Nov 11, 2020 | 2020 Election, Politics, Something. To. Say., Trump |
Hello, Everybody:
I have something to say about the Presidential Election.
I have personally vilified Donald Trump for his actions, words and deeds, ever since I began this video blog more than a year ago. To me, he was one of the worst things, one of the worst people to ever happen to the United States.
Needless to say, I was overjoyed when Joe Biden was declared president-elect.
Trump may be able to take some comfort in the fact that the race was close, very close. But that’s what has me stumped. In this election, voter turnout was the highest it has ever been. 75 million votes for Biden, more than 70 million for Trump. How is that possible? Almost half the votes going to Trump? While everybody I know was celebrating the Biden win—there must have been nearly as many people angry and sad about Trump’s loss.
Who are these people who voted for a president who lied, cheated, was mean and hateful, and incompetent and was INCOMPETENT? Were Trump voters fine with how he handled the pandemic? Please.
The president-elect has one heckuva a job in front of him, bringing the American people together. All I can say is, “Good luck, Joe. You’re gonna need it.”
See you next time.
Jul 10, 2020 | 2020 Election, Being Black, Black Lives Matter, Elections, Feminism, Government, Politics, Something. To. Say.
Time for a Black Female Veep
Hello Everybody. I have something to say about vice presidential candidates. Is it time now for a black woman to be chosen to run? You’re damned right it is.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced that he will choose a woman as his running mate. But given today’s tense racial climate, many are urging Biden to make the woman he chooses, a black one.
Lucky for Biden, he has a rich array of smart and experienced black women to choose from: Look at them. Senator Kamala Harris, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms, Stacy Abrams, who ran for governor of Georgia, and Val Demings, a former police chief and now Florida Congresswoman. Impressive women. No Sarah Palin in this group.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, who lost her bid for president and probably wanted that vice-presidential spot, has gone on record saying Biden should pick a woman of color. Black women voters have been among Biden’s strongest supporters and nothing would make them happier than to have one of their own on the presidential ballot in November.
Biden’s decision will be made soon. Will he, or won’t he? More and more people say he should.
Until next time.
Dec 12, 2019 | Congress, Politics, Something. To. Say., Trump
Hello everybody. I have something to say about all the flurry over impeachment this Christmas season. To be honest, I don’t have anything to say about it. Because I don’t know what to say. Except, I’ve got the Christmastime blues. Never felt like this.
I should be glad that House Democrats got around to writing articles of impeachment. I think Donald Trump has been a bad president. He’s done everything he wants to undermine our democracy. He should be impeached and the House will vote that way just before Christmas. A nice present? Yes, but only momentarily.
After the New Year, the case goes to the Senate for trial. There will never be enough votes to kick him out of office. The Republicans will see to that. So, he will remain president all next year. And he’ll run again in the November…AND he may be re-elected, God forbid.
So, these are the thoughts hanging over my holidays. You know what, I’ve even messed up the famous Dickens’ tale, A Christmas Carol. Trump is Scrooge, because he’s rich and doesn’t care about poor people; and he’s also the Ghost of Christmas past 2016, when he got elected and there were shenanigans; the ghost of Christmas present 2019, when shenanigans are still going on; and the ghost of Christmas future 2020. Oh, Lord have mercy on us all.
Oct 11, 2019 | 2020 Election, Ageism, Democrats, Elections, Politics, Something. To. Say. |
Hello Everybody. I have something to say about old presidential candidates.
“Age ain’t nothing but a number,” is a song popularized by the late singer, Aaliyah.” The phrase has particular relevance today when voters are beginning to focus on the ages of the frontrunning candidates for President. It hadn’t been talked about too much, until Bernie Sanders suffered a heart attack on the campaign trail. His image as a robust, energetic 78-year-old was shattered in 24 hours. He’s the oldest candidate. Joe Biden is 76, Elizabeth Warren is 70. And Donald Trump is 73. Never before have so many septuagenarians run for president.
I think ageism is likely to become a factor for each of them, because we in America think old people aren’t physically or mentally capable of being president. But do you have any idea of how many sick younger men were president and had serious health problems?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt came down with polio at age 39 that left him paralyzed in both legs, but he hid his condition from the public.
Dwight Eisenhower, while he was in office, suffered a heart attack, a stroke and Crohn’s Disease.
John F. Kennedy was only 43, but he kept secret his Addison’s disease, chronic back pain and addiction to painkillers.
(Photo) Nobody knew Ronald Reagan was unhealthy, but he had bad arthritis, and while occupying the White House he had surgery for skin cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. And he was shot in the chest. He also began showing signs of Alzheimer’s at the end of his second term.
Young or old, people have health challenges, but should that rule them out for America’s top job? Don’t we care about intelligence, open-mindedness, compassion, and honesty in candidates? I think we do. Age ain’t nothing but a number.
Until next time.
Jul 1, 2019 | 2020 Election, Politics, Something. To. Say., Women |
Democratic Debate Surprises
Hello Everybody. I have something to say about the two Democratic Debates.
First of all, there were too many darned debaters. To accommodate the twenty candidates running for President, it took four hours over two days. Well, I watched every moment, and I came away with a winner for each night.
The first debate I gave to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. As she has been saying on the campaign trail, “I have a plan for that,” she did have a plan for all kinds of problems in our country. And during the debate she explained how her plans would work. Her nine rivals couldn’t touch that.
The second debate went to California Senator Kamala Harris. Hands down. She beat frontrunner Joe Biden and she did it with smarts and a forceful delivery. Her most effective moments came in her assault on Biden’s record in the Senate. He tried to defend himself, but he got all flustered.
