Well, folks...it's the day after the 2008 elections. We have a new African-American president; Washington now offers terminally ill people the option of physician-assisted suicide; Colorado defeated a measure that would have defined life as beginning at conception (wouldn't this be a scientist/doctor's determination?); South Dakota defeated a measure that would have banned abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or serious health threats; Massachusetts voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of the marijuana; Michigan joined 12 other states in allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes; Nebraska voters approved a ban on race- and gender-based affirmative action, similar to measures previously approved in California, Michigan and Washington; Missouri voted to require the state's three investor-owned electric utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021; Massachusetts voted to ban dog racing; and California voted to outlaw cramped cages for egg-laying chickens.
Oh, yeah...and California ALSO voted to ban same-sex marriages; Arizona and Florida approved ban-gay-marriage amendments; and Arkansas voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents.
It's amazing progressive the US would lead us to believe it is when it comes to all issues except when it comes to treating gay people with respect and giving them equal rights, just like African-Americans, women, unborn children, dogs, and chickens. My favorite is seeing an African-American person driving with a bumper sticker reading "marriage = man + woman." They've gotten their rights bestowed upon them, so screw everyone else.
Following high school, Barack Obama moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Occidental College for two years. He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations. Obama graduated with a B.A. from Columbia in 1983. He entered Harvard Law School in late 1988. At the end of his first year, he was selected, based on his grades and a writing competition, as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. In February 1990, in his second year, he was elected president of the Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the Law Review's staff of eighty editors. After graduating with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago.
Joe Biden attended the Archmere Academy in Claymont, where he was a standout wide receiver on the high school football team and played on the baseball team as well. He graduated in 1961 and then went on to attend the University of Delaware in Newark. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in history and political science in 1965. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968 and he was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1969.
John McCain attended Episcopal High School, a private preparatory boarding school in Alexandria. He excelled at wrestling and graduated in 1954. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. McCain came into conflict with higher-ranking personnel, he did not always obey the rules, and that contributed to a low class rank (894 of 899). He did well in academic subjects that interested him, such as literature and history, but studied only enough to pass subjects he struggled with, such as mathematics. McCain graduated in 1958.
Sarah Palin attended Wasilla High School in Wasilla, AK. In 1982, she enrolled at Hawaii Pacific College but left after her first semester. She transferred to North Idaho community college, where she spent two semesters as a general studies major. From there, she transferred to the University of Idaho for two semesters. During this time Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant, then finished third in the 1984 Miss Alaska pageant, at which she won a college scholarship and the "Miss Congeniality" award. After the pageants, Palin attended the Matanuska-Susitna community college in Alaska for one term. The next year she returned to the University of Idaho where she spent three semesters completing her Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, graduating in 1987.
Fifty-three percent of likely voters questioned in the poll say they are backing Obama for president, with 45 percent supporting McCain. President George Bush may be part of the reason why Obama's making gains. Only 24 percent of those polled approve of Bush's job as president, an all-time low for a CNN survey.
ISF: What I want to know is...who are those 24 percent who think everything's just peachy in the U.S. right now!? Can I get a prescription for whatever they're on?
Sarah Palin told Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity that she watched the "SNL" skit that opened the late-night show's new season last Saturday. "I watched it with the volume all the way down," Palin said. "I thought it was hilarious." Palin said she "didn't hear a word she said but the visual (was) spot on."
ISF: Thanks for "watching," Sarah. I guess you didn't want to disturb your Russian neighbors with the volume?
For those of you who want to watch -- and listen! -- to the skit, click here.
Days after he cracked that being rich in the U.S. meant earning at least $5 million a year, Republican presidential candidate John McCain acknowledged that he wasn't sure how many houses he and his wealthy wife actually own. "I think — I'll have my staff get to you," McCain responded to a question posed by Politico, according to a story Thursday on the publication's Web site. "It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you." Later, the McCain campaign told Politico that McCain and his wife, Cindy, have at least four in three states, Arizona, California and Virginia. Newsweek recently estimated the two owned at least seven properties.
WP: You just lose track after the first four or five, don't you?
tions except in cases of rape, incest, or serious health threats; Massachusetts voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of the marijuana; Michigan joined 12 other states in allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes; Nebraska voters approved a ban on race- and gender-based affirmative action, similar to measures previously approved in California, Michigan and Washington; Missouri voted to require the state's three investor-owned electric utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021; Massachusetts voted to ban dog racing; and California voted to outlaw cramped cages for egg-laying chickens.
