Black Voices Elections 2008Presidential Quotes of the Week
"There's starting to be a growing consensus that it's time to withdraw some of our combat troops out of Iraq, deploy them here in Afghanistan, and I think we have to seize that opportunity. Now is the time to do it," Senator Obama said after meeting Afghan President Hamed Karzai.
Reuters
"Black and Latino students are among the most likely to drop out of high school. African-Americans are also among the least likely to go on to college. After decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment, and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off old ways and to demand new reforms. That isn't just my opinion; it is the conviction of parents in poor neighborhoods across this nation who want better lives for their children."
Reuters
"No matter how much money we invest in our communities, how many 10-point plans we propose, how many government programs we launch - none of it will make a difference at least not enough of a difference if at the same time we do not seize more responsibility in our own lives."
AP
"Don't tell him I said this, but he is an impressive fellow in many ways. He has inspired a great many Americans, some of whom had wrongly believed that a political campaign could hold no purpose or meaning for them," he said in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Getty
"I don't understand when people are going around saying, 'We need to have English only.' They want to pass a law 'We want English only.' Now I agree that immigrants should learn English. I agree with that. But understand this. Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English. They'll learn English. You need to make sure your child can speak Spanish"
AP
"I know how to win wars. And if I'm elected president, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory."
AP
Presidential Election Coverage
Filed under: Money Talks, Elections, Barack Obama, John McCain, News
Some smart guy said a long time ago there is no such thing as a free lunch. And he was right. In other words, there is always a string attached.Turning to the complex discussion of taxes, the economy and the major political parties' answers to help black people, the old saying still rings true.
We can lower taxes all we want but to keep the books balanced, we will have to absorb cuts in public services - this is generally the Republican way.
That works fine if you have a great job or if your parents or grandparents left you a nice chunk of change - this also is the generally the Republican way. ...
Financial Industry in Turmoil
Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC and other large banks have all reportedly been approached by regulators seeking someone to rescue Washington Mutual, which has been pounded by the slumping housing market and the subprime lending fallout.
Nick Ut, AP
Some are also speculating on which firm may be headed the way of Merrill Lynch or Lehman Brothers. Media reports have said that Morgan Stanley is pondering whether to remain independent and that it is in talks with Wachovia about a possible combination.
Mario Tama, Getty Images
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, after nervous investors yanked their money out of the stock market, sending the Dow down 450 points. The latest market plunge came after a late Tuesday announcement that the government would bail out ailing insurer AIG. "People are scared to death," one investment strategist said.
Richard Drew, AP
The AIG bailout marked the second time this month that the government put taxpayer money on the hook to rescue a private financial company. In exchange for a 2-year $85 billion loan from the Federal Reserve, the government will receive a 79.9 percent equity stake in the company.
Mark Lennihan, AP
Former Allstate chairman and CEO Edward Liddy, left, is expected to replace AIG's Robert B. Willumstad. Willumstad, a former Citigroup executive, had been at the helm of AIG since June.
AP (2)
AIG, whose shares had been on a freefall, had been on the hunt for cash to shore up its balance sheet. The Fed determined that a disorderly failure of AIG could hurt the already delicate financial markets and the economy.
Richard Drew, AP
The U.S. government became one of the biggest players in the nation's mortgage market last week when it took control of mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The two financial institutions, battered by plunging share prices, rising foreclosures and sinking home values, owned or guaranteed about half of U.S. mortgage debt.
AP (2)
The decision to help AIG marked a reversal for the government from the weekend, when it refused to use taxpayer money to bail out Lehman Brothers. The investment bank was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday.
Jin Lee, AP
For many of Lehman's 26,000 employees, the outlook is likely to be gloomy with job losses expected to be substantial even if significant parts of the business can be sold. On Sunday night hundreds of Lehman employees were seen clearing their desks and packing personal belongings.
David Karp, AP
Last week, after posting $3.9 billion in losses, Lehman CEO Richard Fuld outlined a plan to sell and spin off assets to raise money. Fuld, 62, who joined the company right out of college, is the longest serving CEO on Wall Street.
Kevin Wolf, AP
But what if you, like a disproportionately high percentage of black Americans, don't have a high paying job. Or don't have an inheritance. Or for some reason, can't find work because you are incarcerated or disabled?
It is for this population that the Democratic ideology of building a societal safety net of government programs makes sense.
