TresSugar

Hug It Out: Top 20 Embraces From the Presidential Campaign

CitizenSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:02:43 -0800

The 2008 Presidential campaign is over, and while it wasn't all champagne kisses and caviar dreams, there were some pretty phenomenal embraces from the candidates and their families and friends. Some squeezes showed honest and sweet support, while others seemed to be manufactured for the camera. Here's a look back at the best of the best.

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In Pictures: McCain, Obama, and Americans Everywhere Vote

CitizenSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:15:02 -0800

Election-day fever is sweeping the nation, with experts predicting record turnout. From Phoenix to Chicago, Ohio to New Hampshire, voters are experiencing long lines - but as you'll see, they're sticking around to cast their ballots. Take a look as John and Cindy, Barack and Michelle, Joe and Jill, Sarah and Todd, Bill and Hill, and citizens everywhere make their choices.

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Where the [First] Ladies At? Michelle and Cindy On the Trail

CitizenSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:00:40 -0700

Michelle Obama, with a fresh ink feature in the NYT, dropped by the Tonight Show last night in advance of Obama's 30-minute TV spot airing tomorrow night. She also joined the sisterhood of the traveling pants as it were, being understanding about Palin's current wardrobe conundrum. Michelle said, "A VP pick, it's like being shot out of a cannon. All of a sudden you're at the center of attention, and you want to look good. You're living in your home, minding your business, and all of a sudden you're on the national stage and everyone's watching."

She said her kids were less than thrilled about their Dad's impending TV appearance. Malia said, "'You're going to be on all the TV? Are you going to interrupt my TV?'" Obama assured her he hadn't bought time on Disney or Nickelodeon.

Cindy McCain is blazing up the trail too, recently in Florida with Rudy Giuliani touting her husband's credentials. Cindy said, "We need someone who understands what it means to send young men into combat and bring them home." Hitting hot local breakfast spots, the race car driver and pilot Cindy is shaking hands with the best of them.

To see Michelle with Jay Leno, read more.

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Dudes For Palin? What the Times Is Saying About the GOP

CitizenSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:00:58 -0700

You know how there are just some girls who always seem to have a pack of guy friends? According to the Times, Sarah Palin is the candidate equivalent of that. With crowds that seem to be tipping heavily male (I suppose the legendary Joe Six-Packs?) the vocal man-fans aren't afraid to be heard. With calls of, “You tell ’em baby,” and “You rock me out, Sarah,” Palin seems to be comfortable with the demographic saying, “I feel like I’m at home."

At one rally a female supporter taking a snapshot said of the ratio, “This is not a ladies campaign. There seem to be lots and lots of guys here. I’d guess 70-30, maybe 65-35, men to women. It’s quite noticeable to me.”

To see what the Times had to say about another woman on the trail, Cindy McCain, as well as Christopher Buckley, read more.

This weekend also saw a piece on Cindy McCain the response to it has vacillated from "humanizing" to "gutter journalism." Touching on her challenges as the second wife in Washington, her substance problem, and ties to the Keating scandal, the piece also notes: "Mrs. McCain has exhibited the signal trait of the political spouse: a burning desire to win."

Christopher Buckley also got his time in the Times sun this weekend, with a feature on his now famous decision to back Obama. In the piece one friend says, “When you live in that Buckley bubble all those years, you’re not really allowed to say what you think. This is probably the last liberation for him. He put his flag in the sand.”

What do you think of the Times' coverage of the Republican Party recently?
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McCain Sheds His "Green Speech" Skin, Shines Amid Protests

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:00:39 -0700

I might venture out on a limb and say McCain's speech in front of the National Federation of Independent Business yesterday helped to erase the mean, green debacle of a week ago. He was the old McCain again. Hey. You know what I mean.

He opened with a chuckler: "I have never run a small, struggling enterprise - unless you count my presidential campaign last year," but was soon interrupted by an anti-war protester who heckled him from the audience.

The woman burst out with "War is bad for small business!" McCain responded, "one of the things Americans are tired of, one of the things they're tired of is people yelling at each other in America, have you noticed that? They want us to respect each other's opinions. . . . Americans want a dialogue," to wild applause. After another protester jumped in and was lead away, McCain said, "now that we know, now that I know who I will be facing in the general election . . ."

To see my highlights, the parts that grabbed me - with a funny cherry on top at the end, read more.

