Whether you were Black, Brown, White or Yellow, your eyes shed water when you saw 7-year old Sasha yell, "HI, DADDY!!!"

Today is the day that Barack Obama was officially nominated as the first African American of a major political party to be President of the United States.

But as proud as all of us know he must be feeling today, one can't help but wonder if he'll ever feel what he must have felt (and what every adult watching must have felt) when he came on screen after his wife Michelle had given a speech two nights ago and his 7-year old daughter Sasha (with a big and adoring smile) yelled, "Hi, Daddy!!!"

Okay...It's Democratic Convention week. Next week, it's Republican Convention week.

Barack Obama's speech tomorrow? I'll write an additional observation tomorrow night and that will be the conclusion of the blog for this week.

Same deal for next week's Republican Convention observations.

MICHELLE OBAMA's SPEECH!!

This was a classic "Getting to know ME!" speech. Translation: "I'm NOT the wild eyed radical that some talk show hosts are trying to make me out to be! I'm a hard working woman who got good grades in college, did well in the working world, fell in love, gave birth to two kids, am trying to raise them the right way and now I'm trying to help my husband become President of the United States."

Short Commentary: I thought she was very effective and I think her daughters are adorable.

HILLARY CLINTON's SPEECH!!

It didn't take long for viewers to know which direction this speech was going when (near the very beginning) she came up with the first of several memorable lines when she said, "No way, no how, NO McCAIN!!!

That was in direct response to a McCain campaign ad that seemed to imply her support for McCain instead of Obama. An ad that one assumes will never again see the light of day.

The rest of Hillary's speech? I agree with a long time friend of Hillary's who said, "Viewers have now seen what a major league fastball looks like!"

Love her or hate her, that was one hell of a speech!

BILL CLINTON's SPEECH!!

Whether you liked him while he was in the White House or not, most folks understood he was the best communicator since Ronald Reagan. I thought his speech was terrific, but I also wasn't surprised.

One quote from Bill Clinton that jumped out at me; "People all over the world have always been more impressed with the power of our EXAMPLE instead of the example of our POWER!"

When Bill Clinton walked off the stage, he had to feel that his mission had been accomplished.

JOE BIDEN's SPEECH!!

For those of you who have read my previous observations/commentaries, you know that I'm very biased when it comes to Joe Biden. Having said that, instead of a quote, here's what jumped out at me. The two families!!! I'm referring to the Biden and the Obama families!!! Salt of the earth families!!!

And I hope I'm not the only one who noticed this!

And here are two quotes from Biden that people in the audience repeated. In fact, there were enough examples leading up to both quotes, that I couldn't help but be reminded of how Howard Beale got his audiences going in the classic film, "Network".

Following several examples given by Biden of things McCain supports and believes in, Biden said (and the audience chanted with him), "That's not CHANGE, that's more of the SAME!!!"

Following several examples given by Biden of things McCain supported and Obama didn't support and vice versa, Biden said (and the audience chanted with him), "John McCain was WRONG and Barack Obama was RIGHT!!!"

And speaking of McCain...

Have you heard about a new commercial the Obama people have put out about McCain? It's a takeoff on an old Sam Cooke song, "Wonderful World". If memory serves, the first two lines in Cooke's song were/are,

"Don't know much about history,
Don't know much about geometry..."

The lines in the Obama supporters commercial about McCain, go like this;

"I'm not up on the economy,
Don't know much about industry..."

And here's something else. John McCain has a bad temper. He is known to have exploded at many U.S. Senators and staffers. Often! VERY often!!!

Most people who have been at the wrong end of McCain's explosions say that McCain usually apologizes, but most people also believe that McCain's famous temper is something that bothers them and would in fact scare them if he were to be elected President of the United States.

I tell you this because I'm told that there will be campaign ads and or talk on the campaign trail about McCain's famous temper and in questions posed to McCain in debates McCain has with Obama.

Translation? Don't be surprised if things get UGLY!!!

THE AL GORE THURSDAY SPEECH!!

Al Gore came out firing!! He wasted no time mentioning that if he had won the 2000 election, he would have gone after Osama bin Laden instead of going to Iraq.

