I wanted to dedicate this blog to some of my personal friends and fraternity brothers that have gone the extra mile to preform service and duty to their country in tough times. These men have heard the call to duty and have come through in full stride.

My fraternal little brother from Baldwin-Wallace College, John Worsencroft is currently serving as an officer in the U.S. Army and is deployed overseas in Iraq currently. His older brother and my pledge class brother, Mark Worsencroft, is a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and has already been to Iraq once himself.

My best friend and Bowling Green State University SigEp, Lcpl Michael C. Woodall, is currently serving in Afghanistan with the 3/8 Marines. His buddy, and one of my new adopted buddies, Ian Haddock from the great state of Georgia is joining him in the 'ghan.

Two of my younger fraternity brothers from B-W, Lt. Chris Burden and Lt. Josh Roberts, have recently completed OCS (Burden has also completed TBS) and became United States Marine Officers.

Each of us know many men and women that have already served overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, and support areas during The War on Terror. We also know of men and women that have been injured or killed while preforming their duty. I know that Veterans' Day and Memorial Day have already passed once this year, but I just wanted to write an entry that was dedicated to their service around the holiday season.

Thank you for your service and committment to our core values as Americans!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays wherever you are, gentlemen!

Can you possibly imagine how awful it has been to live in Minnesota and Georgia since Election Day? While most of us have been able to get back to our normal lives, Minnesotans and Georgians have had to endure the continual election news stories, new political ads, and scheduled visits from political leaders. If you're having trouble picturing this type of treatment, think of what Ohioans typically endure the days and weeks before the national election... and just put it on "extend" and "replay" for these new scenarios.

Think about it... while we were able to enjoy our Thanksgiving Day meal comfortably with our families and friends, citizens of Minnesota and Georgia quite possibly could have been receiving targetted mail, phone bank calls, or canvassing visits. Canvassing? While the yams are slow-cooking? It doesn't seem American... but ironically it's all in the name of American electoral integrity. Georgia is forced to hold an additional election for the current Saxby Chambliss U.S. Senate seat because he was not able to secure a majority in the most recent election (Georgia law requires a majority rather than a plurality.) Minnesotans have been forced to slog through a recount between Norm Coleman (R-Incumbent) and jokester Al Franken (D-Newbie) because it was within a few hundred votes (2000 Florida part deux, right?)

So THANK GOODNESS I'm not currently residing in those states.
Because the tv set is reserved for football games, college basketball games, turkey day parades, and all-day movie marathons... keep your attack ads away from our sacred vision tube.

NOTE: Cavaliers face the Golden State Warriors tonight for a chance to go to 13-3 and build upon the best start in franchise history.

There's really nothing like being home for the holidays (no pun intended.)

I had a great day. Got in late last night following work in Sylvania and the long drive back to Van Wert by midnight. Had some mixed emotions in the final hour of the drive...

Here's a recap:

Browns QB Brady Quinn is shutdown for the rest of the season to give his ailing throwing hand some down time. Sucks because he needs the experience, but gives us a chance to let Derek Anderson shine again so that his trade bait potential increases (Can it get worse?)

President-Elect Barack Obama named retired USMC General Jim Jones his National Security Advisor. Jones has 40 years of Marine Corps service that began as an infantry officer in Vietnam and culminated with his leadership as head of NATO forces and U.S. forces in Europe (Kosovo region era, I believe.) He also served as the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. Needless to say, Jim Jones can lay the hammer down if need be. Additional good news comes from the retention of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense (atleast until the Obama transition is complete and the new administration has a grasp on the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.) I have been waiting for some direct sign of a move toward bipartisanship from this new administration. Granted, this is the fastest that a presidential transition team has moved in awhile, they didn't exactly win me over by bringing Senator Clinton into the fold right away. So, kudos to you, President-Elect Obama... Gates and Jones maybe balances out either just Clinton or the combo of Daschle in H&HS and the lack of Governor Tim Kaine in any position thus far.

I watched Four Christmases tonight with my brother and mother at the always-hoppin' Van Wert cinema theaters. AMAZING movie in my opinion. I was afraid that the Vince Vaughn/Reece Witherspoon combo would go sour about 20 minutes into the feature, but I was astonished to see the potential chemistry turn into something great. They combined Christmas, family issues, and relationship drama into a hi-ho-hilarious entertainment experience. I felt like this was what The Breakup could have been, but wasn't. The cast was amazing, and I appreciated the writing. I won't ruin it for you, but it is worth seeing.

