re: Third party candidates for conservatives

From a comment on the Mike Huckabee blog:

With Dr. Dobson’s New York Times Op-Ed talking about how Social Conservatives should be more concerned about Candidates and their support for “key” issues rather than polls, Governor Huckabee was asked about this in a Washington Post.com interview. This is what he said,
“I’m a little concerned that some of the evangelical leaders seem to be less committed to the principles that got them involved in politics in the first place, and more into the politics than the principles,” he said. “You hear some of them saying, ‘Well, this guy believes with us, but we want to get somebody that can raise money. Or, ‘we want to get somebody that we think is going to win.’ Well, when it gets down to their picking things based on completely secular reasons, and it’s not about the issues, I think they completely marginalize themselves.”
Huckabee suggests evangelical Christians should stick to the issues, and not worry about electability.
“When you cease becoming clear about who you are, and what you’re about, you really just become another Republican interest group, and you have no core, you have no center, and therefore you have no influence.”

I agree completely. I heard another story from NPR today about my favorite candidate on the other side of the aisle. A number of people were interviewed and they said, “We love what Barack Obama has to say. We agree. We’re just not sure he can win.” So rather than get out there and commit to a guy who may not win – they’re just going to vote for the person who they already believe will win. Where’s the sense in that?!
Quit voting for the guy that everyone else thinks should stay in the lifeboat! Get off your rear and make a difference by supporting who YOU believe should stay in the lifeboat. Quit letting the “popular” person win elections. Vote with your heart, conscious and wallet. You’ll do it all day long for an American Idol candidate but not the President of the United States!?
Arrrrrggghhh!

Another kind of tree

Erin shares a funny story on her blog about the differences in culture between her American upbringing and the Nigerian way of life.
Just a sneak peak:

First, I have to say that lots of folks say the word s**t instead of ‘poop’ or ‘#2’, as we say in the States. Not sure why, but that is how it is and it is acceptable.

Saltsman talks with NPR

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John “Chip” Saltsman, campaign manager for presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, says the campaign is building on a second-place finish in the Iowa straw poll and has made inroads with conservative groups, who are beginning to see Huckabee as a viable candidate.
Saltsman talked with NPR’s Michele Norris.
Listen to the story.

Waxahachie ISD student suspended for John Edwards shirt

I haven’t hadn’t seen this in the WDL or on other media, but Capital Annex in Austin East Texas reports that a local student was suspended for wearing a John Edwards t-shirt to school.
The WDL had a report yesterday that I missed.
Apparently Fox 4 picked up the story:

One Waxahachie family is threatening to go to court after their son was booted from school for wearing a t-shirt supporting a presidential candidate.
Pete Palmer, a sophomore at Waxahachie High School, says he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong when he wore a John Edwards 2008 shirt to school.
But according to the district, shirts with political slogans are against dress code policy.
Waxahachie High School officials told Pete he couldn’t wear it.
“It had nothing to do with trying to stifle anyone’s free speech,” said Thomas J. Collins, WISD Superintendent.
“It was an opportunity for us to continue to try and maintain a safe and orderly environment. The dress code gives us the tools to make a decision on what is right and what isn’t,” Collins added.

WISD’s dress code reads as follows:
“T-shirts, other than WISD clubs, organizations, sports, or spirit t-shirts, college or university t-shirts, or solid-colored t-shirts, are prohibited.”