Archive for August, 2008
August 28th, 2008
This is from John Gustafson, former 9th ward Republican alderman and a candidate for mayor of Rockford in 1989. John’s a member of our Voters Panel, and he’s commenting on the presidential race. The following is an open letter to John McCain and Barack Obama:
Gentlemen, you need to pursue the following in order for me to believe that you are serious contenders for the presidency. Two simple tactics that will prove that one of you are deserving of my vote.
First, come down from your podiums and talk with me. I am not interested in high sounding words or catch phrases that may deserve publication in Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations as much as I am with simple, honest, and direct talk. Also, talk with me, and not to me !
In this great republic, I am just as important as you.
Forget the starlets, the movers and shakers, and the headliners when speaking with me. I am just the prairie farmer and small town mechanic, the urban cab driver and the classroom teacher. Just the average guy who can understand the hard blunt facts and accept the need for personal sacrifice. And listen to me! Maybe I could offer suggestions and ideas that are just as workable as those presented by you and your staff. Respect me not just as a voter, but as an informed citizen!
Secondly, you turn me off when you spend money on political ads attacking the other fellow. If I contribute money to your campaign, I would expect that you would use it to talk about yourself, your platform, and ideas. Why would you want to use my money to attack the other candidate with usually false and misleading facts?
Don’t waste my money ! Talk about yourself. And don’t forget to include your warts and imperfections. I will be turned off by you if you do not include them.
Both of you want to be elected as the 44th President and you want my vote. Earn it! Both of you, at this time, have a long road to travel to gain my confidence, and my vote.
John Gustafson
August 28th, 2008
Rockford Democratic Convention delegates Barb Giolitto and Mary Tuite had the surprise of their lives Thursday while attending what they thought was a relatively routine caucus luncheon of Illinois women Democrats.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan was speaking, and she announced with “a great poker face,” Giolitto said, that “we have a surprise guest.”
Out from the cake (no not literally) popped Himself, Barack Obama. The crowd went wild, storming the stage, Giolitto said.
“It was electrifying, it was wonderful, there were hugs,” said Giolitto, a Clinton delegate and newfound convert to Obamarama.
(Editor’s note: This marks two consecutive days of hugs at Illinois caucus meetings. This kind of thing will not do.)
“He said he had to give a speech tonight and would we mind if he practiced,” Tuite said. Then, Obama thanked Illinois women for their help in his campaign, and said he wouldn’t forget where he came from when he got to the White House.
About 150 women attended the lunch, Giolitto estimated.
August 27th, 2008
I went tonight to Flinn Middle School for what was the most inspiring event to take place in a school in which a basketball trophy was not held high in the air by a victorious team.
Upwards of 2,000 people , mostly parents and students, turned out for a celebratory dinner and program thrown by the Sharefest volunteers led by Heartland Community Church. Some 3,500 volunteers from Heartland, three other churches, 43 corporate sponsors, unions, swarmed over Flinn, Ellen Stiles and East High School earlier this summer to paint, clean and improve those schools way beyond anything the school district could afford to do.
New Flinn Principal Todd France said he was overwhelmed by the turnout — he’d thought that maybe 50 or 60 people would show up. But the place was totally packed. Most of the people were students and parents from Flinn!
Volunteers from Heartland’s Men’s Fraternity cooked dinner for everyone, and every family received a gift bag of gift certificates, including one for $10 worth of gas from Road Ranger.
Superintendent Linda Hernandez, who reminded students to respect the 53=year old school’s new luster, and Mayor Larry Morrissey told the children that adults volunteered to fix up their school because they want students to have the best possible learning environment.
The celebration was an affirming statement as Rockford begins to reintroduce itself to its long-isolated school sytem. It wasn’t an anti-school system event, it wasn’t a take over, it was a mass realization that our children are the only future we’ve got, and we’d better take their learning environment seriously. We are all stakeholders in our children’s future.
Too often, that isolation has been pushed by some leaders in the evangelical and fundamentalist movements who demonize the public schools and urge parents to pull their children out of them in favor of home schooling.
Heartland seems to get it. They realize that these public schools belong to all of us, and that most children go to them, Christians and pagans alike. Sharefest speaks louder than any sermon could.
Christianity gained favor in the Roman world — even under Roman persecution –because people knew that the Christians would help them when nobody else would. People are tired of being lectured to and scolded by ministers. But as for the quiet labor of Sharefest? Now, folks were impressed by that. That kind of work does a lot more to spread the Gospel than all the fire and brimstone sermons you could fit in a shipping container.
