The World Around You

Will Saletan is an excellent columnist, especially in the way he constructs an argument. I found this recent column particularly convincing.

I agree that we should not be using the results from Google Trends for a particular geographic region to define the standards of that community. The internet is a community unto itself and that is the community someone is operating in when they are online. It has very little relation to their geographic community and the two should not be treated as equals.

Sexual hypocrisy and the Internet. - By William Saletan - Slate Magazine

One of my first comedic obsessions…who I still quote to this day…George Carlin, passed away today. Another sad loss.

George Carlin mourned as a counterculture hero | TuscaloosaNews.com

Rep. Artur Davis is going to run for governor of Alabama…he is leaving no doubt. An interview with Congressional Quarterly on Thursday is just the latest indication of his desires. He has said he will announce his intentions officially in a period of months. And I have said, he will have no stronger supporter than me.

Similarities between Davis and Obama range beyond their membership in the 43-member Congressional Black Caucus.

Davis’s parents divorced when he was young and his grandmother and mother, an elementary school teacher, raised him in the west end of Montgomery. Obama was raised in Hawaii by his mother and maternal grandparents. Both Davis and Obama attended Harvard Law School, where Obama graduated two years before Davis. That is where the two first met.

After a stint on Wall Street, Obama worked as a community organizer on Chicago’s hard-pressed South Side. Davis returned to Alabama, where he served the state as an assistant U.S. attorney.

Each man also lost a 2000 Congressional primary: Davis lost to his predecessor, Democratic Rep. Earl F. Hilliard; Obama lost to current Democratic Rep. Bobby L. Rush . Two years later Davis defeated Hilliard, a five-term incumbent who had accrued little influence and was weakened by ethics scandals; Obama won a seat to the Senate in 2004.

“Both of us ran against veteran members of Congressional Black Caucus,” Davis said. “His candidacy even then was about the right things. Barack Obama ’s story is a story of someone who faced a huge setback at around the age of 40 and managed to come back. No one could have imagined that Barack Obama eight years later would be the Democratic nominee for the president of the United States.”

CQ Politics | Alabama Dem May Make Historic Bid for Governor

Taegan is right…the only choice for the next host of Meet the Press is Chuck Todd.

The Next Host of Meet the Press - Political Insider

Senator Obama continues to do an amazing job of putting legs and depth behind what many often assert are just platittudes. This portion of his speech today was particularly meaningful to me,

I was answering questions at a town hall meeting in Wisconsin the other day and a young man raised his hand, and I figured he’d ask about college tuition or energy or maybe the war in Iraq. But instead he looked at me very seriously and he asked, “What does life mean to you?”

Now, I have to admit that I wasn’t quite prepared for that one. I think I stammered for a little bit, but then I stopped and gave it some thought, and I said this:

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me — how do I make my way in the world, and how do I become successful and how do I get the things that I want.

But now, my life revolves around my two little girls. And what I think about is what kind of world I’m leaving them. Are they living in a country where there’s a huge gap between a few who are wealthy and a whole bunch of people who are struggling every day? Are they living in a country that is still divided by race? A country where, because they’re girls, they don’t have as much opportunity as boys do? Are they living in a country where we are hated around the world because we don’t cooperate effectively with other nations? Are they living a world that is in grave danger because of what we’ve done to its climate?

And what I’ve realized is that life doesn’t count for much unless you’re willing to do your small part to leave our children — all of our children — a better world. Even if it’s difficult. Even if the work seems great. Even if we don’t get very far in our lifetime.

Indeed…Obama for President. Yes we can!
Text of Obama’s fatherhood speech - Politico Staff - Politico.com

This is the most incredible photo I’ve ever seen of a tornado touching down….
A Remarkable Photo From Tornado Country - The Lede - Breaking News - New York Times Blog

Tim Russert was a man most admired by those in the political reporting and blogging community. I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of his passing. Taken long before his time and in this most historic of election seasons, it’s particularly said that he won’t get to report on how it all ends.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his son Luke, his wife, Maureen Orth and the entire Russert clan. Tim will be sorely, sorely missed for many, many years to come.

Marc Ambinder (June 13, 2008) - Tim Russert Is Dead

This has flown under the radar, but Alabama’s Senator Jeff Sessions is one of a gang of 14 congressional members who have not endorsed or publicly supported Senator McCain in the presidential election. The only other senator in the same position is Chuck Hagel, who has made clear his problems with McCain’s stance on the war.

Republican members who have not endorsed or publicly backed McCain include Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Reps. Jones, Peterson, John Doolittle (Calif.), Randy Forbes (Va.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Virgil Goode (Va.), Tim Murphy (Pa.), Ron Paul (Texas), Ted Poe (Texas), Todd Tiahrt (Kan.), Dave Weldon (Fla.) and Frank Wolf (Va.).

The question must be asked….why is Senator Sessions withholding his support?

TheHill.com - New Gang of 14 won’t back McCain

I am so proud of this move by the Obama campaign…it is long past time for a presidential candidate to acknowledge that every state is important and that with enough effort any state can be in play. Congratulations to the Obama campaign for getting off to a strong start in the general election…

Left In Alabama:: Obama Will Put Staff In All 50 States!

I was so proud of Senator Obama last night…he delivered the speech he needed to deliver, announcing his pending nomination to the nation, taking the mantle of the Democratic Party and beginning to lay out the vision for how he is going to make real change in Washington.

To Senator McCain’s credit, the portion of his speech I saw was his best of the campaign as well.

Senator Clinton…well, let’s just say she was less than conciliatory in her speech, we’ll see how she presents herself behind closed doors.

I don’t know what the end game will be for the Democrats, but my take is Senator Obama needs to ask for Hillary’s 100% support and whatever it’s going to take to get that is what he needs to offer. I find the idea of her as the VP deeply troubling, but if that’s what it takes to get her firm commitment to his candidacy he may be forced to offer it to her.