I got home in just enough time to see the Cleveland Cavaliers polish off the Oklahoma City Thunder by 35 points and move to 12-3 on the young season. Upcoming games at home against Golden State, New York, and Indiana and a road game against Milwaukee. Consistent play could elevate the Cavs to the top 1, 2, or 3 team in the NBA within the next 2 weeks.

Goodnight all! Think about our soldiers, sailors, and Marines that aren't going to be home tomorrow and say a little prayer for them. Also, don't forget to say a quick prayer for our fellow Americans that are in harm's way in India during this horrible terrorist attack and hostage showdown.

And remember.... if you're going to pardon a turkey, make sure they aren't slaughtering 20 behind you during the press conference.

A time to be thankful...

I'm mere hours from the not-so-long drive home to Van Wert county for two days of fun and relaxation with the family, and I can not wait to escape the work schedule and see the parents/siblings/cat? No, not so much the cat.

I do want to say a few quick words about the status of some of my beloved sports franchises before moving on to more pressing issues...

Cleveland Cavaliers (10-3) : playing the New York Knicks tonight and looking good so far. Only losses to Boston (deserved), New Orleans (sloppy), and Detroit (gave it away) blemish a stellar season thus far.

Cleveland Browns (4-7) : I do not know why I put myself through it each and every week. I really should nap during the allotted Brownies television broadcasts. Waking up to a loss is more bearable than sitting through consistent pain and torture.

NOW the main event...

The Obama Cabinet update for this week centers around economic matters for the most part. The President-Elect has surrounded himself with experienced advisors that all admittingly have never faced a challenge of such enormous proportions before (who has?) But, that hasn't taken the focus off other economic concerns; i.e. Citigroup meltdowns, layoffs and mismanagements PLUS what to do about the Big 3 (Chrysler, GM, and Ford?)

Citigroup laid off 50,000+ employees in this past two months amidst the largest depreciation of value in the company's history. I believe I read some statistics that showed that nearly 60% of the corporation's value has disappeared in the past few weeks. Congress runs to Citigroup's aid, but does not take major offense to Citigroup signing a 20-year naming rights contract with the New York Mets for their new stadium (proposed $20 million per year estimation.)

Economists are clammering for the auto industry to declare chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganize their leadership structure. What most people do not realize is that this will most directly eliminate previous union contracts with laborers within the workforce of these companies. So when the corporations eliminate jobs to pair with the reorganized leadership structure and cut back production estimates, current employees will have to re-interview for their positions and face definite pay/benefit cuts as part of the negotiation. Cable news economists and conservative forecasters have no problem demanding organized labor cut back heavily in order to save these businesses, but you will rarely hear them demand CEO wage restitution or even freezes on corporate bonuses or exorbitant benefit packages.

The American people do want corporations to restructure to meet the demands of a changing economy and global trade schematic, but what good will it do to only address the wages/benefits of the working-class that enables production to occur when the top leadership is rewarding itself millions of times over with money that should be reinvested within the company (via infrastructure repairs, technological improvements, resource development, hiring creative talent?) The free market, capitalist mentality must wake up and face the music that has been playing quite loudly on the main streets of America. We must stop living beyond our means in an over-stretched credit market that can not adequately meet the needs of an inflated market. Americans pay too much for health care, insurance, and energy expenses. The cost of food, clothing, and simple family security measures consistently outpace wage increases and benefit packages.

The Bush Administration has consistently praised economic indicators that do not appropriately reflect the average American's income and well-being. Statistics that describe corporate income and welfare do not begin to dictate how the American economy truly operates.

Now, in the final moments of the Bush Adminstration, we have authorized socialized corporate bailouts of major public/private institutions. After declaring the sanctity of taxpayer dollars, the Bush Administration has purchased vested interests in the private sector as a way to "help America recover" as a whole. It would be believable if the administration actually had a track record of helping the working-class and average citizen rather than the run-of-the-mill CEO, CFO, and top earning percentage of the U.S. population.

So on this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful that some change is on its way in January 2009. And I pray that it is the appropriate committment to the presented problem.

