President Obama Re-Elected

Well, it's official. With the re-count of Florida finally in, President Obama will have another four years in the White House. On November 6, all of America tuned into their televisions as the votes trickled in and the projections started being made. For the first hour or two, Republicans felt pretty comfortable that Romney would win this election. At the time, he had many more electoral votes than Obama and was also leading in the popular vote. Democrats, however, were also extremely confident that President Obama would win this election. As the voting polls in the more populous states began to close, it became clear that Governor Romney would need to win almost all of the battleground states to pull out a victory in this election. Even at the sight of this large feat, Republicans remained confident and assured their viewers that Romney would pull out a "straight-line" victory. As 10:30 p.m. approached, none of the critical states could be accurately called as all of them were still too close to call. Just after 11:00 p.m., breaking news came in that President Obama would win Ohio. The Democratic Headquarters was beyond excited as this would almost surely secure President Obama four more years in the White House. The Republican Headquarters was quiet and tense as the audience stared at the television hoping for some sort of miracle for Governor Romney. That miracle would never come. President Obama would go on to win Virginia, Nevada, Colorado, and Florida giving him 332 electoral votes, many more than the 270 required for re-election. President Obama would also win the popular vote by almost 4 million votes. The last time than an incumbent lost re-election was George Bush Sr., so it was most definitely a stretch for Governor Romney to pull out a "W". Despite his loss, Romney clearly gave Obama a run for his money in what ended up being a pretty close election.

It's clear that America is changing, both demographically and in our mindset, and America wants a President that sees this change and views it as progress. I hope, and am optimistic in the idea that, without another election in his future, President Obama will be more apt to work with both parties and accomplish more of the goals that he had previously set out to do. To his defense, this is no easy feat. America is clearly divided, which I find to be very discouraging. I think that both parties need to make significant changes and an effort to work together. Some say that in order to have a chance at winning the election in 2016, Republicans need to completely rebrand their party and come to the middle on issues such as gay marriage and abortion. Unfortunately, these are two of the issues that Republicans believe most strongly in and the likelihood of that happening seems to be very slim. In my opinion, America is at a very critical point in its history. I will be very interested to see what happens in these next four years. I hope that in 2016 we will see an America that truly has moved forward as President Obama has so coined the term.

One Week Until The Election

Alright ladies and gentlemen. We are officially one week away from the 2012 presidential election. Next Tuesday, (weather permitting) America will make its way to the voting polls and cast their ballots. Analysts are claiming that this could be the closest election since 2000, and Ohio could very well be the deciding state. As candidates are trying to put in their final words and last attempts at persuasion, Hurricane Sandy hits the northeast coast. Meteorologists claim that this storm will be felt by nearly one third of the United States. Hurricane Sandy has already caused 26 storm related deaths and millions are without power. New York City is almost unrecognizable as cars float down the flooded streets of Times Square.

So, what does this powerful storm mean for the final week leading up to the election? Well, immediately it has forced both candidates to cancel campaign appearances. With the race as close as it is, these final week appearances were critical for both President Obama and Governor  Romney. Some news stations are saying that this storm will benefit President Obama not only by giving him the opportunity to act "presidential" in handling this natural disaster, but also by possibly slowing the steady momentum that Governor Romney had been gaining in the past few weeks. As voters focus on this storm, Republicans worry that the independent voters may forget about the debates and provide Romney with some what of a uphill climb as November 6th approaches. That being said, I believe that both candidates are doing the politically correct thing by essentially not making this storm political. It's important that in these times of trial and disaster competition is temporarily set aside to "come together" as a nation.

Stay safe in this crazy weather, and I will see you next week when we will have a winner of this 2012 presidential election!

Vice Presidential Debate 2012

Contrary to the Presidential Debate last week, the debate between Vice President Biden and Congressman Ryan struggled to name a clear winner. However, if one had to be chosen, most sources say that Vice President Joe Biden was the victor. The style of this debate was polar opposite to the Presidential Debate we saw just a week ago: both candidates were seated and the tone was much more combative. Now I don't believe that either of these characteristics are inherently negative, but I did not "enjoy" this debate nearly as much as President Obama versus Governor Romney. Whether it was through masking laughs (or in Biden's case, outright laughing), interruptions, or consistently fact checking the other candidate, it was clear that these two men had no intentions of playing clean tonight. Biden had some serious work to do following his boss's performance in convincing America that the two really do want to be reelected this November, and Ryan was expected to continue the energy and solid performance of Governor Romney.

In my opinion, I found the moderator to be biased in favor of Joe Biden. After asking around, I received mixed opinions. Political party affiliation had no effect on opinions, so I can only conclude that it depends on the person. I saw a woman who worded questions in favor of Biden and often challenged Ryan on what he was saying. She continually pressed for more information, which in many people's opinion made her a great moderator. In mine, however, I saw it as helping Biden in making his points. Biden received many comments about his performance, and most of the negative ones referenced his constant interruption and blatant laughing at Ryan. Despite his etiquette, Biden was still named the winner by most sources.

