Obama vs. McCain health records.

If the next president was chosen solely by his health records, then there is no dispute, Obama is the clear winner. Not only is the candidate 25 years younger than opponent McCain, he has had many fewer serious health problems. The most serious infringement on Obama’s health record is “intermittent smoking” which he successfully quit many years ago. McCain has had to deal with cancer in at least 3 places in his body, vertigo, blood in his urine, high blood pressure, degenerative arthritis in his knee and hand joints, as well as polyps and diverticulosis in the colon.
There has been much controversy about the two candidates and their various policies and political records. But nothing can be done to hide the fact that one of them is healthy as a horse and one should probably sit out this race. With health problems coming out of every orifice, and a very controversial vice presidential candidate, things seem a bit shaky for the republican candidate. Charging out of the gate is Obama, taking with him a clean bill of health from his doctor. Some may say that the vast difference is due to the age difference, but that is not a free pass for McCain. Just because he is older doesn’t allow him to be falling apart. 72 is not extremely elderly, and there are many 80 year olds are in better health.
Overall, if the presidential race was a true race, McCain would be left choking in Obama’s dust.

Kids view of the 2008 election

Teacher says something called the “election” is coming up soon. I think that means we are getting a new person make the rules and tell us how to spend money. Mom and Dad both are talking about things like healthcare, which I think means doctors and the economy, like spending money. My older sister is 19, and she is talking about it too. She is all excited cause this is the first time she gets to go and vote. I can vote one day too, once I am old enough.
I was watching SpongeBob this morning and in between it had a song about kids picking the president. They sang about all the other ones, I think there were like 40 or more. Mom says this election will be the first of its’ kind. She says after November America will have its first African American president or its first lady vice president. Dad says that the one named Obama is the best one cause he will make the whole country feel better and fix all the boo boos. Mommy says she is going to pick Obama too. She thinks the other guy is too old. I saw a picture of him. His mommy must never have taught him to brush his teeth. They are really yellow. I think the new president should let everyone have more money so they can take more time with their kids. Also I think the president should make it easier for sick people to go to doctors and get medicine. I hope the right one gets picked and put in that big white house.

political gourds

For this week, I looked at interactivenarratives.org. The most interesting item to me was the fact that the site had political pumpkin carving designs. Now that Halloween is just around the corner, as is the election, it is interesting to see the 2 events meshed together. It was a very creative idea of whoever thought of it. The designs range from the simple Democratic and Republican animals to full faces of both Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and the wives of the Presidential candidates and the symbol for each campaign. It was well designed because the reader can click on each picture and see an enlarged image, and then download it so they could recreate it on an actual pumpkin. Overall, it is a very effective way to show holiday and political spirit on October 31. Lets’ just hope no mischief makers smash any of these works of art.

Purple States

In the political world, the United States is divided into “Red States” for the Republican Party and “Blue States” for the Democratic Party. But there is much buzz about the emergence of new “purple states”. In today’s political atmosphere, many states are becoming wish-washier, not having a clear distinction between red or blue, and therefore are being dubbed purple. This creates a number of problems. One being that the candidates cannot tell if they are carrying a purple state. It makes campaigning much harder for the presidential candidates. Also it creates a mixed sense within the state about the feeling politically.
Students on the Quinnipiac campus have been dubbed among the extremely apathetic among the university world. But to talk to some of the students on campus, it would seem to be a very diverse campus in relation to the election. Sarah, a sophomore health science major, said she was planning on focusing in on the campaigns more closely now that the election is rapidly approaching. She said that she favors McCain right now, and doesn’t see how Obama could possibly be elected. Jon, a senior psychology major, said he will e voting for Obama, and that he has followed the election since the beginning, and he is looking forward to seeing the next 2 debates. Talking to these young voters, one doesn’t get the impression that they are confused. But interesting to note, none of the students I talked to was quite sure of their states current color. They knew the main leaning, but they weren’t sure if the state had recently become purple.

poynter online

On the site Poynter Online there is a story about 5 young journalists. They were asked what they thought the future of newspapers and the whole business is heading. I was surprised to find that a few thought print news would always have a place and a few thought that web news is where it’s all heading. There was some general consensus that the web is going to play a major role in the future with people getting news on the iphones and blackberries. There is still a hold out for print however. There is debate whether it will be run by 50 year old men in a tiny section, or whether it will evolve into a magazine form with investigative pieces. Where ever news is headed, there is no argument that people will always need the news and journalists to report, in whatever form it takes.

Political Buttons

Merchandising has become a multimillion dollar industry. Everyone from the newest children’s cartoon to the rock star have merchandise out on the market. Toys and posters and other kinds of memorabilia flood the stores and people’s homes. Some memorabilia has become very valuable. One example of that would be the political buttons of elections past.
The idea of campaign buttons originated with George Washington and his supporters wearing cloth tags on their clothing saying “Long live the President” The first election to use buttons on a large scale was the 1896 campaign between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan.
In the campaigns of today’s politicians, merchandise has taken on a new level. There are now Barack Obama and John McCain action figures. These little candidates sell for about $12 in the Quinnipiac University bookstore, but from the looks of the shelves, they are not a hot item. Those who would think of buying them are for a joke purpose. Melissa Hebert, junior broadcast journalism major, said she would not buy one to show support for her chosen candidate because it seems silly to have an Obama action figure.
When asked about whether a button or a action figure would be a better choice, Caley Spaulding, junior physical therapy major said “I would want a button. A button can be worn on your jacket and it’s easy. What am I going to do with an action figure? Stick it out of the back of my pocket?”
Maybe Obama and McCain should take a page out of Washington’s book.

Palin, hockey mom at heart

The 2008 election will be history making. The white house will see its first African American President or its first woman vice president. Many students in the Quinnipiac campus have been watching the conventions and figuring out how each side views the main issues.
Sarah Palin, the VP candidate of the republican team, has been in the media quite a lot, but what does anyone really know of her? Jordan Elkins, freshman journalism major, knows her as simply a hockey mom.
Elkins has known Palin since she was 5 and playing hockey on the same team as Palin’s oldest son Track. “The level I know her is not as the governor or Mrs. Palin, it's just been Sarah," said Elkins.
Elkins said it is very surreal to be interviewed; she has done television interviews with Fox and Channel 8. Of Palin’s politics, Elkins is confident that she does have the skills and passion to do the job in Washington.
Speaking of the controversy about whether Palin has enough experience to do what needs to be done. To that Elkins says, “"Who can say someone has enough experience until they are given a chance." Elkins also pointed out that while she does not follow the Obama campaign, she noted the similarity in news coverage concerning experience. Elkins says she does not think that Obama has much more experience than Palin.
Most of all, Elkins noted the determination of Palin. When she was elected as mayor of Wasilla, a town about 40 miles north of Anchorage, Palin was “all about the town, when she was governor, she was all about Alaska, and I’m sure if she gets Vice President that will translate over to the nation.” Elkins is a registered Republican and plans to complete an absentee ballot in November.