California: View from The Street
...Politics from K Street to Main Street
BLOG.KSTREETCOMMUNICATIONS.COM
Back Off, 'Bubba': Why Bill Clinton Needs to Stop Talking about the Oklahoma City Bombing
Things must be slow on the Southeast Asia hooker circuit these days.
Why else would former President Bill Clinton be wading in where he shouldn’t regarding the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing?
Over the past few days, Clinton has been running his mouth faster than the engines on Ted Waitt's G5 (aka "Clinton Air"). He couldn't resist comparing the “dangerous” protestors such as the Tea Party movement to those pesky Terrorists who lit the fuse and blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 15 years ago tomorrow.
Not only has Bubba treaded on me by suggesting that citizens demonstrating their Constitutional rights to peacefully assemble is now on par with Terrorism; ‘Ol Bubba has treaded onto my territory. Literally.
You see, while I now live in California, I was born and raised in Oklahoma City. Therefore, it holds an incredibly special place in my heart. It is where I took my first steps in this world; it is where I went to my High School prom; it is the home of this year's #1 NFL Draft pick (who also went to my high school). It is where I learned how to drive a stick-shift on a back country road; was co-captain of the pom-pon squad; had my first kiss; and became involved in student council (planting the seed of my passion for politics). It is where I experienced my first College Football game (awesome, by the way) and became eternally close to the loyal people I still call my best friends 20 years later. It is – hands down – the greatest place I believe a girl could have been raised. Where values are still at an all-time high and the people are as sweet as the tea.
It was also in Oklahoma City that I happened to be at 9:02 a.m. on the morning of April 19, 1995 when our innocence was lost.
The Terrorist attack on my hometown soil was several years before 9/11, and at the time was called "the worst Terrorist attack on American soil." We had never witnessed anything quite like it - save for the somewhat unsuccessful (in the minds of the Terrorists, at least) first attack on the World Trade Center in 1994. That day, I will never forget being unable to get a phone call through to my family, the chilling sound of sirens screaming throughout the city non-stop for hours upon hours, CNN cameras converging on our city years before the 24/7 cable news cycle existed, the hum of generators and enormous spotlights guiding the intricate search-and-rescue operations ‘round the clock, word of victims still trapped (alive) under the building a full week later, and fellow Oklahomans literally giving their fellow man the shirts off their backs. Just as I’m sure New Yorkers will never forget the sights, smells and sounds of New York on 9/11, I will never forget.
And I won’t soon forget Bill Clinton’s careless comments, either.
For Clinton to suggest that today’s Tea Party participants are equivalent to the evil men who killed 168 of my fellow hometown heroes - and injured about 800 more - is beyond inappropriate. This is a serious matter. One that I am (almost) uncomfortable writing about, mostly because it dredges up an old, ugly history in our nation. However, I think it’s important not to allow these outrageous statements by President Clinton go unanswered.
Clinton’s comments suggest that he forgets his own history:
• It was, in fact, the Clinton Administration’s public relations disaster after Ruby Ridge that incensed anti-government extremists like Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh. It was the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department that issued a reportedly whitewashed report on the revised shoot-to-kill order against the wife of Randy Weaver and their 13-year old son, Sammy; shootings that were later looked upon by the United States Senate and others as being outside of the normal protocols of standard FBI sniper Codes of Conduct - even though, to be fair, the 13-year old boy did shoot at the Agents. Regardless, killing women and children under most any circumstances is generally outside the norm of our women-and-children-first culture. Warranted or not, those killings - and the glossy report that accompanied them - incensed a fringe element that were already gunning for the Feds.
• Adding fuel to the fire (literally), the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department once again stumbled in their handling of the raid on David Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Under direct order from Attorney General Janet Reno, Federal Law enforcement officers found themselves in a confusing standoff and square in the middle of further deaths of women and children – another public relations nightmare that took months for Clinton to fully explain.
• Let me be clear, I do not pretend to even begin to understand the likes of people like Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, nor David Koresh in Waco; those lifestyles and the segregation from society which those lifestyles represent are entirely foreign to me and all that I was raised to be. Nevertheless, the Clinton Administration allowed themselves to get drawn into a standoff - not once but twice. The events that happened on Clinton's watch fanned the flames of the hatred that anti-government extremists already had for the Federal government.
• Bill Clinton's actions and the actions of his Attorney General are linked directly to Oklahoma City. Allow me to point out that the attack on Oklahoma City came on April 19 – the “anniversary” date of the deaths at Waco. Coincidence? Hardly.
• Lastly, the anti-government Terrorists involved in the Oklahoma City bombing hated - with fervor - anyone who was a member of federal law enforcement. In fact, in the five months following the Ruby Ridge standoff, Timothy McVeigh worked booths at gun shows and openly handed out literature calling for the death of the FBI sniper involved in the case. An absolute disgust and disgrace.
• Contrast all of this to the Tea Party members who support our troops passionately and have nothing but love for the patriots who also serve at the highest levels of law enforcement. At every event I’ve been to, the Tea Party-goers have in fact gone out of their way to walk over, shake hands, and thank law enforcement for all they do.
• Further contrast still is that the anti-government extremists of the Clinton-era wanted nothing more than to slip into the woods and get away from their government. Contrast that with the Tea Party movement today: these are folks who walk instead toward the Public square (not away from it). They're folks who actually want to hear from their elected officials, and want to be active, engaged, participating members of their government. One only needs to look at the number of "Tea Party" candidates springing up across the country, or look at the number of Tea Party chapters in California who actively encourage their members to apply as panelists for the California Redistricting Commission. Believe me, these folks are knocking on the door of the Capitol; they want “in”... not out.
Perhaps Bubba should bone up on recent history so he can refresh his memory of the events of the mid-1990s; especially the litany of tragic events that happened on his watch.
Mr. President, leave Oklahomans to mourn our fellow statesmen and to commemorate their lives honorably, and in peace – without their deaths being dragged into present-day Election Year political battles.
Why else would former President Bill Clinton be wading in where he shouldn’t regarding the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing?
Over the past few days, Clinton has been running his mouth faster than the engines on Ted Waitt's G5 (aka "Clinton Air"). He couldn't resist comparing the “dangerous” protestors such as the Tea Party movement to those pesky Terrorists who lit the fuse and blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 15 years ago tomorrow.
Not only has Bubba treaded on me by suggesting that citizens demonstrating their Constitutional rights to peacefully assemble is now on par with Terrorism; ‘Ol Bubba has treaded onto my territory. Literally.
