So this next extraordinarily long post is for our blog book. Those of you who don't share our very liberal political persuasion can skip it if you want after the Tim Russert tribute. We won't be offended.
Tim Russert
One big difference with the election this year was the missing presence and passion of Tim Russert. Chris and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Meet the Press every Sunday morning. I missed seeing his passion for politics come out with that white board as he talked about red and blue states. So, as an ode to Tim Russert, below is a video clip link from the Colbert Show tribute to Tim Russert:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/173864/june-16-2008/tim-russert-tribute
President Elect Barack Obama
For the first time in my life I knew what it was like to be living GOOD history. Unfortunately, I know what it is like living through a historical moment such as 9/11, but I've really never known living through a great historical moment. It was the most amazing feeling, to see America elect an African American president for the first time, I literally cried through his acceptance speech. In June 2001 I had the opportunity to visit the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham, AL and it literally changed my life. Growing up in Idaho and Utah I never really understood the Civil Rights Movement until that museum. And while I may not agree with everything Rev Jesse Jackson says or does, as a man who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this picture speaks more than a thousand words:
For those of you who enjoyed his acceptance speech the first time, it is just as moving the second time around. For the first time in 8 years I feel like we have a president that genuinely cares about the American people. And while it might be that he is just a great speaker and can pronounce words, it is a nice change:
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.
Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton ... and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years ... the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady ... Michelle Obama.
Sasha and Malia ... I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us ...to the new White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe ... the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.
To my chief strategist David Axelrod ... who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics ... you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy ... who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.
It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.
And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.
Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America."
Prop. 8 in California
It passed. Much to my chagrin. I have kept silent about it until now, well except to my husband and a couple close friends. I have quietly watched my church donate millions of dollars to Proposition 8 and I have quietly watched friends and family speak up for Proposition 8. Until now. I am not good at accurately writing down my emotions when I am passionate about something. But, for the life of me, I can not figure out why the country is up in arms thinking the sanctity of marriage will be destroyed if it is extended to same sex couples. My friends, whether we want to face it or not, heterosexual couples completely destroyed the sanctity of marriage long ago. Allowing same sex couples to get married is not going to change that. And, before people start thinking that I am off the wall crazy that I would believe this way when the LDS church has made such a stand for the other side, here is a quote released from a statement by the LDS church: "Before it accepted the invitation to join broad-based coalitions for the amendments, the Church knew that some of its members would choose not to support its position. Voting choices by Latter-day Saints, like all other people, are influenced by their own unique experiences and circumstances."
Thank you very much, I am still a good mormon in that regard. And while I don't agree with the protests going on at Temple Square, it is cause and effect. When the LDS church decided to donate upwards of $20 million to the cause of Prop 8 there were going to be effects from that. No, the LDS church did not single handedly cause Proposition 8 to pass in California, that is preposterous. But, we are seeing the effects of a world wide church making a very clear stand against a passionate issue. A stand with nearly $20 million. As far as why I believe in allowing same sex marriages so strongly, the best way to put it is to quote my dear and long-time friend Jake from his blog, I feel that it a good balance after all the scare tactics that were used in favor of Prop 8:
"Let me begin by making it clear that I grew up in a religious family. I understand the common belief that families are at the center of God's plan, and that marriage is key to the success of the family. I get it. I believe it. But if I can just respectfully say, I don't particularly agree with the notion that somehow gay marriage poses a threat to families. In fact, is this not instead an issue of providing legal recognition for more families? How does that pose a threat one way or the other to the traditional Christian family, whose rights remain intact regardless? Clearly, many with a religious background similar to mine do not share my views. In fact, as the election nears, it's become hard not to notice the full-scale attack against the idea of gay marriage. California seems to be the primary battleground this season, with its highly controversial Proposition 8, which seeks to amend the State's constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
I'm sure you've heard most of the arguments in favor of Proposition 8. Among the most popular include: If Prop 8 does not pass, children in public schools would be taught that same-sex marriages are morally acceptable, and parents would have no legal grounds to object to what the schools are teaching their children. If Prop 8 does not pass, churches would be subjected to legal challenges if they do not recognize and allow same-sex marriage. If Prop 8 does not pass, churches that do not accept same-sex marriage would lose their tax exempt status. If Prop 8 does not pass, religious groups that preach against same-sex couples would be sued for hate-speech. If Prop 8 does not pass, religious adoption agencies would be forced to place children with same-sex couples. If Prop 8 does not pass, private schools sponsored by religious organizations would be required to provide housing and other benefits for same-sex couples, etc.
