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"We’re going to say to friend and foe alike.We want you to be a part of us, we 
The voting in our poll is over and the votes are in.
It was f-f-f-frrrigid again last night but we nonetheless decided to keep our reservations at the new Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House in Philadelphia.
You have one day left to vote in our GOP 2012 Presidential Poll.
Who do you like for 2012?
Sarah Palin comes to mind.
What about Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee?
Or would you like to see someone who didn't run in 2008 - maybe Bobby or Newt or Jeb?
Or maybe you don't favor any of these candidates.
The choice is yours.
But tomorrow is the last day to vote!
Vote now in our poll. The poll is at the top right corner of this page.
Vote today!
I drove by a synagogue today that displayed a huge sign out front.
With the Star of David in the background and big block letters up front, it said: "We stand for Israel's peace and security."
A bit further up the road another sign proclaimed the same message.
I thought to myself - what a wonderful idea! The survival of the State of Israel is vital to the cause of democracy and freedom. Everybody should be reminded of that fact.
Indeed, faith communities should not hesitate to strongly reaffirm and freely announce their beliefs and interests, especially in these troubled and threatening times.
So let's see more expressions such as this.
And let's hope that the Catholic community will begin asserting its interests as well, particularly with regard to the sanctity of human life.
If messages such as these set one person to thinking about these issues in a new way (or thinking about them at all) then it's worth it.
And let those who so loudly preach tolerance and understanding show some tolerance of and understanding toward these points of view. That would be an important first step!
Monday night's confirmation of Timothy Geithner as Treasure secretary is a disgrace and an affront to every good, hard-working, tax-paying American who plays by the rules.
Timothy Geithner didn't play by the rules.
Geithner is a tax cheat, pure and simple.
I don't care how "brilliant" Geithner is. Nothing excuses his behavior. Nothing.
While most of us were busting our butts working to make enough money to pay our taxes this guy was moving up, hanging out with the rich and powerful, gaining more power for himself and playing by an entirely different set of rules - his own rules.
Bravo to Senator Susan Collins of Maine who said: "I cannot, in good conscience, vote for Mr. Geithner."
Kudos to Senators Specter, McCain, DeMint, Chambliss, Thune and the 24 other Republicans who voted "NO!" Extra, extra hosannas to Democratic Senators Feingold and Harkin and Independent Senator Sanders who also voted "NO!"
Here are the names and phone numbers of the GOP Senators who voted "Yes" on Geithner. Call them and tell them they sold honest, hard-working taxpayers down the river. Shame on them:
Corker (202) 224-3344
Cornyn (202) 224-2934
Crapo (202) 224-6142
Graham (202) 224-5972
Hatch (202) 224-5251
Gregg (202) 224-3324
Shelby (202) 224-5744
Snowe (202) 224-5344
Voinovich (202) 224-3353
From THIS............... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .to this!Who do you like for 2012?
Sarah Palin comes to mind.
What about Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee?
Or would you like to see someone who didn't run in 2008 - maybe Bobby or Newt or Jeb?
Or maybe you don't favor any of these candidates.
The choice is yours.
Vote now in our poll.
The poll is at the top right corner of this page. Vote today!
At the risk of sounding like I've been sucking on sour grapes for the past few days, let me say something that, for me at least, needs to be said:
We non-Obama voters shouldn't be bullied into supporting our new president.
Now that I've gotten your attention, allow me to explain. . . .
To read the rest of Christine Flowers' column from the Philadelphia Daily News click here.
We'll be on the radio tonight (Saturday) during the 8 PM - 8:30 segment with Christine Flowers on the Big Talker, 120 AM radio in Philadelphia.
We'll be talking about President Obama's Inaugural Address and how it compares with other inagural speeches in history.
We invite you to call into the Big Talker and chat with us.
Here are the call-in numbers: Philadelphia: (215) 839-1210; Suburbs: (610) 664-1210; New Jersey: (856) 541-1210; Cellular: #1210.
We just saw an advance preview of the flick New In Town (starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr.) and we can report to you that Hollywood still hates big business.