You see, while I now live in California, I was born and raised in Oklahoma City. Therefore, it holds an incredibly special place in my heart. It is where I took my first steps in this world; it is where I went to my High School prom; it is the home of this year's #1 NFL Draft pick (who also went to my high school). It is where I learned how to drive a stick-shift on a back country road; was co-captain of the pom-pon squad; had my first kiss; and became involved in student council (planting the seed of my passion for politics). It is where I experienced my first College Football game (awesome, by the way) and became eternally close to the loyal people I still call my best friends 20 years later. It is – hands down – the greatest place I believe a girl could have been raised. Where values are still at an all-time high and the people are as sweet as the tea.
It was also in Oklahoma City that I happened to be at 9:02 a.m. on the morning of April 19, 1995 when our innocence was lost.
The Terrorist attack on my hometown soil was several years before 9/11, and at the time was called "the worst Terrorist attack on American soil." We had never witnessed anything quite like it - save for the somewhat unsuccessful (in the minds of the Terrorists, at least) first attack on the World Trade Center in 1994. That day, I will never forget being unable to get a phone call through to my family, the chilling sound of sirens screaming throughout the city non-stop for hours upon hours, CNN cameras converging on our city years before the 24/7 cable news cycle existed, the hum of generators and enormous spotlights guiding the intricate search-and-rescue operations ‘round the clock, word of victims still trapped (alive) under the building a full week later, and fellow Oklahomans literally giving their fellow man the shirts off their backs. Just as I’m sure New Yorkers will never forget the sights, smells and sounds of New York on 9/11, I will never forget.
And I won’t soon forget Bill Clinton’s careless comments, either.
For Clinton to suggest that today’s Tea Party participants are equivalent to the evil men who killed 168 of my fellow hometown heroes - and injured about 800 more - is beyond inappropriate. This is a serious matter. One that I am (almost) uncomfortable writing about, mostly because it dredges up an old, ugly history in our nation. However, I think it’s important not to allow these outrageous statements by President Clinton go unanswered.
Clinton’s comments suggest that he forgets his own history:
• It was, in fact, the Clinton Administration’s public relations disaster after Ruby Ridge that incensed anti-government extremists like Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh. It was the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department that issued a reportedly whitewashed report on the revised shoot-to-kill order against the wife of Randy Weaver and their 13-year old son, Sammy; shootings that were later looked upon by the United States Senate and others as being outside of the normal protocols of standard FBI sniper Codes of Conduct - even though, to be fair, the 13-year old boy did shoot at the Agents. Regardless, killing women and children under most any circumstances is generally outside the norm of our women-and-children-first culture. Warranted or not, those killings - and the glossy report that accompanied them - incensed a fringe element that were already gunning for the Feds.
• Adding fuel to the fire (literally), the Clinton Administration’s Justice Department once again stumbled in their handling of the raid on David Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Under direct order from Attorney General Janet Reno, Federal Law enforcement officers found themselves in a confusing standoff and square in the middle of further deaths of women and children – another public relations nightmare that took months for Clinton to fully explain.
• Let me be clear, I do not pretend to even begin to understand the likes of people like Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, nor David Koresh in Waco; those lifestyles and the segregation from society which those lifestyles represent are entirely foreign to me and all that I was raised to be. Nevertheless, the Clinton Administration allowed themselves to get drawn into a standoff - not once but twice. The events that happened on Clinton's watch fanned the flames of the hatred that anti-government extremists already had for the Federal government.
• Bill Clinton's actions and the actions of his Attorney General are linked directly to Oklahoma City. Allow me to point out that the attack on Oklahoma City came on April 19 – the “anniversary” date of the deaths at Waco. Coincidence? Hardly.
• Lastly, the anti-government Terrorists involved in the Oklahoma City bombing hated - with fervor - anyone who was a member of federal law enforcement. In fact, in the five months following the Ruby Ridge standoff, Timothy McVeigh worked booths at gun shows and openly handed out literature calling for the death of the FBI sniper involved in the case. An absolute disgust and disgrace.
• Contrast all of this to the Tea Party members who support our troops passionately and have nothing but love for the patriots who also serve at the highest levels of law enforcement. At every event I’ve been to, the Tea Party-goers have in fact gone out of their way to walk over, shake hands, and thank law enforcement for all they do.
• Further contrast still is that the anti-government extremists of the Clinton-era wanted nothing more than to slip into the woods and get away from their government. Contrast that with the Tea Party movement today: these are folks who walk instead toward the Public square (not away from it). They're folks who actually want to hear from their elected officials, and want to be active, engaged, participating members of their government. One only needs to look at the number of "Tea Party" candidates springing up across the country, or look at the number of Tea Party chapters in California who actively encourage their members to apply as panelists for the California Redistricting Commission. Believe me, these folks are knocking on the door of the Capitol; they want “in”... not out.
Perhaps Bubba should bone up on recent history so he can refresh his memory of the events of the mid-1990s; especially the litany of tragic events that happened on his watch.
Mr. President, leave Oklahomans to mourn our fellow statesmen and to commemorate their lives honorably, and in peace – without their deaths being dragged into present-day Election Year political battles.
Why I Became Catholic
Over the Easter weekend, I took a leap of faith in my lifelong journey through religion: I became Catholic.
The conversion process has piqued the interest of many people who have asked why, as a lifelong Christian, I decided to convert to Catholicism now.
While I don’t profess to be a Theologian, I’m happy to shed some Light on what led me to this personal decision.
When Pope Benedict the XVI first came to his position in 2005, I sat up and took notice of what he proclaimed was his mission as Pope. He said he felt he was placed here to “restore Order on this earth.” It had been widely known that his predecessor Pope John Paul II had been the Leader who grew the Church by leaps and bounds, invited the masses into the house, and expanded the garden, so to speak. Those of us who garden know if you don't weed the garden occasionally, nothing else can grow. Thus, Benedict said, he was put here to “weed the garden.” I liked this. A lot. And it got me thinking.
At a time when so much of the Britney Spears, post-9/11 World seemed out of control, I respected a man who sought to “restore Order.” It was an unpopular position, to be sure – and all the more reason for this rebel to like it.
And so I began to watch with particular interest to see what the Church would do on matters of faith, politics, and world affairs. My own "Pope Watch" of sorts.
As it so happened, events in my personal and professional life also began intersecting with this faith. I happened to be serving at the epicenter of the most controversial Ballot Measure in California history – perhaps even the Nation’s history. As the Chief Spokesperson who was hired to protect Traditional Marriage via California’s controversial Prop. 8, I found myself taking much abuse at the hands of the opponents – the very opponents who, by the way, claimed they were about “love” and “tolerance.” I received death threats, vulgar calls, incessant phone calls at 3a.m., you name it, harassment 24 hours a day, 'round the clock, seven days a week. And while I won’t go into detail, I will say the calls being released these days by Congressmen regarding the healthcare threats are mild in comparison. But I digress.