He wasn't on stage long, but what he said was (I thought) effective. Like when he said, "Inconvenient truths must be acknowledged!"

BARACK OBAMA's ACCEPTANCE SPEECH!!

This was a speech that lasted 40-42 minutes. Before the speech began, we were told that in this speech, we would be told specifics about this change business Obama has constantly referred to.

In front of 75-80,000 people in Denver's Mile High Stadium and a national television audience, Barack Obama delivered on that promise and then some.

You can read the specifics in news stories online or in your favorite newspaper, but here come a few quotes that jumped out at me.

In no particular order, these shots at McCain: "What does it say about your judgment when you think George W. Bush has been right 90% of the time?"

"It's not because John McCain doesn't care, it's because he doesn't know."

"I've got news for you, John McCain! We ALL put our country FIRST!"

"If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the judgment and temperament to be Commander in Chief, I WELCOME that debate!"

That was a reference to what I mentioned 10 paragraphs ago about McCain's temper and Obama also gave examples of how he (Obama) would respond as Commander in Chief.

Two more quotes..."Let's not make a big election about SMALL things!"

Annnnd....To the audience, Obama said, "What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has NEVER been about ME! It's about YOU!!!"

Overall, I gave the speech an A+ and I now honestly feel (for the first time) we have two serious campaigns on our hands and I believe that Barack Obama is someone who might be a guy who could become a pretty good President of the United States.

Now let's see what happens at the Republican convention NEXT week!

McCAIN's VP ANNOUNCEMENT!!

One thing about politics. Announcements can be made at any time. And this VP announcement on Friday by the McCain people was/is (to say the least) a surprising announcement!

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?!?

WOW!!!

An attractive mom of five with a syrupy personality?!? A working woman who gets things done?!?

And a woman who would make most guys wish she were single while not appearing to be a threat to other women?!?

GREAT choice, Senator McCain!

But is she qualified to be President of the United States?

Well, to me, if McCain gets elected, she can learn while she's on the job as VP and if there's one thing she seems to be, it's that she's a fast learner.

Just like Obama is!

GAME ON!!!

Now we have a REAL Presidential race!!!

And (hopefully) the BEST people will win!!!


THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? Please write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I write back to everyone.

THE NEXT BLOG? Unless something unexpected comes up, a week from today. As a rule, a new blog is posted every Wednesday afternoon (late) or (early) Wednesday evening.

One of the big gripes about Obama is his lack of experience and accomplishments, but can anyone tell me WHAT McCain has ACCOMPLISHED?!?

For the record, I'm not a supporter of either of our presidential candidates.

When I first started writing this blog, I predicted that Barack Obama would be the Democrat nominee and that Fred Thompson would be the Republican nominee. The people I wanted to be the nominees were Joe Biden and Mike Huckabee. Of those two, my choice for president would have been Joe Biden.

Sometime soon, both nominees will choose their running mates. It looks like McCain would prefer to have Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge, but it appears that he might be "forced" to take Mitt Romney, a guy McCain doesn't like almost as much as Karl Rove, who McCain hates.

It looks like Obama will choose Joe Biden, a choice that would be a good choice, but his best choice, a choice that would probably be a winning choice, would be Hillary Clinton. A choice that would/will be very difficult for Obama to make because of how much Obama dislikes Bill Clinton and Obama doesn't have any warm and fuzzy feelings toward Hillary, either.

THE EXPERIENCE/ACCOMPLISHMENTS QUESTION!!!

I got the idea for bringing this up while listening to Sean Hannity's radio show yesterday. A caller told Hannity that Hannity's always barking about Obama being a guy who has accomplished nothing while being a U.S. Senator and the caller wanted Hannity to give him (the caller) a list of accomplishments by McCain since McCain has been a U.S. Senator. When it became apparent that Hannity couldn't think of ONE accomplishment, Hannity turned the conversation around, attacked the caller and then hung up on the caller.

I was in my car at the time and after Hannity hung up on the caller, I smiled and said, (to myself) "Hmmmmm..."

