If there aren't a large bunch of Secret Service people having trouble sleeping over the next few days... I would be very surprised. Apparently Mr. Bush was separated from his Secret Service security by Chilean Security people.

After the first couple posed for photos with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and his wife, the four entered the doorway with a line of Chilean security guards and uniformed police closing quickly behind him.

The president's lead agent approached the line of men as quickly as it closed and demanded to be allowed through. Within a few seconds, the confrontation began to escalate with voices being raised and shoving in all directions.

Yes, the stuff of nightmares for the Secret Service. During the few minutes when the detail were being detained, just think of the interesting things that could have happened. In this instance, because of earlier disagreements, the agents held back and didn't use full force to get through to the President.

The Secret Service source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the president's security detail and that the Chileans had argued about security procedures all day and that he wasn't surprised to see last night's skirmish unfold.

It's almost as if the Chilean Security people were just begging for a full scale international incident. In the meantime, the Secret Service should be kicking itself big time over this mess. Currently our President is the man with the worlds biggest bulls-eye on his back, there should not be instances where skirmishes leave him unguarded.

I would say that if the Secret Service personel are NOT having nightmares about possible assassination attempts or kidnapping attempts, there is something very wrong with them.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 06:34 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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My Yahoo headline has been screaming at me all day...

Powell, Three Others Leaving Bush Cabinet

Mind you, this in not the headline on the article itself - but I guess Yahoo likes drama...

You would think that no Cabinet members had ever resigned from a post before, the way people have been carrying on today. But it's pretty much an expected thing, that the Cabinet members from the first term will resign and others will take their place - especially in the very high pressure jobs. So I was not surprised to see either Ashcroft or Powell say they were leaving.

However, I did wonder about the three others... are they happy to be ignored in the wake of Mr. Powell's resignation? Is that why they are choosing now to get out of Dodge? Or are they a bit peeved to have all of the spotlight miss them completely and be relegated to "other" status? Or is there a window of time for resignations to take place?

Oh in case you are wondering and really don't care to go read the article... the "others" are Education Secretary Rod Paige, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 06:25 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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It's only been a couple of days, but this is getting tiresome. It seems that while I am supposed to be kind, tolerant, and forbearing the same standards are not being demanded of the liberals in this country. I am supposed to reach out, understand, look at things from their point of view... but they are not required to extend the same courtesy to me. I have always wondered why I am compelled by popular pressure to be the one who always gives in to being the "nice" one. Why is it that others can trample all over my beliefs and squash my thoughts into the dust, but if I even make a moderate attempt to defend my position, I am called all kinds of nasty names and accused of intolerance.

Well, so be it. I am now the most intolerant person you are going to meet. With rallies like this going on - I say to the participants - step right up to me and say that to my face. Quit your whining, you sound like petulant two year olds who have been deprived of a favorite toy - GROW UP.

With articles like this a small sample of which is

...The architects of this strategy knew perfectly well that they were exploiting, among other unsavory qualities, a long American habit of virulent racism, but they did it anyway, and we see the outcome now—Cheney is the capitalist arm and Bush is the religious arm. They know no boundaries or rules. They are predatory and resentful, amoral, avaricious, and arrogant...

Oh I left out the part where she calls Conservatives stupid, but I thought this was enough to continue with my theme. Why didn't she just start the article saying "Jane you ignorant slut..."

Or how about the NYT article interviewing the NYC liberal intelligentsia

"I'm saddened by what I feel is the obtuseness and shortsightedness of a good part of the country - the heartland," Dr. Joseph said. "This kind of redneck, shoot-from-the-hip mentality and a very concrete interpretation of religion is prevalent in Bush country - in the heartland."

I say, quit flinging all the mud and PROVE your assertions. And I will state right now - you won't be able to prove a thing. You want to throw all Conservative leaning people under a single blanket. How easy it is to slander a group that is homogeneous. Unfortunately, unlike black Americans - we don't all have the same color skin, so we're harder to distinguish from the crowd.

Yeah, just stop a minute and replace the word Conservative with any word associated with a minority group. Your criticism doesn't sound so good when you think about it that way now does it.

What you fail to understand is that we are approaching the resolution of our country's problems from a different point of view. We think ours will work better than yours and we are in the majority (thus the re-election of Mr. Bush to another term as President). So, if you want to argue about something, how about if you stick to the issues and stop all the name calling. In this case, these names suit you far better than any of the real Conservatives I know - including myself.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 11:44 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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I am still getting a ton of hits even today on my old post about Kerry's voting record. Now that the election is over, I was expecting those to dry up completely. Very interesting.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 04:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It takes the Electoral Votes to get the Presidency and electorally this was a close race. The only reason this election won't be contested for the next month or so...

NATIONAL

99% of Precincts Reporting

Bush 51% 58,527,956

Kerry 48% 54,992,753

Yes, this time the popular vote - from people like me who live in a very blue state - has pretty much scratched a try for the other side to keep this election up in the air. My state didn't go for Bush, but in the end my vote does mean something. It means we won't have another long drawn out period of angst. It means we won't have any charges of Bush being an illegitimate president. Among all the other reasons... this is why I vote.

Numbers via Drudge.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 05:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Congratulations President Bush! 'nuff said.

