Barrackville West Virginia - Barack Country?

From Christina Bellantoni of The Washington Times comes the video above. She speaks to a number of people in Barrackville West Virginia about the economy, the war and the election, and who they plan to vote for. The full article can be found here. The video is over 7 minutes long but worth it and eye opening. Listen to Patrick Powell - he's not a guy in a vaccum. No he doesn't speak the Queen's English (or American) but he gets it. So do the other people in Barrackville and check out those Obama/Democrat signs.

You heard it here first peeps - West Virginia's going blue this year. It'll be a baby blue not a royal blue, but it will be blue.

Stylish, Preppy and Quite Democratic

It's about time I quit spending so much bandwidth and time on that woman and started talking about a different woman who like her husband isn't getting enough attention, Dr. Jill Biden.

Make that wasn't before a week or so ago. There is a gem of an article at www.style.com the online home of Vogue magazine that has a

wonderful picture of the 4 generations of Biden women and an excellent article on Dr. Biden. The article and photo are also in the magazine itself. Among other things, Dr. Biden runs 5 miles a day, has multiple graduate degrees in addition to her doctorate, and truly likes clothes but also within reason, in the article she talks about much she loves one of the suits she's purchased recently because it not only looks great and fits her well but it's a price an "educator can afford."

She seems to favor classic looks on the campaign trail, alot of suits, scarves, and wore Ralph Lauren for the Vogue photo shoot. A preppycrat muse if there ever was one.

Not Stylish, Not Preppy and Definitely UNdemocratic

Courtesy of www.politico.com, we have found out that Sarah Palin has spent approximately $150,000 on clothing, hair and makeup for herself and her family since early September

OK, let's parse this. Ms. Josephine six pack has spent three times the annual income of the average middle class family on clothes, makeup, hair since the beginning of September. That's about a four or at best five week period.

John Edwards's $400 haircut was less than one tenth the $4716.49 spent on hair and makeup by the Palin clan. And as far as anyone knows, he paid this out of his own pocket (edit - he paid for it with campaign money but later reimbursed the campaign for it). The RNC funded the entire $150,000 for Palin's clothing and accessories.

I'm one of the lucky ones - "Doc" and I now have a weekend place in the country. We paid about one sixth of the amount Palin and co spent on clothes, etc. And for a second house.

Similar outfits can be had at a variety of places, to wit Ann Taylor Loft, where you can have this outfit for less than $500 including the cute black patent leather tote and the ankle boots.

Here at one of Michelle Obama's favorite stores, White House/Black Market is a leather jacket similar to the one pictured on Palin, above. Yes, it's black, not red. But from this store one can be sure the quality is good and the price is certainly reasonable for a good leather jacket. From Banana Republic, a black suit with royal purple blouse, and finally from Victoria's secret, a suit in a pretty cocoa brown, and also from Vicki's Secret what is more of a power play than a vivid red suit?

I haven't even had a chance to pop over to www.target.com, or H & M, or even places like Penney's that offer up cute Nicole Miller for Penney's separates. But these are just a few outfits that are similar to clothes Palin has worn on the campaign trail yet all a fraction of the cost of what one would pay at Nieman Marcus or Saks where many of her outfits were purchased. One need not spend money at high end stores to be stylish or look authoritative. Unless one maybe really doesn't have any style.

And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers (and sisters)

Keith Olbermann at his white hot righteous best. Who can blame him when we have seen a whole rash of alarming actions by the dark side? First GOP incumbent Michelle Bachman's charges that Barack Obama's anti America
then the now infamous McCain robocalls, and now this.

Jeffrey Dahmer started out by killing helpless animals. Congratulations, extreme right wing, you now have something in common with him. And Cubbins rest in peace.

What Did I Tell Y'all? Bus Tour Reduced to 25 minute Pit Stop

Dudes, it happened as reported by Paul Hogarth at http://www.beyondchron.org/ a Bay Area news site. Here are two relevant exerpts:

But now Palin continues to be the gift that keeps giving—as a much-hyped West Virginia campaign swing to bolster the McCain ticket got cut short after she brought out more protesters than supporters.