Senator Hilary Clinton would be an EXCELLENT Secretary of State... but not as Secretary of State for President-Elect Obama starting on January 20, 2009.

President-Elect Obama needs to send the message to the overly-moderate electorate that a spirit of bi-partisanship will exist in his Cabinet, and that his policy shops will not be reflected by the media spin doctors as the "most liberal administration in the history of American politics."

The spirit of Abraham Lincoln only goes so far. I know that Obama is stealing a page from Lincoln's policy of a "team of rivals," but this is no William Seward situation. Annointing Senator Clinton as Secretary of State brings a visible, bold voice of recent opposition and criticism to the Obama foreign policy team. Obama and Clinton agreed on foreign policy minutia about as much as Obama and McCain did. The American public wants a steady hand that reflects their wishes... an element of consistent change that delivers upon a promised spirit of bi-partisanship and compromise.

It is entirely possible to include elements of the Clinton administration in the Obama team structure without literally bringing Bill and Hilary into the fold. Keeping them separate from direct command elements allows them to be a voice of support or dissention from the "outside." Keeping Senator Clinton on Capitol Hill means that she has a chance to become the next "Lion of the Senate" following the departure of Senator Kennedy in a few years. She even can recoup credibility and stature for a possible presidential run again in the upcoming cycles.

Vet Governor Bill Richardson for Secretary of State, or wake up every morning and call Secretary Powell, Senator Nunn, and/or Senator Lugar and beg them to help their country one more time in the post of Secretary of State.

Wow... and I didn't even get a chance to move on to other Cabinet posts.

In a whole-hearted approach of consistency, I have resumed my blog after a near-9 month hiatus. Let's blame it on the rain, shall we?

Actually I took a break after things started to tumble politically for my then-dream candidate, Senator John Edwards. I had been love drunk with the idea that Johnny Boy could stage a Matt Santos-esque run through Iowa and then show great improvement in NH before sealing South Carolina. After the Obama build-up and the solid lock down of a Clinton v. Obama title weight match on the looming night sky, my hopes to see a President John Edwards inaugurated in 2008 were eliminated.

AND then... Edwards sealed the deal by announcing that he had been in an affair with a contracted journalist while his wife was battling cancer. Awesome. Way to go from #1 Dream Candidate (The rest of the list includes: Gov. Mark Warner, Sen. Jim Webb, Gov. Tim Kaine, and Gov. Ted Strickland if you're curious) to the basement, Johnny Boy.

Followed by... the emergence of the Obama machine. While it has been great to see a progressive candidate clean the GOP's clocks and help pick up more seats in Congress; I am worried that the far-left agenda might way too much on the shoulders of President-Elect Obama in the coming months. I personally would like to see a President Obama tackle working family issues primarily in the first 100 days of office. Some economic answers must be forged, and a focus needs to be placed on stabilizing the mortgage fiasco and then moving on to truly address issues that deal with the working, middle-class.

We need health care reform that focuses on the patient and their ability to seek/pay for quality treatment rather than throw their case at an insurance giant like a marble in a glass guessing jar of anonymity.

We need an increased level of dependability and trust in our Social Security retirement system. Al Gore wasn't crazy when he talked about a "lock box." At least he was talking about securing funds to pay for future services. We can not allow an executive branch to dictate that interest from the account can be used to pay for pet projects or military excursions.

We need positive job growth to tackle the increasing toil of manufacturing/industrial loss. Factories can be re-tooled and redesigned to meet the needs of a green economy, but that means capital investment in areas of the country that have been hurting directly from capital flight (Erie, Gary, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, etc.) Pairing alternative energy needs with current manufacturing/industrial potential is a win-win for the long-haul. We need a president to put eventual real progress ahead of short-term wins for re-election.

Are the days of self-sacrifice and true leadership behind us? The American people needs a president to forget about potential legacy and start focusing on solving real problems. I hope that is what we just voted for. We'll see.

Charles Barkley, Barack Obama, Indiana University Basketball, and the Ohio Primary.