The irony is, I came to the Prop. 8 campaign not because I dislike gay individuals (I firmly believe in Big & Rich's motto of "Love everybody.") In fact, I was quite Libertarian about it at the time. The reason I initially came to the campaign was my concern that the voters of California, who had voted fair and square, kept having their vote on marriage tossed out by a Judge – an action which I found to be wholly unconstitutional. As one of several individuals who had served as an Assistant Secretary of State in California, I had once helped to uphold the vote of the people and took that job very seriously. I therefore looked upon the events of the time as an injustice to the millions of voters in California who had, plainly and simply, exercised their Constitutional right to vote.
Nevertheless, the reason I came aboard didn’t matter: I quickly became public enemy #1. All because in my own small way, I too was taking a stand to help restore some semblance of order on this earth. And, as time wore on, I felt myself identifying more and more with the principles that the Catholic church was standing on. I began to fully appreciate the uphill battle and the hatred that Pope Benedict was facing in this world.
Through that personal experience, I began to feel a kindred spirit, a common mission with the Church. Unlike the smaller, one-off community churches I had been a part of most of my life, this one was different. I felt a real sense of strength in numbers. And so I enrolled in an exploratory course at the Church. If I liked it, I would become a member of the Catholic church. And like it I did.
In fact, I fell in love.
For the first time in my life, the “Signs, Symbols, and Sacraments” of Christianity all became crystal clear to me during my conversion to the Catholic church. Sure, I previously understood the basic tenets of faith, the words of the Bible, and how to pray. And have had a close relationship with God (save for a few years here and there). But I never truly understood the big picture as I did once I began this journey.
For starters, there is the Apostolic succession of Bishops in the Catholic church, which in plain English means that every Bishop that currently holds their position in the Church has been tapped, handed down in perfect succession from the original 12 Apostles in the Bible. They can be traced back, one by one, as “one unbroken chain” of successors from the original Apostles. I don’t know about you, but in today’s disposable, don’t-keep-anything, just-buy-a-new-one, who’s-keeping-track-anyway society, I find that to be truly remarkable.
Then there are the 12 Stations of the Cross – each one symbolizing the 12 stops Jesus made on his way to die on the cross. Posted around the church, those 12 scenes (whether painted in the stained glass windows or represented by placards) serve as an ever-present reminder of the sacrifices he made for us along his own journey.
Next is the Candle that always burns during Mass in a Catholic church, representing the light of Jesus Christ – an eternal light which, as Easter shows us, cannot be snuffed out even in the face of the harshest adversity.
Even the use of Incense in the church even bears significance. In the Bible, it says that prayers are to rise just as the smoke of the incense. Just as ceremonial incense rises to the rafters of the Church, so it is that our Prayers rise to Heaven.
Even the exploratory class which introduces you into the Church holds a special symbolism. The class itself is a 9-month long process – the exact length of time it takes to birth a new life.
Even the name “Catholic” has more clarity. Growing up in the “Bible belt” known as Oklahoma, I somehow had the sense that “Catholics” were different than we “regular” Christians; I know I can't be the only one who thought this for years. I’ve even heard it called “a cult” by those who don’t quite understand the hierarchical traditions of the church. But the fact is, the word “Catholic” simply comes from the Greek word (as well as the Latin and French word) “universal.” It simply means that the Catholic church is “the” universal church for Christians across the world. In fact, Anglican churches and other denominations refer broadly to the Catholic church as the Christian Church which most represents all believers in Jesus Christ across the world, regardless of age, denomination, language, or ethnicity. Christians all across the world are receiving the same message of God in their native language. That’s pretty powerful.
Mass, then, represents the entire “Mass” which attends church every week. It also means “mass” in the sense that we are the “body” of the church (as in, ‘body mass’). Each week, the mass comes to their respective church, and receives the same word that someone halfway across the World is receiving. I appreciate that kind of consistency in a world where charismatic pastors are so often “interpreting the Bible” to their own readings. The Mass readings are ordained, prayed over, and are prepared far in advance under the guiding hand of the Vatican conference who is charged with protecting the original meaning of the Bible.
Location, Location Location: I especially appreciate, as someone who travels often, that I don’t have to hunt down a particular community church to receive my weekly message; I can simply walk into any Catholic church, anywhere in the World, and hear the message of the week. I like that the same word that is being read in mass in Los Angeles, is the same word being read at mass in Barcelona.
Contrary to what you hear in the Media, I found there to be no Secrecy in the Catholic church. During the 18 month timeframe attending my two programs, I was free to ask any questions I saw fit. We discussed the sex abuse scandal currently facing the church, and I even (respectfully) questioned them about Nancy Pelosi’s ability to freely take Communion in the church, while she serves as an aggressive advocate for abortions. All of my questions were answered to my satisfaction, and I was never – ever – frowned upon for expressing the reservations I had about the church.
Then, there’s “The Book.” Ever since I attended Vacation Bible School at six years old, I have read in the Bible that when you become a Christian and a member of the church, your name is to be “written in the book” of the ages. I never knew if this was simply a figure of speech, but since I’m a fairly literal person I kept my eye out for this book over the years. (Okay, I can hear you laughing now.) Naturally, whenever I joined a new Church, I would always ask, almost child-like, “Do I need to register my name in a book somewhere?” It was a question that was usually met with giggles. Fast forward to my Catholic church Initiation, where my name was written in, you guessed it, “the Book.” Once each book gets filled, they are sent to The Vatican for safekeeping and preserved for generations as a record of your declaration of faith. (No wonder they still have records dating back to the original 12 Apostles.) Another chapter closed on this mystery for me. It’s official, I’m in the book. Which reminds me: Jesus, don’t forget to look me up next time you come down.
Lastly, there are the 7 Gifts of the Catholic Faith. Seven honorary “gifts” which are bestowed upon you during your commitment to the Catholic church. Without saying too much, I was stunned to discover they match up squarely with the “7 Gifts” I once pledged – i.e., the promise to live a faithful life, to give my best effort toward a life that is beyond reproach, and to abide by the highest standards of conduct, even in the company of men – words of my bond that I once pledged to my esteemed Pi Beta Phi sorority when I was initiated nearly 20 years ago. It’s as if the gifts I gave as an offering of my life somehow found their way back to me in full stead, 20 years later. Another full circle moment for me.
