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.

According to Alexander Tyler, a Scotish history professor during the the 1700's at the University of Edinburgh, a Democracy is temporary in nature and will exist only until the time that the voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that point on the candidate who promises the most gifts will always be elected.
If this is the case we will undoubtedly see more and more democrats elected to office and more of our national treasury will be distributed among those who pay less and less of the taxes which make it possible.
According to Tyler Democracys last approxiamatley 200 years and typically follow this pattern:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith
2. From spiritual faith to great courage
3. From courage to liberty
4. From liberty to abundance
5. From abundance to complacency
6. From complacency to apathy
7. From apathy to dependence
8. From dependence back into bondage

Of course when Tyler spoke of this he was referring the the great Athenian Republic of 2000 years previous to his, but the question I have is America on its way to slipping back into bondage?
Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul , Minnesota , believes that right now America is somewhere between the complacency and apathy stages.

I'm done.  My team won.  My presidential candidate won.  I got the girl.  And she's crazy about me.  Shout out to Samir "Mr. Magazine" Husni.  Twenty-two blogs.  Where's my check! 

Now here's a movie that I think represents what movie making it all about.  Just from watching the previews I could tell that it's going to be a hit - and I approve that message.  But seriously though, it seems to be an intelligent story.  Definitely different and it carries that mystique about it that makes you curious and want to go out and spend ten bucks just to quench that desire.  The cinematography looks great and the locations are eye popping.  I might even buy the real DVD when it comes out instead of the bootleg.  Not that I support bootleggers, because I don't.  I think that they are ripping the financial fabric right out of the entertainment business. Actors get paid less, producers get desperate and green-light anything that they think will make a buck and we get movies like "The Happening".  What the F@%K happened?  I'm still lost.  Or we get movies like 23 where Jim Carrey tries to be spooky (I think it pulled it off better in Lemony Snicket).  I am a firm believer in supporting the movie industry.  And it's because I want a quality product when I plan out a nice evening with my "significant other" which includes grown and sexy attire (cause I'm such a showoff), dinner at the Blue Pan Grille, and if I get lucky....  She'll have the Shrimp Scampi with light Alfredo sauce with a slice of garlic toast (easy on the garlic - the night is still young).  The lady will also be having a glass of their finest Chardonnay - Marquis de Laguiche Joseph Drouhin Montrache (that ought to loosen her up a little).  I'll be having the eight ounce Filet Minon - medium rare (I'm feeling Parisian) with the loaded bake potato (back to feeling American) and a house salad (got to watch my weight).  I'll too will be having a glass of Marquis de Laguiche Joseph Drouhin Montrache (leave the bottle).  After dinner we'll stroll the square, she, tightly clenching my arm and I, trying not to wobble because I finished the whole bottle while she patiently sipped one glass (plan backfired). Afterwards we will make our way to the movie theater, all while avoiding Oxford's finest - OPD.  We'll buy two, no, I'll buy two tickets to the "movie-to-see" of the night and we'll advance to our seats and let the movie set the tone for the rest of the night.  Maybe I'll get a good night kiss.  Better yet, maybe I'll get a good morning kiss.  After putting in all that work, I expect a good quality movie.  I want my good morning kiss and I'm depending on a good movie to be the ultimate prelude to "hello darling, you have beautiful eyes."  Movies have become a part of our socializing.  It's almost a given.  Every weekend or every other weekend people are going back to the movies.  It's a great American pass time.  And it should be preserved as much as possible. 

Listening to the news and reading about the reactions to Obama's victory has opened my eyes to a world that I didn't realize still existed.  For some strange reason I thought that racism was "a thing of the past".  I don't know.  Maybe all the time I spent overseas serving my country in a military that would bleed its soldiers dry in order to protect the rights outlined in the Constitution and uphold the ideals of the Declaration of Independence has disconnected me from some of the harsh realities here in the United States.  It's tough to know that I'm dedicating my life to the Armed forces of this great country and its citizens don't even uphold or respect the rights that we as soldiers are supposed to protect.  It really saddens me.  It saddens me that it is unacceptable for a Black man to be the president of the United States.  What saddens me even more is that it is okay for a black man to go to prison.  It's acceptable for black men to have a thuggish and untrustworthy demeanor about themselves.  It's okay for black men to have the highest high school dropout rate in the country.  It's okay for white people to have hip-hop (Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Usher) blasting out of their SUVs and Beamers but walk past black students on campus as if they don't exist.  And then have the nerve to call them the n-word because they're happy that the person they voted for won.  It's okay for blacks to entertain whether it be basketball (Kobe Bryant), music (Usher, Beyonce, Jay Z), or tell jokes (the late great Bernie Mac) but be president?  Of the United States?  #&LL NO!  I thought that people were better than that.  When I have to go to other countries I see little kids begging for the scraps from me and my fellow soldier's lunch.  I see mothers begging for two dollars because two dollars can feed her family for about two or three days, sometimes a week depending on where we are.  So many people in this world are just trying to live.  And over here in America people are being threatened and/or attacked and assaulted for doing just that - LIVING.  Living the American dream.  It's called the American Dream for a reason.  It's not applicable to just one race or certain races.  As a matter of fact, it's not applicable to any race.  It applies to Americans.  All Americans.  