Americans do not resent paying their fair share of taxes. What they do resent, and especially if they're trying to run a business, is being subjected to thousands of pages of needless and often irrational rules and demands from the IRS.
We need rules that assure fairness and punish wrongdoing in the market and hold every businessperson in America to the same fair standards.
In so many ways, we need to make a clean break from the worst excesses of both political parties. And for Republicans, it starts with reclaiming our good name as the party of spending restraint. Somewhere along the way, too many Republicans in Congress became indistinguishable from the big-spending Democrats they used to oppose. The only power of government that could stop them was the power of veto, and it was rarely used. If that authority is entrusted to me, I will use the veto as needed. I will veto every bill with earmarks. I will seek a constitutionally valid line-item veto to end pork-barrel spending once and for all.

The even-handed pragmatism - and what seemed like a conservative renaissance - sung to me. OK, he did have a funny slip of the tongue when he delivered the last part. Why is McCain so anti-brew?

Hee hee. And what was Cindy up to yesterday? A little shop-a-rama at Oscar de la Renta - a spree that went on a little longer than her poor Secret Service detail could bear, saying she'd been in the store "Waaayy too long" as he sweltered outside. Bah. Don't take a man shopping; they have no endurance for the important stuff.

What did you think of McCain's speech? Is he upping his economy cred?

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McCain Gears Up For General Fight - He's Everywhere!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:31 -0700

Well, hello gorgeous! McCain has been enjoying the fruits of the Andre the Giant-sized Democratic primary but suddenly today, he's all over the map. (Not to mention a stop in my home state!) Here's what's going on with the Republican Senator:

A sneak-preview of the New York Times Sunday magazine section, the huge article called "The McCain Doctrines," includes this quote from Max Cleland, Georgia’s former Democratic senator: “McCain is my friend and brother, and I love him dearly. But I think you learn something fighting on the ground, like me and John Kerry and Chuck Hagel did in Vietnam. This objective of ‘hearts and minds’? Well, hello! You didn’t know which heart and mind was going to blow you up!"
McCain spoke moments ago in Columbus, OH, jumping feet first into the general election and outlining plans for his presidency. He laid out a timetable of his own for Iraq - one of victory. Imagining the world at the end of his term he said, "By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension." He added by 2013, "there is no longer any place in the world al Qaeda can consider a safe haven," and that there still will not have been a "major terrorist attack in the United States since September 11, 2001."
Cindy McCain has sold off $2 million she held in funds with investments in Sudan businesses. The mutual funds have investments in companies with business in Sudan according to an organization that has been working to persuade states, universities and other organizations to divest. A spokesman for the campaign says, "As soon as she was made aware, she sold it."

Do you believe McCain's vision for the end of his term in office? Will the US have won the Iraq war? Are you interested in Cindy McCain's financial situation - especially since she's demurred to release her tax returns?

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Day 1: Laura Bush and Cindy McCain Appeal For Gulf State Aid

CitizenSugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:29:06 -0700

True to their promise for official business only, the Republican Convention today focused on floor votes and finished with a brief appearance by First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain. After a series of touching and well-done video messages from the Gulf State Governors (all of whom are Republican) both women appealed for aid to Hurricane victims.

Laura Bush said, "Our first priority for today and in the coming days is to ensure the safety and well-being of those living in the Gulf Coast Region. . . When such events occur, we are reminded that first, we are all Americans - and that our shared American ideals will always transcend political parties and partisanship."

Cindy McCain followed (wearing a fantastic, 50s-silhouette goldenrod dress) saying, "I would ask that each one of us commit to join together to aid those in need as quickly as possible. As John has been saying for the last several days, this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats."

To see what the party is doing during the convention to help, and video of the audience's reaction to Laura and Cindy, read more.

The Republican party has formed a center where volunteers will make 80,000 "comfort packages," (including food and toiletries), a text message alert system, and a directory of websites to encourage Americans to donate to charities identified by the five Gulf Coast governors. The comfort packages will be packed by convention volunteers and shipped out Wednesday.

The crowd couldn't have been more enthusiastic to see the two speak.

