Politics

So this blog is about poker and I've never tried to inject too much non-poker content here because that is not the purpose. However, I just read Jeff Pearlman's latest blog entry and it was right on. For those who don't know, Jeff is a columnist for Sports Illustrated (SI) and maintains a blog that is not part of SI. I follow it through Google reader and read a majority of the posts. His latest is about Obama and the right wing. Now I am still a registered republican even though my interest in politics has completely waned to the point that I can't stand hearing either side talk and I don't follow the happenings anywhere near like I used too. I'm seriously considering becoming an independent.

For the record I voted for John McCain in the 2000 republican primary because I felt he was a true maverick and we shared very similar beliefs (Campaign finance reform amongst them) which frayed from the mainstream conservative stances. We were mainstream centrist republicans. Of course he lost to Dubya and I ended up voting for Dubya because I didn't like Al Gore. In 2004 I was hoping for a strong democratic candidate to run against Bush. We ended up having JFK (John "FlipFlop" Kerry) run against him and he was another pitiful choice. I reluctantly voted for Bush again but afterwards decided that I will no longer vote in the election if I don't like either candidate. Now 2008 rolls around and we have my boy McCain running against the up start Barack Obama. I was excited because I liked both guys...but that soon changed. Senator McCain was not the same as in 2000. He had sold his soul to the neo-cons and hardcore right wing republicans so he could assure his nomination. He changed stances on numerous topics which went against what I believed. Also "his" choice of Sarah Palin sealed the deal for me and I voted for Obama. I didn't vote for Obama just because of the changes to McCain. I voted for him because he was a fresh change, a Washington outsider, young, articulate and for the first time in my life a leader who finally inspired me and I felt provided hope.

Now we have been 18 months into his presidency. Has he lived up to the hype, no but really who could. I don't think he has been bad but I don't think he has been great. On a side note, the era of great presidents is over. We will never see the like of a Roosevelt (Both TR and FDR) or another Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson. With the 24hr news cycle, the money it takes to become President and the control lobbyists, PACS, and think tanks have, those days are sadly over in my opinion. Back to Obama, I wish he has done some things different but overall I'm still glad he is president right now and it angers me to see people disrespect him and the institution of the presidency, especially after the prior eight years.

All this ranting leads me to the original purpose of sharing Jeff Pearlman's blog. I agree with him on this matter. I wish people would start being more informed, not buy into the fear mongering that goes on and starts investigating things on their own before forming opinions. Unfortunately things don't change. The reason for all this "hatred" and negative opinion is because of one thing and one thing only, the fact that Obama is part black. If he was a 100% white man who was democrat, you won't see any of this, guaranteed.

Pearlman Blog