Thoughts....

At the age of 10 I passed out flags & pins for a candidate during a county parade. In college, I took classes in Political Campaigns, Rhetoric & Persuasion and Public Administration. I just like the whole process. My dad always said that if you didn't take the time to pay attention to your town, state & the world around you had no business criticizing the people who were out there trying.

I worked on Jill Docking's failed campaign for US Senate and gained a lot of experience & saw a bit of the "dark side" of campaigning. I've also worked on several successful campaigns for a US Representative in Kansas. I have helped with "Rock the Vote" campaigns for high school students, I enjoy that type of thing. I want people to care, to pay attention and to VOTE.

I enjoy researching the people who are brave enough to actually run. I could never do it. I'll be the fact-checker or the polling person and even sit in on focus groups but I could never put myself out there like a real candidate does.

I like to be inspired, I like good speeches, I love debates.

I think John McCain has been a great Senator and I would have voted for him if he had run 4 years ago instead of Bush. I liked him because he challenged the rest of his party more than others. He is totally qualified to be President. But, the last 4 years he has reigned in that maverick attitude and fallen in line with The Bush Administration. I get why, he needed too...he needs their backing/funding/support. But, it made me like him less. I feel like the last 4 years have been a disaster!!! And I love my pin that says "Is Bush Gone yet?".

I want someone who can rebuild our crumbling credibility in the World, I want someone who I think will place highly qualified people in positions of power (Brownie & Ashcroft....Bush was such an idiot). I want better health care and "No Child Left Behind" was a huge disaster that will take years to fix.

I like Joe Biden alot. I respect his experience and think he will add good things to his ticket. I think that Sarah Palin is a risky choice for McCain. I did my research and two things bother me. 1. The ethics charge with her brother-in-law, YIKES...maybe the final finding will rule in her favor but it is a red flag for me. 2. Her goal for a long time was to be a sportscaster. I think she just kind of fell into the Mayor's race and it sounds like she did a good job but the V.P. spot is a big deal. McCain is old.....if he goes I'm not sure she has the educational background and experience with "the lower 48" as she called us when she campaigned for Governor.

I'll keep listening and I will vote because I have 4 kids myself and this election is going to effect their lives in a big way as they head off to college & the workplace in the next few years.