And this one:

Consider West Virginia, where Obama got slaughtered in the primaries after voters candidly told the press they wouldn’t support a black candidate. Late last week, Republicans announced that Palin would kick off a bus tour of the state—a move widely perceived as a sign of weakness for the Republican ticket. I had expected more of the rallies we’ve seen in the last few days (where Palin whips up her party base into a racist frenzy) to be all over West Virginia.But I was wrong. Palin’s West Virginia tour lasted exactly 25 minutes, as she literally did a pit stop before going to Ohio. No speeches or press availability—just a “wink” to her supporters. The campaign had planned a rally to greet her, but only twelve people showed up. But she did inspire a few Obama rallies in the state. Over 100 people gathered at the United Mine Workers headquarters to express support.

HAHAHAHA...I think That Woman knew she would get run out of the state on a rail, so she just made a pit stop instead.

Now THIS is Gonna Be Good

That Woman is going to be going through West Virginia on a bus tour. You might be thinking this will be her pulpit but stay with me here, I speak as someone whose mother grew up there, whose grandparents lived there and I still have cousins who live in Tucker County.

West Virginians aren't stupid or all married to their parents and/or siblings. West Virginians are actually at the crossroads of the energy issue right now because natural gas companies are looking to tap the coal beds that stretch from north to south and that might well have something in them, something that could help solve our dependence on foreign energy sources. One might think they would be rushing to lease out their land especially when companies come calling with seemingly irresistible contracts and offers to lease. Not so fast; there are at least two citizens coalitions that have formed to help landowners decide how to proceed, this one and one more that does not have a website yet (the one my kin belong to) but the last meeting was so packed they had to move it to a larger location.

If this isn't enough, wind power has arrived in West Virginia, yes turbines, these are about 20 minutes away from my grandparents' town.

My point? West Virginians aren't stupid, they also know a thing or two about energy being affected by coal plants shutting down and giving the go-ahead to turbine farms. They have consistently voted Democratic over the years.

They might run That Woman out of the state on a rail. You heard it here first.

Even a Preschooler Can See The Intellectual Dishonesty

Back to this topic again - God knows I wish I wasn't back to this place but my almost 5 year old made a comment a few days ago when we were channel surfing and found a repeat of the VP debate, which of course I stopped to look at.

Until my kid wise beyond her years said "Turn that off! I can't stand her hyperbole!!!" I was stunned, then scrambling to remember what hyperbole means. It was one of those moments where I instincively knew but if someone were to come up to me, I wouldn't be able to phrase it. So I looked it up and below, from Webster's Online:

Etymology:
Latin, from Greek hyperbolē excess, hyperbole, hyperbola, from hyperballein to exceed, from hyper- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date:
15th century
: extravagant exaggeration (as “mile-high ice-cream cones”)
— hy·per·bo·list \-list\ noun

Again, the chills ran down my back at just how damn perceptive my eldest offspring is. Then a couple of days later Palin started levelling the now infamous charges that Barack Obama pals around with William Ayers, who was active in Weather Underground during the 1960s and therefore he's a terrorist sympathizer if not a flat out terrorist himself. A quick
fact check from CNN clarifies this, like everything else Palin says as at least hyperbole if not flat out BS.

And how funny the word "hyperbole" is so associated with the word "devil" when That Woman has driven supporters at rallies to behave like mobs of rabid animals.

Palin power my ASS, say hello to People Power on November 4th. Maybe not so coincidentally that's the day my daughter turns 5.

Well Gosh Darn, It's a Noun, a Verb and a Shout Out!

Unfreaking believable. Is she at the MTV Music awards or running for Vice President?

On another note, I am glad Joe Biden had a chance to remind voters that for the first few years he was in the Senate, he was a single father and he understands how tough it is to balance a full time job and family. I think this won him alot of hearts and his command of the issues won the minds of the voters.

Because I've Neglected the Preppy

Part of Preppycrat, here's a breath of fresh air from the elections. Over Labor Day weekend, we had a friend from Manhattan visit for the weekend. We had a free morning, it was a beautiful day and we decided to go for a drive to a place that was as different from NYC as it could be, the Virginia horse country.

Middleburg has unsung glories. Amongst the upscale restaurants and pubs, antique stores and art galleries we found an excellent second hand store, The Middleburg Humane Foundation thrift shop. The draw here is the riding boots - not for equestrians and equestriennes only! MHF has brand new boots, all leather, beautifully made for $50/pair. Who would have thunk it?