One of the last topics discussed was defense and foreign policy. Each candidate has clearly different views on what America should be doing abroad. Having grown up in a strong military family, I have the upmost appreciation for our troops. I would love a world in which everyone got along and war wasn't a concern, but that won't happen in this lifetime. Having accepted that fact, I strongly believe in having an equipped military. I find it hard to justify backing out of every operation abroad when on September 11, 2012 we experienced a terrorist attack in Libya. It's clear through the increasing attacks, protests, and crimes towards the United States of America that was are not every country's friend and still have very real enemies in this world. Better safe than sorry.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's second Presidential Debate as it will focus much on foreign policy. I am eager to hear both sides' opinions, but almost more eager to see the energy and attitude that President Obama will bring following his poor prior performance. I highly doubt that President Obama will let Governor Romney walk away with another victory so easily. I am expecting (and hoping) for a much more engaging debate tomorrow evening.

Round One: Romney

Last week, President Obama and Governor Romney participated in their first debate leading up to the election in November. I was very excited for this debate as I am still looking to finalize my decision on who I will be voting for. The results of the debate, however, surprised me. Both Democratic and Republican sources named Romney the clear winner of the debate. America knows President Obama for being a compelling speaker, and on Wednesday, we were all shocked. President Obama gave off the presence that he just didn't want to be there and wasn't prepared at all for the debate. President Obama's body language was submissive, and also dismissive. He wasn't able to retort to many of Governor Romney's comments and often laughed off Romney's statistics. Romney's constant eye contact with the President and correction of the statistics President Obama was revealing let him easily dominate the stage and get his points across much more clearly and compelling than President Obama.

If I'm being completely honest, I didn't fully understand much of what was being said. I was either analyzing the delivery too much or I simply don't understand much of politics. What I did hear was both candidates talk of a balanced budget for our country, though both presented different definitions of what that entails. The passive aggressiveness of both candidates made me rather uncomfortable. Governor Romney often talked over the mediator and beyond his time. I know that he was just trying to get his point across (and he did), but it still made me uneasy. While the debate's content is extremely important, I believe what resinated with America was the presentation of the material. Governor Romney clearly came prepared to debate any and every topic, while President Obama lacked his spark and usual eloquence. An overwhelming majority of the country was disappointed in our President, but don't count him out of the race just yet. Although Governor Romney jumped significantly in the polls, (I'll leave the credibility for you to determine) most polls still show Obama winning the election. It's clear that both candidates still have their work cut out for them in the next 29 days.

This Thursday evening, Vice President Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will take the stage for their debate. Let's hope that both candidates come fully prepared and equipped to make their case for this country.

Just One of Those Days

Welcome to October everyone! It's breast cancer awareness month and Halloween will greet us on the 31st. Unfortunately, I've been having one of those "bleh" Mondays and am having a bit of a writer's block. School has been very challenging this semester thus far, and I spend most of my days in between Calculus, Accounting, and Statistics. On these ever so rare days when I just don't have the energy or mindset to write something compelling, I feel like I still need to give you a little something. When in doubt, search YouTube for videos and hope that my readers don't get too upset with me! :)

Fall is Here! And so is TV.

The first official day of Fall was three days ago, the 22nd of September. Now, with Fall comes cooler weather here in Florida, the changing colors of leaves, college and NFL football, but for many, television season premieres are the highlight of Fall. America loves its football, and we love our TV. Colleges across the United States thrive on football season and the University of Florida is no different. Every game day in Gainesville, the town shuts down and turns completely orange and blue. People come together for the common love of the Florida Gators. I've never seen anything like it. Oh, wait. Yes I have. Every game day in Tallahassee is the exact same, except with garnet and gold. (Much prettier in my opinion).

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights, America sits glued to their televisions watching anxiously as each and every play unfolds. This year, the replacement referees of the NFL have been causing quite the controversy as many of the calls have be clearly wrong and caused the wrong outcomes of games. During the week, however, television shows tend to dominate the evenings. This year, some of the noteworthy shows on television are:

1. NCIS. Returning for its 10th season, the #1 drama on television will undoubtedly captivate millions of American's attention, mine included. NCIS is one of my favorite shows on TV, if not my favorite, and I am anxious for it's return.

2. Modern Family. On Wednesday, Modern Family will return to ABC. Modern Family heavily dominated the Emmy's and it's no secret why. With a brilliant cast and possibly more brilliant writers, Modern Family is a comedy that's impossible not to love.

3. The X-Factor and the Voice. I group these two together for the purpose of categories. Both are signing competitions and competitors. The preference toward one or the other will most likely come from which judge panel the viewer cares for more.

4. The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon Cooper, the genius scientist, makes this nerdy comedy a show for the entire family. Well, if your family is composed of nerds. The canned laughter and the science jokes create a rather cheesy sitcom, but I absolutely love it.

