POTUS 08


My daughter is just six but she has taken a curious interest in the presidential election, insisting on watching the news clips that her dad scans on his computer via a pundit site called TheZoo. She knows the names of the candidates and is sure that Obama will be the better president because 1) her parents thinks so and 2) John McCain looks grumpy and mean.

While we were in Iowa, she discovered that not everyone shares her parents’ political opinions.

“Mom, Nephew2 says that Orock Obama is going to steal our health care. I told him no he wouldn’t but he says yes.”

“Barack Obama will not be stealing our health care, honey. We are Canadians. And he can’t steal health care from Americans because most of them don’t have any to steal.”

Happily BabyD skipped off to inform her seven year old cousin that he was mistaken. 

Days later as we were in the limo on our way to Dad’s interment, Nephew2 felt it necessary to comment on the Obama yard signs we passed by shouting,

“Boobama! Boobama!”

BIL, his father, was in the front seat ignoring him but when questioned about his son’s right wing leanings he made a point of passing the buck.

“I didn’t teach him that. He learned it from Sean Hannity.”

Is it form of child abuse to allow your child to listen to Hannity?

For the rest of the week, BabyD fervently defended “Orock Obama” and Nephew2 just as admantly insisted that the health care of all America is in serious jeopardy. I guess this proves the old adage about not talking politics during family gatherings though I don’t think I have ever seen such young combatants in my life.


Scott Thill posted a short piece on Wired.Com this morning that I thought would be an appropriate companion piece for yesterday’s post.

With all the other oh so unpleasant things of the current presidential campaign, we can now add Neo-McCarthyism to the list, and Thill decides to let music sum up the moment with a 59 second song from a punk band, The Minutemen.

 “Joe McCarthy’s Ghost

Can you really be sure of the goddamn time of day?
Can you take the dirt from the fist of a foreigner?
Are you going to fight when they call out your number?
Can you toe the line? Can you repeat what you’ve been told?
Can you bite the bullet? Can you see the enemy?
Can you point the finger? Can you prove your loyalty?