In closing, and speaking of full circle, this brings me back to where I began: Pope Benedict. A man of conviction and purpose, he has recently been battered over the horrid child sex scandals that continue to plague the Catholic church. Despite what the Media would have you believe, Pope Benedict actually IS the right person for the right job at the right time. And I’ll tell you why. Under Pope John Paul, it was actually Benedict who became so shocked over the number of complaints coming through the door, that it was in fact Benedict who took it upon himself to read the 1,000 personal letters of the victims who had been abused. And it was Benedict who personally met with each and every victim who wished to have a personal meeting with the Church, in order to give voice to their claims. Is that not the right person to address this crisis? Alas, as with so many other scandals in the world (politics, etc.), I firmly believe opponents will continue to attempt to remove him from the leadership of the Catholic church; not because he was involved in the scandal in any way, but because they happen to know he’s a hardliner who disagrees with them on 99% of their other issues. To that end, Pope Benedict has already addressed his critics head-on. And his words once again fill my heart with satisfaction: “I will not back down, I will not be intimidated.”
With everything we’re facing in the World today, that sounds like a good Catholic creed to me.
Peace be with you.
The conversion process has piqued the interest of many people who have asked why, as a lifelong Christian, I decided to convert to Catholicism now.
While I don’t profess to be a Theologian, I’m happy to shed some Light on what led me to this personal decision.
When Pope Benedict the XVI first came to his position in 2005, I sat up and took notice of what he proclaimed was his mission as Pope. He said he felt he was placed here to “restore Order on this earth.” It had been widely known that his predecessor Pope John Paul II had been the Leader who grew the Church by leaps and bounds, invited the masses into the house, and expanded the garden, so to speak. Those of us who garden know if you don't weed the garden occasionally, nothing else can grow. Thus, Benedict said, he was put here to “weed the garden.” I liked this. A lot. And it got me thinking.
At a time when so much of the Britney Spears, post-9/11 World seemed out of control, I respected a man who sought to “restore Order.” It was an unpopular position, to be sure – and all the more reason for this rebel to like it.
And so I began to watch with particular interest to see what the Church would do on matters of faith, politics, and world affairs. My own "Pope Watch" of sorts.
As it so happened, events in my personal and professional life also began intersecting with this faith. I happened to be serving at the epicenter of the most controversial Ballot Measure in California history – perhaps even the Nation’s history. As the Chief Spokesperson who was hired to protect Traditional Marriage via California’s controversial Prop. 8, I found myself taking much abuse at the hands of the opponents – the very opponents who, by the way, claimed they were about “love” and “tolerance.” I received death threats, vulgar calls, incessant phone calls at 3a.m., you name it, harassment 24 hours a day, 'round the clock, seven days a week. And while I won’t go into detail, I will say the calls being released these days by Congressmen regarding the healthcare threats are mild in comparison. But I digress.
The irony is, I came to the Prop. 8 campaign not because I dislike gay individuals (I firmly believe in Big & Rich's motto of "Love everybody.") In fact, I was quite Libertarian about it at the time. The reason I initially came to the campaign was my concern that the voters of California, who had voted fair and square, kept having their vote on marriage tossed out by a Judge – an action which I found to be wholly unconstitutional. As one of several individuals who had served as an Assistant Secretary of State in California, I had once helped to uphold the vote of the people and took that job very seriously. I therefore looked upon the events of the time as an injustice to the millions of voters in California who had, plainly and simply, exercised their Constitutional right to vote.
Nevertheless, the reason I came aboard didn’t matter: I quickly became public enemy #1. All because in my own small way, I too was taking a stand to help restore some semblance of order on this earth. And, as time wore on, I felt myself identifying more and more with the principles that the Catholic church was standing on. I began to fully appreciate the uphill battle and the hatred that Pope Benedict was facing in this world.
Through that personal experience, I began to feel a kindred spirit, a common mission with the Church. Unlike the smaller, one-off community churches I had been a part of most of my life, this one was different. I felt a real sense of strength in numbers. And so I enrolled in an exploratory course at the Church. If I liked it, I would become a member of the Catholic church. And like it I did.
In fact, I fell in love.
For the first time in my life, the “Signs, Symbols, and Sacraments” of Christianity all became crystal clear to me during my conversion to the Catholic church. Sure, I previously understood the basic tenets of faith, the words of the Bible, and how to pray. And have had a close relationship with God (save for a few years here and there). But I never truly understood the big picture as I did once I began this journey.
For starters, there is the Apostolic succession of Bishops in the Catholic church, which in plain English means that every Bishop that currently holds their position in the Church has been tapped, handed down in perfect succession from the original 12 Apostles in the Bible. They can be traced back, one by one, as “one unbroken chain” of successors from the original Apostles. I don’t know about you, but in today’s disposable, don’t-keep-anything, just-buy-a-new-one, who’s-keeping-track-anyway society, I find that to be truly remarkable.
Then there are the 12 Stations of the Cross – each one symbolizing the 12 stops Jesus made on his way to die on the cross. Posted around the church, those 12 scenes (whether painted in the stained glass windows or represented by placards) serve as an ever-present reminder of the sacrifices he made for us along his own journey.
Next is the Candle that always burns during Mass in a Catholic church, representing the light of Jesus Christ – an eternal light which, as Easter shows us, cannot be snuffed out even in the face of the harshest adversity.
Even the use of Incense in the church even bears significance. In the Bible, it says that prayers are to rise just as the smoke of the incense. Just as ceremonial incense rises to the rafters of the Church, so it is that our Prayers rise to Heaven.
Even the exploratory class which introduces you into the Church holds a special symbolism. The class itself is a 9-month long process – the exact length of time it takes to birth a new life.
Even the name “Catholic” has more clarity. Growing up in the “Bible belt” known as Oklahoma, I somehow had the sense that “Catholics” were different than we “regular” Christians; I know I can't be the only one who thought this for years. I’ve even heard it called “a cult” by those who don’t quite understand the hierarchical traditions of the church. But the fact is, the word “Catholic” simply comes from the Greek word (as well as the Latin and French word) “universal.” It simply means that the Catholic church is “the” universal church for Christians across the world. In fact, Anglican churches and other denominations refer broadly to the Catholic church as the Christian Church which most represents all believers in Jesus Christ across the world, regardless of age, denomination, language, or ethnicity. Christians all across the world are receiving the same message of God in their native language. That’s pretty powerful.
Mass, then, represents the entire “Mass” which attends church every week. It also means “mass” in the sense that we are the “body” of the church (as in, ‘body mass’). Each week, the mass comes to their respective church, and receives the same word that someone halfway across the World is receiving. I appreciate that kind of consistency in a world where charismatic pastors are so often “interpreting the Bible” to their own readings. The Mass readings are ordained, prayed over, and are prepared far in advance under the guiding hand of the Vatican conference who is charged with protecting the original meaning of the Bible.
Location, Location Location: I especially appreciate, as someone who travels often, that I don’t have to hunt down a particular community church to receive my weekly message; I can simply walk into any Catholic church, anywhere in the World, and hear the message of the week. I like that the same word that is being read in mass in Los Angeles, is the same word being read at mass in Barcelona.