Just check what the last few years of Bush tax cuts for the wealthy have done to the safety net. Black unemployment has increased since 1993. In addition, the GOP fights every proposal designed to help poor people.
Want to extend unemployment benefits, Republicans will fight it.Seeking to raise the criminally low minimum wage, get ready for a GOP battle.
Try to expand Pell grants or any other measure to expand educational opportunities, not if the GOP is in control.
You only have to go back a few years to see how smart Democratic policies from the White House brought better economic times for black people.
Under Bill Clinton, job creation expanded and unemployment across all racial and ethnic categories fell.
But Clinton had the foresight to do something that made more liberals howl at the time, he worked to shrink the welfare state.
Most progressives attacked the move as anti-black and anti-poor but Clinton was right. The welfare state had grown too large, too alluring for the lazy among us who had the skills and ability to work for themselves.
The result.
The news media has repeatedly told stories of how black folks who had been dependent on welfare now are earning a living wage working in hotels, managing fast food joints or in some other entry level employment. They might not be jet-setting but they are off the public dole and are actually contributing society.
All these folks needed was a kick in the pants and a helping hand, like the combination of welfare reform and expanded job training opportunities provided during the Clinton years.
With the Republicans, all black people get is the kick in the pants.
__________________
Paul Shepard blogs the Democrat side of the election for BlackVoices. He has been a journalist for 16 years; on the national urban/minority affairs beat for The Cleveland Plain Dealer and for The AP in Washington, D.C.
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Read MoreFiled under: BlackSpin, Elections, Barack Obama, John McCain, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Sarah Palin
What kind of person fans hatred as a get out the vote (GOTV) strategy? Whether you like Barack Obama and Joe Biden or not, I have to believe most Americans are appalled when the phrase "kill him" is shouted out at Palin's rally and "terrorist" is shouted out at McCain's when Barack Obama's name is mentioned.
McCain and Palin just smirked when this hatred was spewed and continued on with their speeches. I refuse to believe this is the kind of America most Americans want to live in or have their children and grandchildren to grow up in. ...
Looking at past relationships is fair game in a political campaign. I encourage it. And as McCain/Palin and the Republican party rage on about Obama's association with 60's radical William Ayers, let us talk about the fact that Palin's husband, the "First Dude", was a verified member of a secessionist party that wanted Alaska to leave the United States - yes that's right Todd Palin was a member of the Alaska Independence Party.
"According to the director of Division of Elections in Alaska, Gail Fenumiai, Todd Palin registered in October 1995 to the Alaska Independence Party, a radical group that advocates for Alaskan secession from the United States." Palin's partner remained a member of the Alaska Independence Party until 2002, until 2002, the first year Palin ran for statewide office.The AIP's leader/creator Joe Vogler puts it this way:
"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." The same man, AIP founder Joe Vogler, also said, "[T]he fires of Hell are glaciers compared to my hate for the American government."What does it say about John McCain's character and worldview that he sat on the board of the US. Council for World Freedom a group well known for its relationship to Nazi collaborators and right wing death squads in Central America? According to the Associated Press:
GOP presidential nominee John McCain has past connections to a private group that supplied aid to guerrillas seeking to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua in the Iran-Contra affair.
McCain's ties are facing renewed scrutiny after his campaign criticized Barack Obama for his link to a former radical who engaged in violent acts 40 years ago.
The U.S. Council for World Freedom was part of an international organization linked to former Nazi collaborators and ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America. The group was dedicated to stamping out communism around the globe.
The council's founder, retired Army Maj. Gen. John Singlaub, said McCain became associated with the organization in the early 1980s as McCain was launching his political career in Arizona. Singlaub said McCain was a supporter but not an active member in the group.
McCain has said previously he resigned from the council in 1984 and asked in 1986 to have his name removed from the group's letterhead.
"I didn't know whether (the group's activity) was legal or illegal, but I didn't think I wanted to be associated with them," McCain said in a newspaper interview in 1986.
Singlaub does not recall any McCain resignation in 1984 or May 1986. Nor does Joyce Downey, who oversaw the group's day-to-day activities.
"That's a surprise to me," Singlaub said. "This is the first time I've ever heard that."
I once respected John McCain. But now, McCain's battle cry of "country first" is a complete distortion of the course he and his campaign has chosen to follow.
VOTE!
