Obama declared the next president, Jennifer decides not to watch reruns

I've been telling her for an hour now, that she can watch a tivo'd Ghost Whisperer is she wishes. But to my surprise, she's stuck with the ABC and CNN channels, watching the election returns. They've just picked Obama as the next president 4 minutes ago, and she's texting madly.

It's nice to see her so involved. If he's smart, and I believe he is, he'll appoint Hillary to the supreme court, and maybe put McCain in his cabinet. I like McCain, as does Jennifer. It's just his dimwit running mate we couldnt' stand.

Even tho we aren't Jewish, J says she plans to have this talk with her grandmother in Everett

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Laughing at latest SNL video

Jennifer had tivo'd it, since we'd all gone to bed early Sat. night. So we watched it on Sunday night, and as usual, thought Tina Fey nailed it.



But then I read this in the PI today. I guess I shouldn't write Palin off totally, tho I'd like to.

No Easter Beagle, Instead J. Wants to Talk Politics

This morning J. and settled down to check out our usual list of tivo'd stuff. And instead of looking through last night's "Dances with Stars," she paused on analysis of Obama's now-famous speech.

It was interested to see her reaction to this story. She really isn't buying the "I don't like some of his beliefs, but still go to his church" line. Also for the first time, I noticed that Obama called Rev. Wright "his former pastor."

Some of this you can blame on me. I just left a church I had attended for 20 years when some of the leaders literally ran the pastor out on a rail because they didn't feel he was spending enough time at the church (fyi, his wife has lupus). I learned later they'd pulled a similar stunt when on a minister that I didn't particularly like, but no one should be treated like that.

So, with some tears, I left. It does matter what the leaders of the church do, what they say and what they don't say. It matters. And your reaction to it matters as well. So I 'm not buying it either. BTW, here is some good news for Hilary supporters.

In Defense of Hilary, by a Man

I don't think it's tripped J. radar yet about the whole blue dress, Monica thing with Hilary. I really don't think she cares.

But here is a nice essay, by a man I'm ashamed to say, about Hilary's decision to stick by Bill.

Mom, those people next to us are mean

This is what J. whispered in my ear as we attended our caucus meeting today at Kent Elementary.

The parking lot was packed. We ended up in the old baseball field in back. The gym was filed with at least 600 people jammed around tables according to the precinct they belonged to. We finally found ours, and the 18 of us (most from one street over from where we live), tried to figure out what next.

It was obvious that Obama was going to carry this. Of the 18, only 4 were for Hilary and one man remained firmly undecided.

I ended up speaking for Hilary, and yes ended up as a delegate for the next step up on March 11. While we figured out who had to declare what and use a table to figure out how many delegates Obama vs. Hilary had, J. went browsing around the tables, to see how the rest were doing.

That's when she came back with the news we were a pretty mellow group. (Well, after all this is over, we still attend parties together, watch each other's house, return a dog that has gotten out of a fence.)

Then there was the group right behind us. Apparently the Obamaites wanted the Clintonites gone, and pretty much ordered them out of the building. Okay. Really wouldn't want to be at the next night out against crime street party with this group.

This election is even catching my daughter's interest

Surprisingly.

We were on our way to school this am, when the radio barked out that Hilary (I guess Bill took a pass) was arriving in Seattle at 8 pm tonight.

"Oh, I wish we could go to that," she said, while texting a friend she's going to see in 5 minutes at school.

Logistics say this isn't going to happen unless I left work, like now. First, it takes 45 minutes to get to Auburn, then would prob. take another 45 min. to an hour to get into Seattle. Never mind finding parking in the maw of cars that's guaranteed to be around the piers tonight. So sorry, Hilary, we're likely to vote for you, but no, we're not willing to sit in traffic for you.

J. then noted that Obama was arriving tomorrow.

About 2/3 of our class (meaning her home room class of 35 kids) are voting for him, she informed me.

And the other third?

Hilary, she said dismissively. And yes, she's part of that third.

"Oh, and Sean said he was voting for Huckabee (he's still in the race?)," J. said. "We all booed him."