Since I have talked about "the dangers of electing a celebrity President" the question has arisen: "Wasn't Reagan a celebrity?"
Yes, back on November 30 we also reviewed Slumdog Millionaire which has already won the Golden Globe award and which today became the runner-up for Oscar nominations just behind Benjamin Button.
Frankly, we fould 'Slumdog' assualtive and relentless but we did admit that we were in the minority and that the movie had become an 'international sensation.'
Here's what we said:
'Slumdog' is indeed a powerful tale that centers on one of the three orphans who grows up to become a champion on the India TV version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?The film is told in a serious of flashbacks and it is graphic beyond belief.
We journey through the slums of India as our protagonist is beaten, scarred, intimidated, abused, starved, orphaned and at one point even enveloped in human waste.
Danny Boyle's direction of this extraordinarily vivid tale is relentlessly assaultive. It's loud, often manipulative and ultimately overwhelming. The moments of subtlety are few and far between. . . .
The major performances by a young cast of Indian actors are wonderful. And the film certainly does grab and keep your attention.
Will 'Slumdog' best 'Button' for the Best Picture prize?
I suppose that depends on whether Hollywood wants to go global and send a love letter to the world ('Slumdog') or hunker down to its American roots ('Button').
Way back on November 25 we gave you an advance review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and we predicted that it would garner many Oscar nominations including Best Picture.
Here's what we said:
Benjamin Button is a Major Motion Picture with lots of Oscar buzz. In fact, this film could garner as many as 11 Oscar nominations, if not more.
Well, today 'Button' scooped up 13 nominations and led in the nomnations race.
This truly is the biggest, most significant American movie since Forrest Gump.
Here's the story from David Germain in Hollywood for the Associated Press:
The romantic fantasy "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" led Academy Awards contenders Thursday with 13 nominations, among them best picture and acting honors for Brad Pitt and Taraji P. Henson, and a directing slot for David Fincher.
Other best-picture nominees are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire."
As expected, Heath Ledger had a supporting-actor nomination for "The Dark Knight" on the one-year anniversary of his death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. But the Batman blockbuster was shut out from other top categories such as best picture and director.
"Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its rags-to-riches theme, coming in second with 10 nominations, including a directing spot for Danny Boyle and two of the three song slots.
Pitt and real-life partner Angelina Jolie both will be going to the Oscars as nominees. Jolie had a best-actress nomination for the missing-child drama "Changeling," while Pitt is up for his role as a man born old who ages backward toward childhood, an epic tale based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald story.
"This is a great honor for the movie, and I'm especially happy for David Fincher, for without him there would be no Ben Button," Pitt said in a statement.
Jolie also had gushing words for her director, "Changeling" filmmaker Clint Eastwood.
For the complete list of Oscar nominees click here.
Who do you like for 2012?
Sarah Palin comes to mind.
What about Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee?
Or would you like to see someone who didn't run in 2008 - maybe Bobby or Newt or Jeb?
Or maybe you don't favor any of these candidates.
The choice is yours. Vote now in our poll.
The poll is at the top right corner of this page. Vote today!
The Associated Press is just now reporting that Obama has taken the oath of office today in the White House, again!
Apparently there was some confusion as to whether the flubbed oath yesterday was legitimate.
And it seems that just to be sure Obama has taken the oath again from Chief Justice Roberts in the White House, It seems this was witnessed by Obama aide Greg Craig.
You remember Craig: He was the man who defended Clinton during the impeachment. He was also the guy who fought for the return of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba, thus depriving the little boy of a life of freedom.
One day in and already the Obama Administration is off to a curious (and somewhat shaky) start along with some questionable witnesses.
The results are in on our poll and the numbers are evenly split.
We asked: "What will Barack Obama's popularity be on January 20, 2010?"
About 48% of you feel that the new President's popularity one year from now will be 50% or above.
But the rest of you (about 52%) feel his popularity will be 50% or less.
The percentages are not exact because they are not fractionalized.
Here's the breakdown:
18% of you say his popularity will be 70% or more.
15% peg it at 60 to 70%.