How about it, folks? If you can cite a legitimate accomplishment that has been a positive accomplishment for our country that was authored, rammed through, whatever, by Senator McCain while McCain has been a U.S. Senator, tell me what it is and if I verify it, I'll print it in next Wednesday's blog. Send it to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net

A "RACE" QUOTE, A "DEFICIT" QUOTE, A "MOVIE" QUOTE FROM THE FILM "W", AND A "BATTLE OF THE SEXES" QUOTE FROM A SEXY COMEDIAN!!!

First, the "race" quote:

Whenever you hear someone say, "I'm not a racist, one of my best friends..." please know that any minority who is seen smiling while this statement is being completed is a person who is not smiling because he or she agrees! That's a smile coming from someone who knows! Knows what?!? Knows that you're protesting too much because you either are a racist and maybe don't know it or that you most definitely haven't spent any quality time around the minority race being discussed.

Race is the primary subject in a lot private conversations about the upcoming election and it's a subtle subject in a lot of public conversations about the upcoming election and related subjects to the election.

I bring this up because of a recent conversation that took place on the television show "The View" between co-hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopi Goldberg.

I've never met either of these people, both come across to me as two of the nicest people on the planet, buuuut.....While having a discussion about the difference between blacks and whites' using the N word in a debate that began with Jesse Jackson and ended with Hasselbeck in tears, Goldberg said, "We DO live in different worlds."

Here comes the "deficit" quote:

While talking about the Bush Administration's $482 billion projected budget deficit, a record, U.S. Senate Budget Committee chairman Kent Conrad said, "This is going to make it extraordinarily difficult for whoever's going to become President! I don't care WHO the President is!"

The movie quote from the trailer for the film "W", the new Oliver Stone film about the president:

Actor James Cromwell, playing George H.W. Bush, criticizing George W. Bush with these words; "What are you cut out for? Partying? Chasing tail? Driving drunk?"

And now the "battle of the sexes" quote from a sexy comedian:

Late night E! Channel comedian Chelsea Handler is terrific eye candy, she's very funny and every once in a while, very provocative. During a recent riff on sex, here's what Handler said; "Men don't realize that if we're sleeping with THEM on the first date, we're probably not interested in seeing THEM again either!"

Something to think about, guys! Just in case you thought men had the exclusive on this kind of behavior.

THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS: Please write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I write back to everyone.

THE NEXT BLOG? Unless something unexpected comes up, a week from today. As a rule, a new blog is posted every Wednesday afternoon (late) or (early) Wednesday evening.

Continuing our series on "TRUTH", another look at the classic film, "NETWORK" is advised!!!

A week ago, I wrote about a song sung by Johnny Cash in which the line, "The truth remains, that no one wants to know!" jumped out at me. Big time! Because sadly, that's the way most of us are.

No one wants to believe that the "good guys", our so-called "leaders" would ever deceive us and there are highly paid professional charlatans who are hired and stay hired for one reason and one reason only. To be the soothing voice that preaches the gospel of "goodness" our so-called "leaders" stand for. Yes, I'm referring to you, Mr. Limbaugh, Mr. Hannity and others of your bought and paid for ilk.

Which brings me to the 1976, 10-Oscars nominated film, "Network".

It won 4 Oscars! Actors Faye Dunaway, Beatrice Straight, Peter Finch and Writer (and prophet) Paddy Chayefsky.

I watched this film late last night. It was the first time I had seen it since it was released more than 30 years ago. Which means the script might have been written close to (if not more than) 40 years ago!

Peter Finch played "Howard Beale" who was described in "Network" as "the mad prophet of the airwaves".

But while "Howard Beale" was a fictional prophet, Paddy Chayefsky was a real prophet!

I mean, the stuff Paddy Chayefsky wrote about was stuff that hadn't happened, but when we look around now, we see that what Chayefsky wrote about is consuming us! Like the Saudi influence, both politically and financially....Consolidation involving radio and television stations along with other businesses that have led to catastrophic financial results for broadcasters, salespeople and other workers, most of which has never been publicly reported because of "pride". The people who have been whacked in the shorts as severely as they have been whacked, simply refuse to talk about it and don't want to make waves because they need the jobs, no matter how many paycuts they have to endure. Why? Because they've seen what happens to people who protest. They get "blackballed". Or worse.