Are you seeing the pattern? Allow me to summarize the argument in just one sentence: If same-sex relationships are recognized, your religious rights will be taken away. My friends, with all due respect, this notion is completely without merit. The truth is that the first amendment to the constitution of the United States protects freedom of religion for everyone, and the U.S. constitution is the trump card for anything the State may try to do. The truth is that California law already grants absolute right to parents over the education of their children, and already dictates that no child will be taught anything about health or family issues that is contrary to the wishes of the parents. The truth is that regardless of the legal definition of marriage, no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious leader will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs. The truth is that California law already protects a person from being sued over personal religious beliefs, and has for decades. The bottom line is that proponents of Proposition 8 have built an expensive campaign against gay marriage based on false claims and scare tactics, most of which have been disproven by legal professionals, and none of which pose any legitimate threat to religious groups or their membership.
The truth is that the issue of gay marriage really has nothing to do with religion at all. For many, including myself, it's an issue of civil rights. The only reason the gay population is interested in marriage in the first place is because the average State government has attached somewhere in the ballpark of 400 legal rights and benefits to marriage, while the Federal government has attached roughly 1000 rights and benefits. That is a huge amount of legal benefits that are only attainable through marriage. A few examples: joint adoption, joint parental rights, next of kin status for hospital visits and medical decisions, bereavement or sick leave, joint insurance protection, divorce protections such as child support, domestic violence protection, retirement benefits such as pensions, social security, and medicare, inheritance benefits, death benefits and decision making power for the deceased, credit protection, welfare and other public assistance benefits, joint filing of tax forms, customs forms, mortgage and lease applications, and countless other legal forms and contracts, etc. The list goes on and on and on. Somehow, in spite of our best efforts to separate Church and State, we've ended up with a concept that is so deeply entrenched in both the religious world and the legal world, that it seems we have little hope of finding a resolution that is acceptable to both sides. Instead, we seem to be locked in this endless debate of semantics, with one side fighting to defend their faith, and the other fighting to gain equal rights under the law.
I have no desire to impose on the religious beliefs of anyone. I appreciate religion, and I understand the religious connotations of marriage. I try my best to respect those whose beliefs are different than mine. Is it too much to ask the same in return? I believe one's freedom of religion ends in the very instant it begins to infringe on the rights and freedoms of another. How then can we possibly allow the religious beliefs of one to dictate the legal rights of another?
I hope to have a family one day. Under the current system, my family will be more vulnerable and have less legal protection under the law than other families. Let me rephrase, my childrenmore vulnerable and have less legal protection under the law than children from other families. That is the reality of the situation, and that simply is not right. Children deserve the best our society can offer, regardless of the type of family to which they belong, and regardless of the sexual or religious practices of their parents. I believe I have an obligation to defend myself, to stand up for my rights as a gay American, and ultimately to fight for the quality of life my future children deserve. At the end of the day, this isn't just about gay marriage, it's about real American families. Passing laws that withhold thousands of legal rights and benefits from tens of thousands of American families does nothing to protect marriage and families; in fact, it very likely has the opposite effect."
If you've made it through all of this and don't agree with our political views, thank you for reading and I hope I didn't instill too much anger. If you do agree, again, thank you for reading. Above everything, I want everyone to know, we appreciate and love our family and friends. I always say, the best friends are the one that make you think. I hope that I have made people stop and think, even for a few minutes.