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Read MoreFiled under: BlackSpin, Elections, Barack Obama, John McCain, News
AP / Getty ImagesJoin the debate AFTER the debate Tuesday night right here at Black Voices. In the meantime, let's get the discussion started below about how this is going to play out.
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Read MoreFiled under: BlackSpin, Elections, Barack Obama, John McCain, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, News, Sarah Palin
By Alexis Garrett Stodghill, BlackVoices.com
Click through the gallery, and post your thoughts below: Should these candidates be questioned about how they may mix their policies with their religious beliefs?
Religions of Candidates
Sen. Obama reached a turning point in his campaign when his membership with the Trinity United Church of Christ came under severe scrutiny in the press. In particular, Hillary Clinton's camp whipped the public into a frenzy over Obama's controversial ex-pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Mannie Garcia, AFP / Getty Images
After giving a speech to specifically address the complex issues of race that might force a man like Wright to speak negatively of America, Barack left his church of 20 years on May 31, 2008. But the religious affiliations of other popular candidates are just as controversial. Will these candidates face the same fate?
Getty Images / AP
Sarah Palin is a fundamentalist Christian, but claims that she is not a member of any church. She is not afraid to let her religious views inform her political policies. According to The Huffington Post, Palin has strong ties to The Wasilla Assembly of God, which she was a member of from age 12 until 2002.
Chris Miller, AP
Palin is still close friends with the senior pastor of Wasilla, Ed Kalnins, who believes the Iraq conflict is part of a religious war, that democrats go to hell, and that these are the 'end times' -- as in "end of the world." With a religious confidante like this, should this candidate potentially control nuclear arms?
AOL / AP
According to the Associated Baptist Press: "John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man McCain calls his pastor,' Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church.
AP
But, in the course of his political career, McCain has made some strange religious bedfellows. This year, he had to reject the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee, pictured here, after it was revealed that the controversial figure believes Hitler was "doing God's will."
Associated Press
John McCain has also been associated with the Rev. Jerry Falwell (1933-2007). Among many controversies, Falwell was critical of the policy of U.S. sanctions against South Africa, an effort to punish the overtly racist Apartheid government during the '80s.
Don Petersen, AP
Sen. Joe Biden actually has one of the more calm and clear religious records of any candidate around. A devout Catholic from birth, if elected Biden would become the nation's first Catholic vice president.
Mark Hirsch, Getty Images
As a Roman Catholic, Biden's religious leader is Pope Benedict XVI. As a pro-life Democrat, Biden has come under fire from his religious community, who tried to pressured former Diocese of Wilmington bishop Michael Saltarelli to refuse to give Biden Holy Communion over the issue.
AOL / AP
George Bush comes off as a "good ole boy," all about family, apple pie and American traditions, including the tradition of conservative religious worship. The support of evangelical Christians has helped him to secure his two presidencies.
Yuri Gripas, Pool / Getty Images
As the election draws nearer, folks are focusing on the facts. Education. Health care. Gun control. The war. It seems that people are coming down to earth, and expecting the candidates to focus on the nitty-gritty realities of our daily lives.
But I cannot forget the very recent moment in the campaign when more ethereal questions threatened to totally derail Barack Obama's campaign. The afterlife. Religion. God. And the power one's pastor and religious affiliations would have on a leaders' decisions.
Now that Sarah Palin has been swept into the hearts of millions everywhere, accepted in large part due to the fundamentalist Christian views that she shares with her supporters, I think the question of religion is back. We need to know where our politicians stand, and how their religions will affect their policies.
Obama's feet were held to the fire over his affiliation with Rev. Wright. For some reason, Barack's membership in Wright's church lead many to believe that Barack's mind set was aligned 100% with all aspects of Wright as a man, flaws and all. Barack had to leave his church and break all affiliation, because of a few speeches coughed up on YouTube.
If we were to hold each of these candidates, and the current president, to the same standard of scrutiny, would they fare so well in the public eye? Click through the gallery above, and you decide. Most of these characters will be around for a long time, in many presidential campaigns to come.
Note: The Wasilla Bible Church pictured with Gov. Palin is different from the Wasilla Assembly of God. The Wasilla Bible Church is another evangelical church that Sarah Palin regularly visits.
More Debate and Election Coverage
+ Democrat View - Palin Avoids Blunders, Biden Gives Solid Answers
+ Palin, Biden Throw Down, Economy, Iraq
+ Biden Wins Vice-Presidential Debate
+ Watch Full Debate
Community Discussion
+ Sarah Palin Won The Debate
+ Who Do You Think Won?