Contrary to what you hear in the Media, I found there to be no Secrecy in the Catholic church. During the 18 month timeframe attending my two programs, I was free to ask any questions I saw fit. We discussed the sex abuse scandal currently facing the church, and I even (respectfully) questioned them about Nancy Pelosi’s ability to freely take Communion in the church, while she serves as an aggressive advocate for abortions. All of my questions were answered to my satisfaction, and I was never – ever – frowned upon for expressing the reservations I had about the church.
Then, there’s “The Book.” Ever since I attended Vacation Bible School at six years old, I have read in the Bible that when you become a Christian and a member of the church, your name is to be “written in the book” of the ages. I never knew if this was simply a figure of speech, but since I’m a fairly literal person I kept my eye out for this book over the years. (Okay, I can hear you laughing now.) Naturally, whenever I joined a new Church, I would always ask, almost child-like, “Do I need to register my name in a book somewhere?” It was a question that was usually met with giggles. Fast forward to my Catholic church Initiation, where my name was written in, you guessed it, “the Book.” Once each book gets filled, they are sent to The Vatican for safekeeping and preserved for generations as a record of your declaration of faith. (No wonder they still have records dating back to the original 12 Apostles.) Another chapter closed on this mystery for me. It’s official, I’m in the book. Which reminds me: Jesus, don’t forget to look me up next time you come down.
Lastly, there are the 7 Gifts of the Catholic Faith. Seven honorary “gifts” which are bestowed upon you during your commitment to the Catholic church. Without saying too much, I was stunned to discover they match up squarely with the “7 Gifts” I once pledged – i.e., the promise to live a faithful life, to give my best effort toward a life that is beyond reproach, and to abide by the highest standards of conduct, even in the company of men – words of my bond that I once pledged to my esteemed Pi Beta Phi sorority when I was initiated nearly 20 years ago. It’s as if the gifts I gave as an offering of my life somehow found their way back to me in full stead, 20 years later. Another full circle moment for me.
In closing, and speaking of full circle, this brings me back to where I began: Pope Benedict. A man of conviction and purpose, he has recently been battered over the horrid child sex scandals that continue to plague the Catholic church. Despite what the Media would have you believe, Pope Benedict actually IS the right person for the right job at the right time. And I’ll tell you why. Under Pope John Paul, it was actually Benedict who became so shocked over the number of complaints coming through the door, that it was in fact Benedict who took it upon himself to read the 1,000 personal letters of the victims who had been abused. And it was Benedict who personally met with each and every victim who wished to have a personal meeting with the Church, in order to give voice to their claims. Is that not the right person to address this crisis? Alas, as with so many other scandals in the world (politics, etc.), I firmly believe opponents will continue to attempt to remove him from the leadership of the Catholic church; not because he was involved in the scandal in any way, but because they happen to know he’s a hardliner who disagrees with them on 99% of their other issues. To that end, Pope Benedict has already addressed his critics head-on. And his words once again fill my heart with satisfaction: “I will not back down, I will not be intimidated.”
With everything we’re facing in the World today, that sounds like a good Catholic creed to me.
Peace be with you.
Do You Google?
Normally, I’d serve up some snarky political fare on today’s events in California or opine on the latest shenanigans to come from our esteemed politicians.
But not today.
Today, I’m all about business. If you’re like me, it probably seems that you’ve spent more time lately racing to airports, hopping on (or off) the latest Southwest Airlines flight, hailing cabs to meetings, and figuring out how to “sell more/be more/do more” with what seem to be incredibly shrinking daylight hours this political season. As a business owner, it can be especially difficult to accomplish the everyday administrative work that keeps your business running – especially when you’re on the go.
Recently, I discovered some killer tips you will not be able to live without, because they provide everything a busy businessperson needs –right at your fingertips. I would be a bad colleague if I failed to pass them along.
Thought you knew everything about Google? A few things I bet you didn't know you can do directly from Google’s search box:
But not today.
Today, I’m all about business. If you’re like me, it probably seems that you’ve spent more time lately racing to airports, hopping on (or off) the latest Southwest Airlines flight, hailing cabs to meetings, and figuring out how to “sell more/be more/do more” with what seem to be incredibly shrinking daylight hours this political season. As a business owner, it can be especially difficult to accomplish the everyday administrative work that keeps your business running – especially when you’re on the go.
Recently, I discovered some killer tips you will not be able to live without, because they provide everything a busy businessperson needs –right at your fingertips. I would be a bad colleague if I failed to pass them along.
Thought you knew everything about Google? A few things I bet you didn't know you can do directly from Google’s search box:
- Track your Flight. Find out if your Flight is on time by going to the Google search field and simply entering your Airline and Flight number in the search field (example: “JetBlue 3104”). Hit enter. Voila. Instantly see if you’re on time, delayed, or can grab a few extra minutes of shuteye.
- Track your Packages. No need to call FedEx, spend your time on hold, or even fire up your laptop on the road. Track your shipping needs by simply entering the word “Track” plus your Tracking number and Google will send you directly to the status page for your package. (FedEx, UPS, and USPS packages all have unique shipping codes, so simply plugging the code into the Google search box will automatically produce the status of your package.)
- Be Calculating. Need to know how much the tax is on that Print job you just requested? Need to calculate your Agency’s fee on a Statewide Media buy? Simply enter the “Percentage x the Amount” to get the total. For example, if you need to calculate what 15% of $100,000 is, simply enter “.15 x 100,000” and hit enter. The answer will appear at the top of the results. You don’t even need to click another link. A-mazing.
- Going Global? Get currency conversions by entering what you’d like to covert, i.e., “100 dollars in Euros” and it will serve up the answer without so much as a s’il vous plait from you.
- Find an Address quickly. We’ve all heard of this one, but it bears repeating. Type in the phone number of an individual, organization, or business, and it will serve up their Address in a reverse lookup format.
- Become a Lady of Leisure. For those who can actually carve out a bit of time for themselves on the weekend, you can find Movie times by simply entering the word “Movies” plus your City name or Zip code. The nearest Theatres and Showtimes for the next week will appear. Hmm. Save me a seat?
Pack up the Clampetts... We're Heading Back Home
Saw this cartoon posted today. It really speaks to me, as someone who came to California seeking prosperity...
"No Texting while...Legislating?
For those of you who follow the "View from the Street," take heart. We're still blogging away during this busy Election Year. In addition to the posts in this space, we've been invited to appear on Fox & Hounds Daily - the online site for Politics and Business in California. We'll be posting there - along with our one-of-a-kind posts here - daily during Election Season.
In the meantime, check out the latest piece about California's ridiculous new rule that members of the State Assembly can no longer text while in the Legislature. Let us know what you think, does a rule like this make a bit of difference to the Special Interest influence-peddling in State Capitols across the Nation?