Another treasure we found was the Salamander Touch, a gift shop selling everything from funny and unique greeting cards, to jewelry and leather messenger bags, to Blue Q gifts, and for the men several scents from Royall Fragrances. You can even find something for the kids here from the Guess How Much I Love You line of baby care products. "Doc" is thrilled with his Royall Spyce cologne and the little princesses love Guess How Much I Love You lotion. Mommy loves that it's paraben free.

And my pal from Manhattan? She had a blast, loved being in the country and seeing the men and boys walking down the street in their polo jerseys only added to the exoticness of the day.

We're planning on going back when she's in town again.

Sometimes Real Feminists Wear Ties

And I'm not talking about those horrid 1980s floppy bow ties us poor women had to wear so we could be imitation males in the workplace. Thank G*d those days are gone.

What I am talking about is that 4th person in the mix in Campaign 2008 who, for liking to talk, isn't getting much attention, Joe Biden. Many people hope he lets That Woman do most of the talking in the debate tomorrow night. Including me. Many hope he refuses to pile on about who he knows and what he's done in his 35 years in the Senate lest he seem condescending. Others hope he treats That Woman exactly like he would another man because fair is fair if she is going to accept being John McCain's running mate and enter the bigtime. And everyone is saying women could make the difference between us having a President Obama or a President McCain (I'm choking as I type those last two words, yuck).

With that in mind, here's advice I have heard touched on here and there but only indirectly. This year, the running mate more interested in women, who's done more for them is not the woman, it's the man. Also, the nominee who's been a single parent is yep, the guy, not the woman. "Doc" stays home with our kids and I am eternally grateful. But even though he does, it's hard enough finding that work/family balance. Sometimes my girls want Mommy. Only Mommy. So I can only imagine how hard it must have been to commute 2 hours each way from a new job with huge responsibilities back home to his two kids under the age of 5. After having lost his wife in that car accident. In his book "Promises to Keep" Joe says he had a lot of help from his sister Valerie and his mother but again, there had to be lots of times the boys wanted and needed their Dad. He also said in the book that he asked his staffers to put his kids through to him when they called regardless of where he was or who he was meeting with. He gets it. I hope tomorrow night he lets everyone who is watching know that he gets it. He need not discuss That Woman returning to work three days after having a child with Down's syndrome (I'll do that and bash away because to me it's not bringing her family into the spotlight, it's bringing her callousness and judgment into the spotlight).

I know damn near every woman watching who's wrestled with work/family balance will nod their heads knowingly if Joe discusses this. And I wonder what That Woman will be able to say in response. It might be another deer in headlights moment.

Dave Made Me Do It

Ok, I fibbed. The last entry I made wasn't the last salvo on Sarah Palin. I really believe each one is the last and really mean to promise not to blog about her anymore but I just can't help it. She's Campaign 2008's train wreck, hell she's this year's mid air collision between two jumbo jets. And I'm only human, I can't resist looking. Then Dave Letterman jumping into the fray when McCain went awol on him

So here it is, the inevitable Top 10 List - Why I'm more qualified than Sarah Palin to be the Republican Vice Presidential nominee:

10) My ex husband's ex boss lived a block away from Observatory Circle so I know if I ever got lost I could find my way back to my house.

9) Everyone knows to avoid the water in Mexico but I know not to drink the water in Paris either.

8) At the neighborhood mongolian bbq recently, I impressed the cook with my selection of noodles and veggies and no meat. So I could probably find something to eat if I went on a state visit to a part of China where meat is not eaten frequently.

7) I've been huntin' with "Doc" (my hubby) and we even took the baby. That's right on a hunting trip. Hunting ghosts in Gettysburg.

6) I don't look like Tina Fey but I do look like Mare Winningham, only with darker hair.

5) "Doc" in a past life worked in a building where the residents were mostly Russian, and he speaks it passably.

4) I don't speak with that Fargo meets Alaska accent but people tell me once in awhile I do sound veddy british (I lived in the London 'burbs briefly as a kid)

3) I actually READ periodicals. Neener, neener neener!

2) I have British Gifts as an active application on my Facebook account.

And the #1 reason I'm more qualified to be the Vice Presidential nominee:

1) That time I had to make a pit stop but it was too late because we were boarding our plane in London. I waited, and went...after the plane landed in Baltimore.