McCain and the Environment

It has been difficult to see in the past few years, but Sen. John McCain used to have a reputation for center- and left-leaning views on many social issues. But with the defeats he suffered in previous Republican nominations for president, he has molded himself into someone any red blooded, family values, Christian, anti-abortion, anti-gay, pro-gun, military loving Republican would be proud to call his or her President.

It might just be my liberal bias, actually, no. It is my liberal bias that tells me that Republicans have made it a policy to ignore tree-hugging liberal environmentalists, and Doom's Day predictions on global climate change, regardless of the overwhelming and conclusive proof from the scientific community.

Yet John McCain, one of the only prominent lawmakers in Washington that still supports the President's plans, or lack-there-of, for involvement in Iraq, the man who reversed his opinion on abortion (can you say flip-flopper?) Nevertheless, Senator McCain has decided to champion global warming in his run-up to announcing his Presidential campaign.
According to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post, McCain framed his concern for climate change in a very Republican way - calling it a matter on national security. McCain said during a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies that America's dependence on foreign oil is a concern to the safety of the nation. "The problem isn't a Hollywood invention, nor is doing something about it a vanity of Cassandra-like hysterics," said the Arizona Republican.

McCain did offer speeches in the past two days about Iraq and the economy of course, but his intentions to put climate change towards the top of his priorities during his presidential campaign is commendable.
Now if only more politicians would look at the greatest threat facing the world with as much attention, we might actually get serious about saving the world.

Is this what I want to do?

After a national tragedy it is natural for people to soul-search. To reflect on their own lives and the decisions they have made. I am no different.

After the unspeakable evil that descended on Virgina Tech Monday, a tragedy so vile that words such as massacre and horrific seem cliche and ill-equipped to articulate the events, I have been going through so many emotions.

Fear for my friends at Tech, grief for the victims and families affected, sympathy for the family of the killer and outrage. I have been angered by the images I have seen, thinking: "how could this happen?" I have been angered by the ignorant people the media has projected on to televisions across the country, so quick to blame and push for their political agendas, even before we know the facts. And I have felt anger towards the media. An institution that I have been striving to be apart of for the past four years.

The past few days has made me focus on my feelings towards the media, which I realize is first and foremost a business. It is understandable that the reporters covering the story are giving the country what they want. Our country is so hungry for information about this tragedy, and rightfully so.

But I wonder...

How far will reporters and broadcasters go to get the story? So far, to my knowledge, the media has been respectful of the victims families, both of the deceased and those still in Blacksburg-area hospitals, but what about the family of the very disturbed Cho Seung-hui?

I know little about the family, except they live in Centreville, VA, 15 minutes from where I sit to write this, operate a dry cleaning business and have a daughter enrolled at Princeton. That is more than I need to know at the time, but the media, always competing for the story will be trying their damnedest to get every bit of information on the family.

The media was staked out in front of the families town home minutes after the name of the killer was released. I know that the public wants to know about the killer, his background and childhood, and the media will be there to find out - but where is the respect for this shattered family?

I thought if I were asked to cover the family, post out in my car-turned-RV to wait for the parents of the killer, would I be able to do this? Would I be able to circle the distraught family so soon after the tragedy, like a vulture? Just doing my job, I guess...

I still don't know what I would do, but right now I can't really make sense of much.

Prayers For Tech

On a day like today there really isn't a lot to say. I, along with the rest of the country I'm sure, are sending our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families along with all the students and faculty at Virginia Tech.

The only thing that really surprised me, after learning more about how the media works, was how callous, certain parties reporting on the incident acted in the wake of this tragic, tragic event.

Flipping through the ongoing coverage of the events as the occurred today, I stopped on Fox News, which I shall forever refer to as Fox Opinion Channel, and heard a guest on the program railing against administration and the state of Virginia for "dropping the ball."

On Brit Hume's coverage of the incident Judge Andrew Napolitano railed against Tech administration for not locking down the campus and attacked the entire Commonwealth of Virginia for not allowing people on college campuses to carry concealed firearms. This, without any concrete evidence of who the shooter was, the motives, or any actual reports on how the events occurred.