I picked up a University paper yesterday and I'm thumbing through it (like I normally do) trying to get to the good stuff when low and behold I come across an article talking about disturbances on campus election night.  Black students were celebrating and white students were calling them the n-word (niggers for those of you with a strong stomach).  I don't understand.  And as if you you'd think it couldn't get any worse, another incident ensued where fifteen white girls surrounded one black girl - as the story goes in the Daily Mississippian.  I just don't understand.  When will people get it in their minds that black people, African Americans, dark people, the n-word people, however you want to label us - are in fact PEOPLE.  I said it before, we eat, sleep, shave and shower just like everyone else.  I mean seriously, what have we done that was so gross that we deserved to be treated in such vile and un-human ways.  Getting mad at black people because a black president won is not the answer.  Blacks make up a small portion of the American population.  As a matter of fact - we're the minority.  Even if every black person in the US voted for Barack he still would not have won.  Not without the help of a whole lot of white people.  So don't get mad at us - please.  Because you might say it to the wrong person and end up in a grave.  Racism is not a game.  It is so serious.  You never know what a person has gone through or the struggles they had to overcome in order to get to where they are now.  And calling them out of their name, demeaning or belittling them is nothing more than a big slap in the face.  We are people - smart people and we deserve to be treated just as equal as everyone else.  

The question buzzing around Chicago is who will be filling President-Elect Barack Obama's soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat? In near future, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be making the most important appointment of his career. He will be appointing the successor to Barack Obama's Senate seat. Possible candidates who have expressed interest in the Senate position include Democratic U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, Democratic U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez and Democratic U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. Others who are possible candidates are Valerie Jarrett, a close Obama friend and adviser, Treasurer Alexi Giannoullas, Tammy Duckworth, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, and Illinois Senate President Emil Jone Jr.. It is still unclear who the Governor will appoint because he is avoiding questions about potential Senate successors. 

According to the Chicago Tribune, the two leading candidates for Secretary of State are a Democrat and a Republican and both are member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. John Kerry, pictured to the left sitting on a curb outside the Ford Center in Oxford, MS prior to the Presidential Debate, is considered to the the top candidate. In 2004 as the Democratic presidential nominee, Kerry selected Obama as the keynote speaker. This speech has been considered by many to be the event that launched Obama into the national spotlight. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, has plenty of foreign relations experience and supports Obama's decision to set up talks with nations such as Iran. The other lead candidate for Secretary of State is Republican Senator Richard Lugar. He is the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee and Obama stated in the last debate that that he is someone who has shaped his ideas on foreign policy. He also supports Obama's decision to talk with leaders of countries such as Iran. 

With only 74 days until his inauguration, Obama is busy building his administration. His transition team is set and ready, having recently received their security clearance. The president-elect did not have to look very far to make his first appointment. He selected Rahm Israel Emanuel, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives representing Illinois's 5th Congressional district, to be his White House Chief of Staff. This will not be Emanuel's first trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He served in the Clinton Administration as a political and policy adviser. After serving President Clinton, Emanuel worked in investment banking before winning his House seat. 

Again, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Obama on a great campaign and an impressive win. This campaign season was quite the run, with the media being a huge part of it. Watching the different news stations the day of the elections I certainly noticed bias in the media. Watching ABC near the end of the day all I saw were shots of Harlem and Chicago with mobs of people chanting "O bam a, O bam a." All the news clips showed Obama fans from all across the nation. Not until McCain's speech after Obama was declared president-elect did I see a clip of McCain supports. On the other hand, on FOX after Obama's win was confirmed, the news achors looked as though they were literally about to cry. After McCain's speech they kept praising him as an "American hero," not once--in the time I was watching, at least--did they praise Obama in any way.

In my opinion, the media has been rather biased throughout the entire campaign season. Hopefully in four years the media will be able to keep their opinions out of their news stories and off the air!

