated that he wanted to cut taxes yet increase the military by 10 Army brigades, 300 Naval Ships, etc. but I dont see how this is possible considering the United States in severly in debt by trillions...How can we spend more money without bringing more in?? Please dont get me wrong... I love the military and it will be very hard for anyone to find someone who supports our troops more than I do (as many of my classmates have seen, I am brought to tears when I hear stories of our soldiers and what they are doing for their country) but I am not able to put my faith into a candidate who may only push our country into even more debt.
Edwards...If I was to vote for a democratic candidate, he would have my vote. But this is only because of what I have learned about him before this trip and it is not because of what I have learned about him on this trip. We were only able to see Edwards once so far and unfortunately it was not a question and answer event. We only were able to hear a few motivational words from him. I will say tho that when he says his campaign is grassroots...it really is (Both at Hillary's and Romney's events..."home-made" signs were passed out to the audience...totally staged and fake). I was really impressed with how we were able to view first hand how grassroots his campaign really was....by having supporters at the event calling New Hampshire residents on their cell phone...overall I was really impressed with his campaign...but was not given the opportunity to fully understand his platform first hand.
Romney...wow Romney!!! I would find it truely hard to find someone who was not impressed by Romneys rally. He brought his family to the event which really made him feel like family was very important to him. I just want to throw this fact in...at the rally an 8yr old boy tugged on Romneys jacket and asked "Sir, what can I do to help your campaign" and Romney knelt down to his level responded "son, the best thing you can do for me is do well in school" *how personable is that?!?! After his rally I called my dad and said "I know who I am going to vote for..its Romney!" this is until I was waiting outside the Huckabee rally and I was speaking with a lady who was a resident of Massachusetts (and was a republican) and said that basically the only part of Romney's record that was true was the part about the Olympics....Now Im back to square one..who do I vote for!?!?!
Last night, we saw Huckabee. I know what you are thinking..."Who is Huckabee?" until last night... I didnt know either! But I will say that the name Chuck Norris is a household name so when I found out he would he at Huckabee's rally....all I could say was "IM THERE". Although I was denied early entrance into his rally to goto the bathroom (in the words of his staffer "its not my problem") all was forgiven in my book after attending the event. Of all the candidates, Huckabee was the most personable candidate I have ever met (and I have met just about all of them). Although I was the only one in my van it seemed that enjoyed the event, I stand by my opinion that his rally was the best one I went to. Even though his band 'Mama Kicks' seemed a little out of place at the event...it really made it (for me at least) a homey event. I was dancing in my seat ( ask Patrick and Homa...they were laughing at me) and I was really enjoying myself.
Overall, this trip has been such an experience for me...one that I will never forget!!

Agents of Change: Edwards & Obama

America is a country of dreams, a place where a little hope goes a long way. No one thought thirteen colonies could become the greatest nation on earth; no one thought a man born in a cabin in Kentucky could re-unite the nation after a civil war. Growing up no one probably thought that the son of a mill worker and the son of a white Kansas woman and a Kenyan man could be candidates in one of the most important presidential election in American history. Looking at both Senators John Edwards and Barack Obama I can find many similarities in the two men and how their views have been shaped. As I’ve listened to them during rallies and the debates and reflected on the previous times I have seen them, I can really relate to them. Their message of hope and making this an America for everyone no matter economic class is something that I really appreciate it. This is a self made country and both Edwards and Obama are self made men. They’ve really inspired me to work towards achieving my goals and pushing ahead no matter what obstacles stand in my way. Obama was raised by his mother and his grandmother, just like me. Both Edwards and Obama went to schools that were expensive for their families, as I am currently doing. They have proven to me what living the American dream is all about and how anything is possible. I think both candidates are very good candidates, they both have messages of change and hope. Some people feel that change is bad; that America will change for the worse but that might not be the case. I am encouraged by both of these candidates and what they can offer to America and to the people like my family who have struggled to give their children a bright future. I feel that Edwards is a better candidate, that he has experience, and that he has the vision and the ability to take on Washington and critics and make this an America for all. Both men have encouraged me to follow my dreams whatever they maybe and not to be intimated by the obstacles that stand in my way. It will be interesting to see where both these men go, if one gets the nomination and the other is the number two man on the ticket it could be very powerful combination. I think that together they could do a great job with America and make this a place for every American and I look forward to the rest of this campaign and how they do in the primary and possibly the general election.

Clintons, Edwards, and Kennedy's--Oh My!

