CHANGE! That's all everyone heard from the Obama campaign. And it looks like President-elect Obama is keeping his word when it comes to change. The funny thing is he is changing many of positions (as of now) to a more conservative view. Obama was going to stop the Bush tax cuts, leave the war in Iraq immediately, use diplomacy in most all situations on the war on terror policies, but yet Obama has seemed to change his positions on these issues and several others the more he receives more information pertaining to the topics and looking more like Bush or a more conservative view. I suppose he might see he can't do all these "wonderful" things he proposed. I do have HOPE that Obama won't govern as he campaigned but will govern in a more sensible and conservative way.

For conservatives like me IF he does govern like President Bill Clinton we can make it through the next four years. Don't get me wrong, I as I'm sure many other conservatives, don't love President Clinton but he is much more of a centrist and reasonable than the ideas Obama campaigned on.

So conservatives there is HOPE for CHANGE. Good change! We can try our best to show President-elect Obama our view and positions and truly pray that current problems in our nation will resolve and improve over the next four years for the sake of our great nation.

The election is over and Barack Obama is the president elect. So why are people still screaming and seemingly scared about Sarah Palin. John McCain and Sarah Palin lost so SHUTUP about her. Let's review why the opposition is still worried about Sarah Palin.

Has anyone noticed ever since Governor Sarah Palin was on the campaign trail liberals were more worried about Palin than McCain. Could it be they know she is effective? Her positions are of a true conservative? Is it becasue she is a woman and a conservative Republican? There are countless reasons they are afraid because deep down (although most Democrats would never admit it) because she is the real deal. They know she is a conservative and could be effective if elected in another office. They know her record as governor of Alaska. I would not, necessarily, continue talking about Palin but since everyone else is I want to give my aspect of Palin. Democrats want to make sure she does not have a chance to run for another office, especially President or Vice President again.

Many Democrats like to say that Republicans think they're the only party with morals and that they think they're only party with Christians but yet Republicans might could say that Democrats seem to think they have the monopoly on minorities and women. Everytime an African American, woman, Asian, or any other type of minority Democrats are infuriated. Why is that? They most think only their party can have women and minorities; because the Democrats are "the party of the people".

If people think Govenor Sarah Palin and President-elect Barack Obama are very similar in many of their personal lives. But they both have been somewhat of underdogs, claim to be uniters, young and attractive people, both said to have lack of experience, visionaries, and more similar attributes. The main thing that seperates them, of course, is their poltical views. So why isn't Palin treated as a Messiah or another great coming? Because the media is still ripping her to shreads. Many people are buying into because the media is powerful. I've learned through my endeavours in public relations, journalism, and politics is that perception is reality. People's perception may not really be reality but perception might as well be because that is what perceived to reality.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the election...for four years. Of course, we conservatives will go at again in the next presidential election. So for the time being congratulations to everyone that voted for Obama but in four be afriad of Palin and other strong conservatives that will be running for president as they will have a viable shot to win the presidency.

I want to use my last blog to wish President-Elect Obama good luck. I can barely stand to hear or say the word "change" since this year's campaign season, but I hope to see change in America and the world. Obama is where he is because of change. Changes in technology and the way the younger generations, mainly, get their information helped him. Sources like blogs and YouTube gave everyone an equal voice that wanted to be heard. And it gave others that were trying to decide places to research. The next generation to lead America was crying for change, and the Internet made it possible for them to broadcast that message. And the word change was associated heavily with one candidate - Barack Obama. I'm not naíve enough to think things will change immediately, but I am known for my optimism. The world used to change gradually, and now it changes so rapidly it's hard to keep up. It's a difficult time to take the office of President of the United States of America. The media is more widespread and more critical. Everyone, anyone can be a journalist now. People want to be heard, and it's much easier. But as an optimist, I look forward to Obama leading America down a path of improvement. I did enjoy being able to fill up my car's tank for $19 today. The economy is a huge issue at the moment and will be for a while. One man told me he wanted the economy to just crash and for everyone to be at the bottom so that we could all start out equal and build ourselves back up. We'll see how it goes.