But the bought and paid for charlatans on the air continue to preach the gospel about the economy being fine and citing how we can't be in a recession because of some "cycle" nonsense.

Open your eyes, folks. It's still preventable (I think), but we're dangerously close to a DE-presssion, not a RE-cession.

If and when you take the time to watch "Network", here's what you need to look for. See how the character "Howard Beale" manipulates his viewers/listeners and then near the end of the film, see how the Rupert Murdoch character who's named "Arthur Jensen" and is played by Oscar nominated (for "Network") Ned Beatty does his own manipulating! Of (none other than), "Howard Beale"!!!

When "Network" was released, I don't think anyone knew who Rupert Murdoch was, but that's who this "Arthur Jensen" character reminds me of which goes again to what kind of "prophet", Paddy Chayefsky really was!

Okay...What I'm about to indulge in now could fairly be described as some kind of "pop psychology", but for openers I will tell you that I am not a psychologist.

Here's what I think Paddy Chayefsky understood and he portrayed it magnificently in his Oscar winning screenplay.

I believe that he understood for a character like Howard Beale to be effective on a national level, he had to be perceived by the masses as being "one of them". But after that "acceptance", the masses didn't realize they were being "manipulated" by their new "prophet" and besides, it was fun to open up your window and yell out, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"

But while accepting this new "prophet" as being "one of them", and allowing themselves to be "manipulated", something had slipped through the cracks. The "prophet" figured out (either consciously or subconsciously) that being "one of them" meant a gathering of weak (possibly dumb) and easily manipulated minds who wanted nothing more than to have a reason to feel good about themselves. And that's when the Rupert Murdoch (Arthur Jensen) character stepped in. With a new agenda for "Howard Beale" to be articulated that would benefit only the strong and powerful.

The weak (Howard Beale) did the first manipulating, the strong (Arthur Jensen) did the final manipulating.

And that my friends is (briefly) how people like Mr. Limbaugh, Mr. Hannity and their ilk came to be.

Their argument would be, "Hey, we're only a radio show!"

My answer would be (and is), "Uh, huh. And Network is only a movie!"

If you're a truth seeker like I am, check it out, folks. Like Johnny Cash's song, you'll hear some "truth" when you watch "Network". Some scary truth!

THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? Write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I write back to everyone.

OTHER STUFF...

John Edwards...

Buh-BYE!!!!

A NEW FILM TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR...

"I.O.U.S.A." is a documentary that will open on August 21. It's an 87-minute film that was produced by David M. Walker, former head of the Government Accountability Office, Peter G. Peterson, co-founder of Blackstone Group, a major private equity outfit and super-investor Warren E. Buffett.

What these rich (especially Buffett) individuals will tell you in this film is some truth you might not want to know. It's about how bad our economy really is in the minds of these very successful individuals. An economy in their view that is in danger of making the "Great Depression" look like child's play, if you will.

You ain't gonna hear this stuff from the bought and paid for people, folks!

WOULD OBAMA WIN HELP WHITE SUPREMACISTS?

The above headline is a headline I saw above a recent story in the L.A. Times.

I show you the headline simply to give you something to think about and to ask yourself about.

For the record? Until I hear something more impressive than I've been hearing lately from either of our two presidential candidates, right now I'm now sure I'd want either one of them managing a 7/11.

THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? Write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I write back to everyone.

THE NEXT BLOG? Unless something unexpected comes up, a week from today. As a rule, a new blog is posted every Wednesday afternoon (late) or (early) Wednesday evening.

In the song, "To Beat The Devil", Johnny Cash (sadly) told us a TRUTH that "NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW!!!"

Ah, yes! The legendary "Man in Black"! The one and only, Johnny Cash!

Johnny Cash spent a lifetime telling a lot of truth in songs he wrote and sang.

I was accidentally reminded of this when, a little more than a day after posting last Wednesday's blog on July 30, I received a bulletin describing activities by Pakistan intelligence officials. Activities that were activities an "ally" of the United States should not have been involved in if they (Pakistan) really are our ally.