I heard a news story this evening on the local news AND then replayed during the NBA All-Star festivities on TNT that focused on a unique political endorsement. Charles Barkley, former NBA great and frequent sociopolitical commentator, endorsed Senator Obama for president this weekend. Barkley, an admitted Republican and traditional Alabama gubanatorial wannabe, leaped to Obama's side of the aisle by calling him the best candidate for the job. Not only does this confuse many people (atleast me!) because of Barkley's consistent Republican roots, but also because he played NBA basketball in Arizona--home of Senator John McCain--for at least 8-10 years with additional stops in Philadelphia and Houston. Aside from merely refraining from endorsing any candidate at this point, Charles could have at least stopped at this point in the story...

I'm afraid that's not the case. Before we proceed with this analysis, let me first remind you that this is the same Charles Barkley that famously told the media years ago that he didn't want children to look up to him as a role model in his profession. I know for a fact that comments like that drove his Sports Illustrated for Kids trading card values down for years afterwards (actually I can't prove that statement, but it felt right.)

Here's the kicker, folks: Barkley continued to comment on the political atmosphere of the United States by referring to those that consider themselves "conservatives" to be in all actuality "fake Christians." Now, I have not had a chance to read the transcripts online, but the news is only covering those two tidbits of the situation---Charles endorses Obama, and Charles openly criticized conservatives for being "fake Christians." Let's just say that this small news story is not going away anytime soon. Follow-up note: Good luck securing the GOP nomination for the Alabama governorship in 2014, Charles... you just might need some of those conservative voters to cast a ballot in your party's primary. OUCH.

More on Obama:
Last week I had a conversation with a close friend about Barack Obama and the upcoming Ohio primary on March 4th. I have already mailed in my application for an absentee ballot and should be receiving my forms in the mail in the next few days. Until today, I was almost positive that I was going to stick with my decision to vote for Senator John Edwards in a defiant move to protest my lack of confidence and trust in the remaining two DNC candidates in the race. I still have some trust issues with Obama that relate to his policy formation and opinions (chiefly regarding health care and education), and have written Senator Clinton off completely at this point...BUT I spent some time reading some news articles about Obama's feelings regarding merit pay for teachers. In the earlier debates, Obama's opinions regarding merit pay were described as the traditional pay scale evaluation based primarily on proficiency scores. I have a problem with that system of assessment because it has the potential to drive away quality teachers from historically under-achieving or considerably poor school districts. That cycle, paired with already existing funding issues, could be the end of any level of remaining hope in those districts. However, based upon comments that Obama made to the NEA in July 2007 and other policy descriptions that I have been able to find, it seems as though the senator wants to work with professional teachers' unions and state school boards to design a system of merit pay that encourages teachers to excel in the classroom without any or all pay increments based on just proficiency testing. While I am not completely satisfied with this answer, I am happy that he understands that this is a complicated process and not just a flashy soundbyte for a debate response. I am still hesitant to throw my support to Senator Obama at this point, but I can tell you that I am leaning more in his direction at this point. I still have questions about his policy formation, and am worried that some of his advisors may not be 100% "Working-Family Friendly," but I do know that I am more confident in him at this point than Senator Clinton.
I guess I'll have to let you know how the ballot thing works out this upcoming week!

Indiana Hoosiers Basketball:
The Crimson and Cream knocked off #9 Michigan State tonight at Assembly Hall by a 20 point margin with looming NCAA investigations into Head Coach Calvin Sampson's recruiting process and overall credibility with the Infractions Committee, AND a first-half knee injury to PF D.J. White. This win allows IU to gain another quality win after a losing streak (3 out of last 6 games) and stay within 1 and a half games of Big 10 conference leader, Purdue, who comes to Bloomington on Tuesday for a show-down. Oh, and if Sampson is fired look for former BGSU head coach Dan Dakich to act as interim head coach for the Hoosiers. Neat-o mosquito.

In an effort to be consistent, here's another inconsistent thread.
Why do I always write on this for a week straight and then fade away into the busy, complicated night?

Since we last left off, Johnny Boy suspended his campaign in order to make way for a clearer path to party unity. Yep, that sure worked.... Super Tuesday results have left the DNC presidential snapshot almost as muddled as the day that Edwards threw his hat out of the ring. Now we get to listen to analysts and commentators argue the relative focus of the GOP in the midst of an approaching heavyweight showdown at the Denver convention.