Cheers to the next four years

Harry Truman once said "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." It seems that most presidents have taken this advice and moved in their own furry, feathered or feline friends. Warren Harding had an Airdale named Laddie Boy, who even had his own chair at Cabinet meetings. Grace and Calvin Coolidge had a pet raccoon from Mississippi. FDR's favorite companion was a Scottish terrier named Fala, who attended one of his inaugurations and drove the Secret Service crazy because all the attention he drew. The Kennedy's had numerous pets including Caroline's pony Macaroni. Richard Nixon had a special little dog named Checkers that was given to him by a supporter. The Reagans' dogs included a sheepdog, Lucky, and a King Charles spaniel, Rex. George and Barbara Bush had a famous English springer spaniel, Millie, who wrote NY Times best selling memoirs and had a litter of puppies, one of which would later become a First Dog again in 2001. The Clinton First Family had two famous pets. Chelsea Clinton had a black and white cat, Socks, that accompanied her to the White House and President Clinton's beloved companion was a chocolate lab, Buddy. When George W. Bush and Laura Bush moved into the White House, with them came a Scottie named Barney, a short haired cat Willie, and Spot, one of Millie Bush's puppies. 

Today is Thursday. It's only been two days after the election and I can't stand to hear anymore about people leaving the country. It seems to me that every person that I walk by is talking or gossiping about the election results. I walked by this girl yesterday, "...and hes just going to pull our troops out, and ruin this country, and we are all going to die! I'm moving to Canada!" Seriously?!? I just can't stand the ignorance and lack of acceptance this nation has! What honestly is so bad about Obama? Please... someone inform me. Every single text I have gotten these last few days have been bashing Obama. This one I got yesterday said, "All white Americans must report to the cotton fields tomorrow morning for orientation." Is this serious? What are you people thinking?! Another person was saying that "you Obama voters" will get what you deserve. I can't stand to hear anymore ignorant, hateful, defamation come out of anyones mouths or be text to me.

We are Americans. If you want to move, then do it. Don't be so ignorant.

Well, I have to say this will probably go down as my most memorable experience I have ever had. It was so exciting to be around all of the national and international media that was there covering the debate. I got to see and do things that most people will never be able to see or do. It was great. I will never forget rushing to the street to try and see if I could see Obama or McCain when they got out of their vehicles. I will never forget being able to see people such as John Kerry, Tom Brokaw, and Katie Couric. The total chaos of trying to get together the transcripts  and having everyone work as a team to pull it off will never be a memory that I lose. Nor will I forget my most embarrassing moment when I tripped and fell down in front of everyone (I tend to not be the most graceful person). I will hopefully be able to carry these memories with me and one day tell my children and grandchildren about when I got to help at one of the debates of the most memorable election in history. 

I will never forget how anxious I felt when I first enrolled in this Journalism class. The closest involvement I had to any type of government was paging in the House and Senate in high school (a.k.a. making photocopies and getting coffee). So how in the world would I write about politics? I'll buy a book I thought! Buying books always ease my nerves and make me feel smarter. So I purchased What You Should Know About Politics.....But Don't: A Non-Partisan Guide to the Issues.

Though I still haven't read past the first chapter, I submersed myself into politics in order to become an informed blogger and voter. Listening to NPR while cleaning my room, watching the news when I first wake-up, skimming the election stories in the NY Times, reading either Newsweek or Time, and watching the RNC, DNC and every Presidential Debate have helped inform me of the issues and the political process. Though I am no political pundit, and I doubt I never will be, the experience this class has created is one I will forever remember.

Well, I have to say the election did turn out sort of the way I thought it would. As soon as I saw how popular Obama was to the American public I knew he was going to be the winner. I saw friends of mine who weren't even democratic fall in love with him. He is such a charismatic person who knows how to deliver amazing speeches. He can tell the American people anything they want to hear. He can also say things that have already been said and make them sound fresh and new. 

Barack Obama, the 44th president, is wading in the muck of the Bush presidency—two wars and flailing economy. And citizens and pundits are both asking the same question: “How will Obama handle the task at hand?” Needless to say, within the next few months we will begin to gather a sense of his political tactics.

Though he campaigned in black and white, as all candidates do, it will be necessary for Obama to bridge the partisan divide in order to accomplish a bold agenda. He must make tough decisions from the outset, and establish a political temperament somewhere between “cowboy diplomacy” and a passive, methodical approach. He must ease our worried minds by restoring faith in the economy, and he must call for every citizen to embrace an ethic of responsibility. He must establish relationships with foreign diplomats and renew America’s image abroad. He must invest in green energy, therefore creating millions of jobs. He must. He must. He must. The list could go on forever, and Peter Baker of the NY Times writes:

“But the task awaiting Mr. Obama arguably transcends this economic program or that foreign crisis. He takes over a nation weary of the past and wary of the future, gloomy about its place in the world, cynical about its government and desperate for some sense of deliverance. Nearly nine of every 10 Americans think the country is on the wrong track, the deepest expression of national pessimism in the polling history.”

