"Whether It is with Pistol or Tomahawk...."

This week in politics has proven eventful.

After the recent Democratic debate, in which Hillary went on the offensive in order to accentuate support for her campaign, the primaries of Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island were swift in coming. These primaries were particularly important insofar that they dominated the survival of the often moribund, or so it was portrayed by many, Clinton campaign. However, Hillary proved that "whether it was with pistol or tomahawk," verbal slurs or eloquent speeches; she was not going down without a fight. Instead, Clinton blasted her way through the primaries. Subsequently she won Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas. Although not a major blow to the Obama campaign, it was enough to reaffirm Hillary's candidacy within the polls.

My only question? What do you have to say to that Tim Russert? After the "analysts" concluded that Hillary had lost the debate in Ohio, it was commonly maintained that she would consequently lose the state. Unfortunately, the political arena is not that predictable. Instead, we have a skirmish for the presidency that will continue to be difficult. Each new mile gained will have to be earned through political prowess and eloquence. Good luck to both candidates.

However, John McCain will not have to use his tomahawk to hack through the tangled web of Republican candidates. Instead, McCain was awarded the nomination on Tuesday. Farewell to Mike Huckabee, who ran a colorful and eccentric campaign.

Who do you think will oppose McCain for the presidency? Comment with your answers! Enjoy.

-JCarmel

In case you have not noticed, the date is wrong. I am sorry to disappoint everyone but no, I am not clairvoyant.

It is suppose to read March 6th, 2008. That is what I get for attempting to post a draft.

And The Winner Is...

If one person deserved an Oscar last night, for humorous montages and witty repartees, it was Jon Stewart. The popular host of the "Daily Show" engaged the audience with all of his comedic accoutrements. However, Stewart, as was to be expected, did not focus solely on the writer's strike or verbal caricatures of certain celebrities. Instead, a majority of his jokes were directed toward the election of 2008. What did Stewart say?

His most humorous comedic provision was directed toward Hillary Clinton. On referencing the movie "Away From Her", whose main character suffers from Alzheimer's and subsequently forgets her husband, Stewart stated that Clinton hailed the movie as "the feel good movie of the year." This obvious jab at Bill Clinton had the crowd of celebrities engulfed in laughter.

Likewise, Stewart found an interesting way to incorporate both politics and cinematography. He said, "usually when a woman or black man is president, an astroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty." When reflecting on all of the apocalyptic movies ever crafted, one can only laugh at Stewart's humor and clarity.

Clinton was not the only one cornered by Stewart's antics. He referenced John McCain's age when he stated, "Oscar is celebrating his 80th birthday, which automatically makes him the frontrunner for the Republican nomination." 

Why were Jon Stewart's jokes so crucial to the election of 2008? Well, they presented an entirely new perspective- humor. One must look at each candidate, not only for their political viewpoints, but for their sense of humor. We may be able to laugh at them, but can they laugh at themselves? Thank you Jon Stewart for your comedic anecdotes and political jesting, it was very relieving in this political charged arena. Enjoy.

-JCarmel 

I Believe You Have Met Uncle Sam?

While perusing the internet for other political venues and discussing the current election with some "associates," as I like to refer to my peers as, the issue of Barack Obama's patriotism was raised. 

Apparently, as my friend was divulging to me, Senator Obama failed to put his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. He does not wear an American flag lapel pin and his wife has recently told reporters that "this is the first time I've truly felt proud of America." Such hyperbole, while understandable given the current circumstance, has come under recent scrutiny. Does Obama truly love America? Is he a patriot? In a recent article, posted on realclearpolitics, Obama stated:

"There is always some nonsense going on in general elections. Right? If it wasn't this, it would be something else. If you recall , first it was my name. Right? That was a problem. And then there was the Muslim thing and that hasn't worked out so well, and now its the patriotism thing." 

Obama did continue on to affirm that, "I owe everything to this country."

I, ultimately, feel that he is sincere. However, if you subscribe to the theory that actions speak louder than words- perhaps you would disagree. Thank you to http://www.realclearpolitics.com.  If you would  like more information, please check out the former website. Polls will be arriving soon! Keep posting your comments. Enjoy!

-JCarmel

Hillary In a Squeeze

Obama has once again dominated the primaries, utilizing his eloquent skills as an orator and youthful rhetoric as tools in the political arena. His recent acquisition of both Hawaii and Wisconsin ultimately leave Hillary in a tight squeeze. If she has any chance of clinching the Democratic nomination, she must win Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

However, Hillary seems to have made a recent concession in the last debate. At its very closing, she said, and I am paraphrasing loosely, that she was honored to be standing next to Barack Obama. Was Hillary utilizing modesty in order to buffer her campaign, or was she honestly making a concession- sincerely congratulating Obama on his efficient campaign? I will let you decide. Enjoy.

-JCarmel

Three Ideas for the March Issue

I had originally written this on a piece of paper to be handed in, but considering that W.H.S has a snow day today (that unfortunately woke me up at quarter to six) I will blog my ideas for the March issue of the "Crimson Courier." 