Here's the problem... both of the DNC heavyweights are rather similar in their policy stances and committment to corporate donors. Sure, Hillary and Obama will vocally clash over health care projections (I actually have to side with Clinton on that argument) and initial Iraq war foresight (Obama wins that contest), but they really aren't that grand. In the year of the inevitable Democratic presidential succession, we have successfully shoved our inevitability down the garbage disposal (insert groaning chug of grinding disposal motor.)

Now, I do apologize for my resentment levels and many of my close politically active friends are quick to remind me that Edwards was not selected by enough primary voters to deserve a shot at representing our party in the general election...BUT I can't seem to get past the fact that this is probably how Kucinich, Dean, Dodd, Gravel, and Biden supporters feel on a regular basis. It's just a rude awakening that our primary electorate has been so swayed by non-traditional messengers in this primary match-up. And I personally feel saddened that so many local and national unions ran to the direct aid of Clinton and Obama when Edwards was, and still will be, the true voice of socioeconomic justice for working families in America.

Side notes:

*The Cleveland Browns have sent 6 players to the Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, this weekend. For their glory and your reading adventure, here are their names and positions.... Please make a habit of looking for them on the field. They will be the ones doing awesome things with their respective talents (and wearing Orange helmets for the AFC roster, if that helps.)

QB Derek Anderson
WR Braylon Edwards
TE Kellen Winslow, Jr.
OT Joe Thomas
KR Josh Cribbs
LS Brian Pontbriand (LS stands for Long Snapper = Sweet.)

*Fmr. Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) suspended his race for the White House yesterday in an effort to allow the true conservative voice of the GOP to unify around Sen. John McCain. I looked at the numbers last night before bed, and even if Romney were to stay in the race and win every single contest from now until the convention--McCain would still have enough delegates to take the nomination (as long as he faired between 25-35% of the vote in each primary.) This slow chug to the finish line for McCain would do nothing for Romney so he actually benefits now from repairing a political image of unity and humility. Don't fret though; he still managed to insult Clinton and Obama as surrender artists in the face of global terrorism... jab jab sucker punch! If I were Clinton and Obama, I would respond if asked to comment on his remarks with, "Mitt Romney? I don't even think Republican conservatives know that guy."

*Finally, a very Happy Lent to all of my Catholic friends and Lent-observing non-Catholics... does that even happen? I went to Ash Wednesday for the first time in a few years and have made a committment to try Lent out again in my efforts to reconnect to the spiritual side of life. Awhile ago, I decided that faith was more of a personal part of my life than other social aspects. I would have no problem praying or contemplating spiritual issues, but without some type of social interaction, dialogue, or mutual discussion regarding related spiritual issues.... this idea of individual, quiet meditation and spiritual practice did dissipate to mere personal laziness, in my opinion. I'm sure others can stay on track of things a bit better than I with this approach, but I think that I really do need a youth group, Bible study, or worship service element in my life to keep me on-the-ball and thinking toward my own spiritual conclusions. So I am happy to admit that I've been to multiple faith-related events and activities just over the past 7-10 days and am looking forward to more in the future. Happy 1st Lenten Friday... put down that hamburger!

This afternoon I received a text message from one of my good friends in Nebraska. He is a progressive Democrat that I often talk shop with, and I have been recently bullying him because he acted as a volunteer observer for the Obama camp in Iowa a few weeks back. Here is the text message:

"Do or die in NV and SC for John. If no wins, he must clear the way!"

Pretty simple and to the point, eh? Well, let me tell you that this really set me off. Ever since late December, I have listened from the Obamanians and Clintonites and their push-from-the-top message that has hinted to a speedy exit from Senator John Edwards in order to clear the way for progress. Most of these comments come from people that are merely drinking the Kool-Aid of the respective camps, and haven't actually worked for a campaign (or even phone-banked or canvassed for a cause in the past.) Aside from the casual idealists, I have also heard from seasoned veterans that have urged me to pass up my support for Edwards for a more level-headed approach. A more level-headed approach, in their opinion, would be to allow Obama and Clinton to slug it out in celebrity fashion with little damage to their messages--on a clear path toward a united front by the end of the spring going into the summer/fall convention cycle. Their voices of reason echo sentiment based upon an ideal opportunity to look united in the face of a weakened Bush Administration and a scattered Republican presence on the road to the White House.