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 05:39 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I just got back from voting and doing my noontime rounds. WooHoo! What a day! Yes, I love election day. To me, the process of voting is simply exciting. Be it primaries, off years (no presidential election), or like today - the big important day where we choose the country's leader for the next 4 years. No matter who wins the vote today - we all win by virtue of the fact that we got a chance to decide.

Even with all the lawyerly jostling and the people who do bad things in various polling places - you must admit that over all - we have the world's most terrific system! We don't have the Army on the streets with guns to keep people in line. We don't have "minders" looking over our shoulders as we cast our ballot. We don't have to worry tonight about government thugs breaking into our houses and hauling us off into the night because of the way we voted. Yeah, it's a pretty terrific country we live in.

At my suburban polling place, there was a steady stream of cars into the parking lot (no one had to walk for an hour to get there and then stand in line for hours waiting their turn). I vote at a local elementary school where 4 precincts come together to vote. Unlike the usual quiet that I find on entering the gym where everything is set up, today there was lots of activity.

Among the many people milling around - they had poll workers to help people figure out which precinct they live in. (I never remember from election to election I always know my precinct table is on the right side of the gym and in the back corner *grin*). This table is the only place I had to wait in line. There were short lines at each of the tables as people checked in and got their ballots. There were 3 people ahead of me, but things are set up to run very smoothly. One guy finds your registration - he asks you to repeat your name and address then hands it to you - you sign it and hand it to the next guy. That guy checks your signature and initials it, he hands it to the next guy who puts it on the stack of those who voted and hands you a ballot and pen. I found an empty booth immediately, voted, took my ballot to the machine and fed it into the optical scanner where another guy was watching to see that was done correctly and give out "I Voted Today" stickers. And thus my vote was counted. At about 11am this particular machine said I was number 550!!!

As I drove around doing my noontime errands - I passed several other polling places that were just as busy as mine had been. One place on one of the busier roads had a traffic cop to allow people into and out of the parking lot more easily.

I've never run into the problems that others have encountered in elections. Very likely because of the places I've lived. But even if I had to stand in line all day - I'd still go vote. And while I stood in line, I'd have some fun conversation with those around me. Some things are worth the extra work - voting is one of those things.

So - if you haven't been to vote today (and you are registered) go on and go vote! This is your country - it's time to participate instead of observe!

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 08:13 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1 You get stickers if you vote? That's kind of bizarre. We all vote down here...Gah! Now I'm thinking of the evil clown in "It".

Posted by: Sally and Alex at November 02, 2004 09:16 AM (a1D32)

2 Well, the stickers are a fairly recent innovation (it depends on where you vote since it's up to the people who run things to get them). I think they're silly, but there are all sorts of quirky things out there.

I think at first they used to get them for the kids who would come with their parents on election day. Kids usually like stickers - then someone must have had the bright idea of giving them to everyone... *sigh* I've heard it said it's so you can prove you voted (for work purposes) but they have actual reciepts they give out for that.

All in all it's one of those silly little activities that some people really enjoy (very likely thought up by a Democrat - LOL)

Posted by: Teresa at November 02, 2004 10:02 AM (nAfYo)

3 We don't get stickers either. They still do it the ol' fashioned way and give us lollipops if we behave. ~snicker~

Posted by: Tig at November 02, 2004 01:03 PM (G5PGV)

4 Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It seems that despite the turnout everything was orderly and peaceful.

Michele

Posted by: michele at November 02, 2004 03:14 PM (ht2RK)

5 Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It seems that despite the turnout everything was orderly and peaceful.

Michele

Posted by: michele at November 02, 2004 03:14 PM (ht2RK)

6 I love getting my sticker. *blush* I know, it's childish, but I just love my "I made freedom count, I voted" sticker. I'm still wearing it. It was cool to be on the soccer field tonight with my boys, doing the average American thing, and everyone had their stickers on. EVERYONE wears them down here. Kind of like a status symbol I guess. One of the Dad's said he thought one of his co-workers voted first thing and waited for 2 hours just so he could wear his sticker ALL DAY.

I love voting. It is a feeling of empowerment.

Posted by: Boudicca at November 02, 2004 04:06 PM (XH1zZ)

7 I think you deserve stickers. I was thinking about it, and, logistically, it must take more effort to vote in the U.S. Most people here are only a 5 minute walk away from their polling station, because they're set up in schools, community centres etc. I've nearly always walked straight into the booth. I've just been hearing about queues of up to eight hours in some places over there. If's that's true, you gotta respect that. They should definately throw in a lollipop too ;-)

Posted by: Sally at November 02, 2004 10:57 PM (a1D32)

8 "We all vote down here"

LOL! Evil clowns :-)

Posted by: Harvey at November 03, 2004 07:06 AM (tJfh1)

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This is America - you have no excuse, none at all, for not voting. I realize some people may be kept from the polls by unexpected accident or illness - something of that nature. However, if you whine and complain that you don't have time or don't know who you should vote for, read this:

Tuesday's winner will not start from scratch but from where we are now, standing with the women of Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Back in Washington recently, Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said those women were warned that Taliban remnants would attack polling places during the Oct. 9 elections. So the women performed the ritual bathing and said the prayers of those facing death. Then, rising at 3 a.m., they trekked an hour to wait in line for the polls to open at 7 a.m. In the province of Kunar an explosion 100 meters from a long line of waiting voters did not cause anyone to leave the line.

Now tell me again why you don't think you'll vote...

Hat tip: Instapundit

Posted by: Teresa in Politics at 07:53 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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