In my last post I covered two Bush administration tactics that President-Elect Obama, whose motto is Change, might alter once he takes office. This post is to discuss one he may not drastically alter. It is also one of the most controversial tactics the Bush administration has put into effect. I'm referring to eavesdropping on Americans. Obama said during his campaign that he will end the warrantless wiretapping currently in place. It is being questioned now if he will end the program outright or not. After his decision is made, he will face the question of whether or not to try to prosecute any who have been involved in the wiretapping. I don't know that it's likely he will do much prosecution because there will be bigger issues he will be focusing on, which might also lead to his not changing the wiretapping. He will need support and votes to carry out his projects for energy, etc. So, I guess we'll all just wait and see if he might trade some eavesdropping for a greater good for America. Compromise is the way of settling things after all.

I read an article in Time talking about which anti-terror tactics installed by the Bush administration that President-Elect Obama may affect and what the consequences would be. Torture was the first topic on the list. Many different forms of torture have been okayed by the Bush administration. I wonder if Obama will be the one to put an end to the secret forms of torture currently granted to certain departments. It's a touchy subject if there's proof that these methods are yielding reliable results, but our place in the world doesn't seem to be getting any better. So, I can't really say if I can believe that they are. Another topic was rendition and secret prisons. For all who saw the movie Rendition, you're familiar with the fact that the CIA ships suspected terrorists to secret prisons around the world. The problem with this is the word "suspected." Innocent people have been shipped to these secret prisons and tortured for information they don't have. When it is finally understood that the people really are innocent they are left in a random location. Both of these tactics used today involve tortures that I can imagine are quite brutal. I mean, the prisons are in secret locations for a reason. I'm curious to see how Obama handles these once he becomes Commander in Chief.

America has made history with the election of Barack Obama. Starting in January, he will be in the White House making decisions for our country. We all realize that history was made and that this was a historical election. What I don't really understand are the collectibles that are constantly showing up on my television during commercials. I will be watching a football game, and suddenly I see the President-Elect's face on a plate or a coin, etc. I understand his election to the presidency made history, but he hasn't actually done anything as our president yet. That won't come until January. I guess collectors don't really care when the merchandise is available because they will purchase it anyway. I just think it is more plausible to wait until he's leading the country to sell collector's items. It doesn't make sense to me to tell me that buying a plate with a picture on it will make me an owner of a piece of history. I will remember the election regardless because Obama has four years ahead of him as my president, and I think of souvenirs as more of something you get at a tourist destination to remember your trip. So, I think maybe the Obama souvenirs should wait until after he has served his term. If he gives us a good trip we want to remember and be a part of, by all means sell/buy your souvenirs.

Tolerance. Not everyone can win a race. That's common knowledge. Obama supporters won this presidential race. This is where the word comes in. I can understand why a person who was not an Obama supporter would be down about their candidate losing if they truly thought their candidate was better suited and qualified for the job. But I believe in tolerance and getting behind the winner and giving him a chance. I did some traveling over the break, and I heard some very offensive remarks from people who no doubt did not vote for now President-Elect Obama. I cannot ever agree with the "N-word" being thrown around or jokes about assassinations. I'm truly disappointed and appalled in people who carry out discussions like these, whether serious or joking, it's all the same. We are all essentially on the same side, so let's act like it.

Good evening. As this will likely be one of this group's last blogs, I would like to talk about a subject that has been near to my heart for most of my life...space exploration.

"What's so important about space exploration?" you might ask. How does this relate to the election and president-elect Obama? These are questions worth asking and I hope you will find the answers to these and other questions within this short post.

To begin, America is quickly falling behind the world in the area of spaceflight...especially manned spaceflight. For example, China's space program has recently celebrated the country's first space-walk. India has successfully put a probe into orbit around the moon. Other countries across Asia and Europe are working hard to further their own space ambitions and China will attempt to send a man to the moon in less than two decades.

