My blog is about theology, politics, and culture. I am a Lutheran pastor, and graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary in 1987. I am currently serving All Saints Lutheran in Aurora, CO. My political opinions expressed on my blog are, however, as a citizen of the USA and not as pastor of this particular church. I've been a precinct committeeman in the Democratic Party for nearly 40 years, in three different states, and have been a member of the State Democratic Committee in two states. I was previously elected to the City Commission of Hays, Kansas, 1977-1983, and was the first protestant in the history of the city to be re-elected. I was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2004.
This is a campaign of legend and lore--two excellent campaigners, each powered by important and broad constituencies, rallying their considerable forces from state to state as the Great Democratic Adventure moves back-and-forth across the country.
How will it end? Will the legend be one of song and story? Or, will it be angst and dread? At this point, it could go either way. The Democrats could fall apart in recrimination and division, which could elect John McCain.
1. Obama matches up poorly with John McCain in terms of national security issues. Yes, he was "right" on Iraq, if you go by a speech he gave as a state senator in Illinois--one that was rather hard to find in the early days of the war, when it seemed we were "winning." (Sen. Obama has possibly gotten more mileage out of one anti-war speech than any state senator in history.) This is an advantage in Democratic caucuses, which has a strong anti-war constituency, but a liability against someone like McCain who will be hailing the "surge" and calling for "success" in Iraq.
· Blanche Lincoln's website supports public option (desmoinesdem)
· Big Coal's PR Spending Spree (desmoinesdem)
· IA-03: Former college wrestling coach to challenge Boswell (desmoinesdem)
· Tea Baggers Target Gore... (Cliff Schecter)
· Stimulus Watch (Jerome Armstrong)
· CREW seeks ethics inquiry of Bachmann (desmoinesdem)
· Did IRC help? (MN Campaign Report)
· 5 Worst cities for urban youth (desmoinesdem)
· "The Bishops' Huge Financial Stake in Stupak-Pitts" (desmoinesdem)
· Conservative group wants FEC to override state laws on robocalls (desmoinesdem)
· URGENT: Call these House Ds Saturday to oppose Stupak amendment (desmoinesdem)
· WI-08: Wingnut plans to run as "conservative independent" (desmoinesdem)
