While waiting in the obligatory line to board the plane, I can't help but think how great the ambiance of this airport is and what an excellent view I have. That's because I'm at San Francisco International, not underserved Fresno-Yosemite International. However, I'm probably the only Republican in the current metropolitan area.
I would have never imagined being here. When I initially volunteered to help the McCain campaign in Fresno County I was willing to do any menial task to help get Sen. McCain elected. But when I got on board last summer, the Fresno campaign pretty much consisted of former Secretary of State Bill Jones, and Brian Forrest, who works in his office and is also the Central Valley chairperson and ... me.
Getting volunteers was harder than finding a left turn in Fresno. Just none to be found. So when I offered to help, the chairperson slot was handed to me. And with such a short list of local supporters, I was also added to the delegate list. So on primary election night in California McCain's Super Tuesday victory not only solidified his position as the nominee, but it punched my ticket to St. Paul, Minn.
Looking back it's still a bit amazing that McCain is the nominee. His campaign was broke, much of his staff was let go, and supporters looked elsewhere. But through his determination and unbelievable energy he wrote one of the most remarkable political stories of the modern era. Forget Bill Clinton: McCain is the Comeback Kid. (OK, at 72 it'd be hard to call him a kid, but you get the point).
The buzz around the convention is quite high given McCain's naming of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. It was a bold political move that not only snuffed out all the talk of Barack Obama's speech the previous night from the Barackapolis, but it energized the Republican Party's conservative base and appealed to disenfranchised Hillary supporters.
How this move plays out will determine whether his pick was a brilliant choice or a mindless gamble. McCain clearly wanted to emphasize to voters that HE is the reform candidate -- you have his record in the Senate of fighting pork-barrel spending and Palin's challenge to a corrupt party and oil industry in her state. It makes Obama's calls for change ring hollow given his minimal Senate accomplishments and the fact he hones his political skills in the brass knuckle politics of Chicago.
Along with how the Palin announcement turns out, there are other questions to watch for:
Will Hurricane Gustav wreck the party? As of this posting several options were being discussed for how to be appropriate given the likely devastation of the impending hurricane. But as with any news event there could be political implications. The hurricane may remind voters of the less-than-stellar response by the federal government to Katrina.
Just how far will the party run from President Bush? Especially if he doesn't end up coming to the convention, you might hear nary a mention of the sitting Republican president.
How will Gov. Palin perform in her first major speech? Will she surprise people again by living up to her "feisty" reputation or will she whither under the national spotlight?
This is looking to be a compelling week.
Obama's speech and the Democratic Convention were put together well, but there are vulnerabilities. Plus, by now we should know to never count out John McCain. Let the fun begin.
Derek Walter of Fresno, an alternate delegate and Fresno County chairman of the John McCain 2008 campaign, teaches third graders at Reagan Elementary School and college classes for National University. He also blogs at derekwalter.com.
Congratulations for being chosen for an important function at the Republican
convention. Great to be imparting knowledge on the academic level. But anyone
who supports (however indirectly) the extinction of a species (polar bear) because
being put on the endangered list would put a crimp in Palin's drive of drilling for oil
in one of the last pristine nature conserves in America, would not be teaching my
third-grader. Things do not happen in a vacuum, it’s a world of cause and effect.
At my age, to protect any species from extinction, to protect the last few untouched natural wonders of America from being despoiled by the drive for profit, is irrelevant to my daily material life. I don't even have grandchildren. But I still have a social conscience that is dictating my action as a member of society, of the community.
CAUSE AND EFFECT it's a compelling but unforgiving taskmaster when we screw up.
Wow, nice to know that all teachers should be required to have their political beliefs match those of all the parents in the class. Heaven forbid an educator have the professionalism to teach EIGHT year olds without bringing politics into the fold. And thank goodness that nobody would ever latch on to a SINGLE (non)issue and attempt to characterize an entire candidate's political fitness.
My post was a clear social issue and not a political issue. And I do not like to converse with those who
lack clinical detachment.
Ms. Lawson your post was also a personal attack against Mr. Walter's fitness to be a third grade teacher because of his political persuasion. I too am a democrat as I assume you to be, however ones politics should never be a litmus test for employment as a teacher. We would not approve of disallowing persons of color or excluding those who are not Christians therefore personal politics should not be a dis qualifier. You are certainly entitled to your opinion about the republican ticket however it was wrong of you to attack Mr. Walter's suitibility as a teacher.
I have been blogging with Ms. Isabell for some time, and this is the typical hypocrocy she spues. While claiming to champion freedom, she regularly displays that she desires to withold freedoms of speech, thought, religion, from those who are not in her camp. In fact, she has espressed that she would very much like it if only those of like-mind would be allowed to blog on the beehive.
In this case, it sounds like she may target the job of Derek Walters employment as a teacher.
I don't understand the computer well enough to know whether I posted or not. I guess I post it again, copied from sent messages.
I concede that my post could be construed as a personal attack , but it is not, most definitely, pursuant to his Republican party affiliation. I just believe him to be
instrumental in facilitating (however indirectly and/or unwittingly) the grave danger
of depriving our children and children's children of their rightful heritage. And to me that is not a NON-ISSUE, it is the issue.
Case in question; the survival of the endangered polar bear and the violation of the
pristine Alaskan nature reserve. I believe it when science tells me that the environment, once despoiled could never recover. I don't want the polar bear to vanish like the carrier pidgin and the giant puffin.
And for no better reason than the exploratory drilling for the oil they presume is there.The polar bear would be in the way of drilling if the animal would be added to the endangered species list by the federal government. In my book that is not a heroic reason for the governor of Alaska to initiate legal actions against the federal government.
And it has absolutely nothing to do with organized party politics. I would feel the same about Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists or what have you....
Mr. Walters has the right to teach according to his legal credentials where and when he can and or wants. And I have the right to say he would not be teaching my 10 year old; whom he would be willing to deprive of part of her/his legacy of natural America.
We all have to make choices, and the moral ones are the most difficult to make.
He chose his way, I choose my way. And those who feel that they have to protect
that grown, educated man like a baby bird that had fallen out of the nest, to those
I can only say (paraphrasing Voltaire) I don't give a blooming fig about your criticism,
but with my life shall I defend your right to criticize every word I am posting.
And if we start to crucify for proselytizing one's moral convictions, we might as well
do away with the First Amendment and all religions.
And to you all! Happy blogging.
Isabell-
It is a bbbiiiiggggg leap, assuming that Mr. Walters supports the extinction of a species (polar bear), from reading this blog.
I guess leftist are also able to read minds. Or is it they are masters of perpetrating unsubstantiated claims, with the aim of deceiving others? I think the latter.
--Redpeach said:
I guess leftist are also able to read minds. Or is it they are masters of perpetrating unsubstantiated claims, with the aim of deceiving others? I think the latter.
Wow, I just caught you doing that (perpetrating unsubstantiated claims, with the aim of deceiving others) in the other topic about Palin's daughter.
Scot
Are you saying that my claim that the media has been viscious to the Palin family is untrue. In todays poll, 51% of Americans agree with me. I think it is probably alot higher, as I suspect they took that poll somewhere like Haight-Ashbury, San Franscisco.