Add to this the problems faced by NASA and the new Constellation program, which intends to send a man to the moon by 2020.We recently lost the lives of 7 brave heroes during the space shuttle Columbia disaster, which was a completely preventable disaster. In addition, our remaining shuttle fleet is aging and is scheduled for retirement in the coming years. The proposed shuttle replacement rockets, known as ARES I and ARES V, have been plagued by design problems and underfunding. In addition, NASA has been criticized heavily for areas of mismanagement and NASA Administrator Mike Griffin will likely be replaced after Obama takes office in January. Due to a combination of these and other factors, we will likely see a five year gap between the final shuttle flight and the first real flights of the ARES system. During this time, the U.S. will have to rely on Russian rockets to get astronauts, equipment, and supplies to and from the International Space Station. Due to the heightened tensions between our two countries, this reliance could spell doom for our future visions in space.

As you can see, the once dominant lead our country enjoyed in space technology is currently evaporating. Before the election, I took a long look at the two candidates in order to see how they would approach future expansion of NASA funding and human spaceflight. Early on, Obama advocated making cuts to NASA funding in order to promote other areas of government. He didn't seem to mind if America lost its lead in space and this greatly terrified me. However, during one trip to the "space coast" of Florida, he reversed course and proposed greater NASA funding in order to close the previously mentioned gap. Was this reversal the sign of a true policy shift? Or was it a political attempt to win over voters in Florida before the election? I do not know. This uncertainty causes me to be greatly concerned about Obama's administration and the future of NASA. It pains me to think about a future where America takes a backseat as countries like China explore the moon and beyond.

Maybe I am a bit idealistic about the final frontier of human exploration. I believe those who work in this area show the best traits that humans have to offer. Intelligence, bravery, sacrifice, and a love for knowledge are all traits that I see in those who ride a rocket into earth orbit and beyond. Also, the engineers and scientists who work on unmanned missions, like the Voyager Interstellar Mission, New Horizons, and others, shed new light onto what we know about the universe and human kind's place among the stars. I believe exploration of the moon, mars, and outer solar system will tap into the core foundations that make us all human. I would hate to see our country grow stagnant while the rest of the world goes where no others have gone before.

In conclusion, it has been a pleasure to be around everyone this semester. The blogs have been fun and it's been an honor to participate in the debate. I also hope that anyone reading this will understand the importance I place on America's space program. In the coming months and years, contact your congressmen to show your support for future growth and expansion of NASA. I hope President Obama will understand the importance I place on space and I hope he will make good on his promise to see America lead the world in the coming years and decades.

I have been trying to understand the media's continued fascination with Governor Palin. I understand how certain stories about her are newsworthy...such as the McCain campaign aides who blamed the McCain defeat on her. To some extent, stories like this and others are newsworthy and people are interested in them. But even now, I can go onto FoxNews.com or CNN.com and find several stories about her that have no news value. One on Fox News has a headline that states "Can Sarah Kept the Spotlight?" I'm sorry, but I don't see the point in this story. Leave this to the bloggers please.

If Palin decides to become a Senator, then I could justify some major national attention. If she leaves politics behind, then tell me about it. However, I do not care about whether or not she still wants to be a "hockey mom."

Example of what I am writing about are everywhere. For example, there are some fairly reputable online and broadcast sources that are saying she wants to run for President. I mean really...does anyone really think this woman will be running for President anytime soon? I'm sorry but I do not.. Her interviews with Katie Couric showed how unprepared she was for this type of public office.

Maybe I'm just complaining...but I believe there are many more stories of national importance that should be getting this air-time. Obama is making his transition, the markets are still falling, and the 3 big automakers are on the verge of bankruptcy. Please, keep us informed about these stories, not Palin's hairstyle.

If you go on CNN.com you can look at a nifty little map of which way what state went in the Presidential election. I have to admit I laughed to see that the what I call true South went red...all of them...save North Carolina and Virginia every Southern state that I would call truly southern went red... why?? Now geographically Florida is in the south but the similarities stop there. When Hawaiian print is more prevalent than camo I hate to tell you your not in the South anymore. I love Florida just as much as anyone with tan lines but no way you can call it southern. Voting patterns are distinct around the country and the true test of the whole election will be if president elect Barack Obama can turn a red and blue speckled country into one united purple one.