+ It's On .... Biden vs Palin
+ Debate Recap
+ Who's Better Sarah Palin or Hilliary Clinton?
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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Read MoreFiled under: BlackSpin, Elections, John McCain, News, Sarah Palin
It was obvious that Gov. Sarah Palin was an athlete in a previous life because, in many ways, the vice presidential debate in St. Louis played out like a sporting event. Senator Joe Biden - the overwhelming favorite in this debate with the clear opportunity to provide the knockout blow for the Obama-Biden ticket - was not able to provide the type of performance that could fatally damage the McCain-Palin ticket.
Much like a basketball game where the better team is unable to seal a victory because of its failure to make free throws, Senator Biden could not put away Governor Palin despite his clear advantage in experience and Palin's recent disadvantages due to her interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric. ...
VP Debate Pictures
Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin went head to head in their first and only vice presidential debate in St. Louis on Thursday, clashing on the economy, energy issues and foreign policy. Here, the candidates greet each other at the start of the highly anticipated showdown.
Scott Olson, Getty Images
The debate at Washington University in St. Louis marked the first meeting of the vice presidential candidates. "Can I call you Joe?" Palin asked Biden, who approved.
Don Emmert, AP
The stakes were particularly high for Palin, who has served as governor of Alaska for less than two years. Polls show the public has become more skeptical of her ability to handle the vice presidency. Palin made only one obvious stumble, when she twice referred to Gen. David McKiernan, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, as "Gen. McClellan."
Rick Wilking, Pool / Getty Images
The pressure was less intense for Biden, a veteran of more than 35 years in the Senate.
Ron Edmonds, AP
The economy quickly took center stage, with both candidates weighing in on the financial crisis and the bailout bill awaiting congressional approval. "The economic policies of the last eight years have been the worst economic policies we've ever had," Biden said.
Rick Wilking, Reuters
Palin said one way to gauge the economic times would be to attend a child's soccer game and listen to parents. "I betcha you're going to hear some fear," she said.
Ron Edmonds, AP
Later, the tone became more heated when the topic turned to the Iraq war. Biden said that he and Barack Obama will be the administration to end the war and said John McCain had been "dead wrong" about the conflict. "For John McCain there is no end in sight to end this war -- fundamental difference," he said.
David McNew, Getty Images
Palin countered that Obama's exit plan was essentially "a white flag of surrender in Iraq" at a moment when victory was "within sight." She also said Biden had once supported McCain's view of the war.
J. Scott Applewhite, AP
Palin got some bad news just before the debate, when an Alaska judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Republicans seeking to stop an abuse-of-power investigation aimed at her. Here, Palin looks on from the side prior to taking the stage.
Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
Palin and Biden smile after the conclusion of the debate.
Ron Edmonds, AP
Gov. Palin, to her credit, gave the McCain-Palin ticket a chance to come back and win by putting in a gritty performance. She did not win the debate this evening, but she garnered a much-needed moral victory at a time when that was considered a minor miracle. She may not have hops, but her effort gave McCain some hang time in this campaign - perhaps enough to recover in the polls if he follows up with a good performance Tuesday evening in Tennessee.
Palin was quickly able to show the mettle that made her the energizer for the conservative base with her selection as the vice presidential candidate less than one day after the DNC in Denver ended. From the start, she questioned Senator Obama's ability to lead in bipartisan efforts to bring about the types of change that he champions on the campaign trial, even as Senator Biden railed against President Bush's policies and worked to tie Senator McCain to those failures. Speaking from the "hockey mom" point of view, Palin countered the Democratic tactic of noting McCain's voting similarities with Bush by pointing out that Senator Obama has voted 96% of the time along party lines, bringing into question his ability to reach across to the aisle to get results.
This was not the only time throughout the evening that Governor Palin questioned Senator Obama's record and proposals effectively. She echoed John McCain's comments from Friday night, noting that the Obama economic plan proposes close to $1 trillion in new spending at a time when the economic bailout for Wall Street (and, by association, Main Street) has now swelled to roughly $800 billion. She challenged the philosophical question of increasing taxes on those making more than $250,000 annually, daring to mention the phrase "redistribution of wealth" that is voiced more in academia, text books, and kitchen table conversations than it has been on the campaign trail.