5. New Girl. New Girl is back for it's second season and I couldn't be more thrilled. With a character named Schmidt, I automatically love the show. The quirky humor and charming Zooey Deschanel keep me coming back each Tuesday night for another round of laughs.

6. Revenge. Now, I have yet to see this show, but from what I have heard it is amazing. Revenge is an intense drama based on avenging the death of a loved one, and it's season two premiere has been highly anticipated.

7. Glee. Broadway on TV, almost. For those that love to sing and dance, Glee is the perfect one hour escape to sing along with the talented cast and pretend to be a Hollywood star. At least that's why I watch it...

8. The Office. This Fall, The Office will premiere its final season on the air. After 8 seasons of laughter, tears, and joy, Dwight and Jim will have their final feuds before saying goodbye to their fans. Many people have stopped watching The Office for the past year due to the departure of Michael Scott (played by Steve Carrell), but it still holds a strong fan base that I believe will carry through it's final season.

This Fall, it's clear that there are tons of television shows to watch and keep up with. Pick a few, but don't forget to spend time with friends and family or head outside for a little bit. And if you're a student like me...remember to study!

Michelle Obama Speaks at UF

Yesterday, the 17th, the First Lady of the United States made her way to the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. The word that Michelle Obama would be in town spread like wildfire last Thursday. Callie (my roommate) and I waited in line for over two hours to get tickets to see Michelle Obama speak. The line was short, but moved incredibly slow. We were bombarded by people trying to get us to register to vote in Alachua County (no thank you) as well as making sure that we were indeed registered to vote somewhere. When we finally made it to the front of the line, we provided volunteers with our name and address before receiving our free ticket. We filled out the bottom as requested by the volunteers and made our way home.

The First Lady was scheduled to speak at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, September 17th. As this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, I skipped my final class of the day to go wait in line. Callie, Justin, and I arrived at the O'Connell center at 2:00 p.m. However, by this time the line had already wrapped around the parking garage and through much of the parking lot. It took us over an hour before we made it in the building. While we were waiting in line, we learned that you could not bring backpacks inside which was unfortunate considering that I just came from class. Justin, (Callie's boyfriend) kindly volunteered to take our things home and miss the speech. What a good boy. Part of me thinks that he really didn't want to go or wait in line any longer, but we won't hold that against him. ;) As Callie and I neared the front of the line, a family of four cut in front of us (and about a thousand other people) and scooted under the rope. I didn't say anything to avoid starting a fight, but I thought it was rather rude. Secret Service personnel screened us just like airport security before we entered the building. It was absolutely packed. However, the organization of this event was less than efficient, particularly the seating arrangements.

Michelle Obama did not take the stage until 4:00 pm. 30 minutes later than scheduled. I'm sure there are  reasons why she was so late, but I was still a tad peeved to be waiting for so long. When she did walk out on stage, the crowd roared. We all stood and applauded for the First Lady. I listened intently as I want to make an informed decision this November. Here are some of the points that she made that stuck with me: 1) "We don't get anywhere on our own".  Now, I'm sure this wasn't meant to be insulting, but I thought it was a little bit of a risky statement following her husbands "You didn't build this" comment. She continued to say that for every time that we accomplish something, we have a community to thank, a special teacher, or someone that helped us along the way. While that is not entirely false in my opinion, I think the statement she made was a little bit too strong. 2) The Obamas will always tell us the truth, even when it's hard to hear. Very false. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will ever tell the people the entire truth. They have a campaign to win. Politicians have two goals in life: Get elected, and get reelected. Many times, the "hard truth" wouldn't allow them to get elected, so they tell the people what they want to hear instead. That comes as no surprise to me. That's part of politics. I watch the news knowing that there is no way that I am getting the full truth and I have come to accept that. So, the fact that I am getting lied to doesn't bother me nearly as much as politicians insisting that they are telling me the truth. 3) When President Obama took office, the newspapers were using words such as "meltdown" to describe the state of the economy. Interesting. During President Obama's term, we were minutes away from a government "shutdown". 4) The slogan of "GM is alive, Osama Bin Laden is dead" continues to be used heavily through the campaign trail. 5) Women. The First Lady made many appeals to the women in the audience, countering Governor Romeny's "War on Women". 6) With ObamaCare, children can stay under their parent's insurance until the age of 26. To me, that seems a bit ridiculous. In many ways I'm sure that is helpful, but I find it to be more enabling and crippling than helpful. I don't think that that encourages independent young adults.

Florida is a battle ground state. Our votes in this election are critical. I believe this is largely why Michelle Obama came to Gainesville to speak, and Tallahassee later that same night and I don't blame her. She knows that we will have an influence on this election and she wants to make her case for "4 more years". I think Michelle Obama is a wonderful speaker, just like her husband. I also think that she is a loving, dedicated wife and that speaks volumes to me. During these last four years at the First Lady of the United States, she had made great progress in the effort to fight childhood obesity and I admire that. Following this speech, however, I am not sure that I agree with much of what was said yesterday and will be eagerly watching the debates that will begin shortly.

Happy Tuesday! Make it a great one!