August 27th, 2008
If anyone thought Bill Clinton might try to sabotage Obama — and I admit to thinking he might, I even wrote that in my column for Thursday — we were mistaken. Clinton delivered a much more powerful endorsement Wednesday than his wife Hillary did on Tuesday. And Bill, unlike Hill, said emphatically that Obama is ready to lead America and be commander in chief.
The convention’s momentum was a little sluggish on Monday and Tuesday, but it broke through the restrainment barrier Wednesday, just in time for people to get fired up for Thursday’s acceptance speech by Obama at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Joe Biden showed just how compelling a guy he really is, and his family story is truly inspiring, bouncing back from the double tragedy of losing both his wife and daughter in a car wreck, then helping his two sons recover, then almost not taking his newly-won Senate seat to care for them, and then, five years later, marrying Jill , the woman he’s still in love with 31 years later.
Biden was introduced by Beau Biden, one of his sons, who is the attorney general of Delaware and an Army captain who’s about to be shipped off to Iraq. I think Beau Biden has a bright career in politics ahead of him.
August 27th, 2008
The battle cry of the Democratic National Convention may be “Unity,” but the Illinois delegation is anyting but unified. Oh, they’re backing presidnetial candidate Barack Obama, but at the state level, the Rodney King question, “Can’t we all get along,” is usually answered with a resounding “NO.”
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago told delegates a Wednesday’s breakfast caucus of Illinois delegates that if the state’s Democrats want to sell the unity theme about Obama, first they’ll have to get together on local and state issues, said Mary Tuite, an Obama delegate from Rockford, by phone from Denver.
To that end, Jackson invoked a series of hugs. Indeed, “There was hugging going on,” Tuite confirmed.
“ I don’t know all the challenges they have in the Chicago political scene. But (U.S. Rep.) Bobby Rush brought up some issues about being and eagle and trying to soar above the storm. He’s been sick with cancer.”
Also, Jackson, Jr., and Mayor Richard Daley hugged. The two have been at odds from time to time, and Jackson is a possible candidate for Chicago mayor in the future.
Jackson, Jr., also said he wouldn’t be satisfied until Governor Rod Blagojevich and (Illinois House Speaker) Mike Madigan hugged, Tuite said.
“Madigan walked over and hugged Blagojevich. They smiled and shook hands,” she said. Blagojevich and Madigan have been at odds over state budget and spending prioirities for years. Neither has had much good to say about the other.
“And then Jesse Jr. said we want a united party, and we’ve got solve our problems here in Illinois before we can ask other Democrats to unify behind Obama.”
Tuite didn’t say whether the group ended with a group hug and the singing of “Kum Bay Yah.” Probably not, though.
August 26th, 2008
All said and done, Hillary put on a boffo performance, and did what she needed to do, urging the election of Obama, but he ought to be glad he’s not following her tonight. She was good.
August 26th, 2008
It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities, because they’re awfully hard to tell apart
August 26th, 2008
I ran to stand up for those who are invisible for the last 8 years. Those were the reasons I ran for president, and those are the reasons I support Barack Obama for president. I want you to ask yourselves, were you in this campaign just for me, or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him. Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer and raising her kids, for that mom working and surviving on minimum, for all the people who feel invisible, we need leaders once again who can tap into that optimism and confidence…who can help us, show ourselves and the world that with our ingenuity and spirit, there are no limits to what is possible in America.
Now,this will not be easy, progress never it. But it will be impossible if we don’t fight to put a Democrat back in the White House. We need to elect Barack Obama,… he’ll revitalize our economy, defend working people, and democrats know how to do this, as I recall we did this with President Clinton and the Democrats, and we’ll do it again wtih President Obama and the Democrats.
August 26th, 2008
“Barack Obama is my candiadte and he maust be our president. Tonight, i ask you to remember, what a presidential is really about. When the polls have closed and the ads are finally off the air, it comes down to you. the amreican people, and your lives and your children’s future. for me it’s beena privilege to meet you in hour homes, workplaces and in your communities. … Everyday, america’s greatness is bound up in the lives of the american people.
You made me laugh, you even made me cry. You allowed me to become part of your lives, and you became part of mine. I will always remember the single mom who adopted two kids with autism, she didn’t have any health insurance, she discovered she had cancer. she asked me to fight for health care for her and her children.
I will always remember the young man in a marine corps t shirt who waited montsh for medical care, and he said to me, take care of my buddies., and then please take care of me.
August 26th, 2008
More Cllinton:
I haven’t fought in the trenches for 35 years … to see another Republican in the White Hosue squander our promise of a country that really fulfills the hope of our people. Nd you haven’t worked so hard over the last 18 months orendured the last 8 years to suffer thru more failed leadership.
No way, no how, no McCain.
Next Posts
Previous Posts