So above all else, it is necessary for Obama to heal our nation and settle our nerves.

Well this has been one heck of a ride. I remember when I first heard about this internship from one of my other friends in journalism. I could feel that this would be an opportunity worth being a part of.

The class itself was the one class I truly enjoyed every week. It and this blog have helped to propel me into the political world and have increased my awareness beyond what it ever could have been. Once more, I graciously thank Dr. Husni and the university for the opportunity to be apart of this debate and to work for NBC. That for me, was a dream come true.

To quote Dr. Husni: "The people outside these walls may not remember this moment years later, but the people here today will never forget."

It was a historic event for Ole Miss and last night was a historic moment for not only our nation, but the world. It was amazing to see so many scenes of rejoice from countries across the globe. It was touching. I even made a point to get a copy of USA TODAY and the DM as keepsakes.

Both candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama have been outstanding in their strides over the past few months. And I greatly respect McCain’s support and good will to Obama’s election. As President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden now prepare for a difficult future ahead, I pray that they find the right path to lead us. I believe in a brighter future and I believe that with God's help, Obama can guide the way.

But it is not just up to Obama to do so. This is our nation and together we can bring change and heal our wounds. Together we will find that path through faith, strength and wisdom. The future is for us to decide.

Thank you for your time and you stay classy America.

Andrew M. Scott

I really wish people would stop making such a big fuss over Obama being elected as president. People keep making it out to be the end of the world. Yes, the United States will change, but change happens. Maybe Obama won't be that great of a president, but it's not like we haven't had bad presidents in the past. Who knows, maybe he will be the best thing to have ever happened to this nation. I really feel people need to claim down and give him a chance. Besides, even if they don't like him, there isn't too much they can do.

FINALLY!!!! The much-anticipated and long-awaited election has reached it's conclusion.  It never really struck home to me how much I wanted John McCain to win until I watched his concession speech. It literally brought tears to my eyes, and I don't know the last time I was so moved. Commentators after the speech made the point that had he showed that depth of emotion during his campaign, things may have turned out differently, and I had to say that I agree. It just sucks that more people couldn't see through the tough exterior to the "American Hero" that lay within. I am very disappointed that he lost, but I am trying to move forward and have a good outlook on all the positive change Barack Obama now has the capability of making. I can only hope and pray that he doesn't let us down. This class has really given me a sharper eye in this election, and I feel very lucky that I got to take part in this historical event in such a special way. Thank you so much for the opportunity, Dr. Husni! I will never forget it. :)

Now that Obama has won the election I wonder what will his next move be? Even though he has talked a lot about what his upcoming plans are I still don’t feel like I know what his next move will be. He is defiantly going to have to get everything together pretty fast because he has a lot of things to fix on his plate. To me Bush has not even begun to touch our economic problems. This is something that needs to be one of the first things on his agenda. I’m really hoping that he can come up with some good plans that will really help move our nation forward. Another thing dealing with foreign policy is the question of whether or not he is going to side with Israel. That is going to be interesting to see how that turns out. One thing is for sure, we will be seeing a lot different things going on in this nation once Obama gets into his term.

Upon browsing the internet today, I found stories that re-enforced my blog last night about about Gov. Palin being the possible force that held Sen. McCain back from reaching his full potential as a presidential hopeful. I never really expected him to win. I could sense how strong the Obama support was, and I always had a feeling he would win. But it's nice to find that others have similar ideas to make me feel like I am on the right track with someone. An article on cnn.com today discussed Gov. Palin's affect on the McCain campaign. It's true that she was a positive force in the beginning. She was new and fresh and a female. The longer the campaign went on, however, the more of a drag she became. The more she showed up in the public eye, the more she became the butt of jokes and somewhat of a laughing stock. I could never take her seriously as a vice presidential candidate, or for any political office really. She did a great job at drawing attention to McCain because he was being overshadowed by Obama's wave of driving change, which is what most people want to hear and experience. So, while it was good at first to go with the "random" Alaskan beauty queen to draw attention to you, it would be good to first weigh out the possibilities of what this person might do to your campaign in the future.