14% say it will be 50 to 60%
15% peg it at 40 to 50%
Note that all of those figures in each of those categories are relatively close.
But then nearly a quarter of you (23%) say his popularity will be only 30 to 40%. That is the largest single category of responses.
And then another 12% see him at less than 30% a year from now.
So, more than a third -- 35% of the respondents -- see President Obama's popularity at 40% or less a year from now,
Thanks for participating. We'll have a new poll tomorrow.
Some people seem to feel I haven't always been fair (or even nice) to Barack Obama.
And maybe I haven't.
But from time to time I have given him credit.
In fact, just about a year ago (January 26, 2007) on this blog I called Obama a "helluva fighter" and all but predicted he would win the nomination and implied he might win the the election as well. Here's what I said:
Barack Obama's victory in the South Carolina Democrat primary can only be described as devastating. It was a crushing triumph: two-to-one; a huge mandate.
In his victory speech Obama never mentioned the Clintons by name but his shots at the Clintons were clear as he declared the election a contest between "the past and the future" and said the real test was not about "how much time you've spent in Washington or your proximity to the White House" but whether you could bring people together and provide real hope for the future. And then Obama added that we must turn away from the politics that tells us that "you can't even admit that a Republican had an idea, even if it was an idea you never believed in."
Even though Obama used a teleprompter to make his remarks, it must be noted that we haven't heard oratory like this in a long time. Quite impressive.
Tomorrow's endorsement of Obama by Caroline Kennedy in a New York Times op-ed (where she says he will be "a President like my father") will add another boost to his campaign.
Be sure of it: This is a helluva fight and - this is one helluva fighter.
So, there you are.
Don't think I don't recognize and respect this man's talents and abilities. I do.
Inaugural addresses are not by their nature specific.
They are thematic.
They paint with broad strokes, setting a tone for what is to come.
President Obama's address today was no different. It contained the type of broad rhetoric that the new President is comfortable with: aspirational rather than operational.
Though he said that the real questions is not whether government is too big or too small but rather whether or not government works, Obama gave us no clues as to how he will decide which government programs work and which don't.
Yes, he hinted that he would get rid of certain government programs. But, which ones?
We just don't know.
And yes, Obama's remarks contained an implied answer to Reagan's declaration in 1981 that government is not the solution but government is, rather, the problem. Obama apparently assumes that government is the solution, no matter how big it gets. He just wants to make sure it works right.
Strong words of national defense in the speech were balanced by neo-liberal rhetoric about peace and understanding.
Still, while Obama seemed to reject "missiles and weapons" he lavished praise on our fighting men and women in the armed forces and pointed to their service as an example to all. Even though he stuck to his rhetoric on an eventual withdrawal from Iraq it was nice to hear him acknowledge the sacrifice of the military and to hear him evoke the memories of Washington and his army of the Revolution.
I think it was fine for President Obama to point to our diversity and to recognize as a source of strength and recognize the many faiths that practice in America. But I don't know why he felt the need to point out that that we are a nation of "non-believers" as well. Somehow that didn't sit right with me. It didn't settle well on my ears.
How can you criticize "cynics," challenging them and nearly mocking them while at the same time putting "non-believers" on the same plain as people of faith? We all know that so many of those "non-believers" are simply nihilists and/or cynics. Why grant them official recognition? Unfortunately, I must assume that this represented some morally fuzzy liberal thinking that crept into the speech.
This was certainly an historic occasion.
But was this an historic speech?
Will it be put alongside the four or five "great" Inaugural addresses: Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Kennedy?
At first blush I would have to guess "no."
It was a blessedly brief speech. And it was refreshingly non-egotistical, mentioning the word "I" only a few times. And it wisely Incorporated messages borrowed from our history and from scripture while striking classic themes.
But nothing really jumps out at me -- nothing that says: "Look at this. Study this. Think about this. Remember this. This is something to savor; something that sounds like it would stand the test of time."
Still, I'll read it again and consider it further.
Here are some of the key passages from today's Inaugural address:
Dare I say that Michelle Obama is overdressed for the Inaugural ceremony?
Don't look for any big surprises today in Obama's Inaugural Address.