What a way for us to start out our day-- with sub-zero temperatures and an incredibly energetic rally at an airport hanger in Nashua, NH!! We all filed into the large hanger after seemingly tunnelling our way through a narrow hallway. As the sea of people, cameras and signs grew, our spirits were lifted by the people introducing the Clintons. Hillary, Bill, and Chelsea made their way to the stage greeted by cheers and clicking cameras. Bill gave a great opening for his wife while Chelsea looked on. Hillary started getting her supporters (and those who might have been more unsure) excited and took questions from the crowed like a seasoned politician. Though I might be just a bit biased in my more liberal views, I was very impressed by the way she conducted herself. She did not deny the way she was being cast by some people in the public, but she assured the people that she is not only ready for more, she has been enduring it for 16 years! No matter what, one has to respect that sort of determination and self-confidence. I suppose I am also a little biased because I got a picture with her at the end of the rally!! She made her way around the barriers talking and signing everything from books to baseballs for her excited supporters.
Later in the day we had the great privilage of attending a very small forum with Bobby Kennedy Jr, and his sisters Kathleen and Carrie. We were lucky enough to do some networking at the Hillary rally and got invited to this great event. Each one of the speakers had a different viewpoint for supporting Hillary. Kathleen spoke of her personal relationship with the Clinton family, and how she has seen Hillary in action over the past 27 years and the great care she took in helping others. Carrie has devoted her life to working for human rights and framed her piece in the moving story of a mistakenly tortured nun, and how Hillary was able to help her after hearing her story at a black-tie event. Bobby spoke of environmental reasons and the many damages the current administration has done in that arena. He also shared personal stories of their childhood and was it was like to be glorified for being affiliated with American politics. He quickly followed up with howthe current adminstration has shattered those previous views all across the world in 7 short years. It was truly inspiring listening to a few of what many people consider to be American royalty speak so candidly about politics. We got some great pictures, but more importantly, some pretty large pieces of information to chew on as we hear from the various candidates moving through this exciting (and cold) state.
It has been a wild ride so far with no end in sight for the next few days. We have collected all sorts of literature, t-shirts, buttons, hats, bumper stickers and anything else a candidate is willing to give. But if there is one thing I am sure of, my backpack starting to mirror the way I feel inside--- bursting with Red, White, and Blue!!!

McCain Speech

As I listened to Sen. McCain’s speech, there were some things that really disturbed me and I wanted share this idea. Previously, I really wanted see McCain some point because of his trade mark campaign theme of the straight talk. I really wished that he would be honest with his audience, but like many other politicians, he really disappointed me by not really answering to any questions. At the end of Q&A session, some guy brought up the issue of the war in Iraq and Sen. McCain tried to avoid that question by mentioning the US troops’ presence in Korea and Japan. I honestly don’t know too much thing about history of Japan or history of Iraq although I took some courses in Middle East and East Asian History at Mason. Those classes only reminded me how much I don’t know about Japan or Middle East. However, I grew up and studied Korean history and because of that, what some of things that Sen. McCain said really disturbed me. Sen. McCain mentioned that American troops are staying in Korea and Japan for more than 60 years because it is bloodless and it keeps democracy alive in those countries. That might be good enough response for American public but as a student of Korean history, that really bothered me a lot. First of all, there are combats and battles in almost daily basis within the military border between two Koreas, and good number of American soldiers died even after the cease fire was declared. What makes Korea much different compared to Iraq is that they had a legitimate and strong democratic government even before Truman administration decided to stood up for South Koreans. They were not like South Vietnamese or Iraq, because even before Gen. MacArthur brought US troops into the Korean Peninsula, South Korean troops did relatively well even though North Koreans made a surprise attack without declaration of the war and USSR and China secretly supplied modern military supplies that South Koreans didn’t have. Even if UN troops didn’t support South Koreans, they might be held up for a while. That’s what makes Korean issue much different than Iraqi issue. In Korea, there was a legitimate democratic government that desired a help from the free world to sustain their democratic government. In Iraq, a slight trace of democratic tradition was destroyed by the Hussein’s dictatorship and majority of Iraqis didn’t even thought about the US or any others to set up the democratic government for them, which didn’t even exist before. Democracy in East Asia and democracy in the Middle East is much different. We can’t really take one case and apply it to other case because the previous one was successful. Maybe that’s what the Bush administration failed to see before they decided to declare the war on the terrorism. This hegemonic view of the US foreign policy got to be stop, and I was really disappointed by the fact that a self-declared foreign policy expert like Sen. McCain brought up this century-old biased views of the hegemonic global politics. The Cold War is over and we have to move on. There are more than two sides of the world these days in the global politics, and America should stop applying the one measure to the every part of the world because democracy is all about diversity and people in the different part of the world might have different ideas about democracy.

Day 2 - Tours and Rally

So here we are on Day 2 - we went to several headquarters, toured the State Capitol and ended the day with a rousing Town Hall meeting featuring John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Others will have more to say on this topic.

Day 1 in the Granite State

After a long day's journey by train and minivan, we arrived safely in Concord, NH. There are 19 of us altogether.

We took a straw poll about candidate preference today -- here's where we currently stand:

There are 8 people on the trip who favor Republican candidates, 11 who plan to vote as for a Democrat. Top votes go to Guiliani, McCann, and Ron Paul on the Republican side. On the Democratic side, the favorites are Obama, Clinton and Edwards. We plan to do another poll at the end of this week to see how attitudes have changed (or not).

Tomorrow we head out to various headquarters and also hope to visit Bill Gardner, the Secretary of State who determines the NH primary date. Tomorrow night, we hope to see Romney and then Obama on Friday. Much more to come!

It's cold here - lots of snow on the ground and flying everywhere - the coldest weather some students have ever been in. Call us crazy, but it's all pretty exciting.