A Courier Virtual Village community blog maintained
by Ronald Stewart Knopf Jr.
Views listed here do not represent those of The Courier newspaper or any Findlay Publishing Company entity.
With everything going on, I haven't done one of these in quite some time. No time like a Presidential campaign, however, to find the humor in our political process.
Saturday Night Live!
"And we were going to have Joe the Plumber on the program. We had him booked on the show. But at the last minute he canceled on us to do an interview with Katie Couric." David Letterman
"Joe the Plumber has been all over the place. He's been on 'Good Morning America,' he's on Fox News. He was talking to the Associated Press. This plumber has done more interviews in one day than Sarah Palin has done since being chosen by John McCain." Jay Leno
"A poll came out today. 67% of Americans say they've seen enough and they don't want any more presidential debates. That's what they're saying. 67%. Yeah, the other 33% are plumbers who want to hear their name on television." Conan O'Brien
Obama Roasts McCain at Al Smith Dinner
John McCain - Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner
"And by the way, I'm your host for the program. I'm Dave the Plumber." David Letterman
Our local newspaper, The Courier, endorsed John McCain for President late last week. Vote in the poll to the right to show whether you agree or disagree with their decision.
How are the candidates doing nationwide? Check out some recent endorsements below and then look at the list (compiled by Editor & Publisher) to see how Obama is dominating more than opinion polls.
'Chic Tribune' Makes History, Backs Obama -- 'L.A. Times' Does the Same, Breaking Long Endorsement Ban The Los Angeles Times, breaking a decades-long policy of not endorsing any candidate for president, threw its support behind Barack Obama today. The editorial will appear in print this weekend, but went online this afternoon. >> Editor & Publisher
Barack Obama for President The nominating process this year produced two unusually talented and qualified presidential candidates. There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. >> Washington Post
Barack Obama for president It is inherent in the American character to aspire to greatness, so it can be disorienting when the nation stumbles or loses confidence in bedrock principles or institutions. That's where the United States is as it prepares to select a new president: We have seen the government take a stake in venerable private financial houses; we have witnessed eight years of executive branch power grabs and erosion of civil liberties; we are still recovering from a murderous attack by terrorists on our own soil and still struggling with how best to prevent a recurrence. >> Los Angeles Times
Barack Obama for president However this election turns out, it will dramatically advance America's slow progress toward equality and inclusion. It took Abraham Lincoln's extraordinary courage in the Civil War to get us here. It took an epic battle to secure women the right to vote. It took the perseverance of the civil rights movement. Now we have an election in which we will choose the first African-American president . . . or the first female vice president. >> Chiacgo Tribune
MVN endorses Senator McCain and Governor Palin The time has come for us to come forward with our opinion of the current race that will place one person in the most powerful, most influential and most important position in the world, as we know it. >> Mountain Valley News
Joe The Plumber: Obama Tax Plan 'Infuriates Me' John McCain may have found a blue-collar face to help him argue that no American -- not even the richest 5 percent -- should pay higher taxes. >> ABC News
Joe the plumber is real hero of the debate They clashed on the economy and scored points off each other on negative campaigning. But in the end, the real star of the third and final presidential debate was neither John McCain nor Barack Obama but a small town plumber called Joe. >> TimesOnline
What Joe the Plumber Can't Fix The moment of truth in last night's debate came when Bob Schieffer asked the candidates if they would be willing to repeat, face to face, some of the personal charges they have made against each other in their ads and on the trail. >> Washington Post
Joe the Plumber Associated Press
McCain fails, Obama is not rattled Debates should not be confused with trips to Lourdes: Few miracles are dispensed. John McCain needed a miracle in his final debate with Barack Obama on Wednesday night, a miracle that would wipe away McCain’s deficit in the polls and re-energize his flagging campaign. >> Politico
Mac's Shot at a Late-Game Win The short term impact of the third debate will be to help Barack Obama. But the long term implications may give John McCain a needed boost. Obama looked good, but McCain opened the tax-and-spend issue in a way that might prevail. >> New York Post
That's it for McCain IT'S OVER. John McCain still hasn't told the country why he should be president. >> Boston Globe
Obama Hasn't Closed the Sale In the campaign's final two weeks, voters will take a last serious look at both presidential candidates. The outcome of the race isn't cast in stone yet. >> The Wall Street Journal
The Final Debate When John McCain embarrassed himself last month by declaring that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong,” he quickly claimed that he was talking about his belief in the American worker — and darkly implied that anyone who disagreed was less than patriotic. >> The New York Times
Three weeks until election day, and we're starting to see how stupid people are starting to get. It may be a strong word, but how else can you describe those who are violent or break the law over how someone votes?