I'm in Overby with another class, Honors 301, and we're watching the results as they come in. On CNN, the anchor is playing with one of those $200,000 drawing boards that have been oh so popular this year. He says that if McCain wins all the states left (it's 8:30), he still can't win without California and Washington. How did we not see this coming that it's virtually impossible for McCain to win?

From this class, to the debate to election night, this class has taught me a tremendous amount. Interning for MSNBC was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was able to see just how hard journalist work. They never stop!!  I consider myself lucky to have been involved with this class, because I now have so many memories that I will never forget. Not many people get to experience a Presidential Debate at their college, and for any one who missed out on the events, I am truly sorry. I would not have missed this experience for the world. Politics in America is such an exciting thing, and Ole Miss, even it was for one night was part of history, and so were we!

I was just listening to a results news report on the radio. It MIGHT have been Bill O'Reilly, judging from his voice and the ridiculous stuff he was saying. But enough about him--I could go on for hours--he was taking calls from people about voting problems they had experienced. I'm curious to know if anyone has heard about problems, possibly some sort of messed up machines, in Virginia? Not trying to get the rumor mill started, but a woman from VA called in to say that a bunch of machines had failed and votes might not be counted. So far I haven't been able to find anything on it on the internet.

Though I may not be thrilled with the outcome, it is unbelievable that we can all say we witnessed the most historical election in history. 50 years ago, Barack Obama would not have been able to drink out of the same water fountain as me, and now, in 2008, he is President. The election of Obama displays to the rest of the world that, in America, anything is still possible. This is still a great nation, no matter, and we, as American's need to remember that. No matter you race, sex or creed, we all have that in common, and that is a bond that can never be broken.

Today Obama's grandmother passed away, only hours before the polls open. Obama has repeated throughout his career that his grandmother is a rock in their family; she raised him when he did not have the support from his parents. We could look at this in a positive light---she didn't need to see the outcome of the race, Obama has already made such strides for himself, for poor parentless people, for a member of the minority, the list goes on. Despite the result of tomorrow's race, his grandmother got to see Barack accomplish amazing things.

U.S. News and World Report’s Amanda Ruggeri analyzes some of the impending voting issues, especially the problem with new voting machines and new voting formats. She tells of an issue, again in the swing state of Florida, during its late August primary. A tight race in Palm Beach County caused a series of THREE recounts and then officials took two weeks to account for nearly 3,500 ballots thought missing, but were later found on shelves with the other ballots, many of which could not be interpreted. As the article notes, “voters seemed to find the ballot’s brand-new format, in which arrows had to be connected, completely unintelligible. Some had checked or circled their answers; others wrote jokes in the margins; one covered the paper with lipstick kisses.” Florida is such a key battleground state that a fiasco like this so close to the election makes many nervous.

a couple of my posts went missing. Turns out they weren't published yet. So, my apologies for the untimeliness of these posts.
Lately the media has reported on absentee ballots, MTV has held “ROCK THE VOTE” concerts, and certain states have held registering-and-voting days. The focus in each of these cases is the importance of the popular vote. Why is so much emphasis put on the popular vote when it really does not matter? Maybe it reflects how the Electoral College representatives might vote—but it in no way guarantees a winner; think back to the 2000 election when Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College vote. The way the system currently works, with each state having a different and decided number of votes, does not take into consideration the popular vote, thus making it insignificant. The argument against the Electoral College is that is in not a democratic establishment, as our Constitution claims our nation to be. It is not only odd but also an outlandish waste of money that candidates spend so much time, energy, and resources campaigning for the popular vote. Instead of working hard to encourage voters to participate, candidates could spend resources only on the electorates. Then the American public would be outraged and realized that we actually have no voice in the choosing of our President and Vice President.

After the longest Presidential campaign in history, it's finally over. Though, I'm not thrilled with the outcome, I hope, we as a country can begin to put the pieces back together and become unified. I know it will be hard for some, but like it or not, this country elected Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States of America. Though, the fair media coverage of Obama is probably the main reason he won, we all need to respect him as our president, though I know it will be hard for a lot of people, including me. I commend John McCain for his hard work and dedication to this country, and for the campaign he ran along with Sarah Palin. In my heart, I think McCain would have been a wonderful Commander and Chief, but that is not how the rest of the country felt. Here's to Barack Obama, the future of our country...

After my days of political blogging, my days here are done.  I have honestly learned so much through my experiences as a blogger, and from keeping my eyes on the TV.  Never did I really think that I would get involved with politics, but I have.  I really enjoyed getting to know both candidates over the last 4 months.  They are both amazing men and through these blogs, and through this class, and my experience with NBC, I can say I walked away a smarter person from this class-- something I cannot say for al of my classes.  Good luck President Obama, and I hope you bring us the change you promised during your campaign.  If you do, the world will be a better place.

