Hurricanes & Beauty Queens

After the Democrats rode the mile high love train in Denver and Oprah “cried my eyelashes off” I guess John McCain figured he needed to lively up his show and he has. He chose Sarah Palin, the totally unqualified moose-huntin’, oil-drillin’, bible-thumpin’ runner-up beauty queen Alaskan governor for his VP. Asked on Fox news if she was really the best choice McCain replied, "Oh, yeah. She's a partner and a soulmate."

McCain & Palin (Now That is a Flag Pin)

OnSanJuanIsland.com Reader Nalton cautions, “This woman is a real threat, because the right-wing will identify with her values and her persona. It won't go any deeper than that, and she'll motivate and energize the wingnuts to go en masse to the polls.”

I agree. Heck, she’s prudy and she kin shoot. Some folks don’t need more than that. Barack Obama said, “She has a compelling story.” And so she does, Arianna Huffington warned Democrats, “Picking Sarah Palin was clearly a Hail Mary pass. But the McCain campaign is tapping into an archetype that resonates deep in the human psyche.” Maureen Dowd, called it, “a Cinderella story so preposterous it’s hard to believe it’s not premiering on Lifetime.”

Governor Palin on Vogue Cover

Add to this unfolding drama a class 3 hurricane spinning toward the Gulf Coast. Conveniently it is suppose to hit on Monday somewhere between eastern Texas and western Mississippi just when George Bush and Dick Cheney were scheduled to be at the Republican Convention. McCain now is spared their appearance. McCain may even deliver his acceptance speech Thursday from the devastation zone if the storm hits the U.S. coast with the ferocity feared by forecasters.

Democrats can take nothing for granted.

Hurricane Gustav

McCain Picks Pistol Packin' Mama VP

McCain Picks Alaska Governor Sarah Palin For VP

“I tell ya, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers
for me: What is it exactly that the V.P. does every day?”
Gov. Sarah Palin

"Palin is like an Evangelical Geraldine Ferraro
with an NRA membership”
The Black Snob

National Organization of Women ~ Kim Gandy

"Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is a cynical effort to appeal to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against their own self-interest.

Gov. Palin may be the second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just like John McCain.

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.

“Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.

“This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”

Garling Gauge

"She’s a pro-life, anti-gay, pro-creationism in schools, lifetime NRA member, and an advocate for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She also owns three homes (totaling 13 for the GOP ticket) and has a large enough family to take on Joe Biden’s numerous family members in case this election descends into a brawl. Her children are named Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and Trig (seriously).".....

"And oh, by the way, she's under investigation for abuse of power as governor, so she certainly fits neatly with the Republican mold."

Signed Sealed and Delivered

OBAMA ACCEPTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINATION

Barack, Sasha, Malia and Michelle Obama after his acceptance speech at the
Democratic National Convention ~ Photo Ron Edmond/AP

“America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise, that American promise, and in the words of Scripture, hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.”

excerpt from Barack Obama’s acceptance speech

Man Waves Flag Over Crowd at Invesco Field
during Obama Speech ~ Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Image

Preforming at Invesco Field
Signed, Sealed, Delivered ~ Stevie Wonder

Clean Energy Now!

WE CAN SOLVE IT
MESSAGE
TO OUR LEADERS

The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. The goal of the Alliance is to build a movement that creates the political will to solve the climate crisis -- in part through repowering America with 100 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources within 10 years. Our economy, national security, and climate can’t afford to wait.

from the Alliance for Climate Protection

The Black Snob

The Snob Herself

If like me you are enamored by our presumptive first lady’s fabulous sense of style I must refer you to the blog, Black Snob: Politics, Pop Culture and Pretentiousness, not only for all things Michelle (including lots of photos) but for some great insightful and entertaining commentary.

Thanks Snob! You are fabulous!

Just a few photos snagged from Black Snob.

Code Pink Clubbed by Denver Cop

Code Pink Clubbed to Ground by Denver Cop

Recreating 68?

"Recreate 68" is not a slogan embraced by peace activist group Code Pink but I'm sure the Denver cops have heard the slogan and were primed and ready for just such a reaction reminiscent of the clubbing of protesters by the Chicago cops during the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968.

Iraqi Veterans Against the War
Leads Protest March

Rage Against the Machine gave a free concert in Denver. The concert was followed by an anti war protest march to the Pepsi Center. Iraqi Veterans Against the War led the march.

Commader in Sheath

Michelle Obama addresses

the Democratic National Convention.Photo: Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times

The frustrating thing about listening to Michelle Obama's speech on the radio was that I could not see what she was wearing. The NPR commentators seemed fixated on whether or not Hillary supporters were going to be disruptive and didn't even mention that Mrs. Obama was wearing a lovely aqua three-quarter length sleeved sheath with an empire waist, V neck and back set off with a cheerful sunburst brooch and classic black pumps.

Will Hillary supporters be disruptive? They will give Hillary a roll call vote Wednesday so I guess we will find out.

“All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do - that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.

That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack's journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope.