While Napolitano was a guest and is allowed to voice his own opinion, there was no rebuttal to this outlandish and ill-understood claim. The fact that mere hours had passed and already the media vultures on Fox Opinion Channel along with the other cable news channels is a sobering reminder that people will use even tragedy to push their agendas.

I hope in the coming days and weeks our country as a unified whole will focus on the real issue here. Supporting those who have been affected by the most vile and disgraceful of all human action.

Obama: Fundraising Machine

Anyone who stays current on the 2008 Presidential Race or actually reads this blog, knows that Illinois Senator, and my completely biased favorite for the Democratic nomination in 2008, Barack Obama sent shock waves inside the beltway when he announced that he had raised $25 million in the first quarter of this year. Ensuring that he will be sticking around for the long haul, in the marathon to the White House.

What is the most surprising is that he has managed to do this without accepting any donations from lobbyists, in an attempt to claim the moral high ground on the issue of campaign finance reform.

In a recent Washington Post article, the other half of his fundraising arsenal are now being exposed. Obama did receive over 100,000 separate donations, with roughly half coming from online donors in denominations of less than $100. Hillary Clinton, the current leader for the Democratic nomination received less than that in total donors, while raising her $26 million for the months of January through March.

Not only is Obama running laps around Clinton in the number of sheer donations, indicating very strong support at the grassroots level, but he has also taken away some of the former First Lady's most notable donors. Most remember the brouhaha that started after music mogul David Geffen publicly slammed Clinton while defecting to Obama's camp, but he has also come under the good graces and deep pockets of Hollywood producer Jeffrey Katzenberg and mega-famous director Steven Spielberg.

Now this may not mean all that much in the long run as to who will eventually be sitting in that big leather chair in the Oval Office. But doesn't it make Obama look that much cooler?

Obama Don't Run for Second!

During the friendly and amicable taping of the Late Show with David Letterman, BarackObama and his host joked about topic ranging from the freshman Senator kicking his smoking habit to getting a dog for his daughter if he were to win the election, but the most revealing conversation came towards the end of the interview.

When asked if the Senator's bid for the Democratic nomination in 2008 was really just a way to secure his spot on the ticket as the Vice Presidential candidate, Obama said, "No, you don't run for second. I don't believe in that."

When Letterman asked about a possible ticket with fellow Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Obama replied, "which order are we talking about?"

I realize that two posts for one small interview is odd, but I thought that this was a good example of how well Obama can appear strong and sure of his stance as the opponent of the other candidates, but also side-step accusations while keeping the atmosphere light and humorous.

Obama on Letterman

Yes, I am an Obama supporter, and yes I do realize that it is a very trendy and popular position to take at this time. I don't care. If you caught him on Late Night with David Letterman last night, you may a few of the reasons why.

For twenty-somethings who vaguely remember Bill Clinton and have become politically knowledgeable only since President Dubyah has been in office, Obama is so exciting for the simple fact that he is NOT Bush. His demeanor and easy on camera shines through quite easily, but it is when he speaks of policy that he really becomes electrifying.

For the first time in my life, I see a politician that can hold my attention on the issues that are important in this country and also make me believe that it can be better. I, like many people in my age group who have not been around to see presidents rotate in and out of the Oval Office, who may still be too idealistic, am inspired by Obama. Case in point, last night when he described America as "the last best hope on Earth."

I actually believe that HE believes it, and I hope I can stay idealistic like this for a long time to come.

Play Ball

Every year I am reminded how lucky I am. You see, I am a UNC Tarheels basketball and Boston Red Sox fan, so virtually every year at least one of my teams is in the running for their respective championships. I can never ask more from sports than 2004, where my Sox won the World Series followed in April 2005 by UNC cutting down the nets and taking home the NCAA national championship.

I remembered how lucky I was roughly one week after UNC's monumental collapse in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament to Georgetown in the Elite Eight. I remembered because after coming home from work and finally being able to turn on ESPN, always fearful that I would be reminded about THAT game, I saw it. The most holy of holy events for a sports fan unlucky enough to live outside his beloved team's network coverage - a Red Sox opening day game broadcast nationally.

And while the Sox lost to the Kansas City Royals in an extremely poor showing, it sure did not hurt as bad as UNC's 10-point-choke. Hey, there are still 161 more chances to grab a "W."