Right of Middle

Seattle, as one would expect, went bonkers after the Obama win. A frenzy of flag purchases, and displays thereof, followed an evening of street dancing and singing. My daughter who lives on Capitol Hill reports hearing a huge roaring sound emanating from downtown.

Reporters for the Seattle P.I. found self described flag virgin Rosemary Garner who exclaims, “The thing that’s kind of astounding to me is I never ever would have cared to own a flag…This is the first day in my life I actually feel this funny sense of pride about my country. It’s a very foreign feeling, but it’s a good one”. My daughter writes, “I am, for the first time, truly hopeful for the future of this great country”.

Another comment from the news article: “I’m finally proud to be an American again, after eight years of being ashamed,” says 66-year-old Mark Lowney. Another says: “It’s just a rare feeling to feel that type of, I don’t know, national connection,” said Noah Kriegsmann, a 33-year-old builder from West Seattle. He feels that Obama’s win will help America’s standing in the world, and he bought a flag to fly on his truck, though he admitted it felt strange to see the flag in his hand. “I have just historically felt shame for what the symbol of this country is internationally. Being in someplace like Morocco, and Canadians have their flag on their backpacks — I would never ever do that”.

Such confessions remind one, of course, of the “first time in my adult life” remark from Michelle Obama. My daughter in her report on the festivities writes:

It was a momentous evening here in Seattle, I’ve never witnessed anything like it. Everywhere you went throngs of people were cheering on sidewalks and from their cars, honking horns, dancing in the streets, hugging strangers, and waving American flags. From my apartment, you could hear this constant roar emanating from downtown that continued for several hours. The moment they called it for Obama, a huge crowd converged in the middle of the intersection at Broadway & Pine. Police blocked off the intersection from cars and allowed the crowd to celebrate peacefully, despite the fact that many people ran out into the streets with beers or champagne bottles in hand. A drag queen on the top of Neighbor’s (a club) led the crowd in singing God Bless America while people clutched their friends and loved ones and joyfully weeped. Truly moving and inspiring speeches from both Obama and McCain. I hope there is a place for McCain in Obama’s administration as I was impressed by his gracious concession and the sincerity of his words. It was like the old McCain was back, before he got worked over by the Republican party, when he was a true maverick.

I don’t think we’ll be seeing John McCain in an Obama administration! Meanwhile, here in Middletown at Wesleyan similar celebrations took place albeit on a smaller scale. Wes President Michael Roth had this to say:

In the euphoria the Election night victory, I watched our Wesleyan students celebrating the victory of a man whom they had embraced and in whom they had invested their hopes. Although all were aware of the polls predicting a victory, I don’t think many of them quite believed it would happen. They waved an American flag, chanted “O-bam-a, O-bam-a,” and felt a powerful sense of hope in our collective future. When somebody played “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” over the speakers, these young men and women danced with enthusiasm at a song they no longer associated with their parents but with our new president-elect.

For many of our students, Barack Obama is linked to alma mater because of his Commencement Address at Wesleyan in May 2008. In that speech he talked about how many young people assume that there are “two stories at work in their lives:”

Here’s a potpourri of recent photos from the election period:

Seattle P.I. photo, Paul Joseph Brown

zomblog photo

steadyjohn photo: Seattle 9/08

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT, 11/5/08, Wesleying blog,Mike Levin photo

Wesleying; Hannah Berkman photo

photo credit, Spazeboy video

JohnBrush video

h/t FreeRepublic
Tags:seattle celebrates obama,flag frenzy,new love of country,new love of flag,obama victory party, wesleying,middletown ct,wesleyan university middletown ct

Tags: why vote,

John McCain Owns the Issues!
Photo Source: http://resistcomfort.com/votetheissues/

Tags:john mccain,barack obama,election racism,racism,election not racial,vote issues,

This item appeared yesterday in a Chicago newspaper: (emphasis added)

On my way to lunch recently, I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read “Vote Obama; I need the money.” I laughed. In a restaurant my server had on an “Obama 08″ tie. Again I laughed. Just imagine the coincidence. When the bill came, I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Barack-Obama-redistribution-of-wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need—the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight. I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful. At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment, I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more. I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

h/t James Taranto WSJ Best of the Web today

Tags: obama redistribution,spread wealth,socialism,

Also seen at Michelle Malkin

Tags: all hallows eve,redistribution,socialism,obama socialist,halloween, hallowe’en,trick or treat,porch pumpkins

My menacing porch pumpkin!

Now that Obambi has made his choice let us all hope John McCain makes the right choice and selects Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his V.P. Sarah Palin is youthful (44), very smart, and hot. And, best of all, she’ll make Joe Biden look like the chump he really is.

h/t logo: Ethan Demme
Tags: sarah palin,john mccain,joe biden,obama,obambi,vice president,campaign ‘08

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and other elected officials were barred from a “press conference” convened by U.S.Army Corp of Engineers and the National Guard at the Inn at Middletown yesterday.The Army is is facing increasing opposition from officials and citizenry about the plan to construct a training center on Boardman Lane. Local opposition previously caused the feds to withdraw a plan to locate the facility on Freeman Road in the Maromas section of the city. According to the Middletown Press Mayor Giuliano said:

“This is not the way any other developer has ever done business in the city of Middletown….The extent of excavation and wetlands fill-in that they are proposing is something that no one else would ever be allowed to do.”

The Matt Lesser campaign today announced an event tomorrow (Sat July 26) with local officials to discuss high heating oil prices. A petition drive in Middletown is planned as well. Lesser is the Democratic candidate for state representative in the 100th district which includes Middlefield, Rockfall, Durham, and part of Middletown. The Lesser campaign sends the following Media Advisory:

Tomorrow, Matt Lesser, the Democratic candidate for State Representative in the 100th District, will address the imminent home heating oil crisis this coming winter. Lesser will join with local leaders and community members to discuss the impact of the skyrocketing cost of home heating oil facing families and seniors. The campaign will introduce a petition drive to urge the state to alleviate the tremendous burden of high oil prices. The Canvass for Change: 100 Days in the 100th District will occur Saturday, July 26 and begin at 11am at the home of Middletown senior citizen Mary Augustine. Following Lesser’s comments, volunteers will go door-to-door in Middletown to collect signatures for the petition, which Lesser will deliver to Governor Rell next week.

The petition text:

Governor
Rell, it’s time to ACT NOW on Connecticut’s home heating
oil crisis - BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!

“With
the price of heating oil nearing $5 per gallon, seniors and working
families are facing a real and imminent crisis. Without swift action
and effective leadership, the state’s existing programs will be
overwhelmed this winter.”

–Matt
Lesser, candidate for State Representative

We, the undersigned, join Matt Lesser in calling on Governor Rell to work with Democrats in the legislature to promote energy conservation and maximize state and federal funding for energy assistance programs.