The new President will strike a balanced tone and will speak for about 20 minutes or less. This is a relatively short address for him and it takes into account the frigid weather and the huge crowd.
Obama will offer trademark messages of hope, change and generational shift but he will also warn of the size and seriousness of our problems. He will echo Kennedy in asking not what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country. He will ask for sacrifice, patience and understanding.
Of course he will also call for unity.
Let us hope that he expresses the warmest thanks and appreciation to President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush for their extraordinary service to our nation, especially in the days following September 11. And let us hope that Obama thanks President Bush for the absolutely flawless transition, grace and dignity that led to this hopeful new day.
Here's the bottom line: You can't keep losing the Big Games and expect people to take you seriously.
Thanks to all of you who helped make our column in today's Courier-Post a Must Read of The Day on Lucianne.com.
This is the first time this has ever happened to us and it is immensely gratifying.
Lucianne runs literally hundreds (maybe even thousands) of pieces every day so this is a special honor - to be chosen as one of the three or four "must reads" on her outstanding web site.
We thank the Courier-Post for running the column and we thank Lucianne for drawing national attention to our views.
If you still haven't read the column click here to read it on Lucianne.com or click here to read it at the Courier-Post.
BTW: The column generated nearly 30 comments on Lucianne and eight comments at the Courier.
Thanks again for your continued support!
We stand at the threshold of the Age of Obama. It will be unlike anything we have ever known. And it will be all-consuming. Our lives, our nation and our world will be transformed. Nothing will be the same.
Even our vocabulary will change. Consequently, we will need to know the vocabulary of this new realm: the players, the terms, the language of Obamaland. . . .
To read the rest of my column from today's Courier-Post click here.
Andrew Wyeth, one of America's great artists died quietly Friday at his home in beautiful Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was 91 and he died in his sleep.
In a few short days, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Some people, a sizable part of the electorate, can't wait. In fact, they've pretty much considered him the commander in chief since he first announced his candidacy on a cold day two years ago in Springfield, Ill.
But during those two years, momentous in many ways, there was already an occupant of the Oval Office, one who's been reviled and underestimated more than any other president in recent memory. With a clear eye and a sense of fairness, let's look at key parts of the Bush legacy. . . .
To read the rest of Christine Flowers' column from the Philadelphia Daily News click here.
From the Farewell Address of President George W. Bush:
It's being reported that Canada geese were probably the culprits in today's Manhattan US Airways plane crash that nearly cost more than 100 people their lives.
New Jersey Senate Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce have again called on Governor Corzine to adopt a sales tax holiday to provide economic relief to New Jersey families and businesses. The governor dismissed a similar Republican proposal before last year’s holiday season. The National Retail Federation (NFR) called last month for a nationwide sales tax holiday to be one leg of any new economic stimulus program.
“A sales tax holiday will save the average family $175 this year, according to the National Retail Federation,” Kean stated. “This sales tax holiday program should be part of an economic stimulus we adopt this year. It is especially timely given the fact that the stock market tumbled this morning, driven down mainly by dismal retail sales.”
On December 23, 2008 the NFR sent a letter to President-elect Obama asking that he include 3, 10 day sales tax holidays for a broad range of goods, as part of the economic stimulus plan. The letter was signed by the chairmen and CEOs of retail giants, J.C Penney, Saks Fifth Avenue and PetSmart. The NRF proposal includes both short-term economic stimulus measures and long-term investments. The NRF holds that sales tax holidays have proven to be a powerful inducement for people to shop. The federation proposes that the federal government reimburse states for lost revenue.
“Governor Corzine offered few new ideas to reinvigorate New Jersey’s economy,” DeCroce continued. “This program will put money back into the pockets of middle class families and generate more income tax revenue by saving jobs in the retail sector. The governor should embrace this common-sense proposal, and urge the President-elect to embrace this idea as well.”
We braved the bitter cold last night (What ever happened to global warming?) to venture into Philly's hip Northern Liberties neighborhood where the Philadelphia Bar Association convened a spectacular cocktail reception and dinner at the beautiful Cescaphe Ballroom to honor Chancellor Sayde Joy Ladov (pictured with husband, David Ladov).