1. Plagiarism- Given the recent news concerning accusations directed toward Barack Obama, as well as the various anti-plagiarism techniques (turnitin.com) undertaken by the school, it is my opinion that the topic itself would present a prevalent feature for the paper. Senator Obama was accused last Thursday of plagiarizing a speech by Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. Hillary Rodham Clinton has utilized this accusation in an attempt to attack Obama's campaign. However, both  Obama and Patrick admit that they have in the past shared each other's work. While Obama admits that he should have given Patrick credit, he characterized Clinton's attack as a simple smear campaign. While plagiarism has recently agitated the current election, it has also participated in irritating the pedagogy of Wall High School. From personal experiences with anti-plagiarism techniques, I beg to ask the question- are they really effective and accurate?

2. "Driving Decals"-  Mr. Ketelaar, our advisor at the "Crimson Courier," recently posted a link to an article outlining driving decals on his blog. The stickers would be placed on the back bumper of one's car and further differentiate between those with provisional licenses and those without. Given the fact that a majority of both juniors and seniors have their provisional driving license, I feel that an article detailing the ramifications of those aforementioned stickers would be relevant. 

3. The Snack Shack- The junior class is sponsoring a snack shack opened after school until 2:30 p.m. The object of the snack shack is to raise money for the junior class. I think it would be relevant to write about the details concerning the shack, as well as those who facilitated it's creation. 

Anyway, I will be back later with more news concerning the Election of 2008. Enjoy.

-JCarmel

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too- Don't forget the overview

I thought it would be nice to provide an overview of delegate definitions, just as a capstone for the week.

Barack Obama

Delegate Total: 1, 262

Pledged: 1, 102

Superdelegates: 162

Hillary Clinton

Delegate Total: 1,213

Pledged: 978

Superdelegates: 235

Projected Winners:

Alabama: Obama; Huckabee

Arizona: Clinton; McCain

California: Clinton; McCain

Connecticut: Obama; McCain

Washington D.C.: Obama; McCain

Georgia: Obama; Huckabee

Illinois: Obama; McCain

Kansas: Obama; Huckabee

Maine: Obama; Romeny (gone)- McCain

Massachusetts: Clinton; Romney (gone)- McCain

Minnesota: Obama; Romney (gone)- McCain

Nebraska: Obama; Republican primary on May 13th

New Hampshire: Clinton; McCain

New Mexico: Clinton; Republican primary on June 3rd

North Dakota: Obama; Romney (gone)- McCain

South Carolina: Obama; McCain

Utah: Obama; Romney (gone)- McCain

Washington: Obama, McCain

Alaska: Obama; Romney (gone)- Huckabee

Arkansas: Clinton; Huckabee

Colorado: Obama; Romney (gone)- McCain

Delaware: Obama, McCain

Florida: Clinton, McCain

Idaho: Obama; Republican primary on May 27th

Iowa: Obama, Huckabee

Louisiana: Obama, Huckabee

Maryland: Obama, McCain

Michigan: Clinton, Romney (gone)- McCain

Missouri: Obama, McCain

Nevada: Clinton, Romney (gone)- Paul

New Jersey: Clinton, McCain

New York: Clinton, McCain

Oklahoma: Clinton, McCain

Tennessee: Clinton, Huckabee

Virginia: Obama, McCain

West Virginia: Democratic primary on May 13th; Huckabee

Wyoming: Democratic primary on March 8th; Romney (gone)- Thompson

Wisconsin: -----

John McCain:

Total: 830



Pledged: 804



Unpledged: 26

Mike Huckabee:

Total: 217

Pledged: 214

Unpledged: 3

Ron Paul:

Total: 16

Pledged: 16

Unpledged: 0

For more information check out: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#val=r

Enjoy.

- JCarmel

The Newspaper

As I stated in my last post, I went to visit colleges on my week off from school. It was not an extensive tour, I did not go parading across the country, but instead focused on the New England area. I visited Suffolk University, Boston College, Providence College, and Quinnipiac University. Likewise, I had a topical tour of Northeastern University and Boston University. While I was attempting to acclimate to the harsh New England weather, I could not help but, as a student of journalism, subscribe to the theory that "you can learn a lot about a college from its newspaper." Thus, I acquired a newspaper from each college I visited. Likewise, I reviewed and examined each one. After a night of vacillation, I finally decided to pick a winner- yes in the cut throat world of college journalism there has to be a winner. Congratulations to "The Cowl" for 28 pages of good articles, commentary, and photography. But it was not all of these qualities which made me choose Providence's paper. Instead it was the intense focus around the election of 2008. All of the other papers seemed to focus on the oversaturated humanitarian efforts occurring overseas. "The Cowl," however, had a plethora of information concerning the election. As an amateur reporter, I was quite content to discover this new source. So what did I learn?

