In a bold move, John McCain has apparently selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential Running-Mate.

From her web site, she is:

1. Pro Family
2. Pro Traditional Marriage
3. Pro Life
4. Pro Gun Rights
5. An advocate of increased drilling for oil and natural gas
6. Believes that Global Warming is a large issue, but is skeptical that it is caused by humans.

She is young and relatively inexperienced - but still has more executive experience than Barack Obama.

This is a very interesting choice, and a fresh face.

Here is a related article on Fox News: Alaska Gov. Palin to be Named as McCain Running Mate

Here is the unedited text of Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, given at the DNC on August 28, 2008. I will hold my comments for a future entry.

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To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation; with profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest — a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia — I love you so much, and I’m so proud of all of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story — of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
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This is reported to be the transcript of the closing prayer from the Democratic National Convention on Monday, August 25th.

(Delivered by Donald Miller at the DNC on August 25th, 2008)

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Father God,

This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.

We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.

We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.

Help us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.

Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.

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Man-made global warming: Is it the largest threat to our future? Very possibly! But NOT for the reasons that you may have been told.

There is ample evidence for global warming, but doom-Sayers are telling us that greenhouse gases, produced by the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities, are the cause - which they claim is threatening to destroy planet Earth. Is humanity the cause? The evidence challenges this assertion, but our attempts to fix the issue - by attacking the wrong problems, are indeed a very large threat!

The idea of man-made global warming will certainly allow select people to gain a power over our lives. And attempts to mitigate an improperly diagnosed cause will prevent us from effectively addressing real threats - such as those caused by scarce energy supplies and terrorism.

Now we clearly have an unhealthy reliance on Arab oil, which generates the primary funding for global terrorism. But if we fight the wrong battles, then we bankrupt ourselves and limit our options for creating energy independence. We have made the idea of man-made global warming an extreme threat; thereby translating an artificial threat into a real one that could destroy us!

But are humans causing global warming?

Did you know that evidence points to global warming on Mars also?
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Recently, Dr James Dobson expressed frustration with the looming choices for President and indicated that he could not vote for McCain (and certainly never for Hillary nor Obama). While I respect Dr Dobson and understand the emotions behind this stance, and might personally prefer Romney or Huckabee (who may not have quite lost yet), I strongly disagree with the logic behind such reasoning.

If two cars are headed towards a cliff: one at 45 mph and the other at 245 mph, which one would you rather be in? While voting for McCain might seem like driving the country towards a cliff at 45 mph, isn’t this better than moving there at the breakneck speed of a dragster? Brakes can still stop the slower moving car.

Everyone who is willing to take a close look at the candidates AND make a reasoned decision should vote! Although McCain may not always make the correct decision, at least there is a chance that he will do the right thing. What’s at stake?

• Both Hillary and Obama promise the appointment of activist Supreme Court Justices - those who will lead us to yet more atrocities!
• Iraq? That you may disagree with the invasion is, at this point, irrelevant; we are there. And the “surge” is working. But if we abruptly pull out, as Obama promises to do, then we will simply make Iraq a part of “Greater Iran”. A good conclusion?
• Do we need someone as President who is willing to buy votes with new entitlements that will absolutely bankrupt the country! Both Hillary and especially Obama are making such promises.

“Evil succeeds when good men (and women) do nothing”. If you throw your vote away then YOU simply empower the greater evil. I urge you to get informed and vote. Afterwards we can work on stopping or turning the car!

In business, there has been a huge trend towards the off-shoring of human resources. While most of us have been impacted in some way by off-shoring, this was likely only a foreshadow of what’s to come; the practice is now poised to blow through the economies of the western world like Katrina blew through New Orleans and Mississippi.

Manufacturing is being shipped wholesale to China, as domestic labor cannot hope to compete against the near slave-wages of the workers provided by the communist nation. And the communists there are apparently using the tremendous profit windfalls to fund an unprecedented military modernization program. One might ask, against what enemy are they arming?
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“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?”

“Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” 1781.

Thomas Jefferson: 3rd President of the United States, author, architect, educator, scientist, and signer of the Declaration of Independence.