Even as Biden peppered her responses with facts and figures that he had at his disposal due to 36 years of senatorial experience, Palin was able to continue to take on Senator Obama effectively as a peer, something that was more critical to establish as a candidate this evening after her interview debacles as the unproven candidate "one heartbeat away from the presidency." In a brilliant swoop that allowed her to swipe at the Obama-Biden ticket, highlight the reformer image as a Washington outsider that she tries to promote, and utilize her experience as the Alaskan governor, Sarah Palin used the oft-mentioned tax cuts for oil companies as her platform to display her worthiness on the ticket. Not only did she note effectively that Senator Obama voted for the tax cuts for oil companies that he now campaigns against, but she explained how she was forced to take on the aftermath of that decision within the Alaskan borders to ensure that Alaskans got the fairest deal possible without being taken advantage as a result of the legislation.
She was able to wrap up her address of oil companies and energy independence throughout the night by noting that "East Coast politicians" were the ones responsible for binding America's ability to gain energy independence by disallowing off-shore drilling and the use of other safe, domestic fuel sources, suggesting that her experience as the Alaskan governor gave her insight that Obama and Biden lack. Further, her presence in a McCain-Palin administration gives Middle America empathy in Washington that is not offered in today's Washington or in a potential Obama-Biden White House. More impressive - and potentially more important over the next 30 days or so - was that Palin continuously admitted to "blunders" made by the previous administration (and specifically by the Bush Administration) and the need for mavericks like McCain and her to learn from the past without pointing to the past (as she accused the Obama-Biden ticket of doing repeatedly.) Along with the performances over the next 2 presidential debates, the polls will reflect whether Governor Palin did an effective job of getting the Bush albatross from around McCain's neck by clearly admitting the mistakes in an effort to distance the GOP ticket from the past 8 years in the White House.
Palin was unable to continue to present facts and figures sufficient to match Biden's 36 years of experience blow-by-blow, but it was clear that she was prepared to challenge the tenured senator on issues as a peer, not as the overwhelmed former mayor that we have seen in the media over the past few weeks. The Democrats were hoping for Palin to have the meltdown moment, and when it did not happen on its own, Senator Biden could not prompt it out of the "Barracuda." She played good defense, looked strong (even if some of her responses did not match her presence), and made a better connection with the viewing audience than Biden did; (she even gave a shout-out to a third grade class during one answer.) Even when she seemed uncomfortable at times, she didn't stay uncomfortable. Tonight, she displayed why conservatives fell in love with her during the RNC: she came across as credible (but clearly not perfect) while coming across as accessible (without being too ordinary and common.)
All McCain wanted Palin to do this evening was give him a chance to win at the end of the game. Her performance gave him the ability to hang around longer in this race than some may have expected at this point. It's now on him to deliver on October 7 and 15.
____________________
Lenny McAllister is the Political Guru for Fox News - Charlotte and blogs the Republican side of the election for BlackVoices. He is a frequent contributor to The Charlotte Post and The North Carolina Conservative.More Debate and Election Coverage
+ Democrat View - Palin Avoids Blunders, Biden Gives Solid Answers
+ Palin, Biden Throw Down, Economy, Iraq
+ Biden Wins Vice-Presidential Debate
+ Watch Full Debate
Community Discussion
+ Sarah Palin Won The Debate
+ Who Do You Think Won?
+ It's On .... Biden vs Palin
+ Debate Recap
+ Who's Better Sarah Palin or Hilliary Clinton?
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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
Read MoreFiled under: BlackSpin, Elections, News, Sarah Palin
VP Debate PicturesDemocrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin went head to head in their first and only vice presidential debate in St. Louis on Thursday, clashing on the economy, energy issues and foreign policy. Here, the candidates greet each other at the start of the highly anticipated showdown.
Scott Olson, Getty Images
The debate at Washington University in St. Louis marked the first meeting of the vice presidential candidates. "Can I call you Joe?" Palin asked Biden, who approved.
Don Emmert, AP
The stakes were particularly high for Palin, who has served as governor of Alaska for less than two years. Polls show the public has become more skeptical of her ability to handle the vice presidency. Palin made only one obvious stumble, when she twice referred to Gen. David McKiernan, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, as "Gen. McClellan."
Rick Wilking, Pool / Getty Images
The pressure was less intense for Biden, a veteran of more than 35 years in the Senate.