That is why I love this country.” Michelle Obama

Soul Artist John Legend teams up with the Agape Choir from
California at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

John Legend ~ If You're Out There

American Prayer

Don't I always bring you the best new Obama music videos? Here is a new one with a song by Dave Stewart. And so my brethren, let us now commence to pray...

American Prayer ~ by Dave Stewart

Secret Service Dispatch Breaks The News

Young Turks Announce
Joe Biden for Obama's Vice President

Jeff Hogan - Killer Whale Tales

The Whale Museum is thrilled to present orca photographer, storyteller and educator Jeff Hogan. Jeff is the founder of Killer Whale Tales, a program that brings the field of orca research into the classroom with a unique blend of teaching science and conservation through storytelling.

Jeff takes all of his orca photographs from shore, many from San Juan Island's Limekiln State Park. He promises to share with us how his program Killer Whale Tales came to be plus how anyone can get amazing photos of whales from the shore.

This event will take place Friday August 22 at 7:00 pm at the Whale Museum.

American Values & The Pursuit of Happiness

I have joined People of Faith on the Barack Obama website and have been answering a weekly values question. This week's question is one that Reverend Warren asked both Obama and McCain, What is America’s Greatest Moral Failure? This is how I answered...

Norman Rockwell ~ The Golden Rule

Values Question #9
What is America’s Greatest Moral Failure?
Failure to live up to the ideals of
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

The Declaration of Independence, our nation’s founding and self-defining document states,” We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I believe our greatest moral failure is the many times we have failed to live up to our nation’s founding ideals of equality by respecting the rights of others to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Images from the past come to mind like Wounded Knee and the Cherokee Trail of Tears, the bloody slave ships, the slave auctions, Suffragettes ridiculed and beaten for seeking the vote or the labor riots like the Haymarket massacre. In the twentieth century Japanese Internment camps, Jim Crow laws and the blacklisting of McCarthyism haunt our national conscience.

Today respecting other people’s rights endowed by their Creator to life, liberty and happiness relates directly to issues of immigration, poverty, health care, privacy and educational opportunities. We are guaranteed in the declaration of independence not only our life and our liberty but also our right to pursue happiness. The pursuit of happiness reaches beyond the basics of food, shelter and basic health care. These are the basic requirements of life. For liberty we need to vigorously exercise our freedoms of speech, religion and the press and protect ourselves from undo government intervention in our personal lives. Excellent public education with equal opportunities, a fostering of the arts and greater leisure time for the workforce would, I believe greatly benefit the pursuit of happiness.

Peggy Sue McRae
Buddhists for Obama

Stop By Democracy Corner

Stop by Democracy Corner also known and the Democratic Headquarters. Here you can chat with democrats or register to vote while checking out the Islanders For Obama T-shirts that just came in, plus Obama hats, a great variety of buttons, bumper-stickers and yard signs.

Democracy Corner is in one of the Islands most significant structures, this Pig War era building was moved to town from American camp over 100 years ago.

V*O*T*E

Don't Forget To Vote!
Ballots must be postmarked today.
Women's Suffrage Parade ~ Pennsylvania Avenue 1913

McCain Committed to Anti-Woman Policies

Yesterday both Barack Obama and John McCain were interviewed by Reverend Rick Warren at Saddleback megachurch in California. Here is McCain on a women's right to choose.

McCain Against Women's Rights

Here is the deal breaker right here. The thought of McCain appointing Superior Court judges ought to send a horrifying chill down the spine of anyone who cares about women and women’s rights.

Obama Answers The Same Question

Tibetan Flag Unfurled in Beijing

Tibetan Flags Protest Beijing 080808
from Students for a Free Tibet on Vimeo

Preparing For The Beijing Games

Chinese Police in Beijing ~ Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

Lhadon Tethong is a spokesperson for the Tibetan independence movement and Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet. Here she addresses the Olympic Torch Relay right before it went through Lhasa the capital of Tibet. See Lhadon's blog at: Beijing Wide Open.

ON THE TORCH RELAY THROUGH TIBET

Lhadon Tethong

FREE TIBET BANNER ON MOUNT EVEREST

Team Tibet - Banner Hanging

TEAM TIBET
SCORING POINTS IN BANNER HANGING

Under Chinese occupation, Tibetans are denied their right to sovereignty and have been barred from competing in the Olympic Games on behalf of their country. Team Tibet represents the national aspirations of the Tibetan people for freedom and independence.

Four Students for a Free Tibet activists detained after dramatic Free Tibet banner protest outside Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic Stadium


Six Free Tibet activists hang a banner on the Wall.

Barack Obama's Birthday

It is Barack Obama’s birthday. Born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii that makes him a Leo, the regal lion of the astrological signs. According to the Neptune Café his horoscope indicates success. "On November 4 (election day) transiting Saturn and Uranus will be forming an exact opposition, pitting elements of the status quo (Saturn) against the forces for dramatic change (Uranus). With Aquarius Rising and transiting Uranus in his first house, Obama clearly personifies the Uranian element. Obama's progressed Sun will be very favorably sextile his Midheaven in 2009, which represents a natural assumption of power.”

"Go Tell Mama - I'm For Obama!"

Music and video by Doug Plavin