One of the most uplifting accomplishments of Barrack Obama’s win is the fact that it illustrates how far the American people have come in terms of race relations. A New York Times reporter wrote an article concerning those who participated in the civil rights movements and their reaction to Obama’s win. I cannot even imagine the amount of astonishment and joy those are feeling who were supporters of the civil rights movement. If you think about it, as The New York Times points outs, there are the people that were beat to death, and had their lives threatened just to have the right to vote and TODAY an African American man is president. In some aspects, it seems as though everything that happened to them was worth it for our generation today. We can finally see that the American people are taking strides in the right direction and those that suffered so many years ago can finally reap the fruits of their labor.

Because this election is such an important election the lines for voting have been crazy. Many people had to wait in line for several hours before they could get a chance to vote. An article in USA Today said that just as hanging chads on Florida punch-card ballots were a big problem for the 2000 presidential election, long lines at polling places have become the problem this year. Many local newspapers reported on how lines started to form hours before polls even opened. One local newspaper in Ohio reported a person as having to wait in line for 6 hours. Even our own campus newspaper reported that voting lines in Oxford were expected to be long. USA Today said that as a remedy, many states are looking at allowing more people to vote by mail or to cast their ballots early at convenient polling places.

November 4, 2008….a day that I will forever remember. I will remember where I was, who I was with, what my sentiments were. But more than anything, I will remember the feelings of awe, pride, and sorrow. I had no doubt in my mind that our new President-Elect, Barack Obama, could take this election. However, it still was not real until I saw the words flash across the CNN screen. And at that moment, my heart filled up and bubbled over with excitement. While November 4th was a historic day because we elected our first African American president, I hope America can see that it was so much more than that. People of all races, nations, backgrounds, and social status united for a few moments in time to elect a new leader. Children of both genders and all backgrounds will grow up with the realization that they really can achieve anything they put their mind too.
After leaving an election watch party, I journeyed to the Square for a quick celebration. It was there that I noticed the long faces of some obvious McCain supporters. While listening to the coverage and talking with friends, I was asked by a McCain supporter who I voted for. Upon replying, Barack, the guy yells…Are you Crazy?! Not even for thirty minutes could I fully enjoy the moment of having voted in such a historic election for a man and family who stands for so much.

While I could write all day about my emotions and what President Obama stands for, I will leave you with just a few thoughts. First, I hope people look not just at the fact that an African American man is president, but that a new man has taken office. I hope that the American people hold Obama to his promises and polices and notice that it will take time to clean up the mess that has been left. Oprah summed it up best with her quote, “I feel that anything is possible.” I was sent an email this morning with an insert from Judges 4:4-6. This moment was written, history has been made. Regardless to whether you are Red or Blue, it is time for us to work with our new president in order to rebuild an America that we can all be proud of!

Though this might be a little off topic, it is still news in the world of politics.  California voters have overturned the State Supreme court ruling allowing gay marriage.  The voters spoke and they decided that they do not want gay marriage in their state.  This comes somewhat unexpected, as California is one of the most liberal states in the union.  After some 18, 000 gay couples were married, gay couples were able to register for a marriage license through today only in order to marry his or her partner, except for in Los Angeles County.  Though gay and lesbian couples across California are shocked, they said they will continue to strive for equal rights, and they will always know in their hearts who their true partners are, whether or not the state grants permission or not.  With a new liberal senate and a new liberal president, things will continue to change.  We shall see.  

Barrack Obama won last night’s election, as expected. He made several promises throughout his two years of campaigning that can be especially difficult to live up to. My question is can he keep all the promises he made to all the American people? I surely hope so. Foxnews.com reports that Barrack Obama owes a lot of his campaign’s success to Bush’s unpopularity. He has been handed an unstable economy, two conflicts abroad and the hope of many Americans. Everyone is wondering what is his first move going to be as the newly elected president? What is he going to focus on during the first couple of months while in office? A political analysts reports on Foxnews.com concerning the delicacy of Obama’s strategies, “Barack Obama realizes if he does anything precipitous with regard to American military forces in a place like Iraq and puts anybody in danger or in some way allows terrorists to make some gains, he will suffer a tremendous backlash that could be political damaging to him to the point that he never recovers,"

With Obama acquiring office in such a short period of time, he has a lot of his plate.  Coming from behind in the primaries, and with no one giving him a real chance at the beginning, he is used to hard work and hardships, and though this might seem like a nearly impossible challenge to face, I think it is completely feasible for president elect Obama.  When Obama acquires office on January 20, he will face the worst financial crisis in 70 years, and he will face two wars, one in Afghanistan, and one in Iraq.  When Obama took the stage on Tuesday night in Grant Park he said, "Our climb will be steep.  We may not get there in one year or even in one term.  But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there."  Well, President Elect Obama, please do get us there.  We need all the help we can get and you are who we have chosen.  