"What are delegates"- Amanda Silk (class of 2008)

Well, as I am sure you are well aware of, the reason for primary season is finite. Candidates want to win delegates, who will, in turn, vote for them at their respective conventions. "The Democrats use proportional representation to translate the popular vote to the number of delegates. The Republican system varies by state, with some states employing a 'winner take all.' To win the Democratic nomination, a candidate must win a majority of Democratic delegates. There are a total of 4,049 delegates, which means that the 'Magic Number,' or the majority, is 2,025. Currently Clinton has 232 and Obama has 158. (Note: statistics from a week ago) For a candidate to win the support of the GOP, he must win the majority of the 2,380 total Republican delegates, meaning that the Republican Magic Number is 1,191. McCain, before Romney suspended his campaign, had 97."

Then there are the SUPERDELEGATES. "Of the Democratic delegates, 796 are superdelegates. Of the Republican delegates, 463 are unpledged, and like superdelegates do not have to announce their preference."

This is probably common knowledge. However, I just want to thank Amanda Silk of Providence College's newspaper for providing such a systematic breakdown of the "delegate system." Thank you very much. I hope you learned as much as I did! Enjoy.

-JCarmel

Colleges and Candidates

What do you get when you mix a concoction of snow and rain, a moderate city setting, and a strong accent? The answer is, if you haven't guessed it, Boston. What does Boston have to do with the election of 2008? Well, right now, nothing. However, it was one of the cities I visited over the last week in search of college tours. Each tour I attended in Boston, Rhode Island, and Connecticut was captivating. Whether or not it was grandiose statues, gothic architecture, or stellar academics each college presented me with a different perspective. However inseparable the two may seem, I could not help but think of the election. Each college was like a candidate. Each college had a centerpiece, an individual point of attraction that was accentuated by the tour guide. While the admissions officer continued to rely on this individual point for support, it was up to the prospective student to acknowledge less flattering aspects. One must do this with the candidates as well. It is crucial to examine every point, to acknowledge every flaw and every accomplishment, before crafting one's final opinion and final vote. What can one find between colleges and candidates? Nothing. There is no middle, there is no end, there is no beginning. Each one must be examined separately and then compared. You probably know that already, but I figured it was worth repeating. Enjoy.

-JCarmel

What do Jon Corzine and Theodore Roosevelt Have in Common?

If you thought the answer was nothing, you may be mistaken. Recent news has surfaced that a group of New Jersey citizens are pushing for Jon Corzine's nomination as vice president under presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. The increasingly unfavorable governor would then be replaced in his duties to the state of New Jersey. However, Corzine denies such allegations.  

In a move entirely reminiscent of Thomas Platt's attempt to end Theodore Roosevelt's policies as governor of New York, which were geared toward eradicating the corruption caused by Platt and many other "crime bosses", men and women alike hope that Corzine's nomination will rid them of the governor. Whether or not such an assumption is fair, well, that is left to be decided. 

The only problem?

Platt was successful in placing T.R.'s name on the Republican ticket. When McKinley was elected as president, Roosevelt was elected as vice president. Platt was, therefore, successful in riding New York of its committed "watchdog."

So why is that a problem?

William McKinley was later shot and killed by anarchist Leon Czolgosz, handing Teddy the presidency. T.R. may have been a good president, but only posterity could decide as to whether or not Corzine would be. Perhaps New Jersey should reevaluate its stance? What is worse: Corzine as governor or Corzine as president? While I am completely unfamiliar with the man himself, I will let you decide. Likewise, I will be providing periodic updates on this story. I'm sure that there is more to be had. Comments are welcome and if anyone receives new information, please feel free to post. Enjoy.

-JCarmel

Romney's Race Ends

I was initially going to record the results of Super Tuesday, but decided against that overly-belated post. Likewise, a majority of US citizens have probably seen those results broadcasted across news stations ad nauseum.  Instead, I think it is appropriate to have a moment of silence for Mitt Romney's campaign. May it rest in peace alongside the shattered hopes of Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards, where it will certainly be in good company. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SILENCE- - - - - - - - - - - 

It is just another day in the world of politics, one step forward for any individual is another step backward for his or her opponent. The infectious Massachusetts governor, with his immaculately presidential haircut, announced that he was suspending, and ultimately withdrawing, his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Romney, who had spent more on his campaign than any other nominee (approximately $88 million dollars), withdrew only days after Super Tuesday. Apparently he did not garner enough delegates in the recent primaries, needed in order to sustain his campaign. His withdrawal clears the path for Arizona senator, John McCain. McCain's nomination is now all but imminent. Mormon Mitt will be heading, at long last, home. The Election will sorely miss him. 

For more information check out:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com  (thanks Mr. Martin) 

or

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-02-07/romney_N.htm?csp=34

Enjoy!

-JCarmel

  

Another Step Forward

What will possibly be the most crucial event of 2008 for the United States? If you guessed the upcoming election, you would be correct. This blog, simply put, is about that election. I will be documenting the election as it progresses from Super Tuesday until the presidential inauguration. This blog will include periodic updates and fun facts. 

Let me first explain the title. William Faulkner said that, "Hollywood is a place where a man can get stabbed in the back while climbing a ladder." However, Hollywood is not, for various reasons, the only place where such an occurrence can happen. There is another location. Washington D.C. This blog will document the "climb up the presidential ladder", complete with the various backstabbing, cheap shots, and factual information, which will occur in this historical and precedent-setting election. Please enjoy.

- JCarmel