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/jennifer-kerns/6563-no-texting-while…-legislating
Tomorrow, we'll be back to our snarky, regular programming. See you then!
In the meantime, check out the latest piece about California's ridiculous new rule that members of the State Assembly can no longer text while in the Legislature. Let us know what you think, does a rule like this make a bit of difference to the Special Interest influence-peddling in State Capitols across the Nation?
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/jennifer-kerns/6563-no-texting-while…-legislating
Tomorrow, we'll be back to our snarky, regular programming. See you then!
Now that We Know Who 'Dat... Now What?
Now that the SuperBowl is over, the inevitable hangover of life without Football is setting in for football fanatics everywhere... especially we fabulous ladies who enjoy the sport nearly as much as our male counterparts. Having suffered myself from an early end to the College Football playoff season in January, I myself have been coping for the past month with how to keep myself occupied for the next 9 months...
For those of you whose NFL season has now ended, you're welcome to join me in my misery, which is already in progress, and perhaps together we can make constructive use of our remaining time until the Season begins again. Here, a few Off-Season Bucket List items that are totally fabulous, completely do-able, and will help pass the time in no time at all!
Have other ideas? Submit YOUR suggestions to keep your forlorn Football friends happy in the comment space below…
For those of you whose NFL season has now ended, you're welcome to join me in my misery, which is already in progress, and perhaps together we can make constructive use of our remaining time until the Season begins again. Here, a few Off-Season Bucket List items that are totally fabulous, completely do-able, and will help pass the time in no time at all!
Carry a Baby to full term
Win a Primary Election
Train for a Marathon
Become a Wine Sommelier
Get your cute Football Jersey wardrobe for next Season in order: Now that Football season is over, they will be on sale, ladies!
Attend cooking school (go to SurLaTable.com for fun lessons near you!) and brush up on some deelish Tailgating recipes for next season
Write a Novel
Travel around the World in a Hot Air Balloon 3 times
(source: Around the World in 80 Days)
Recover from an ACL tear to the Knee
Complete a 12-Step Program
Get your Teaching Certificate in California
Lose 72 pounds
(based upon WeightWatchers.com recommended monthly weight loss guidelines of no more than 2 pounds per week/8 pounds per month; don’t try this without first consulting your Physician)
Get your Pilot's license
Learn how to Skydive
Become a licensed Feng Shui consultant
Complete a 6-month deployment to Afghanistan
Buy the 9-month-long "Dessert-of-the-Month" club membership on Amazon.com (although, that probably defeats the above weight-loss goal)
Complete a course to become a licensed Astroturf dealer
Become a licensed “Green/Sustainable Building Advisor” in California
Take your money out of a rotten Federal bank, and deposit it into a 9-month CD
Become a Paralegal
Get a new Job
Celebrate running 110 miles… (if you simply run 5 miles per week, every week, ‘til then)
Film a major Motion picture and get it “in the can” for Hollywood
Become a Licensed Nutritionist/Dietician
Spring forward on daylight savings time (this cannot come soon enough, IMHO...)
Adopt a Pet from a local Shelter – and have them fully trained in Obedience school
Go SHOPPING, shopping, shopping... for a new Spring, Summer, and Fall wardrobe
and last, but definitely not least...
Attend Beermaster classes and learn how to brew your own beer for the Season Kickoff!
Have other ideas? Submit YOUR suggestions to keep your forlorn Football friends happy in the comment space below…
You Can Be Rude, Crude, and Racist... as long as you're a Democrat
Forget the Swine Flu. The Democrats in Washington these days have a rampant case of Foot-in-Mouth Disease.
Whether you're an African-American or an innocent developmentally-disabled child, the Democrats have some choice words for you.
How do they hate thee? Let us count the ways...
- During a private Caucus meeting with the Democratic members of Congress, Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called a group of Congressmen "F*cking Retards." When asked by parents of special needs children to apologize, Rahm refused. Former Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (and mother of a Down Syndrome son) asked him to apologize. He refused. Yesterday, he finally accepted a meeting with the CEO of the Special Olympics. But he still refuses to apologize publicly. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- Last year, on the nationally-televised Jay Leno Show, then-candidate Barack Obama described what he felt like when he went bowling: "It looked like the Special Olympics." The implication, of course, was that he looked "retarded" while bowling. He later apologized, but only after pressure from the Shriver family - including many of whom had endorsed him.
- This week, Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a gaffe of Hurricane proportions when he said that "Hurricane Katrina was the best thing that ever happened to the Education system in New Orleans." Two days later, after outrage from educators in New Orleans, Arne Duncan apologized and quickly suggested that he had used a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- The "poor choice of words" excuse seems to be making the rounds these days. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was outed in the new book "Game Change" for his opinion that Barack Obama would be more electable because he did not have the typical "negro dialect." He finally apologized, saying it was a "poor choice of words." Not a poor choice of thought, mind you, but a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- In the book "Game Change," the authors reported that Bill Clinton suggested last year to then-Senator Ted Kennedy that "A few years ago, [Obama] would have been serving us coffee." It was a statement so offensive, that Ted Kennedy ultimately endorsed Obama over Clinton's wife, Hillary. In the month since this report came out, Bill Clinton has neither denied the statement nor offered an explanation of it. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
What's even worse than these statements is the Media's soft condoning of such statements. Had ANY of these things been said by a Republican, they would have had a clock in the corner of the TV screen, counting down the hours since the apology, and the hours left until that official resigned.
You see, kids, it doesn't matter if you're rude, crude, politically incorrect, or racist... As long as you're a Democrat, you're like that tree that falls in the forest that nobody hears. Or, maybe nobody wants to hear.
Whether you're an African-American or an innocent developmentally-disabled child, the Democrats have some choice words for you.
How do they hate thee? Let us count the ways...
- During a private Caucus meeting with the Democratic members of Congress, Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called a group of Congressmen "F*cking Retards." When asked by parents of special needs children to apologize, Rahm refused. Former Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (and mother of a Down Syndrome son) asked him to apologize. He refused. Yesterday, he finally accepted a meeting with the CEO of the Special Olympics. But he still refuses to apologize publicly. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- Last year, on the nationally-televised Jay Leno Show, then-candidate Barack Obama described what he felt like when he went bowling: "It looked like the Special Olympics." The implication, of course, was that he looked "retarded" while bowling. He later apologized, but only after pressure from the Shriver family - including many of whom had endorsed him.