A day after the election, and I feel like I can breathe normal again. No more negative ads or political commercials for that matter. I'm so excited. My first election was definitely a memorable one. My mom can still tell me stories from her first election, and I know that I will definitely be able to tell my kids about my first election.

So apparently facebook is a really scary place right now!

There are certain things that are said to never be talked about, religion and politics. Over the course of the last 24 hours on the facebook networking site, that very BOLD line has been crossed... In fact, it's absolute chaos.

So far I have witnessed ridiculous status updates and notes ranging from the world coming to an end, to moving to Canada. First of All, if you're moving to Canada you should probably take a moment to realize they're more liberal than Democrats, eh! And of course there is the ever popular "Obama is the Anti-Christ, I'm scared" response... sigh...

Then there's the race card. And here is what's worse, it's flying on both sides of the ethnic fence. Unfortunately I saw where a young white girl that went to high school with my roommate had used THE "N" word on her status. On my own friends status update list, I found where a young black girl had called ALL Republicans racist because of their facebook status' Her status has now caused a response riot on her page.

All of these types of comments have now put a permanent mark on those individuals I once respected.

Thankfully there is a light in the darkness. Many Republican and Democrat facebookers have posted positive and uplifting status updates and have gone to profile pages to calm those in anger and silence the ignorance coming from others.

The interesting element is that facebook maybe its own culprit in this mass frenzy. Four years ago during the last election, we did not have the facebook we have today. Because it is an available, fast source of information without censorship, it has now made us transparent. It is an outlet of who we are as individuals and what we believe in. The power rests in ourselves to monitor our own actions. With that, many individuals have now condemned themselves and the way others see them.

Thus my warning to you: "Heed your words, they define you."

Well not that I have accepted the fact that Obama is our president (and I am a little excited), I do have one small request that I would like to give to Mr. Obama, and that is, I am going to need him to get rid of the catwalk that he walks on everytime he gives a speech.  He is not a model, and I think it is time for him to tone down the celebrity persona that he exudes when he makes any type of public appearance.  He is the president, and I know with being president comes fame and glory, but he is our president now.  Let's tone it down a bit.  Get rid of the cat walk, and do what every president before you has done, and down play your fame a bit.  You're the man Obama, and we all know it.  The drama factor must die.

Last night many barriers were broken as the first African American President was elected to office. Let's all hope that he embraces his campaign message ("A Change we Can Believe in") and works to better our current economic crisis and efforts over seize. I personally have my doubts in his executive abilities but truly respect him as the new leader of the United States.

God Bless and Good Luck Obama!

The end is here. I must say this blog has been fun to write. I have enjoyed reading all the posts and learned a great deal from my classmates. We don't all agree on the issues or candidates, but I think we all have to agree this has been one hell of an election. Working with the Presidential debate was an experience of a lifetime! I will treasure the memories friendships. If Ole Miss is to host another Presidential debate, may it be in the distant future! I think this campus has had its fill of politics for a while! I congratulate all the 495 students who took place in this blog, the University of Mississippi, all debate workers and volunteers, the media, and Dr Husni for making this event and time in ours lives such a success. Farewell to all.

The air definitely feels and smells different today. A lot of people seem to be stepping a little lighter and some seem to be stepping a little heavier. I don't know whether previous elections have had this much of an impact on citizens, especially students. But I am thankful that I have been as involved with this election as I have been. I feel like I can genuinely share in everyone's joy and disappointment because I followed the election process. I must contribute part of that to this class. All this blogging and reading has paid off, b/c I have come to appreciate the value of our presidential election. If it had not been for this class and the emphasis on us having to follow the election, I probably would not appreciate the new air.