After I chose my two debate winners, I realized they were both women. It was a wonderful feeling. They proved to be better than the 14 men they were up against.
I thought after Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump, it would be a long time before a woman would be elected president. But thanks to Warren and Harris, I think it may not be long at all.
See you again.
Jun 25, 2019 | Bad Behavior, Politics, Republicans, Something. To. Say., Women |
Good Riddance to Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Hello Everybody.
I have something to say about Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. Yes, go home to Arkansas because all you did was make the job of White House PressSecretary a mockery. Only three women have held that vaunted position, but you took it and destroyed it.
Oh, I know her beloved President Trump, was behind it because he hates the press. But she marched in lockstep with him. And who suffered the most? The American people she swore to serve.
She was supposed to give on a daily basis, pertinent and truthful information to the White House press corps so they could in turn, report the news to the public. But she just stopped talking to the press in any formal way and left that to the President. She used the White House driveway to dribble out a few answers to waiting reporters. And the worst? She lied.
Trump thinks she should run for governor of Arkansas. It is one of the poorest, hungriest and least educated states in the country. Sarah—got any good ideas on improving Arkansas? I didn’t think so. So long Sarah, Huckabee Sanders, and thanks for nothing.
Jun 12, 2019 | Politics, Something. To. Say., Trump |
NOT HIS 4TH OF JULY. IT’S OURS!
Why does Donald Trump have to go and change everything? Now he wants to change the Fourth of July celebration that has been held on the Washington Mall exciting millions of Americans for the past 50 years. It’s been going along just fine.
But back in February, Trump posted this tweet: “Hold the date on July Fourth for a major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite president. Me.” Ewww….. The 4th of July is not his. It’s ours.
I lived in D.C. for more than 30 years and it was a tradition in our family to cookout in the afternoon and then head down to the Washington Monument, and join the huge crowd of people to watch the fireworks. There were Americans of every color, nationality, ethnicity and religion. It was a unifying event.
But Donald Trump is commandeering the celebration and politicizing it. He envisions himself as the star of his new, “Salute to America” event. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned it into one of his campaign rallies, busing his supporters in, to pay homage to him.
Trump plans to speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I can’t even imagine his standing where Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr King tried to unify Americans. I’m afraid Trump will further divide us.
Happy Fourth.
Oct 19, 2012 | Journalism, Politics, Sexism, Women |
Should there be any doubt now that women can handle presidential debates, as well as men? That they can conduct a live television event that lasts for 90 minutes before an audience of 60 million viewers? That they can be smart, bold and professional in dealing with the men who would be president and vice president of this great nation?
No. There should be no doubt at all. CNN’s Candy Crowley and ABC’s Martha Raddatz have finally banished that old false notion that “men are better” to the R-I-P grave it deserves.
Of course, after former PBS anchor Jim Lehrer lost control of the first presidential debate in Denver, Raddatz and Crowleywere masterful in comparison. Lehrer, the journalist who was moderating his 12th presidential debate, at times threw up his hands in exasperation as President Obama–but mostly Governor Mitt Romney–ignored the guidelines on time limits for statements and rebuttals. The testy rivals literally wrested the debate away from Lehrer and he was pretty much reduced to the role of a potted plant.
Raddatz then moderated the vice presidential debate where she had been forewarned that Vice President Joe Biden might engage in some “funny stuff.” Biden found Paul Ryan funny and he found himself funny, but under the firm hand of Raddatz, both men did as they were directed. The vice presidential debate was not only enlightening but also enjoyable.
Poor Candy Crowley. She had to moderate the second debate in the town hall format, which became the most contentious presidential matchup in recent memory. There she was with a nervous audience of 80 undecided voters and two men who can’t stand each other. Obama and Romney could not be more different: in family history, socioeconomic upbringing, political ideology, social status, and of course, color. The only thing they have in common is Harvard Law School and nice families.
Obama blew the first debate by appearing disengaged and bored with the whole process. Romney, with an energetic and aggressive style won the debate “by a mile.”
The President was determined to change the public’s perception of him by changing his style, his answers, and his enthusiasm for the second debate. Romney was ready for the Obama makeover. Candy Crowley was ready for both of them.
I wouldn’t have traded places with her for anything. The candidates entered the arena; yes that’s what the debate floor became. The two men were already seething despite the plastered smiles and phony handshake.
This was supposed to be a debate dominated by questions from the undecided voters, but it quickly deteriorated into something that looked like a cockfight.
Throughout the debate Candy was juggling so many balls in the air: listening to the producer in her ear; calling on audience members; watching the time; asking follow up questions; paying attention to the candidates’ answers; deciding who had the next question or rebuttal.
She was doing all this with an up-close and too personal display of male bravado. I was waiting for one of the candidates to beat his chest or jump on the other’s back. It was that nasty.
Candy, with the utmost politeness, struggled to remain in control despite being insulted by Governor Romney. Did she retreat like a shy violet or burst into tears? Not her. She prevailed.
Candy raised two sons. I have to believe that she harkened back to those days when her boys misbehaved and she had to discipline them. Now before her eyes were the President of theUnited Statesand the former Governor of Massachusetts circling each other defiantly like naughty boys. She finally said, with all the power she could muster in her voice, “Mr. Romney, sit down.” And he did.
In 2016, the Commission on Presidential Debates should not hesitate to seek out women to be moderators. Candy Crowley and Martha Raddatz have proved that the best women can stand on equal footing with the best men. Thank you, ladies.
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