President Bush and his gang of "advisors" claim that Pakistan is an ally of the United States. An important ally.

I disagree and have yelled about it in previous blogs. A number United States CIA patriots also don't believe that Pakistan (especially their leaders) is/are a real ally of ours! Pakistan is one of those "Give me the money!" allies and then a little while later, they're a "Give me some MORE money!!" ally of ours. You know. Like Saudi Arabia.

But we keep giving money and weapons to these creeps and in return, we're asked to bend over while we're given a "thank you" that should be responded to with a punch in the mouth.

Most Americans don't want to believe that their leaders would ever lie to them or mislead them in any way, shape or form that might be harmful to us.

And that's why it's comforting to those well meaning Americans to listen to soothing propaganda salesman like El Rich-0 Limbaugh and Little Lord Hannity say (in essence), "Don't worry! Be HAPPY!"

Oh, they aren't the only ones, but they're the two that most people are familiar with.

They are masters at staying away from "bad news" unless it's about THOSE people!

And who are "those people"?

Anyone who is different than US!

And who is US?

The superior people!

And then, over and over again, they say (in essence), "So keep listening, we'll have some fun together, the economy is fine, the war is fine, let's leave things the way they are, because EVERYTHING's fine!"

Racism? Doesn't exist. Global warming? Doesn't exist. Iraq? We're doing God's work.

Hey, that's all easy to buy into, isn't it? We buy into it and then we can concentrate on something important like the new Paris Hilton "political ad" and John McCain's "political ad" about Paris Hilton.

Back to Johnny Cash.

If there was ever anyone who was a champion of the "little guy" in America, it was Johnny Cash. And after reading that Pakistan bulletin last week, I was driving my car and reached over to where I have 20 or so CD's on the passenger seat. The CD I happened to accidentally pick up was, "16 Biggest Hits, Johnny Cash, Volume II". And after I heard cut number 9, I played it again and again and again. In fact, I'm still playing it. The song is called, "To Beat The Devil". The song was written by Kris Kristofferson (another champion of the "little guy") and the message/lesson being delivered by Johnny Cash is something that truth telling writers/singers, past and present have all learned "the hard way".

And the line in this song that tells that truth is this: "The truth REMAINS, that NO one WANTS to know!!!"

Think about that, folks.

As I've told friends of mine, "GOD, I hope this isn't true!!!"

But deep down inside, we know it IS, don't we?

I dunno know about you, but I'D like to see that mindset CHANGED!!!


AND AS LONG AS I'M IN A PHILOSOPHICAL MOOD...

Long time film, stage and television actor Edwin Craig, a guy who's been a reader of this blog from day one, sent me a monologue I'd like to share with you. The title of this monologue is, "If I Was A Terrorist".

And it goes like this:

"If I was a terrorist and I wanted to destroy the American way of life, I wouldn't use planes and bombs to kill folks. Hell's Bells, that's too risky. You might get caught or killed or both.

Real terrorists get results...and then they lay the blame where it can't be found.

So here's what I would do if I was a terrorist.

I would foreclose on millions of homes, kick folks out of their houses. I would devalue the dollar so the price of EVERYTHING would go up. I would outsource their jobs so they couldn't find work. I would move the factories to foreign countries, you know, all the GOOD paying factory jobs. I would make education unaffordable. Terrorists don't like having EDUCATED people around!

I would make health care difficult to get and let the insurance companies just get away with murder.

I would listen to their telephone calls, monitor their e-mails and use that information to REALLY stick it to them!

Ya know, THEN, I would get myself a big old TAX CUT, sit back in luxury, and watch them FIGHT over the CRUMBS!

But you know what? We live in the United States of America. Thank you, Jesus. And the people that represent us would never EVER let them get away with THAT, would they?

WOULD they?!?


THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? Write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I write back to everyone.

THE NEXT BLOG? Unless something unexpected comes up, a week from today. As a rule, a new blog is posted every Wednesday afternoon (late) or (early) Wednesday evening.