Here are my thoughts:

Why should I, or anyone else, roll over for the Obama and Clinton machines? What is so special about their messages or their candidacy that takes away from a distinguished and still quite eligible candidate in Senator John Edwards? Do the thousands of votes, countless endorsements, and declared delegates---in the face of NO media coverage by the national outlets---mean anything to Democratic leadership and traditional campaign veterans?

Over the past 2.5 years, when these candidates were "honing" their message at the pulpits of the U.S. Senate, John Edwards was carrying his message of hope, hard work, and change to Americans in their communities. John was standing with striking and locked-out workers on picket lines across the country, helping raise funds for local poverty shelters, and establishing a national center for poverty research in North Carolina. Where were Senators Obama and Clinton? Aside from wining and dining with celebrities that lined their velvet pockets with future campaign funds, they were in the U.S. Senate (where they had pledged to the American people to stand up to the Bush White House and turn things around for the country.) Now, I do not want you to think I devalue the candidacy of Obama and Clinton because of their service as legislators, but I do seem to remember the Democratic-controlled House and Senate rolling over like weak puppies on the issue of continued funding to the Iraq blunder. I do not remember Obama and Clinton doing anything but give a strongly-worded speech against the process in the Senate chambers. No, they wouldn't dare stick their necks out too far right before the electoral process began. They went on record as being opposed to Bush recommendations, and then hurried to the airport to go raise money and give interviews to Rolling Stone, Vibe, People, etc.

I have heard Obama and Clinton both claim that they will be able to provide consistently strong leadership for the American people if they were President of the United States of America, but they ducked for cover when the opportunity arose in the U.S. Senate.

So, what do I suggest? I suggest that Senator John Edwards continues his fight to the White House. There have only been two Democratic processes so far, and John is still in this conversation of change. I want him to have the opportunity to force real conversation at the Democratic convention this fall, and hopefully force delegates to carefully consider their voting choices when the ballots circulate for roll call. A process like that is good for America, and the Democratic Party.

I want a President of the United States of America that truly understands the benefits of progressive social work in our local communities, wants to help the middle class family at tough times (not just when it is politically convenient), and has enough respect for global relations to stay involved in conversations abroad (even after he left the U.S. Senate to run for president in 2003-2004.) John Edwards is moderate voice for progressive change in the United States, and I will not waiver in my support for him. I only wish I had the time and money to work every single day for him on the trail.

Not very often do I get a decent, hearty chuckle out of a near-disaster story online. Upon returning from one of my classes this afternoon, I decided to check out the top stories on www.cleveland.com and I came upon an absolute gem...

Crack found in Davis-Besse pipe
Posted by John Funk January 07, 2008 14:37PM

I will not lie to you... it seems harmless enough when you consider that Davis-Besse is a nuclear reactor in the Greater Cleveland area (east of downtown near Perry.) However, at a quick glance, it is an amazing headline. Here is the link to the rest of the story if you actually do care about serious potential environmental disasters: http://blog.cleveland.com/plaindealer/2008/01/crack_found_in_davisbesse_pipe.html . I guess we can only hope for the best.

Next topic: Ohio State Buckeyes follow BGSU performance to round out a poor bowl season for teams I like (And the Cleveland Browns are on vacation already.) I'm calling it an evening around 10:45 p.m. with the Buckeyes down 31-10 in the 3rd quarter. Is it MLB spring training yet?

Good night all.... Don't forget to encourage some good-spirited, partisan bickering tomorrow on behalf of the New Hampshire primary!

Bowling Green State University Football.... A Season of Firsts!

A great headline if I might say so myself, but too bad it translates into a historical negative for the local recordbooks. ESPN.com claims that last night's 63-7 thumping by Tulsa over BGSU officially became the largest margin of victory by any Division-1A opponent in Bowl Game History. That's a factoid worth singing "Go Big Flag Guy" too! I should assume that Freddie and Frieda probably didn't get down to the Chicken Dance the entire 12-13 hour bus ride home from Mobile, Alabama last evening.

In other news.... Barack Obama reportedly opened up a 10 point lead in a recent CNN-USA Today New Hampshire poll. All of this since being neck-in-neck in a 33% standoff with H.R. Clinton mere days ago. This could be the first stages of an independent surge toward Obama in the Granite State, or merely another example of a shaky poll.... one destined to give tv commentators something to bloviate about for another 24 hours on cable television. The same poll showed the new gap being gently carved (if that's possible) out of H.R. Clinton and Johnny Boy's supporters. Let's hope this is just a bullshit sampling... Edwards needs a 1st or 2nd finish for my ramblings to actually offer a tangible hope for continued success.