So, Obama had dinner night before last with inside-the-beltway "conservative" pundits.
Let's be clear about this: Except for Charles Krauthammer none of the people at the dinner could be described as a "die-hard" conservative. Nor are they necessarily GOP loyalists. None of them.
George Will, the host of the dinner, has often led the criticism of President Bush and does nothing to hide his disdain for both Presidents Bush. Will is reaching Serious Senior status and he's increasingly desperate to stay in touch. He's never been a McCain fan either and he was probably happy that Obama won. I suppose he sees this as a chance to hang on awhile longer lest his dotage gets the best of him.
Peggy Noonan seems to be a gracious lady and a fine wordsmith. But she too has become disenchanted with the Republican Party and she did not hesitate to dump on both Bush and McCain. She has also been critical of Palin. Peggy has come to enjoy the east-coast "glamour" set. She too seems to feel a compelling need to remain "au-courant."
Bill Kristol always struck me as a curious figure -- a sort of picky, all-too-proper "conservative" who would prefer to engage in tedious debate with the country club set. Passion is not his strong suit.
And Larry Kudlow is more of an economic conservative than anything else. You can't really say that his conservatism is in any way whole or all-encompassing.
So, these are not exactly people who I'd want to be in a foxhole with.
As far as I'm concerned they are nothing more than convenient conservatives, if you know what i mean.
Now, on the same day that this dinner was being held Rush Limbaugh was in Washington as well. But Rush wasn't having dinner with anybody. Rush was having lunch with President Bush in the White House. You see, Rush is old fashioned that way. He believes in sticking. Rush is the sort of guy who leaves the party with the same date he arrived with. How quaint!
Now, that's my kind of conservative!
The other day the BBC called me.
Yes, the BBC, or as it is known across the pond, the Beeb.
Beth Ryder from the BBC show World Have Your Say wanted me to elaborate regarding my views on Prince Harry's recent antics and questionable use of language. Harry was clowning around with his buds in the British Army.
I told Beth that Harry exhibits the exuberance of youth. He's a lively chap who wants to get along with his mates and wants to be thought of as a chum. So, he pokes fun at others, makes jokes at his own expense, engages in pranks and acts much like a normal twentysomething guy.
Hey, I spend a good deal of time around twentysomethings.
These young people are still changing, experimenting, growing and evolving. They're unfinished. That often makes them (thank goodness!) a good deal more spontaneous than the rest of us. And their spontaneity is part of their appeal.
And, in Harry's case these young people are serving their nation and are often under a good deal of stress. On top of it all, Harry has suffered an egregious loss during his young life.
So, let's cut him (and his friends) a break.
And let's bit a bit more understanding of the generation that is now just emerging.
Let's give them a wide berth, and a chance to learn.
A message from New Jersey State Senate Leader Tom Kean:
“There’s no doubt that these are extraordinary times for New Jersey. However, our governor used hyper-partisan rhetoric to try to persuade state residents that our economic problems began last year with the housing crisis and the stock market collapse.
“In truth, they began six years ago when Democrat Governor Jim McGreevey decided the best way to win re-election was to borrow, tax and spend the earnings of the middle class rather than exercising fiscal discipline during an economic downturn. Governor Corzine wholeheartedly endorsed those job-killing policies and is an enthusiastic advocate of many of them today. He’d rather use a pension gimmick that will cost property tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars than to reopen the budget and, at last, set the state on the right course toward lasting growth and prosperity.
“Make no mistake. The state’s small business climate was ranked last in the nation long before the Dow plunged. New Jersey began losing private jobs three years ago, not three months. In 2007, New York’s rate of private sector employment growth was 12 times that of New Jersey, while Connecticut growth was eight times higher, Massachusetts growth was seven times higher, and Pennsylvania’s was six times higher.
“Governor Corzine did nothing to reverse those policies until polls showed that voters were demanding that he take action in the face of a national recession. Then he adopted measures that he ridiculed when Republicans proposed them in the Common Sense Plan they introduced in May and June. However, he has left many job-killing measures in place, including a $62 million utility tax increase that costs every family and business desperately needed resources during this recession.