Ron Edmonds, AP
The economy quickly took center stage, with both candidates weighing in on the financial crisis and the bailout bill awaiting congressional approval. "The economic policies of the last eight years have been the worst economic policies we've ever had," Biden said.
Rick Wilking, Reuters
Palin said one way to gauge the economic times would be to attend a child's soccer game and listen to parents. "I betcha you're going to hear some fear," she said.
Ron Edmonds, AP
Later, the tone became more heated when the topic turned to the Iraq war. Biden said that he and Barack Obama will be the administration to end the war and said John McCain had been "dead wrong" about the conflict. "For John McCain there is no end in sight to end this war -- fundamental difference," he said.
David McNew, Getty Images
Palin countered that Obama's exit plan was essentially "a white flag of surrender in Iraq" at a moment when victory was "within sight." She also said Biden had once supported McCain's view of the war.
J. Scott Applewhite, AP
Palin got some bad news just before the debate, when an Alaska judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Republicans seeking to stop an abuse-of-power investigation aimed at her. Here, Palin looks on from the side prior to taking the stage.
Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
Palin and Biden smile after the conclusion of the debate.
Ron Edmonds, AP
This one was not close. Yes Palin is attractive, spunky, an energetic communicator and extraordinarily confident. Personally, I find "confident dodging" an unusual strategy when trying to convince the majority of Americans that you are the best person to serve a heartbeat away from the presidency. What was that soccer game comment regarding the bailout?
Senator Joseph Biden stuck to the facts and kept bringing in Senator Barack Obama's policies while Governor Sarah Palin seemed to talk mainly about energy and her record. She defended the top of her ticket as a maverick, but only when she was pressed to do so.
There were a few moments that jumped out to me. The first was when Governor Palin told moderator Gwen Ifill and her competitor Senator Biden that she would answer questions the way she wanted to or not at all. Huh? ...
And I want to let you know what I did as a mayor and as a governor. And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also.
Then there was the l-o-n-g overdue moment when Sen. Biden finally pushed back on this mythical observation that John McCain is still a "maverick," if you believe, as I do, that he once was one.
Look, the maverick -- let's talk about the maverick John McCain is.
And, again, I love him. He's been a maverick on some issues, but he has been no maverick on the things that matter to people's lives. He voted four out of five times for George Bush's budget, which put us a half a trillion dollars in debt this year and over $3 trillion in debt since he's got there.
He has not been a maverick in providing health care for people. He has voted against -- he voted including another 3.6 million children in coverage of the existing health care plan, when he voted in the United States Senate.
He's not been a maverick when it comes to education. He has not supported tax cuts and significant changes for people being able to send their kids to college.
He's not been a maverick on the war. He's not been a maverick on virtually anything that genuinely affects the things that people really talk about around their kitchen table.
(edit)
So maverick he is not on the important, critical issues that affect people at that kitchen table.
But when Senator Joe Biden choked up while talking about his late wife and child and being a single father, my heart was on my sleeve. And from where I sat, that moment of humanity sealed Biden's win.
"The notion somehow that because I'm a man I don't know what it's like to raise two kids alone, I don't know what it's like to have a child you're not sure is going to make it..." he said, pausing briefly to compose himself.
"I understand. I understand."
Here's the point: You don't have to flaunt a lack of knowledge to be a "real person." Since when in American culture did being well-informed equal being disconnected or callous?
More Debate and Election Coverage
+ Palin, Biden Throw Down On Economy, Iraq
+ Palin Avoids Blunders, Biden Gives Solid Answers
+ Watch Full Debate
Community Discussion
+ Sarah Palin Won The Debate
+ It's On .... Biden vs Palin
+ Who's Better Sarah Palin or Hilliary Clinton?
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Read MoreWASHINGTON (Oct. 3) - With the economy on the brink of meltdown and elections looming, a reluctant Congress abruptly reversed course and approved a historic $700 billion government bailout of the battered financial industry on Friday. President Bush swiftly signed it. Read More
ST. LOUIS (Oct. 2) -- Under intense scrutiny, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stood her ground Thursday night against a vastly more experienced Joe Biden, debating the economy, energy and global warming, then challenging him on Iraq, "especially with your son in the National Guard." The Alaska governor also noted that Biden had once said Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wasn't ready to be commander in chief, "and I know again that you opposed the move that he made to try to cut off funding for the troops and I respect you for that." Read More
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Election Day Countdown, Nov. 4
