Obama has just gone on record for calling McCain out on his "attacks" on Obama's patriotism and character... Since Obama has the media spotlight, the headline is actually a pretty good summary: "Obama Tells McCain Not to Question His Patriotism." He goes on a long diatribe about how he does not, in fact, put his political agenda before the best interest of the United States and yadda-yadda-yadda...

What I want to ask is this: Why shouldn't we question his patriotism? No, honestly. Why shouldn't we? Does nobody remember the whole flag lapel pin fiasco? Now, hold it. I know one of you liberal readers are going to flare up and rant about how that's a whole baseless Republican scandal and that it's not important. Maybe, maybe not. The fact that he didn't wear a pin? Not important. The fact that Obama HIMSELF made it an issue is what made it important. Yes... He's the one who started it and we "scandalous" Republicans just relayed his information. Here's an article from NewsBusters, if you want to read it for yourself. Even though NewsBusters provides many sources for their articles, here's the direct link to the Time article that says, in their own words, that the "pin saga" started with an answer straight from Obama:

The pin saga started on October 3, 2007 when a local ABC reporter asked Obama why he didn't wear one. Instead of the standard Beltway refrain, "My patriotism speaks for itself," Obama launched into a long explanation of his decision-making process: "The truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for, I think, true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security," Obama said in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest. Instead I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe what will make this country great and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism."

HE tried to make a huge deal about why he wasn't wearing a pin... Not Republicans. Still don't think we should question his patriotism? Still don't think we should ask him exactly what he loves about this country? Even after his own wife of 16 years decided, in February, to declare to the entire country that she was only just THEN proud of her country? Not before Obama was a potential candidate? There's absolutely nothing she was proud of before? In the 232 years of this country being independent, she wasn't once proud of ANYTHING it had accomplished? Even then, you still don't think we should question their patriotism when Michelle Obama goes out and decides to list all the faults of this "downright mean" country we all live in? Do read the entire article for a careful list of facts that completely destroys her contrived poverty numbers. To be blunt, she lied in that little speech of hers about how America is so desolate. After all that, we can't question Barack Obama's patriotism?

"Oh, but GS," I hear you say... "His wife is not HIM." Well, you know what? She should be. No, I mean... When you marry someone, you don't marry them because you're complete opposites. You marry someone because you work well together! Because you share the same beliefs and views on life... Because you work together! If Barack Obama seriously didn't know what his own wife thought of the country for 16 years, then he's an extremely poor judge of character and what she says STILL hurts his position. But let's leave his wife on the sidelines for now... I have two more points to make!

Think back... Back to October 2007. Back when the race had just begun and everyone was wondering just who this Obama guy was and what guts he had to run against the media circus that was the Clinton family. Remember that? I doubt it... People can't even remember something as important as September 11th and why we're even in a war right now. But try your best, okay? I know it's difficult... Back then, Time magazine once again helps us glimpse Obama's nature. Obama did NOT place his hand over his heart for the National Anthem. All he does is stand there looking like a clueless buffoon while the others are actively displaying the expected acts of patriotism and respect for this country. Are we still not supposed to be able to ask Obama if he respects this country? We're supposed to give him a free ride on all this because... Why? I think they're all perfectly legitimate questions and I'm going to tell you right now that I would indeed question ANYONE, even my best friends, about the reasons why they're not doing things like this.

As if all that isn't enough? Here's the coup de grace:

For months during the initial campaign, Obama made it absolutely clear that he was an avid member of a church called Trinity United Church of Christ. He made it clear that he regularly attended services, was a member for 20 years, and was, quite obviously, a "Christian." (Though how any Christian would vote to allow partial and post-birth abortions is BEYOND me.) He made this a rallying cry back then... He was a religious man and he could bridge to gap between Democrats and the religious Republicans. Then what happened? To be honest: All hell broke loose! His own preacher got caught on tape preaching a sermon AGAINST the United States. Remember that? "Not God bless America. God damn America!" "US of KKK A?" This after Obama had gone on record saying that his church wasn't controversial... Whatever! What happened after that, you ask? Well, the church seemed to fire that nutty preacher and then white-washed their website. (I mean that both literally and figuratively... It was reported that they even removed the bits about black values after this debacle.) Luckily, NewsBusters and WorldNetDaily were among the few that managed to record what the site said beforehand, so you can still read it all for yourself. Then, after all THAT? The Obama campaign releases a notice declaring that Obama did not, in fact, leave the church over political reasons. Are you kidding me?

Obama tells the world that he's such a great Christian because he attended a common Church of Christ for 20 YEARS and then when the preacher (who Obama had known for all 20 years) got caught saying things in his sermon? After some quick covering of butts, Obama said he'd left the church. (And then the preacher decided to make some comments about chopping Obama's manly parts off, so that whole relationship is now in complete and utter ruins.) My point here is that... Once again, you simply don't NOT know what people believe after 20 YEARS of going to church with them! It's impossible! How could Obama not have known what the preacher believed after all this time of being up there PREACHING? If, for some reason, Obama seriously and honestly (which I doubt) didn't see this coming? Then, once again, he's a far worse judge of character than anyone could have ever imagined and it still works against him... He either tolerated racism in his church for 20 years and saw no problem with it, or he's absolutely clueless with people. Either way, he should have been held accountable and asked some tough questions, but the media didn't and now they'll never bring it back up like they would if this was a Republican candidate.