“Both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature are now committed to finding real, long-term solutions to this state’s economic problems. The governor talks tough, but he hasn’t come through. On the economy, on ethics, on transparency in government, we urge the governor to conform his actions to his rhetoric.
The five Republican members of the New Jersey Senate Budget Committee urged Governor Corzine to embrace the democratic process during his state of the state speech, and officially declare the budget reopened so legislators can perform their constitutional role in determining how state money will be spent.
“No governor should be allowed to squelch debate about the issues that are most crucial to citizens,” Senator Bucco said. “This governor can’t run the state like a Wall Street CEO, answerable only to the special interests and insiders who help him win elections.”
“The public has a right to know where the governor plans to find budget savings or move funds from critical programs,” Senator Haines said. “The budget must be fair. To ensure it is fair, we need open debate in the Legislature.”
“Corzine seems determined to go around the democratic process on every important issue,” Senator O’Toole said. “He pushed through toll hikes without legislative approval. Now he wants the Legislature to rubber stamp at least $2 billion in budget changes. Taxpayers have a right to full debate about where their government is going and how their money will be spent.”
“The administration has refused to honor a simple request to document how it’s moving money around to patch growing holes in the budget,” Senator Pennacchio said. “No administration that acts in this manner can claim with a straight face that it’s practicing open and transparent government. It’s time to stop dictating to the citizenry, and instead wholeheartedly welcome them to join a debate about the future of the state.”
“Other states are using the economic downturn to drive open and vigorous debates about the direction of government,” Senator Oroho said. “Governor Corzine is blocking the discussion. Our state is the poorer for it. The public has a right to know.”
George W. Bush on the economy:
In terms of the economy, look, I inherited a recession, I am ending on a recession. In the meantime there were 52 months of uninterrupted job growth. And I defended tax cuts when I campaigned, I helped implement tax cuts when I was President, and I will defend them after my presidency as the right course of action.
And there's a fundamental philosophical debate about tax cuts. Who best can spend your money, the government or you? And I have always sided with the people on that issue. Now, obviously these are very difficult economic times.
When people analyze the situation, there will be -- this problem started before my presidency, it obviously took place during my presidency. The question facing a President is not when the problem started, but what did you do about it when you recognized the problem.
And I readily concede I chunked aside some of my free market principles when I was told by chief economic advisors that the situation we were facing could be worse than the Great Depression.
So I've told some of my friends who said -- you know, who have taken an ideological position on this issue -- why did you do what you did? I said, well, if you were sitting there and heard that the depression could be greater than the Great Depression, I hope you would act too, which I did.
Jon Corzine enters his re-election with worse numbers than Jim Florio and more New Jerseyans believing the state is on the wrong track than at the same time in 1993.
Voters seem to be disappointed with Corzine’s string of broken promises and may be figuring out that his tax hikes and big spending have made a bad situation worse.
But it often takes Joisey voters a long time to connect the dots, if at all.
Will they get it? And will they be angry enough to throw the bum out?
Certainly, Corzine seems to be in trouble among the all-important group of independent voters.
And Christopher Christie is a worthy opponent.
Here are the poll figures:
1993 Jim Florio Job Approval: 36% Excellent/Good; 60% Fair/Poor
2009 Jon Corzine Job Approval: 32% Excellent/Good; 66% Fair/Poor
Among Only Independent Voters - Florio 1993: 34% Excellent/Good; 62% Fair/Poor
Corzine 2009: 19% Excellent/Good; 78% Fair/Poor
Right Track/Wrong Track - 1993: 48% Right Track; 45% Wrong Track
2009: 25% Right Track; 65% Wrong Track
Among Ind Voters - 1993: 43% Right Track; 45% Wrong Track
2009: 9% Right Track; 81% Wrong Track
Source: Eagleton Poll, February 1993 (http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/eagleton/pollDetail.cfm?mypoll=092) and FDU Poll, January 2009 (http://publicmind.fdu.edu/governor0109/tab.html).