Final note...For a candidate that stands 0% chance at becoming president in 2008, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson looked pretty sharpe at the most recent ABC News/Facebook (yeah, Facebook) New Hampshire debate. I really enjoyed his comments regarding the economy and education. While he wasn't the first to interject the specific comments regarding the issues, and his stances may be quite similar to those of Johnny Boy and others; he was the first to bring the issues up in the debate---which, to that point, had been a long and winding road of issues that I didn't want to spend a great deal of time upon.

Welcome Back to Reality... Classes and Work resume this morning. Ohio State vs. LSU tonight after night class.... the heart says "Go Buckeyes" but the statisticians don't exactly agree with me. We'll see... maybe the point disparity will wipe the Falcons out of the recordbooks after a one-day title position?

Well.. that's why they leave storybook endings for storybooks. My dream of watching John Edwards board a plane from Des Moines to New Hampshire with a 5 point victory and a full head of steam might just live in one of those storybooks, BUT I can be rather satisfied with the results.

What does 2nd place in Iowa mean? Well, with regard to raw delegates and numbers, not much. There really isn't much difference between 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place ---about a one delegate differential in each dropping tier. But Edwards victory over the Clinton machine and his ability to compete with Obama mean that the little guy, the people's candidate, the man on a mission can still swing punches even if large corporate interests, individual donors with padded overseas bank accounts, and megastar talk show hosts don't keep his campaign fodder afloat.

Edwards should be able to convince a few more unions to come to his rescue--unions that were most definitely holding out to see if he was still legitimate from their past endorsement in 2003-2004. Additionally, Edwards will be able to recruit more volunteers, activists, small to medium level donations, and indirect surrogates because of this forced/gained respect in Iowa. That translates into more media coverage with a better spin. Instead of the down-and-out boy, Edwards is becoming the giant killer in much the same way that Huckabee is enjoying his new sound bytes. If Edwards can stay in the top 3 in New Hampshire and do well in Nevada and hold ground in South Carolina, then he still has a good chance of remaining a legitimate candidate going into the new "super dooper tuesday" in the first week of February.

Break out your bumper stickers, baby.... it's show time!
Sadly, Ohio has to wait until March to be a player in the primaries... but don't you worry, we'll make the difference again in November.

On a snowy day such as this, I have two main topics to discuss:

1. The Iowa Caucaus this evening.
2. The continuing writers' strike.

Kick off your socks, kiddies... it's about to get wet.

1. Iowa -- The Hawkeye State. America's Almost Bread-Basket. Ethanol's Best Friend. Home of the first dramatic moves in any Democratic or Republican Presidential primary season. Usually Iowa doesn't get hot until 5-6 months before the initial caucaus, but in this case there have been political operatives on the ground working for candidates since 2004-2005. Until recently, I really never had a major problem with Iowa... I tended to take out my bigotry against homogenous, all-white populations picking the presidential candidates on the citizens of New Hampshire, BUT this year turned me around somewhat.

Typically, I have written Iowa off as a smaller jewel of the Midwest.... a political battleground that allowed real debate and discussion to translate into legitimate results. This year; however, proved to change my mind.

Around a week ago, Governor Ted Strickland (D-OH) criticized the Iowa caucaus as an inappropriate and inefficienct electoral process for beginning the primary process for both parties' presidential selections. These comments were given to the Columbus Dispatch in an interview, but soon were recopied and analyzed in papers across the country. Senator Clinton's staff was quick to point out that they disagreed with Governor Strickland's comments--most notably because Strickland serves as one of her endorsers and a campaign surrogate in and outside of Ohio. This quick band-aid action by Clinton goes a long way in proving the point that candidates will do just about anything to keep their image sparkling clean in Iowa before the caucauses.

Had Clinton ignored Strickland's comments or actually embraced them, she would have witnessed one of the greatest tailspins in political history; going from tied in first to dead last (yes, Dennis Kucinich would be more popular today in Iowa.) Iowans and New Hampshirites have become spoiled with their role of "initial deciders." Instead of using their processes to truly sort through the campaign messages to offer up to the rest of America the most credible and qualified candidates to choose from on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every four years; these states have turned an American process into a localized, heavily-benefitting game show. At this point in Iowa, there is more out-of-state money and people flowing through the state's veins than actual corn oil on the local grocery shelves. Most Americans will never step foot in either Iowa or New Hampshire in their lifetimes, but will live every second of every day with a reality that is crafted in those small states every electoral cycle.

