Walter Reed...Middle School?

A lot of RNC viewers were perplexed when McCain appeared from the light of the Obama logo, strolled to the podium, and began his lackluster speech before an enormous green screen. We'd seen that lime green screen before and thought McGrinch had learned his lesson -- it was not a good look for McCain and was widely panned by pundits and the public alike. So, why would he choose that hideous background for the biggest speech of his very long political career?

It turns out the green screen was only part of the story. The close-up at the podium made it appear to be a giant green screen, but the arena audience was treated to a much different image.
Aaahhhhhh....much different. McCain standing in front of a grand building, not a green screen. And what building could possibly deserve such a prominent role as the main backdrop of McCain's nomination speech? It is Walter Reed. As in Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California.

Wait, what? Did they mean to have an image of Walter Reed Medical Center? Ouch. If only they were a little better at "the google," they might have recognized their mistake.

ABC News says the McCain camp isn't commenting. If they meant for the image to be Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, I'm sure we'd all love to hear why that fine school was selected for such an honor.

Mike Huckabee Mistaken...again

If someone made that claim to me, I'd look puzzled. Then I'd ask how many people live in Wasilla. Isn't it only a few thousand? Then I'd go to Wikipedia. Huh, looks like she got 909 votes in 1999. The City of Wasilla official site confirms that, although you have to download a PDF.

Well, OK. But Biden dropped out after Iowa! Surely he couldn't have gotten that many votes if he only got 1% in a caucus, right?

I dunno, let's look at the CNN results. And... wait, he got 2,328 state delegates? Isn't that more than 909?

Well, those are caucuses. Those don't count. Biden didn't get any real votes, right? Cause he dropped out?

In New Hampshire, Biden picked up another 638 votes, and in South Carolina, he got 693 votes. That's more than 909.

Maybe Sarah Palin got a lot of votes the first time she ran for Mayor. Let's say she got, oh, all 5,000 votes in Wasilla. And let's add all her votes together, from both elections. Let's give her a round 6,000 votes for Mayor. That'll put her over Biden, no doubt.

In Florida, Biden picked up 15,704 votes. Without even campaigning there. After he dropped out.

It goes on and on. Florida was his high point, but he did well in New York and of course Delaware. So I think the truth isn't so much that Palin got more votes for Mayor than Biden got for President. It's more like...

Biden got more votes for President than Palin did for Mayor -- after he officially withdrew from the race.

Are Kids Fair Game?

I'm sure we're all tired of hearing about Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's pregnant teenage daughter. From late night talk shows to CNN, the media cannot get enough of her. But, does this belong in a presidential election? A few months ago, one media outlet called Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama." For those of you who have been out of the pop culture loop, that's a racial slur. Michelle and Barack were married when they conceived both of their daughters, so why the ignorance toward Michelle? After this statement was made, not one person from McCain's camp condemned the news outlet for this. Now that Palin is under attack, McCain's camp cannot say enough. Last week Barack Obama even released a statement saying that children, all children should be left out of the election...and he even made reference to the Palin family, stating that they are handling it as a family and that they need their private time. Let me know what you think...should families be left out of the smear campaigns?

DNC Part 1

What an incredible speech by Michelle Obama. I think she really captured the spirit of America and how it embodies sacrifice, struggle, hard work and dedication. It was an American story that is quite identifiable to all citizens. Having hard working parents that sacrifice for their children; a single mother struggling to raise her child without paternal help. These, and stories like these are not relegated to the Obamas. This enables all Americans, from all backgrounds, to relate to our potential First Family.

Ted Kennedy was awe inspiring. His determination to make this speech in light of recent events, only solidifies my support for Obama. Only a man of true character can garner such supporters. Ted is the backbone of the Democratic party. His leadership has proven timeless and unwavering. After tonight's demonstration, I can only feel a sense of duty that extends far beyond my own concerns.

A tide of change is sweeping across our nation, and I'm loving it.

Obama-Biden?

Okay, so everyone is talking about Obama's choice for running mate. Senator Joe Biden from Delaware...who? The two appeared today in Illinois, Obama's home and where he announced his candidacy for President, but are the Dems really that excited about his choice? Biden highlights some of Obama's weaknesses like his lack of foreign policy experience, but in the same respect he fills in the gaps on Obama's resume. This is a solid choice and one that brings some much-needed credibility to the Democratic Party. The duo, who have yet to receive a clever nickname from the media, will appear together again on Thursday night when they officially accept the Party's nomination. I hope Hillary bought a special pantsuit for this occasion!

ARE YOU PATRIOTIC?

Do you love your country? Are you willing to sacrifice your life to uphold the principles and values that are considered American? Will you defend the Constitution without hesitation or compunction? Our military will, and they take a sacred oath that binds them to such obligations.

This question is posed to those who have not served in the armed forces, and is in no way meant to impugn or call into question ones patriotism. Rather, it is meant as a way to define patriotism and provide a sense of what it is. The concept is quite large so conciseness may be appropriate.