Why in hell do some people seem to be so bent out of shape over Prince Harry's normal male antics as a soldier, a prankster an engaging mate?
It's hard to believe we've really reached this milestone. But here we are! In fact, we're now actually averaging more than 2,000 visitors every month and are adding new visitors every minute of every day.
Thank you so much for making this blog a success.
Keep visiting - and keep telling everyone you know about us.
You inspire us to keep posting, keep writing and keep reaching out to new audiences. You are the reason for our continued success!
Thanks!
What will Obama's popularity be one year from now?
Will it be 70% or more?
Will it be 30% or less?
Will it be somewhere in between?
Vote in our new poll on Obama's popularity one year out.
You can find the poll at the top right hand corner of this page.
Vote now!
We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.
- Winston Churchill
John Pryor would have frowned at all the attention.
Like so many truly good men, he was humble. While so many athletes and movie stars give little and claim much, he gave life with his hands and claimed nothing in return.
This was a person you encounter once or twice in a lifetime if you're lucky. Fortunately, many Philadelphians were.
And because they had the privilege of knowing him, they gathered at the cathedral this week to mourn. But, mostly, they were there to celebrate a luminous soul that burned brightly among them all too briefly. . . .
To read the rest of Christine Flowers' wonderful column from the Philadelphia Daily News click here.
As a PR person for many, many years I've learned that body language in posed photos can be quite telling.
Look at the historic picture above of four Presidents and one about-to-be-President.
George W. Bush stands in the middle with his hands at his side. This is what we tell most public figures when they pose for a picture like this: Just stand with your hands at your side and smile. "W" is well-trained. He does what the pros tell him to do. He also remembers his mother's advice: Be friendly, be courteous, don't call unnecessary attention to yourself.
But Jimmy Carter stands apart from the others.
He won't allow his body to even brush up against Clinton's or the others. In his self-righteous mind he's better than the rest. He stands apart.
Bill Clinton has his hands behind his back. Need I say more?
And Obama seems friendly enough but his hands tell the tale. He has struck a classic "fig leaf" pose. Stuck between "W" and "HW" he's protecting the Crown Jewels.
Then there's HW. He's his jovial self: A jolly good fellow who's just along for the ride. But don't think his defenses are completely down. After all, he does seem to have his hands in his pockets. Well, maybe that's why he seems to be in such a good mood!
A message from Christopher J. Christie:
My holiday reading this year has been quite plentiful and I'm happy to recommend some of my favorites:
What will Obama's popularity be one year from now?
Will it be 70% or more?
Will it be 30% or less?
Will it be somewhere in between?
Vote in our new poll on Obama's popularity one year out.
You can find the poll at the top right hand corner of this page.
Vote now!
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Robert M. “Mike” Duncan issued the following statement last night:
"Al Franken's declarations of victory are as inaccurate as they are premature. This recount has taken some time and we won't know a winner for weeks to come. And, when a winner finally does emerge, we are confident it will be Norm Coleman.
During this process, Minnesotans have shown a great amount of patience and respect; Al Franken and Washington Democrats should follow their lead and do the same."
Let me put my cards on the table so you'll understand where I'm coming from: I never voted for Richard Nixon.
It used to be that the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl. Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl were enough, thank you.
But now there are so many bowl games that it's staggering.
Like everything else bowl day is several days (it seems to extend forever) and its staggering.
Now you've got all these bowl games: Alamo Bowl, Armed Forces Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl, Eagle Bank Bowl, Emerald, Fiesta, Gator, GMAC, Hawaii Bowl, Holiday, Humanitarian, Independence, Insight, International, Las Vegas Bowl, Liberty, Meineke, Motor City, Music City, New Mexico, Papa John's Bowl, Pointsettia, St, Petersburg, Sun and Texas Bowl.
Of course, we DO congratulate Vanderbilt on winning the Music City Bowl yesterday.
And naturally, we're wishing Penn State the best in the Rose Bowl today ("JoePa! JoePah! Joe Paahh!). Plus, let's not forget Wake Forest's victory over Navy in the Eagle bank Bowl.
But where or where will it all end?!
