Let's get the election over with

Last night I was on the phone with my mom and told her I was going to be watching the Obama infomercial. Following is an email she sent me along with my response. I love my mother dearly but could no longer remain silent when she and other family members seem to so easily buy into the false, out of context allegations against someone who I hope in the next 5 days is the next President-elect of the United States. Anyway, it was a chance to write a short essay about my feelings.

On Oct 30, 2008, at 9:40 AM, "Mom" wrote:

RIGHT OBAMA AND HIS ADVISORS----- THE REVERAND AND I USE THT TERM LOOSELY-------JEREMIAH WRIGHT! AND OTHERS!!!!!! AREN'T YOU JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED?

On Oct 30, 2008, at 10:30 AM, Mark wrote:

Hi Mom,

I debated whether to send this, but your message kind of set me off. Just a few thoughts.

I'm not concerned at all. We all have nutty associates in our past, and it doesn't define us. Wright lost a screw along the way but wasn't always like that. Sure throwing Wright under the bus as soon as some of this stuff surfaced would have been the right thing to do politically, but personally I also think it would be hard to immediately disown your pastor.

Listen, I respected McCain back in 2000, and he certainly would have been a better President than what we got. But his campaign this time around has been nothing but lies, deceit, and devoid of any new ideas on how to run the country. His judgement has become questionable (Palin, etc) and his knee jerk and impulsive reactions to almost any new situation and challenge is more than a little worrisome. Back in 2000, the Bush campaign destroyed McCain with some pretty underhanded tactics, tactics using lies, smears and innuendo that he absolutely abhorred.

At the time, McCain essentially said that he would never run such a campaign--he was too honorable to get down in the mud like that. However, for this campaign he ends up hiring the same people and running the same kind of campaign. Where's the honor and honesty in that? And take the week of the initial financial meltdown. McCain "suspends" his campaign to make a big show that he was going to Washington to "handle" the situation. It was such a bogus, grandstanding stunt, and it backfired (even Republicans said he did nothing substantive to help the situation). Besides I want my President who thinks be able to handle more than one crisis at a time--it's called multitasking and that's what they have to do, everyday. And what do I want in a President? I want to be inspired, I want new ideas. Truly, what does McCain offer? The only thing we hear is innuendo about past acquaintances, phrases taken out of context, but nothing substantive about how we get out of the economic and foreign policy holes we're in.

And one last thing regarding Palin--I want our elected officials in such high offices TO BE SMARTER THAN ME. Not some nitwit who can't string two complete, grammatically correct sentences together without having them written out for her or memorized. But what really frosts me is her definition of real America and real patriotic Americans--it'sso narrowly defined and not inclusive of all Americans who love this country, regardless of race, religious and personal choice beliefs, or political affiliation. Her speeches are full of buzzwords that basically say Obama is unAmerican because (a) he's black and (b) has Muslim friends. I have Jewish, Arab, Hindi, gay, pro-choice friends....does that make me less of an American?

Love, Mark

Springsteen: "I want my country back"

Why he's the Boss

"'Hello Philly,

'I am glad to be here today for this voter registration drive and for Barack Obama, the next President of the United States.

'I've spent 35 years writing about America, its people, and the meaning of the American Promise. The Promise that was handed down to us, right here in this city from our founding fathers, with one instruction: Do your best to make these things real. Opportunity, equality, social and economic justice, a fair shake for all of our citizens, the American idea, as a positive influence, around the world for a more just and peaceful existence. These are the things that give our lives hope, shape, and meaning. They are the ties that bind us together and give us faith in our contract with one another.

'I've spent most of my creative life measuring the distance between that American promise and American reality. For many Americans, who are today losing their jobs, their homes, seeing their retirement funds disappear, who have no healthcare, or who have been abandoned in our inner cities. The distance between that promise and that reality has never been greater or more painful.

'I believe Senator Obama has taken the measure of that distance in his own life and in his work. I believe he understands, in his heart, the cost of that distance, in blood and suffering, in the lives of everyday Americans. I believe as president, he would work to restore that promise to so many of our fellow citizens who have justifiably lost faith in its meaning. After the disastrous administration of the past 8 years, we need someone to lead us in an American reclamation project. In my job, I travel the world, and occasionally play big stadiums, just like Senator Obama. I've continued to find, wherever I go, America remains a repository of people's hopes, possibilities, and desires, and that despite the terrible erosion to our standing around the world, accomplished by our recent administration, we remain, for many, a house of dreams. One thousand George Bushes and one thousand Dick Cheneys will never be able to tear that house down.

'They will, however, be leaving office, dropping the national tragedies of Katrina, Iraq, and our financial crisis in our laps. Our sacred house of dreams has been abused, looted, and left in a terrible state of disrepair. It needs care; it needs saving, it needs defending against those who would sell it down the river for power or a quick buck. It needs strong arms, hearts, and minds. It needs someone with Senator Obama's understanding, temperateness, deliberativeness, maturity, compassion, toughness, and faith, to help us rebuild our house once again. But most importantly, it needs us. You and me. To build that house with the generosity that is at the heart of the American spirit. A house that is truer and big enough to contain the hopes and dreams of all of our fellow citizens. That is where our future lies. We will rise or fall as a people by our ability to accomplish this task. Now I don't know about you, but I want that dream back, I want my America back, I want my country back.

'So now is the time to stand with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, roll up our sleeves, and come on up for the rising.' "

(Via Joan Walsh in Salon.com.)