We should all remember that the United States of America is the product of dissent: first from the British Crown during The American Revolution, second during the Civil War when struggling to define the nation's government served as the catalyst for intra- and interstate turmoil. These tumultuos periods, in addtion to others, helped solidify the foundation of this nation and its values, which have evolved throughtout its brief history.

One may ask what this has to do with patriotism, which would be a legitmate question. Remember one thing: acquiescence must never be mistaken for patriotism. It is with a dissenting voice that women and African-Americans protested laws that legislated inequality...they too were proud Americans. Therefore, those who believe that patriotism can only be exhibited through our willingness to accept our government's decisions, have missed an extremely important point; see first amendment. It is essentially our duty, as citizens, to check and balance our government. Yes we have the three branches of government, but we also have 300 million American citizens who should feel obligated to carry on the properity of our nation. Only if one believes our elected officials always make the right decisions should one remain silent.

This is not to say that we should decry hatred for our policy makers. Neither is it to imply that our government is always wrong, clearly they are not. Transversly, they are not always right, and a true patriot will perfom their duty and inform those who are willing to listen that dissent is sometimes necessary. This makes our nation stronger...the ability to recognize where we are wrong and make adjustments.

There are many ways to display patriotism, but only one nation for which we should display it...The United States of America. If you've never served in the military, public office or held a government position, please do not feel unpatriotic. However, if you don't feel the need to leave this country a better place for the children, therein lies a problem. A true patriot understands that imperfections exist, and in order for the U.S. to sustain its place as the world leader, these imperfections must be addressed. This is the "home of the brave," and it is the brave who are willing to tackle the issues that affect our nation now, and have the potential to affect it in the future. Stand up, be counted, vote, educate yourself and someone else.

SHOW YOUR PATRIOTISM, NOT WITH WORDS, BUT WITH DEEDS.

Iraq: What is it Now?

I'd rather lose the election than lose the war," says one of our illustrious Presidential candidates. I can't help but to ask, what war are we fighting in Iraq now? Our military, which is the finest fighting force on the face of this planet, has accomplished every mission our government has asked them to:

1. To find and destroy weapons of mass destruction. There were no weapons so the goal had to be changed...

2. Depose Saddam Hussein and free the Iraqi people from a tyrannical dictator. Thanks to our military, Saddam is now pushing daisies and the only place he'll hold office is in hell. The people of Iraq elected their own President in the nation's first free elections.

3. Establish a free standing democracy with a military and defense force capable of enforcing and sustaining a rule of law. Iraq has an elected President, a legislative body and a military force that is now demanding a timeline for U.S. troop withdrawal.

Why then, are we disputing when they will be able to come home? It's been argued that if we pull out, we are essentially conceding defeat to terrorist organizations that are salivating at the opportunity to overtake Iraq. If this is the case, the failure is not our military's, but our political leaders who failed to gain insight or knowledge on what is obviously a much larger and complex problem, extending beyond Iraq. Further, these terrorist organizations are in no way limited to the borders of Iraq. Iraq wasn't even a sponsor of terrorism, simply because Hussein had a stranglehold on all of the country's affairs and was unwilling to share power...Iran is a different story.

The miscalculations of our politicians have led to thousands of dead and wounded troops, no clear objective and how it will be achieved, and much worse, no clear exit strategy. These monumental blunders are not to be blamed on our military, they simply follow the orders of their civilian superiors, many of whom never served.

The bottom line is, we need to hold our elected representatives accountable for and to our military. The men and women of the Armed Forces risk their lives daily so we can have the opportunities we have. The least we can do as beneficiaries of their sacrifices, is demand that policy makers make competent, well-informed decisions so we can minimize casualties while maximizing results. Our troops have done a tremendous job, despite the misinformed decisions of our elected officials (some appointed), lets show our support for them by demanding better from our government.

ROOT FOR THE BOOT.

John Edwards...seriously?

Okay, I know everyone is tired of talking about John Edwards and his cheating ways…and the fact that his mistress and alleged mother of his youngest child is being secluded in a $3 million home. I am also tired of hearing about it but one thing that continues to bug me is that he keeps saying that he only cheated while his wife’s cancer was in remission. If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you. And does it matter that his wife’s cancer was in remission…shouldn’t he have been celebrating the fact that his wife was (at that time) going to survive? He said in his pathetic admission of guilt that he didn’t love Rielle Hunter…so your wife was rejoicing in the fact that she might have a chance to see her children graduate from high school and you were having an affair for the purpose of having an affair? Sounds like crap to me. Just tell people the truth! Your wife could no longer perform her wifely duties because she had the nerve to be concentrating on staying alive and you needed some on the side. Case closed.


That’s it from me unless something new develops. Let me know if you agree.


Mae

Welcome!

Welcome to Root for the Boot! The purpose of this blog is to show our support for all those who wear the United States military uniform...and events that we see fit to post. Make sure to stop in each day to post your opinions and make sure to tell your friends about us. You can guarantee we'll keep you interested and informed about what's going on in the world.


Thanks,

Mae & Ignace