- This week, Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a gaffe of Hurricane proportions when he said that "Hurricane Katrina was the best thing that ever happened to the Education system in New Orleans." Two days later, after outrage from educators in New Orleans, Arne Duncan apologized and quickly suggested that he had used a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- The "poor choice of words" excuse seems to be making the rounds these days. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was outed in the new book "Game Change" for his opinion that Barack Obama would be more electable because he did not have the typical "negro dialect." He finally apologized, saying it was a "poor choice of words." Not a poor choice of thought, mind you, but a poor choice of words. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
- In the book "Game Change," the authors reported that Bill Clinton suggested last year to then-Senator Ted Kennedy that "A few years ago, [Obama] would have been serving us coffee." It was a statement so offensive, that Ted Kennedy ultimately endorsed Obama over Clinton's wife, Hillary. In the month since this report came out, Bill Clinton has neither denied the statement nor offered an explanation of it. If he were a Republican, he would have been run out of town.
What's even worse than these statements is the Media's soft condoning of such statements. Had ANY of these things been said by a Republican, they would have had a clock in the corner of the TV screen, counting down the hours since the apology, and the hours left until that official resigned.
You see, kids, it doesn't matter if you're rude, crude, politically incorrect, or racist... As long as you're a Democrat, you're like that tree that falls in the forest that nobody hears. Or, maybe nobody wants to hear.
Pelosi Parties Like It's 2009
It reads like a wish list for a "wild Frat Party."
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that Nancy Pelosi spent $101,000 on booze during a flight last year while hosting a congressional delegation. Nope, you didn't read that wrong, I didn't put too many zeros in. That's $101,000.
An article published in World Net Daily provides details of boozy trips taken on U.S. Military-provided jets at a total cost of $2.1 Million. Which means the $101,000 receipt was just one - one! - of the tabs Pelosi ran up as she jetted the world at Taxpayers' expense. Documents obtained from the Pentagon indicate that Pelosi seems to use the Air Force as "her own personal airline."
So, while you and your families were tightening your belts at home and wondering how to make ends meet during 2009, these Fat Cats were brunching, lunching, and boozing at your expense.
What a bunch of entitled, elitist pigs.
To see a copy of the in-flight receipt, read the full story here:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=123472
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that Nancy Pelosi spent $101,000 on booze during a flight last year while hosting a congressional delegation. Nope, you didn't read that wrong, I didn't put too many zeros in. That's $101,000.
An article published in World Net Daily provides details of boozy trips taken on U.S. Military-provided jets at a total cost of $2.1 Million. Which means the $101,000 receipt was just one - one! - of the tabs Pelosi ran up as she jetted the world at Taxpayers' expense. Documents obtained from the Pentagon indicate that Pelosi seems to use the Air Force as "her own personal airline."
So, while you and your families were tightening your belts at home and wondering how to make ends meet during 2009, these Fat Cats were brunching, lunching, and boozing at your expense.
What a bunch of entitled, elitist pigs.
To see a copy of the in-flight receipt, read the full story here:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=123472
Texting while Flying: Dead Wrong
We've all been there, fastened securely in our seats, trying to send off one last text message before the flight attendants close those doors... and finally succumbing once we hear that trademark sound of the doors clamping shut. Cell phones in the "off" position. It's all part of the deal of flying, right?
If you think for one minute that Pilots are doing the same, you're dead wrong.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB ) released their final report today on the Continental Airlines commuter flight that crashed over Buffalo, New York last February.
And the report is shocking.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-negroni/pilot-texting-on-fatal-co_b_443794.html
The report shows that co-pilot Rebecca Shaw - a young female co-pilot who was heard on the black box fretting about the rocky flight and suggesting she didn't fly well in icy conditions - actually sent Text messages from the cockpit.
Minutes later, that flight went down in flames in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY - killing ALL of the passengers on board.
To be fair, there were many other things that went wrong in the cockpit that night. According to the NTSB, the pilots had both taken lengthy commutes prior to beginning their shift in the cockpit, they were not sufficiently trained for the icy conditions, and they were discussing personal matters below 10,000 feet - a practice which breaks the FAA's rules of maintaining a "sterile environment" in the cockpit during landing.
But the fact remains that amid the other calamaties on the flight deck that night, the co-pilot was "Texting while Flying." I'm willing to stake my life that other Pilots are doing it as well. My only question is, are they willing to stake the lives of others on a simple Text message? I hope not. It's bad enough people are Texting in their cars. But in a live Airplane is absolutely, utterly Dead Wrong.
If you'd like to contact the FAA to request that stronger guidelines be issued to Pilots, please call: 1-866-TELL-FAA and tell them to put an end to "Texting while Flying."
If you think for one minute that Pilots are doing the same, you're dead wrong.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB ) released their final report today on the Continental Airlines commuter flight that crashed over Buffalo, New York last February.
And the report is shocking.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-negroni/pilot-texting-on-fatal-co_b_443794.html
The report shows that co-pilot Rebecca Shaw - a young female co-pilot who was heard on the black box fretting about the rocky flight and suggesting she didn't fly well in icy conditions - actually sent Text messages from the cockpit.
Minutes later, that flight went down in flames in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY - killing ALL of the passengers on board.
To be fair, there were many other things that went wrong in the cockpit that night. According to the NTSB, the pilots had both taken lengthy commutes prior to beginning their shift in the cockpit, they were not sufficiently trained for the icy conditions, and they were discussing personal matters below 10,000 feet - a practice which breaks the FAA's rules of maintaining a "sterile environment" in the cockpit during landing.
But the fact remains that amid the other calamaties on the flight deck that night, the co-pilot was "Texting while Flying." I'm willing to stake my life that other Pilots are doing it as well. My only question is, are they willing to stake the lives of others on a simple Text message? I hope not. It's bad enough people are Texting in their cars. But in a live Airplane is absolutely, utterly Dead Wrong.
If you'd like to contact the FAA to request that stronger guidelines be issued to Pilots, please call: 1-866-TELL-FAA and tell them to put an end to "Texting while Flying."
A Pollster's Behind-the-Scenes View: "Scott Brown's 12 Keys to Victory"
I thought our readers would be interested in the inside scoop from Scott Brown's own Pollster, who published this piece this morning outlining "Scott Brown's 12 Keys to Victory:"
http://blog.pos.org/2010/01/scott-brown’s-twelve-keys-to-victory/
Scott Brown’s Twelve Keys To Victory
By Neil Newhouse
Editor's Note: Neil Newhouse served as the pollster for the Brown for Senate campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee in this race.
The Scott Brown victory was indeed the perfect storm – a terrific and engaging candidate, a tremendous campaign team, an issue environment that was strongly tilted away from the national Democrats, an abbreviated campaign timetable, and a somewhat disengaged opponent.
In addition to the #1 factor, which is Scott himself and his ability to connect with voters, following are the ten OTHER keys to Scott Brown’s victory:
1. Scott Brown.
This was his victory. Simply put, a terrific candidate. Never underestimate the impact of an articulate candidate with a compelling message.