Ok forgive me if this is a re-run for you but I tried to post something similar to this yesterday and got this totally obnoxious ERROR and large X on my screen. Assuming it did not post I will repeat what I had said but if somewhere in the cosmos of computer land it did post just ignore and read something else. I talked about President elect Barack Obama's family moving into the White House and with them coming his mother in law. At first I was taken back by this but the more I think about it the more I like the idea ...and for that matter would like to take it a step further..what if all the politicians had to take either their mothers or mother in laws to Capitol Hill. Honestly I think that much more would be accomplished and people would be a lot nicer about it . I mean don't you act better around your mother or mother in law than when your not? I do not have a mother in law but I do know that usually I am a better person when my mom is around..... and don't you think all these big whig men in Washington could use to be put in their place and kept there for a while..I certainly do.... If my father who is 3 times the size of my grandmother can still take orders from his mom...I definitely think those boys can too.

Following the election I have found people's reactions to the results very comical, especially the reactions of Ole Miss students. I can't say I'm surprised at their discontent being that it was obvious who the majority favored but the extremes they were going to is a bit far. The night the results came in many students decided to publish their thoughts on facebook and I spent the most of the night in awe of what they had the nerve to write. I don't think it is ethical for me to site specific examples but I will say there were several inappropriate references to race, social classes, and religion. All I can say is it is sad how misinformed and classless people can be, especially here in the south. My favorite had to be all the references to Obama as the anti-Christ. Yes, I have heard all the "compelling" arguments as to why people feel this way and my only response to this is that if you are a Christian you should be ecstatic if this is true because all that means is Jesus is coming soon. 

No shocker to anyone that McCain lost ......but the most shocking part of everything is that Barack Obama and John McCain were the two candidates on the ballot..and then look whose name is beside theirs...Joe Biden and Sarah Palin.... Who would have guessed that these four individuals would take over our television screens and media outlets for what seemed like an eternity?? Certainly not me.... and each of the candidates have even said as much. How did John McCain and Barack Obama go from long shots to on the ballot fighting it out battleground state to battleground state vying for the title of the President of the United States??? Well I guess that's the American spirit for you...Nonetheless they have been splashed on the cover of People, US Weekly and almost every major news network there is ...and now Barack Obama is the president elect...who would have guessed a year ago....

What exactly does one do when you lose a long battle for the presidency? Mccain will be returning to his senate seat and will attempt to work with President elect Obama and congress in trying to bring congress together on ideas.
CQ Politics, Rebecca Adams, had this to say about McCains role in the future of his term.
"When John McCain returns to Capitol Hill for a second time as a defeated presidential candidate, he’s not likely to assume the mantle of an opposition leader with a loyal following. For one thing, many senior Republicans weren’t that enamored of McCain in the first place, thanks to his moderate voting record, his abrasive anti-religious-right candidacy in 2000 and his sometimes rough interpersonal skills. For another, many Republicans are analyzing their across-the-board defeat last week and finding the Arizona senator at fault for hair-trigger strategies and erratic advocacy of uncompromising conservatism.
A likelier scenario, observers say, is that McCain will revert to his role as a bipartisan broker of compromise — and, depending on Barack Obama ’s enthusiasm for courting the aid of his presidential rival, McCain could serve as a critical liaison to Senate moderates as the new administration works with a Senate majority just shy of the 60-vote, filibuster-resistant supermajority. That role would permit McCain to bolster the bipartisan credentials he so frequently advertised in his campaign and to refine his legacy in case he decides to retire from public life in 2010, when his fourth term ends and he turns 74. “He can only be a leader for the moderates,” says GOP strategist John Feehery, who worked for 18 years on Capitol Hill. “But at the end of the day, moderates will hold all the power.”
Obama could have reason to solicit his support on any number of policy fronts, including the economy, national security (where McCain wields considerable clout as the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee) and the curtailment of global warming — all likely high-priority items on the next president’s agenda. And McCain would probably be keen to add to his already extensive resume of bipartisan collaboration on questions such as nominations to the federal bench, immigration and campaign finance. He probably would not be able to bring major factions of the Senate GOP to the bargaining table, but he could broker agreements on some key issues with influential moderates such as Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mel Martinez of Florida.
A home-state GOP colleague in the House, John Shadegg , notes that McCain is in closer accord with Democrats than fellow Republicans in some instances, including on legislative proposals curbing global warming. “That’s an area in which there is the potential that Sen. McCain could agree with the president-elect, but I don’t know that McCain can bring along the minority,” Shadegg says. “Given the state of the economy, there will be lots of concerns.”
Shadegg predicts that McCain will face minimal opposition if he runs for re-election in two years. But several McCain associates think he may be edging toward retirement. In either case, former McCain aides say he does not intend to fade into the senatorial background as Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts did after losing the presidency in 2004.
“It will be very important that someone in a leadership position in the Republican Party send the signal that they are willing to work with President Obama. McCain is the logical choice,” says Mark McKinnon, a former media adviser for President Bush and for McCain through much of the primary season. “I think Sen. McCain’s interest after this election will be not any political ambition but a genuine desire to make his last chapter in Washington all about bipartisan healing.”
The former GOP nominee will be focused on “settling differences rather than settling scores,” McKinnon says.
Dan Schnur, a spokesman for McCain in the 2000 election and director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, says there is no reason why McCain wouldn’t pick up where he left off in the Senate.
“He could be a very valuable ally to President Obama in building bipartisan support for at least some of the administration’s priorities, starting with national security and political reform,” Schnur says. “He spent a lot of years building a reputation as someone who works across the party aisle. He has a strong incentive to spend his last years in the Senate reinforcing that image.”
Shadegg concurs. He does not expect McCain to “evaluate anything proposed by the new administration based on partisanship or who might politically benefit. He’s not concerned about political credit at this point in his life. What does he need credit for now?”

