Sound Bytes

A selection of my favorite comments, quotes, meanderings from yesterday's festivities:

"The challenges we face are real," he said. "They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America—they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."

President Obama

"A farmer considers the changing sky/ A teacher says, 'Take out your pencils, begin.'"

Elizabeth Alexander, Inaugural Poet

"Later I asked Hughley why we're all so invested in the Obamas' relationship, our focus on their "first dance" like that at a wedding. "I know why I am – because I've seen that in my own life, and on the Cosby Show, but I've never seen it represented that way in public life." Confession: I am paraphrasing that, because he was actually interviewing me, and I didn't have a notebook. But that was his point, and I know he's right."

Joan Walsh, Salon Editor in Chief

"People watched the big screen and when Mrs. Obama appeared, there was a roar, and when the Current Occupant and Mr. Cheney came out of the Capitol, a low and heartfelt rumble of booing. Dignified booing. Old black ladies around me tried to shush them -- "Don't do that!" they hissed -- but it's a democracy, and how will those men know how we feel if we don't tell them?"

Garrison Keillor, writer

"Obama arrived in the Oval Office at 8:35 a.m., according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. The president spent 10 minutes alone, reading a note left for him in the desk by outgoing President George W. Bush. The note had been placed in an envelope with a note saying: 'To: # 44, From: # 43.'"

CNN

So it begins.

A Bit More

Well I have listened to all of Michelle Obama's speech and here is the honest truth folks—I teared up no less than five times. She is either that good or it is official and I am the biggest sap in the world. And both may be true.

I also listened to Ted Kennedy's speech and I must admit that his sheer presence was moving, as was watching Maria Shriver wipe the tears from her face. The man has had a long and occasionally questionable career, but knowing what he faces it is good to see him have a chance to go out doing what he loves and does best.

The spouse has been giving me snippets throughout the day on the media's comments about last night. And I must agree with my friend who emailed me today about some of the commentators inherent prejudices or biases showing through. For shame, you who would call yourself journalists. Your job is to be objective, it is mine to spout opinions.

That being said, apparently some yahoo on Fox made some comment about the Obama's youngest daughter and how chatty she was last night at the end of her mom's speech and how it came across as coaxed. This person (who I haven't been able to nail down who it is yet—sorry for the I heard from a friend who heard it from so-and-so nature of this) then implied that this was often a sign of a child who has been abused. The audacity! That girl is six or thereabouts? I think she is just a precocious kid, nothing more, nothing less. Fox News is insidious and evil.

And another point my friend mentioned and I myself have been vexed by—what is this nonsense about polls carrying so much weight. First of all, in this day and age, a LOT of people only have cell phones. Cell phone numbers are not included in polls. So that is a large portion of the population, mostly younger voters, whose opinions are not being counted. The spouse is boning up on his conspiracy theories these days and he thinks that the media is deliberately trying to make it sound like the race is close to keep things interesting for them so they have something to talk about.

I don't know what to think to be honest. All I remember is a Nike ad that was out when I was in college that I laminated and hung on my dorm room wall:

 

A WOMAN IS OFTEN MEASURED BY THE THINGS SHE CANNOT CONTROL. SHE IS MEASURED BY THE WAY HER BODY CURVES OR DOESN'T CURVE, BY WHERE SHE IS FLAT OR STRAIGHT OR ROUND. SHE IS MEASURED BY 36-24-36 AND INCHES AND AGES AND NUMBERS, BY ALL THE OUTSIDE THINGS THAT DON'T EVER ADD UP TO WHO SHE IS ON THE INSIDE. AND SO IF A WOMAN IS TO BE MEASURED LET HER BE MEASURED BY THE THINGS SHE CAN CONTROL, BY WHO SHE IS AND WHO SHE IS TRYING TO BECOME. BECAUSE AS EVERY WOMAN KNOWS, MEASUREMENTS ARE ONLY STATISTICS. AND STATISTICS LIE.

From the Floor

I missed last night's convention kick off (Bad political blogger, I know!). I am diligently reading and listening to catch up and share my thoughts with you later. 

I just read this bit from Michelle Obama's speech and if it doesn't bring a tear to your eye then you are a much tougher nut to crack than 'ole broad here (but then I may be getting soft in my dotage . . .).

"And one day, they [the Obama's two daughers]—and your sons and daughters—will tell their own children about what we did together in this election ... How this time, in this great country—where a girl from the South Side of Chicago can go to college and law school, and the son of a single mother from Hawaii can go all the way to the White House—we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be."

Damn skippy. Pass the tissue.

Oh No They Didn't!

First they accuse Obama's dap with NC Governor Easley as being a terrorist signal, now FoxNews is referring to Michelle Obama as Barack Obama's baby mama.

Lest we forget, the vast majority of Fox's news folk are WHITE, WHITE, WHITE. They might want to dial back their use of "urban" slang.

Read/see for yourself here.

The Sound of Silence

If two candidates aren't asked any real questions, can you really say that there was a debate?

Think of that question as a tree in the woods kind of thing. I watched the debate from about 8.25 pm to about 8.50 pm when I had had MORE than enough. During that 25 minutes the ABC moderators didn't ask a single policy based question. It was all Bosnia sniper fire, bitterness and it was wrong, wrong, wrong. 

Listen, I know that there isn't much difference between Obama and Clinton in terms of policy, but is it too much to expect to have that be the main point of a debate? I wasn't a debater in high school, but I thought the point was to take an idea and talk about the two different sides. Are their two sides in need of debate about whether Clinton came under sniper fire in Bosnia? 

I am just completely disgusted with the news media right now. Why do they continue to make an issue of this damn flag pin thing? Are we Americans really so stupid that we can't believe someone is patriotic unless they are drapped in the freakin' flag??? Maybe Colbert was right the other night when he suggested to Michelle Obama that her husband should dress up as the Statue of Liberty.

I don't know what else to say about this other than I think our news media is doing the American people a HUGE disservice. And they should be ashamed of themselves.