LEADERSHIP CULTIVATION

The "Real" Reason That John McCain Chose Sarah Palin

Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that Sarah Palin is not a good choice to serve as John McCain's vice president.  McCain is 72 years old and suffers from a potentially deadly disease, skin cancer.  So why pick an inexperienced running mate when there exists a tremendous need to assure the American public that a McCain Presidency has a good succession plan, well the answer is right in front of us.

After watching the very successful and unified Democratic Convention, John McCain like most Americans knows that his candidacy is in trouble.  However, McCain is also a very proud man.  So short of admitting defeat, he picked an unqualified running mate so that after he loses, he has an established alibi that lets him save face.  McCain wants to be able to rationalize that the American people did not personally reject him, but instead rejected his ticket because of legitimate concerns about the qualifications of Sarah Palin.

What McCain and the GOP have done, essentially amounts to a punt.  They are resigned to losing to Obama in 2008, then run 24/7 interference during an Obama Presidency, retool and try their chances again in 2012.  If this was a runaway basketball game you would say that the McCain Campaign has pulled its starters. 

Now the real challenge for Team Obama and Biden is to stay focused and not reduce its game to the level of its competition.  In other words, like any disciplined team that wants to protect its lead, Team Obama and Biden should not pull its starters or change to a zone defense, but instead keep its full court press intact.  Otherwise, Barack Obama and Joe Biden could end up adding their names to the long list of better qualified but overly-confident teams, that ended up losing to a lesser opponent.

Scholars question Palin credentials

Presidential scholars say she appears to be the least experienced, least credentialed person to join a major-party ticket in the modern era.

read more | digg story

Sarah Palin: Dems Pounce On McCain Pick

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush's failed economic policies -- that's not the change we need, it's just more of the same."

read more | digg story

Obama calls for renewal as Democratic convention ends

The convention, which in its final day took on the air of an enormous pep rally, ended in football stadium stuffed with more than 84,000 people as Obama called for a renewal of the American spirit.

read more | digg story

Incredible! - McCain's Prickly TIME Interview

Unbelievably Arrogant, Angry and just plain RUDE !

read more | digg story

Hillary Reconciled My Differences

As an early and once ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton, a rift developed between us during the contentious Democratic primary season.  It was a rift that I primarily blame on Hillary choosing to follow bad advice from her campaign advisers.  However, tonight after listening to her speech at the Democratic Convention, my former irreconcilable differences have been reconciled.  I also believe that Hillary has at last reconciled her disappointment in losing the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama.  In a like manner I hope that Hillary supporters also are finally able to move forward and heartily support the Obama and Joe Biden Democratic ticket.

During her speech I saw the Hillary that I had come to admire and felt was the Democrats best choice for president.  But sometimes our best laid plans do not always materialize. The keyword here is our.  I believe that one reason "our" plan might not actualize is because our plan might not be the best plan for the greater good. Maybe for Hillary there is a greater calling.  If she chooses, in Hillary I see someone that has the passion and drive to one day replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate as the lead and long term advocate for change that improves the lives of everyday working Americans.  And that is no second-place concession.  The legacy of Ted Kennedy will be equal to or greater than that of any American President.

On the other hand, despite what very nervous Republican pundits would have us believe, Barack Obama is the best choice at this time to be President of the United States.  The truth of the matter is Americans really have tired of the gridlock in Washington and we really have come to despise consistent votes in Congress that strictly adhere to party lines to the detriment of the American people.  Barack offers the best hope for moving beyond partisan politics.

So I am encouraged that America will do the right thing in November and elect Barack Obama president.  I'm also encouraged that Hillary Clinton and yes Bill Clinton too will be partners to Barack and Joe Biden in helping America regain the prestige that it lost under the leadership of George Bush and Dick Cheney.

The Longest Faces In the Room...

Sen. Claire McCaskill was on point when she told Keith Olbermann that the longest faces in the room tonight belonged to the mainstream media who were disappointed that their continued insistence on Democratic Party disunity had lost its steam.  She accurately proclaimed that the Democrats are unified.

Also tonight, President Bill Clinton got his legacy back on track.  He was outstanding with his talking points.  Sen. John Kerry's speech which the egotistical media somehow felt was less appealing than their off target yakking, was also outstanding. I watched it on C-Span.

And not to my surprise, Chuck Todd was way off target in thinking that we who were watching and listening at home would give a bucket of spit for his opinion that Sen. Joe Biden somehow flubbed his zingers.  Joe Biden did just fine.  All the speeches were impressive and inspiring and judged on the basis of their content rather than some juvenile-type critique by a reporter.

The Democrats will do just fine in November and a President Barack Obama and his team were be as successful in returning this country to prosperity as was President Clinton and his team.

Michelle Obama's Democratic Convention Speech

Text as prepared for Michelle Obama's speech tonight to the Democratic convention. "As you might imagine, for Barack, running for President is nothing compared to that first game of basketball with my brother Craig."

read more | digg story

Joe Biden Will Be A Nightmare for John McCain and GOP

For months the GOP thought that Hillary Clinton would give them the most trouble as their 2008 Democratic presidential rival.  That was before Barack Obama outperformed everyone's expectations and proceeded to win the Democratic nomination instead. Suddenly, the GOP came to the realization that Obama was really the most formidable opponent and that Hillary was the easier prey.  The Clinton dynasty had been weakened and the GOP smelled red meat.   They now wanted Hillary to stay in the mix.  So they activated a plan to instigate Hillary into the number two spot on the Democratic ticket as the VP. Why not?  They could still run the same campaign ads that they produced months ago in anticipation of Clinton being the nominee.  

In the meantime, they decided to follow Karl Rove's advice to redefine Obama and makeover John McCain.  So the GOP promoted the Clinton storyline of Obama not appealing to working class white voters. Obama is an elitist.  Obama is weak on foreign policy.  Obama makes great speeches, but they are only empty words. Attack, attack, attack. Poke your finger in Obama's chest and dare him to fight back because it would violate his personal oath to run a civil campaign.  Gleefully bait Obama to respond forcefully, because then you could proclaim that "he is no different from the rest of us."  This is one instance where being the same has its benefits. 

However, true to form the GOP miscalculated.  They violated a basic tactic of war.  Never back your opponent into a corner without giving them an escape route.  Because with no way out, the cornered tend to fight back with more tenacity.  Or they call for backup.  Well, Barack Obama chose both options.  As John McCain said, Obama became "testy" and he also placed a call for backup to his colleague, Joe Biden.  You know Biden's reputation. Salt of the earth. Strong with working class Americans, strong with Catholics, strong with foreign policy and one who loves a good fight.  And unlike Obama, Biden possessed no handicap to play nice.  Biden has more than enough gut punches to go around and like Donna Brazile tearing into a GOP pundit, he won't hesitate to use them.   

The GOP must be thinking that they can't catch a cold.  "Curses, foiled again!". What's a body to do?  Maybe they will take the advice of the "brilliant" GOP talking head who recommended that McCain ignore Biden and keep hammering away at Obama.  You know, as in close your eyes and pretend that Biden isn't really there and maybe he will go away.  After witnessing Joe Biden in action today, somehow I don't think that strategy will have much success.

Joe Biden Is Obama's Vice Presidential Running Mate: Report

It's Big Joe!!!

read more | digg story