BlackLiberalBoomer

Now that I have your attention, I am really just going to post about lies and videotape…

this is a family-friendly blog!

I wonder where the *real* Republicans are: as Senator Barack Obama said on the Rachel Maddow Show last night, it seems as if the *real* Republican party has been kidnapped by extremists! [BTW: did you know that Rachel Maddow is a Rhodes Scholar and has a Ph.D. from Oxford University?]

Let’s see…

*  John McCain and Sarah Palin have been consistently stretched the truth about Barack Obama’s life story, friends and associates, professional accomplishments, and policies for the future. While conveniently forgetting about incidents in their own pasts (adultery and Keating Five, illegal family trips and abuse of power in Alaska just to start…) they spend 90% of their campaign time telling why people should be against Barack Obama and Joe Biden instead of for them! If you visit the RNC website, there aren’t even pictures or bios of Senator McCain or Governor Palin, just more attacks on the opposition!

*  Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) has put out a video accusing her Democratic opponent North Carolina State Senator Kay Hagen of being “godless” because she attended an event of the Godless Americans Politcal Action Committee, an atheist group. The video even tries to insinuate that Kay Hagen is saying some akin to “…there is no God…” even though the voice on the tape isn’t hers.  Two items to remember: 1) The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws “respecting an establishment of religion” or that prohibit the free exercise of religion…that means that atheists are also Americans with all of the rights as other Americans; and 2) part of the reason why Elezabeth Dole is losing her seat is because in recent years Senator Dole has spend almost no time in the state she claims to represent.

* George W. Bush is scrambling, in the last days of his presidency to roll back many regulations that protect consumers and the environment; which shows how the Republican Party feels about the protection of both the American people and the environment.  What about defective Chinese products? What about the endangered polar bears and global warming? (Sarah Palin doesn’t really believe in global warming, and despite wearinig her little polar bear pin, does not believe polar bears should be put on the endangered species list.)

* One of the five former Republican Secretaries of State that John McCain tried to remember were supporting him has come out on video to say that Sarah Palin is not ready to be Vice-President.

*  John McCain has insisted that the Los Angeles Times release a videotape of Barack Obama at a party of a Columbia University professor who happens to be a Palestinian-American; Sarah Palin mangles his name to illicit “boos” at campaign events.John McCain forgets to mention that an organization he headed funded this professor’s organization with $448,000 just ten years ago.

As decisions are made in these last days of the presidential camapaign, the choice is clear: hope and vision for the future of all Americans whether views and beliefs differ or not, or fear and character assassination and erratic behavior and working with only those people who agree with Republicans and who live in only “pro-American” parts of the country.

To see a variety of up-to-date videos of current events, click over to The Jed Report…

Wendy’s at the Beijing Olympics! A few weeks ago, I told you about my sister, Wendy Hilliard Mensah, a former Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion–she was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in June 2008. Well, she left last Saturday for the 2nd week of the Games, and as promised, has sent pictures and an eye-witness report! Wendy, a graduate of Cass Technical High School Class of ‘78, has participated in and/or attended every Olympic Games since 1984, and as you can see, she seems to know EVERYBODY! Enjoy!

From Wendy’s Report…

The Beijing Olympics have not disappointed me at all.

My contacts have really come through. Ron Galimore from USA Gymnastics got me tickets for 2 days of artistic gymnastics. Greg Harney, formerly of the USOC and now with Cartan Sports Global, got me tickets for diving, wrestling and 2 days of rhythmic gymnastics. Table Tennis was not avavaible- but hey, that is the national sport here. I turned down weightlifting, because I did not have the time. Chris Sullivan, USOC, (I worked with him at NYC2012) totally hooked me up with a credential for USA House.

The USA House is the USOC hospitality compound. All the food, drink, live TV feed (real time competition) and a huge staff that helps with anything one needs. This has allowed me to hook
up with everyone in a relaxed atmosphere. Leland Stein, a reporter from Detroit, got me a two day pass for the MPC (Main Press Center). He got some help from Daryl Seibel, the main press officer
from the USOC. The MPC for the international print media. It is a huge complex. This came in very helpful because I was able to use this pass to get into the press section at Track and Field. I was very close to the action and I had the opportunity to get feedback from the 1996 French
Olympic 400 meter champion, Marie- José Pérec. Today I had a fabulous Peking Duck lunch with Bill’s friend in Beijing, Bing Wang. Yummy! I gave Bing my other track ticket and he enjoyed the event- he said it had been 30 years since he had attended a live track event. Thanks to Brenda L. who hooked me up with Maxine Griffith who had the great track tickets.

Getting around- usually the subway is the way to go during an Olympics, but the taxis are so affordable I can’t resist. The trick is to have the directions written in Chinese and then hope for the best. So far – so good.

Food - except for the Peking Duck – nothing to write home about.

Good night

Shameless Plug: please read my husband’s blog The “D” Spot…