We pride ourselves that we have a form of government where there is a peaceful transition of power. Interested parties, however, do everything to lie/cheat/steal before the election occurs.
Count on it now...after the victors and losers are decided on November 4th, we are going to hear the rhetoric start all over again: "it's time for all of us to come together", "we need to support our new President", "we are all Americans".
No matter how much mud is slung during the days leading up to an election, there is always a call afterward to forget what happened and move forward peacefully - do what's best for the country.
The simple question I ask is, "Why can't this happen now"? Instead of hearing about Ayers and Keating, experience versus change, who is going to benefit from policy 'x' versus who is left behind by policy 'y'...why aren't we hearing positive messages about our future? I don't want to hear that only one candidate is doing this...each candidate has gone negative - it is just a matter of how much.
In this year of "Change You Can Believe In" and "Change is Coming", we seem to have more of the same; candidates from the same tired parties who use negative advertising (don't insult my intelligence by calling them comparison ads) and make promises they will/cannot keep.
People are struggling every day to just survive. For all the rhetoric we hear of a candidate worrying about the middle-class, they are far removed from feeling and understanding the daily worry that faces this demographic...how to clothe and feed the kids...whether their home is going to be foreclosed...what is happening to their retirement savings. The lives of hard-working Americans are not deserving of this game that makes us pawns in some politically warped version of Survivor.
While wondering (actually, hoping) that tomorrow night's debate will be better than the others (since the bar is so low, this shouldn't be too difficult)...
Poll workers clash at Falls nursing home Poll workers from opposing sides in the presidential race apparently clashed in a physical altercation Friday at a Cuyahoga Falls nursing home when one accused the other of improperly marking a ballot. >> Ohio.com
Secret Service visits Lufkin woman after 'death threat' allegation from an Obama campaign volunteer A Lufkin woman received a surprise visit from the Secret Service last week because of a "death threat" comment she reportedly made about Sen. Barack Obama to a campaign volunteer asking for her support of the presidential candidate. >> The Lufkin Daily News
Political argument turns ugly in Port St. Lucie If you think the back-and-forth between the candidates is getting ugly, presidential politics got downright physical here Thursday evening, according to a report released Friday by the Port St. Lucie Police Department. >> TCPalm
GOP calls sign incident attempt at intimidation Damage at Republican Party offices in Greenville and Rock Hill brought allegations of intimidation tactics from the GOP and denunciation from the state's top Democrat. >> The Greenville News
Multiple registrants tell Cuyahoga County Elections Board ACORN workers begged for signatures Teenager Freddie Johnson said he was offered smokes and dollar bills to fill out voter registration cards. And now the Cuyahoga County Elections Board has 73 cards with Johnson's name on them. >> Cleveland.com
Halloween display aims for 'shock value' Ron Havens has a reputation for provocative Halloween displays that reflect his strong political views. But even Havens was pretty sure his latest effort was over the top. That didn't stop him from setting it up in plain sight anyway. >> Star-Gazette
1 day until the final Presidential debate in Hempstead, NY.
Tonight is the second Presidential debate, held on the campus of Belmont University. Tonight's debate, moderated by Tom Brokaw of NBC, is in a 'town hall' format - questions are submitted and asked by individuals in the audience. When they're done, don't forget to vote in the poll ===>> over there.
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