Enough with the celebration, now it's time to get down to business.  I am thrilled and overjoyed that Barack Obama was bestowed with the greatest honor and title in the world - President of the United States.  I am going to enjoy all of the celebration parties and drink shot after shot for all of the red states that I saw on television last night.  I'm going to party like a rock star in the name of democracy, peace, and justice for all.  And I vow to honor, love and respect until death do us part - hold up, wrong speech!  Okay, back on track.  This is time for celebration and everything that comes with it.  But the party should be trickling down and people should start focusing on helping our new president breath life into everything that he promised.  It's time for Americans to support their president like never before.  So many people, groups, organizations and institutions are going to try their best to bring down Obama.  The antics, lies, and slanderous statements made by John McCain should be evidence enough on how far people are willing to bring down this soon-to-be great leader.  People were willing to sacrifice their lives just to take out the then presidential candidate, all for a power and a system of beliefs that they swore by.  Not only is Obama going to be faced with terrorist and deep rooted anti-American organizations in other countries, he's going to be faced with fellow Americans who not only want to make his job difficult, but possibly want to assassinate him as well.  

This is not easy to write about, but it's the truth.  There was a security fiasco at Obama's concession speech in Chicago.  Every police officer who earned a paycheck was there.  Secret service, aquatic teams in the water, plain clothes officers were all in attendance just to make sure that our new president was safe.  That's just a testament on how severe his safety is and how important that he is kept safe.  But we have to help not only keep him safe, but to keep him in office.  We have to stop making excuses for ourselves.  We have to become over achievers and start making a way out of no way.  We have to be smart enough to recognize that change does not come over night and it usually happens when we're not looking for it.  For the non believers, they have to realize that this is a new reality, possibly a reality that they never thought would materialize.  Seeing a black man as president is something that many thought they'd never, ever, ever see in their lifetime.  But it's here.  It's real.  It's now.  Now is not the time to divide.  Now is the time to come together and enjoy life as Americans.  Not as Blacks and Whites or Hispanics and Asians, but as Americans.  We can all be happy if we put all of these great minds, strong backs, loving arms, and nurturing heart together and conquer the problems that our country faces such as global warming, the oil crisis, education, heath and all the other problems that we can overcome collectively.  People say that Barak Obama made history last night.  I have to disagree.  The American people made history last night and that just proves the strength of our nation lies within its people.  It lies within US. 

Well... it's time to come out of the political closest...
I voted for Obama!!!!! Surprise!!!!!
... Wait, what do mean you could already tell? (Blushes)

Anyway, Last night was an epic night in American history with the election of the first black man to be President of the United States of America. It was a beautiful moment, with the results coming a lot sooner than most elections in the past. It is definitely one of the greatest presidential elections of our time. The world knew it was over when Ohio turned, but the defining moment was when the entire western seaboard came in pushing him over the 270 electoral college votes needed. When that happened, it was over, The Presidency was Barack Obama's. We now find Obama's 349 electoral votes to McCain's 173.

Sadly though, I was disappointed that my home county and Mississippi's electoral votes went Republican for McCain.

Here's the kicker though, I didn't vote all Democrat! For Mississippi I voted Republican for Roger Wicker who also won! That is my testament to the ideal that you should vote for what the candidate believes and not necessarily the party.

I'll never forget the anticipation of sitting here in my apartment at Campus Creek with my roommates awaiting that wonderful moment. And across the country, scenes of rejoice filled the television screen. MSNBC's pan of the citizens across the city Chicago was amazing and they even showed a candid shot of Jesse Jackson crying in the crowd. Rockefeller "Election Plaza" in New York City was beautiful as crowds cried and cheered in glee. It was a moment the world would not forget.

And even in all the celebration, Obama has already started choosing his staff with the acceptance of Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel with the job of Chief of Staff for the Obama White House.

Change... is here!

The results are in and it's official, George W. Bush has 56 days to vacate the White House.  All I can say is that it's about DAM time!  The only thing that can come close to the excitement that surrounds the victory of Barack Obama is knowing that George "The-most-hated-man-in-the-Universe" Bush will no longer be sleeping within the confines of a prestigious building that was designed to house a true national leader.  Americans will no longer have to bear witness to his embarrassing antics, blank stares, and mispronunciation of words.  He can now retire quietly on his little ranch in Texas and do what he's basically always been doing (while he was supposed to be running a nation that was lacking a great leader).  And that is golfing, hunting, and shooting ceramic plates out of the sky.  He no longer has to worry about Micheal Moore creating another epic mockumentary about him, unless Micheal Moore runs out of people to pick on.  The Bush can just quietly fade into the depths of the darkness and leave the galactic mess that he has created to someone who is savvy and tactical enough to fix up someone else's muckups.  However, I'd like to thank Bush for showing the American people what it's like to serve under bad leadership.  Now America can and will appreciate our new president, who is all about change and democracy.  Now the whole world will see just how powerful and influential this great nation really is.  And most importantly, Americans will finally realize its full potential and hopefully come together to make this country as strong and independent as it can be.