A Star is Born

I'm not a political creature. More than a quarter century in the media has me trained not to take a public stand on any race. I don't do bumper stickers or yard signs. I don't blog about my political views. As the presidential election approaches, I am listening to both sides and will hopefully make a smart decision.
So, no one should infer any kind of endorsement or declaration of allegiance when I say I had a fabulous time watching Sarah Palin speak to the Republican convention.
She brought all the tools: intelligence, eloquence, presence, confidence, swagger and beauty. Does one speech a potential president make? No. But it does make you want to hang around with Todd Palin.
The governor of Alaska, the Republican vice presidential nominee, had me transfixed. She spoke for about forty minutes and left me wanting more. Her sarcasm was biting, which may be a detriment. Surely the Democrats will latch on to that (at the risk of sounding like a bunch of thin-skinned whiners). They have to be careful, because the Republicans can always pull out tape of Texas governor Ann Richards' smarmy attack on the first President Bush in 1988: "Poor George. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth." I will never forget it, because it was so mean and so personal. Governor Palin never mentioned her opponents by name. She didn't once attack them personally. She only spoke to the Democratic presidential nominee's experience or lack thereof.
She also took a swipe at what some perceive to be the Democrats' emphasis on style over substance, referring to Senator Barack Obama's stage setting when he accepted the Democratic nomination. “We’ve all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers,” she said. “But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out and those styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot — what exactly is our opponent’s plan?"
A couple of the best moments were apparently unscripted. Television cut away to a shot of her young daughter just as she licked the palm of her hand and used it to smooth the hair of her infant brother. That was a laugh-out-loud moment. Palin also referred to herself as a "hockey mom," and spoke of others like her in the crowd. “You know what they say is the difference between hockey moms and pit bulls? Lipstick.” Delivered with impeccable timing and a subtle gesture, it brought down the house.
A lot of Americans are infatuated with Sarah Palin today. Some are threatened. Some are scared. Win or lose in November, she and her family will be fascinating to watch in the years ahead. If she's not elected, I just hope to be invited over to Todd and Sarah's for dinner one night.

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She Really Stepped in It

Michelle Obama 1
Originally uploaded by waiting line

Michelle Obama, who has a legitimate chance to be the next First Lady of the United States, may have just tripped herself up on the road to the White House.
She publicly said, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm proud of my country." She added that it is not becasue her husband is succeeding in Democratic primaries, but because she detects a yearning for change among the American people.
How can she not be proud of a country that has allowed her to go to an Ivy League school, to be wildly successful, to chase any dream?
How can she expect to represent this country when she has spent her entire life, until now, being something less than "proud?"
This was a major faux pas, in my little opinion, and this will haunt the Obamas all the way to November.
The Obama spin machine is a Tasmanian devil right now, offering this: "Of course Michelle is proud of her country, which is why she and Barack talk constantly about how their story wouldn’t be possible in any other nation on Earth. What she meant is that she’s really proud at this moment because for the first time in a long time, thousands of Americans who’ve never participated in politics before are coming out in record numbers to build a grassroots movement for change."
Okay, so that's what she meant. But, it's not what she said. The political waters are starting to boil.

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I'm Pulling for Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee
Originally uploaded by Guy as in Gee

Welcome to Super Tuesday, apparently my last opportunity to share this story while it has any relevance. I'm pulling hard for Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign to continue. I might not completely agree with him politically or theologically, but he is the only presidential candidate I've seen in his or her underwear.
Huckabee lived in a nearby city for ten years. When he decided to enter the political arena, he had to make campaign commercials. So, he came by the TV station at which I was working to put together a low-budget ad.
He wore jeans and a casual shirt for the drive, and brought his suit along. He was changing in the restroom when nature called me. I arrived just as he was changing from his denim into his dress pants.
He stood there in his tee shirt, addressed me by name (apparently, he was a viewer) and introduced himself. We made men's room small talk. I went back to work. He went on to win the election.
He won't win this one, but maybe he'll get on the ticket as a running mate. Then, when a reporter needs the answer to the question "Boxers or briefs?," I'll be the guy with the answer.

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Our man is alive and kicking. CNN reports he won West Virginia. No doubt the Daddy D bump helped.
AP Photo, Fox News graphic
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Update 2: Huckabee surpised a lot of experts by winning several southern states. Hhe's still alive for the Republican nomination, sort of. I said he won't win this election; but never underestimate the power of the Daddy D. bump!

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