November 4, 2008 commemorates the day that the first African-American male, Sen. Barack Obama was selected as the 44th President-Elect. This election was even more remarkable being that it was the 45 years ago that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made the infamous, "I Have a Dream" speech. America proved that this election was not based on the chance of one's skin, nor the demographics thereof. This election protrayed maturity at its most preeminent levels. As soon as Sen. John McCain made his congratulatory speech to Obama, there seemed to be a sigh of relief for the most part around the nation. Electorates and citizens alike voted in hopes for Obama's platform, not naive to the fact that change would take some time. America has grown beyond measure, and progression is far from tranquilty. Hopefully, the next presidential election will be just as intriguing.

The saying goes, "stick and stones can beak my bones but words can not harm me." Though words may not harm you they can definitely influence you. After listening to Senator Obama give his final speech as Senator and not President-Elect I realized how charismatic he really is. His demeanor was calm, cool, and collected. His voice was hopeful and serious all at the same time. He said things such as "America is a place of hope and possibility and everyone should believe that now." He spoke of what America was, is, and what it will be. I was impressed with his simplicity, so to be understood by everyone. His speech was eloquent and his delivery precise, just what someone would expect from the next President of the United Stated.

Tuesday night was not only a remarkable night, but a historical night for the United States of America. As the day was coming to a close the outcome of the 2008 election became all the more obvious. With emotions running height I think the thought on everyone's minds is what which will the two candidates say in their speeches. While the Obama crew was loud and proud in Chicago, the McCain followers remained positive but no hopeful. The outcome was clear, Senator Obama in a few short hours would become President-Elect Obama. When McCain stepped on the stage in his home state of Arizona the crowd appeared to be uplifted. They weren't just putting on a happy face. His followers were proud of their fight till the end and the commitment of Senator McCain. On the other hand the welcome for Senator Obama was much different. After all the hype and craziest that surrounded his campaign I expected people to go wild when he walked on to the stage. Actually just the opposite happened. It was like a state of shock. I don't think anyone could believe after all the hard work he was actually going to be "The President." It was like a hush went over the crowd. Soon after the amazement passed the place went crazy. It was a moment I will always remember no matter who I voted for or what party I support.