So today I leave New Hampshire out of the mix... we'll discuss her next week. Today, Iowa becomes my body of criticism. The Iowa caucauses take place this evening in scattered school buildings, town halls, and community centers across the state. Registered voters are courted by the political campaigns and parties themselves to show up and announce their reasons for support in front of their neighbors, co-workers, and friends. These voters are allowed to sway their support across party lines and change their mind right up to the moment that they declare their true support for a candidate. Both parties and all of the candidates explain to the media that they feel this is a true example of American politics because it allows a real discussion among voters in their local communities. It actually turns into a shouting match with quips from attack ads and memorized speaking points as cannon fodder. Supporters are courted by out-of-state campaign workers and all-but-bribed to show up and stand their ground for their candidate. Television interviews show that some of these voters will refuse to support a candidate if they haven't had a chance to shake his or her hand, or ask them a question directly before the caucaus begins. At the end of the night, the votes are tallied and the floors are swept and the candidates leave for New Hampshire----and Iowa goes back to not mattering much for another few years.

Why do I think that Iowa is truly uneffective? For the simple fact that SO much depends on this initial process and SO few Iowans actually get to participate. Since the caucaus process usually involves a one-to-two hour physical committment at a pre-determined meeting site, it makes it quite difficult for those that are sick, disabled, working an evening shift or second job, taking night classes, without transportation in poor weather, or at home taking care of children to participate in the process. Thousands of would-be caucaus goers are left out of the process because they can not show up and stay for its full length. That analysis is fully consumed in the true spirit of American political democracy isn't it? All Iowans are important to the parties and the candidates... BUT only the ones that can afford to show up and yell are the real power brokers in the process. Going back to Governor Strickland's comments, I believe that he was making a reference to these points.... that until every eligible Iowa voter has a real opportunity to participate in the electoral process (whether it be through mail-in ballot or a polling site with more flexible hours), the results will be skewed dramatically and the rest of the country will have to deal with its effects in a very dramatic and immediate fashion. So wave your flags tonight, Iowa... but make sure to remember who you are disenfranchising every single time you repeat this horridly inefficient and inappropriate process.

2. Most Americans probably cannot give you a full explanation to the writers' guild strike that is most definitely affecting the entertainment industry over the past two months, but I would assume that most comments that you will hear will point out a selfish tendency by the guild members.... leading to our inability to watch new episodes of our favorite tv shows when we get home from work at night. In fact, most reponses that I have heard from individuals under the age of 30 have said just that. Very rarely are we affected directly by striking workers that are banding together to collectively bargain for their wages and benefits. Sure we see 2 minute news stories about UAW workers that are outside auto manufacturing centers but we rarely see or feel those impacts like we do now. Spoiled, spoon-fed Americans are cranky because they can not see a full season of Grey's Anatomy or hear the cackle of Jay Leno's voice each and every night as they fall asleep in their recliners after dining on tv dinners.

But now, after the dawn of the New Year 2008.... there is much rejoicing because many major networks are sending their shows back on air without the union writers. Scabs or the lack of writers are putting these shows back into circulation.... AND I refuse to support these specific networks or shows.

I applaud David Letterman however because he went out of his way to make sure that a deal was struck between his production company and the writers' guild to allow his usual writers to return to the show with an approved contract renewal. Letterman knew that it was appropriate to take sincere steps to returning his show to broadcast. Earlier in his career he had done the opposite and it seems as though he learned from his mistakes. What I can not accept or tolerate are the other networks and/or shows that are moving forward with production without their guild writers. I refuse to watch any program that blatantly violates the picket line, and I encourage you to do the same. Before watching your favorite show, please check online to see if the guild writers have received a new contract (such in the Letterman case.)

Would you want someone to walk past you on the picket line, and not respect you enough as a person to look you in the eye and offer you respect as a person at the bargaining table? Hopefully we respect one another enough to do better than that.

Happy New Year 2008!
Today is the day that John Edwards makes history!