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Boo! The Scariest Halloween News - an Alien Endorsement?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:30:38 -0700

This is absolutely the most important news we will bring you all day. The paper of record, the Weekly World News has published a hard-hitting October Surprise endorsement: John McCain has picked up the coveted alien vote. Not illegal immigrants, real honest-to-goodness outer-space folks. The vote has been reportedly secured by Cindy McCain reaching across atmospheric lines to forge a diplomatic relationship with the alien. According to the WWN here's how it went down:

At a recent McCain rally, inside sources say Cindy McCain disappeared with the alien after sharing several champagnes with the notorious intergalactic lightweight. Ms. McCain’s alien-like good looks and natural blood temperature of 54°F may have proved too much for him to resist as she reportedly put her cyborg husband into sleep mode and worked her charms.

To see the effect of this turn of events on the election, check out the whole piece.

Back on Earth, Detroit and Oil City, PA, are dealing with Halloween hijinks of their own. To see how, read more.

The Detroit tradition of "Devil's Night," where mischief makers set abandoned buildings on fire is being put out by thousands of citizen volunteers and police officers. The worst Devil's Night, 1984, saw 810 fires set in the city. They expect 50,000 volunteers to watch over the town this year.

In Oil City, PA, there's a cautious return to after-dark Trick or Treating this year following the 1992 murder of an 11-year-old, thanks to a petition drive by a local fifth grader. Her petition combined with an essay has persuaded the City Council to change its mind. The young activist will be out tomorrow night dressed up as a Goth princess bride.

Is anything scarier than that picture of Cindy McCain happening in your neck of the haunted and spooky woods?

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John McCain Accepts the Republican Nomination!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:16:18 -0700

Since I made up my mind to vote for John McCain, I've been waiting for this night - and by the sounds of the crowd, an arena full of people agreed with me. The build up to John McCain was appropriately quick and tough and everyone was beyond anxious to get to the goods and see how McCain would follow Palin's speech. It felt different in the crowd. Yesterday's raucous relief was replaced with an enthusiastic solemnity.

The line up was a slate of friends and leaders who testified to McCain's readiness to lead and protect the country. Sen. Lindsay Graham had some particularly strong words:

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Barack Obama doesn't care. I'm just saying - he doesn't get it. Not once was Barack Obama's eloquent voice ever raised in support of Victory in Iraq. Not once was it used to rally our troops in battle. Instead, he inspired those who supported retreat and would have accepted our defeat.

The security theme continued up to the main event. To see who else spoke, and what McCain said, read more.

Former PA Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said:

Who but John McCain has the experience . . the sheer will . . the steady hand. . . and the informed judgment to advance our economic and political interests during these perilous 21st century times? And who but John McCain - and only John McCain - can negotiate from a position of strength and proven ability - because he's already earned the trust . . .respect . . . and admiration of our friends and allies around the world? And I suspect he has the attention of those who would oppose us.

By the time Cindy and family (and Jack!) came out, the crowd was primed. Then John McCain gave the speech he's been waiting years to give: accepting the nomination. With an attempt by Code Pink to disrupt the speech promptly drowned by the crowd's "USA!" the crowd was inspired. On the rebuilt stage that thrust him among the crowd, this said it all for me:

I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn’t my own man anymore. I was my country’s.

You had me at "country first." The crowd drowned out the last minute of the speech with a deafening roar, and I finally got my balloon drop. God bless America, indeed.

What did you think? Did McCain do his job? Was the speech a winner?

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Biden Calls Email Ad Terrible, Then Regrets Hitting "Reply All"

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:02:41 -0700

Did Joe Biden gaffe again? In a train-based interview with Katie Couric, she asked Biden about an ad being run by the Obama/Biden campaign mocking McCain's technological capabilities. Biden said of the ad, "I thought that was terrible by the way. I didn’t know we did it and if I had anything to do with it, we would have never done it”

The ad uses a disco ball and Rubik's cube to paint McCain as "out of touch" and says he "doesn't know how to use a computer," and "admits he can't send an email." What prompted Biden's discomfort with the ad? Perhaps this quote from a Forbes piece in 2000:

In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the US Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

It didn't take long for Biden to realize he'd just slammed an ad approved by the ticket he's on, and an ad he'd never actually seen. To see his clarification and his "terrible" conversation with Katie, read more.

He retracted the statement and issued the following:

Having now reviewed the ad, it is even more clear to me that given the disgraceful tenor of Sen McCain’s ads and their persistent falsehoods, his campaign is in no position to criticize, especially when they continue to distort Barack’s votes on an issue as personal as keeping kids safe from sexual predators.

Is this a Biden gaffe? Was he hit by an attack of conscience, or is the argument that McCain can't email because of his injuries the part that's actually out of touch?