In a recent New York Times article, Nancy Gibbs recaps the positive highlights of the election day earlier this week. She points out that Americans celebrated this day as they have never celebrated an election before: dancing the in the streets, screaming, crying. American celebrated like a new country celebrates the election of their first ever President, and in a way, this election was a bit like that. For may American all across the nation, this was their very first time to vote; so, this truly was their very first President. For African Americans, this was the very first President of their race, which reflects on all the past struggles of this race in the United States and truly shows that hard work and determination will reward those who possess these characteristics. So while it is obvious there were many firsts in this election and therefore many reasons to celebrate, I think the biggest cause for celebration is our country itself. This election truly showed that Americans love their country; this love was not something that burned bright during the Revolution or past World Wards, but it is a love that burns just as bright today if not more. People were waiting hours upon hours in lines to vote the man they trusted with their beloved country. It's as simple as that; this election was such a big deal because the country that we love is hurting economically and suffering from tensions with dangerous countries, and there are only certain people we trust with this country we love. I think Americans needed this election; we needed it to renew our pride in our country and awareness of her sufferings so that we can fortify America into the country she has been in the past and has the potential to be in the future.

Palin has announced that she’s ready to be back in the governor’s chair. In her first press release since Tuesday, Palin says that she’s excited to be back in Alaska and ready to get back to work as governor of her state. She also has denied the ex-McCain aides’ comments that say that she didn’t know that Africa was a continent and that she spent too much money on her wardrobe during the campaign.

Ever since McCain chose Palin as his running mate, I’ve hear more rumors about her than about any other politician in the race. The spotlight was put onto Palin the second she stepped into the race—a spotlight that yearned to expose each of her flaws and secrets to the nation. The media seemed to be just waiting for something to call her out on—to make her seem like just another “stupid” woman who doesn’t understand politics.

In my opinion Palin has held her ground well. She stood up for herself when she needed to and has stayed quiet when it was more appropriate. I’m interested to see if McCain’s running-mate will strive to get her name out there before 2011 and if the presidency is a future goal for her.

While the election was drawing near, I noticed many of my friends who were formally uninterested in the outcome of the election became very passionate as the tensions heightened. Conversations that had normally not been submerged by politics became little "presidential debates" of their own. I was excited to see everyone getting so involved and having so many various opinions about this topic which had grown to become very important to me. This excitement increased on the day everyone was allowed to finally give actions to their words and place their vote in the election. I couldn't wait to see who would come out of this race victorious and what the responses would be to the outcome. What I could have waited for was the reality that sunk in once the President was announced. I could never have imagined the ugliness that was revealed hidden inside so many of my friends and just my fellow Americans in general. And most of this ugliness was displayed on FaceBook, and still is , for the whole world to see . It's almost as if these people are proud that they are capable of verbally degrading another human being with such great ability and intention. I was, and still am, appalled by the statuses on people's facebook pages. It hasn't even been a week since Obama was elected President, and there are hundreds of people on facebook who are claiming they are now broke, the country is now runied, and they are now moving to Australia; all because a candidate of their liking, coincidentally the first African American candidate, was elected President of the United States. Even if he wasn't your first choice for President, he still deserves your respect; I mean he made it all the way through the campaign and the election and came out victoriously. He deserves the same respect as any other man in this country that would be elected President. I think these Americans who are showing such horrible character truly need to look around and realize how they are immaturely acting and encouraging others to follow their example. This behavior is getting us nowhere. At a time when our country is undergoing such economic instability and tensions in the Middle East, we should be banding together and unifying our country rather than ripping each other apart through our words.

What the future holds for our country will not be determined until at least 2 years into Barack Obama's presidency. But by the end of his term I hope people realize that between two parties, there can be no resolution.
The infamous 3rd party candidates are always treated as second class citizens and rarely given an opportunity to actually have a chance of gaining support.
Why on a voter registration card must one be required to check between A. Democrat B. Republican or C. Other?
I say if this country we live in were actually a democracy and allowed all voices to be heard it would have one blank line where voters would write in their own affiliation, not to be suaded to choose between 2 and be "different" by filling in "Other".
It is a double standard that not all parties are treated equally and I believe it will be a downfall in years to come.

Considering the fact that merely 40 years ago there was still a huge racial divide in America; electing Barack Obama president is an unparalleled milestone for this country. A black man as president is something that Im sure few thought possible all of those years ago. But now it is.
It is a huge step for Americans to finally be able to overcome a long shameful period of our history and take a step away from it because the most powerful man in the world is no longer an old white guy for the first time ever. African Americans have a strong sense of pride about this but I feel all Americans should. A huge part of racism can be put to rest because the majority of Amercians voted for Obama and now, like it or not, he is the leader of the free world.