So I ask you again... Why can't we question Obama's patriotism and character?

Evan Bayh... Indiana Senator along with Richard Lugar. Called a "centrist" by Wikipedia, but those of us in Indiana know just how laughably WRONG that is. "Tyrant" would be a bit much to describe his handling of political power since, somehow, he manages to get voted in every time it comes up, but it would almost be perfect in explaining his position. He (and Lugar) promises all these things that he'll do for "everyone", Republicans and Democrats alike, in Indiana, but when he actually gets into office, he completely and totally falls in with his own agenda each and every time without listening to what is SUPPOSED to be a primarily Republican state. (Which begs the question... Why is he being elected over and over again?)

I'm telling you, we Hoosiers know exactly how these guys work... To me, at least, when I see Obama thinking about picking him as a Vice-President, I can't help but laugh my head off and feel sorry for you folks. He's NOT going to deliver what he promises because he hasn't delivered on his promises for the last 10 years. (Yes, somehow, he's been our Senator for 10 years... 10... Years... How can Indiana keep voting this guy in?) He promises to work for you, the voter, but when it comes down to it, he follows through with his own ideas each and EVERY time.

Wikipedia is a sickening glamor piece... He and Frank O'Bannon (the next Governor in line who happened also to be Democrat) managed to team up and wreck this state's economy (along with everything else) and it's only just now getting back together with Mitch Daniels. (You guessed it, Daniels is a Republican with true conservative economic principles, among others.) They have a laundry list of things that have been attributed to him... But you know what? He's been a typical liberal in the sense that he ignores the wants of the people who actually elected him. Almost literally. Things you know the majority of Indiana will and does support and then he goes completely opposite of what we want and votes for his own dilluted schemes. I'm telling you... He's been gunning for a position in the White House for a long time now, and he's not who you want as a Vice-President. But, then again, he WOULD be a perfect match for Obama. They both act so much alike! In the sense of "here's what we believe", he would be perfect for Obama.

Ugh. It just makes me a little bit ill when I keep hearing about him being a possible VP candidate. Everyone thinks he'd be just great on the team... Maybe he does have views in line with the unstable leftist philosophies of the Obamessiah's campaign, but I'm going to tell you right now that, from experience, he will NOT listen to what you say after it's all said and done. He'll do his own thing... Which I guess is "good" if you like him doing his own thing, but America shouldn't have to be constantly reminded that a politician is supposed to go "hey, you all voted me in, so tell me what you want done and let's get it going" and NOT "hey, you all voted me in, so that must mean you like me for what I am, so I'm going to vote without asking and if you don't like it, then you should have voted for someone else." That's not how it's supposed to work, but that's exactly what Evan Bayh (and Richard Lugar) practices... Not a good politician. Not a good representative. Not a good choice for Republicans and I wouldn't even wish him for the Democrats.

Alright, enough of that sad Uru community for one week... On a brighter note, I just want to say that I decided to finally buy those Gilligan's Island DVDs and, boy! Am I glad I did. We recorded them off a fuzzy antenna station when I was really, really young and all the shows were buzzy and full of static, and, apparently, were cram packed full of really sloppy commercial cuts. The DVD cuts have a crystal clear picture with crystal clear sound and maybe 5 to even 10 more minutes of extra footage simply because there's no amateur at the commericial button. It's better than I could have ever imagined! Plus, I already have a favorite line! Behold, Mr. Howell's amazing response to Skipper's offer to dress up as a girl to lure out a gorilla who captured Mrs. Howell:

Er, and just so you know, the footage is full screen... I trimmed it to 16:9 just to make it fit a little nicer, and I, of course, added the captions. You know, just so you don't go thinking it's widescreen. It's not. Not that it matters since it wasn't even filmed in widescreen, anyway! But yeah! I bought the entire series... I'm almost through with Season 1 and it's absolutely AMAZING! It's better than I remembered. I would entirely recommend it... But really only if you have an open mind, or already like it. I've seen some pretty scathing reviews of the DVD releases just because the moron reviewer had never seen it before and thought it was cheesy and that the opening theme was annoying. (So he disliked it for the very reasons that make Gilligan's Island what it is? Yes... Yes, he did. Like I said: Moron reviewer.)

To me, though... Even though they were reruns on an old TV station that didn't know how to work the video, Gilligan's Island was firmly entrenched as part of my early childhood and I absolutely ADORED it and I still do, without a doubt. I watch an episode and suddenly, all the cares in the world are swept away... I better be careful or it'll be labeled as an addiction like World of Warcraft (or anything else that's fun) and they'll list it as a disease in all the latest psychological medical journals... Yes, it's THAT good.