2. The truck.
Scott’s pick-up truck and the ad showing him driving it around the state helped give depth to the image of him as a “regular guy” as well as reinforced the fact that he was actually out there campaigning, asking people for their support.
3. Coakley’s ill-timed vacation.
Nailing into voters’ minds the thought that Coakley believed she had the race wrapped up, she went on vacation in December. Voters noticed and later told us they believed she intended “to back into the seat.”
4. Not “Kennedy’s seat.”
This “Nashua moment,” courtesy of David Gergen at the January 11 debate, became a rallying cry for Scott and his supporters and helped frame the election as between the political insiders and the people, which was only exacerbated over the final days as Martha Coakley brought in name Democrats to provide her a lifeline.
5. Coakley’s negative advertising/Scott Brown’s response.
Anticipating a negative onslaught from the Coakley campaign, Scott’s internal ad team (hats off to Eric Fehrnstrom) cut a perfect Brown response ad aimed at Coakley for turning to a negative campaign. So, whose image changed after the negative ad and rebuttal went on the air? Coakley’s. It took just three days for her image to fall from +24 to “one-to-one.”
6. Brown’s Intensity Advantage.
Over the last ten days of this race Massachusetts voters fell hard for Scott Brown. His “very favorable” image increased ten points over the last week or so of the campaign, while Coakley’s image intensity was flat-lining.
7. Independent women.
These voters were a tough sell for Scott Brown, supporting Coakley by ten points just ten days ago. But all that changed after the January 11th debate and subsequent negative Coakley advertising onslaught, as these voters went into the final days giving Scott a two-to-one advantage.
8. DC Fundraiser?
Seriously, Martha Coakley’s image was already imploding after the January 11th debate and the launch of the negative advertising, and yet the decision is made to send her to DC on January 13th for a PAC fundraiser? With health care lobbyists? Where she watches as an aide pushes down a reporter trying to ask a question?
9. “Bloody sock.”
Curt Schilling a Yankee fan? Good joke. This, coupled with her tone-deaf shot at Scott for his grassroots campaigning at the New Year’s Day Bruins game at Fenway Park reinforced her elitist image.
10. Ayla and Arianna.
The two Brown daughters were stars in the campaign in helping get Scott’s message across and in deflating the over the top negative attacks against Scott. Ayla’s recorded phone calls were mentioned by voters as helping convince them to support Scott.
11. Fund-raising.
This is one for the record books. The daily totals were staggering. And, the campaign clearly understood the nexus between Scott’s visibility on conservative-tilted national news programs and the ability to raise money on-line.
With Republicans completely out of power, Scott’s on-line success suggests that the huge Democratic advantage on-line can be overcome by an energized national conservative base.
12. The Brown Team.
There was an amazing combination of political expertise brought together for this abbreviated race. For a state so bereft of GOP officeholders, it’s a gold mine of political talent. It was a seamless and self-less effort made possible by the NRSC and Mitt Romney’s on-the-ground team that made the difference here.
http://blog.pos.org/2010/01/scott-brown’s-twelve-keys-to-victory/
Scott Brown’s Twelve Keys To Victory
By Neil Newhouse
Editor's Note: Neil Newhouse served as the pollster for the Brown for Senate campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee in this race.
The Scott Brown victory was indeed the perfect storm – a terrific and engaging candidate, a tremendous campaign team, an issue environment that was strongly tilted away from the national Democrats, an abbreviated campaign timetable, and a somewhat disengaged opponent.
In addition to the #1 factor, which is Scott himself and his ability to connect with voters, following are the ten OTHER keys to Scott Brown’s victory:
1. Scott Brown.
This was his victory. Simply put, a terrific candidate. Never underestimate the impact of an articulate candidate with a compelling message.
2. The truck.
Scott’s pick-up truck and the ad showing him driving it around the state helped give depth to the image of him as a “regular guy” as well as reinforced the fact that he was actually out there campaigning, asking people for their support.
3. Coakley’s ill-timed vacation.
Nailing into voters’ minds the thought that Coakley believed she had the race wrapped up, she went on vacation in December. Voters noticed and later told us they believed she intended “to back into the seat.”
4. Not “Kennedy’s seat.”
This “Nashua moment,” courtesy of David Gergen at the January 11 debate, became a rallying cry for Scott and his supporters and helped frame the election as between the political insiders and the people, which was only exacerbated over the final days as Martha Coakley brought in name Democrats to provide her a lifeline.
5. Coakley’s negative advertising/Scott Brown’s response.
Anticipating a negative onslaught from the Coakley campaign, Scott’s internal ad team (hats off to Eric Fehrnstrom) cut a perfect Brown response ad aimed at Coakley for turning to a negative campaign. So, whose image changed after the negative ad and rebuttal went on the air? Coakley’s. It took just three days for her image to fall from +24 to “one-to-one.”
6. Brown’s Intensity Advantage.
Over the last ten days of this race Massachusetts voters fell hard for Scott Brown. His “very favorable” image increased ten points over the last week or so of the campaign, while Coakley’s image intensity was flat-lining.
7. Independent women.
These voters were a tough sell for Scott Brown, supporting Coakley by ten points just ten days ago. But all that changed after the January 11th debate and subsequent negative Coakley advertising onslaught, as these voters went into the final days giving Scott a two-to-one advantage.
8. DC Fundraiser?
Seriously, Martha Coakley’s image was already imploding after the January 11th debate and the launch of the negative advertising, and yet the decision is made to send her to DC on January 13th for a PAC fundraiser? With health care lobbyists? Where she watches as an aide pushes down a reporter trying to ask a question?
9. “Bloody sock.”
Curt Schilling a Yankee fan? Good joke. This, coupled with her tone-deaf shot at Scott for his grassroots campaigning at the New Year’s Day Bruins game at Fenway Park reinforced her elitist image.
10. Ayla and Arianna.
The two Brown daughters were stars in the campaign in helping get Scott’s message across and in deflating the over the top negative attacks against Scott. Ayla’s recorded phone calls were mentioned by voters as helping convince them to support Scott.
11. Fund-raising.
This is one for the record books. The daily totals were staggering. And, the campaign clearly understood the nexus between Scott’s visibility on conservative-tilted national news programs and the ability to raise money on-line.
With Republicans completely out of power, Scott’s on-line success suggests that the huge Democratic advantage on-line can be overcome by an energized national conservative base.
12. The Brown Team.
There was an amazing combination of political expertise brought together for this abbreviated race. For a state so bereft of GOP officeholders, it’s a gold mine of political talent. It was a seamless and self-less effort made possible by the NRSC and Mitt Romney’s on-the-ground team that made the difference here.
