Back to Duty

So Jay survived an IED blast in Iraq and he had some R&R for two weeks, and now it’s back to duty for him. I am still surprised they are sending him back to duty so soon after the blast. He is the strongest person I know. I have been amazed at the fact that he has recovered so quickly both mentally and physically. I think our soldiers have more mental challenges than anything else. People can be tortured mentally by what they experience during war. Jay is doing well and should have no long-term issues from his injuries.

More to come soon!

Obama Wins!!!

This was the most inspirational presidential election in my lifetime. Barack Obama is going to be a transformational leader and I am proud that I was able to take part in the movement to get him elected. In just one night, I am already optimistic about the future. As a proud military wife, I know that Barack Obama is going to have a positive impact on the war in Iraq and on our military. As Commander-In-Chief, I am confident that he will lead our country into stabilizing Iraq and preventing the loss of American lives and Iraqi lives. There is no 100-year war on the Obama agenda. 

I am beginning my post-election routine, and I am already feeling the withdrawals. I want to make a difference in my community and in our country. I plan to stay active on the political circuit and I will continue to fight for what’s best for the nation.

Go Obama!

Injured in Iraq

Jay called me on Halloween and told me that he was going into dangerous territory and that he wanted me to know that he loved me in case he didn’t make it back. It was a scary call. I had to prepare once again for the possibility of becoming a widow. I had become very comfortable with Jay’s deployment because I received a call or an email daily. I had started to think that he’s always safe and his candor during that phone call on Halloween was quite the reality check for me. I came to terms with Jay’s premonition, cried a few tears, and prayed for the best over the next 24 hours. The next morning I received a startling call. Jay called from a hospital in Iraq and told me that he had been injured in an IED attack. It was very scary. He is okay and doing well. He has some shrapnel wounds, but he will make a full recovery very soon. Amazingly enough, I stayed strong while talking to Jay. I didn’t want him to worry about me. I wanted him to focus on his recovery. He has been deployed for two months and has already had his first round of injuries. After making it through the first two months, I started to believe that Jay could make it through this deployment unscathed. I’ve met so many people who never experience the trauma of war, and I was hoping that our family would be one of them. I am thankful Jay walked away from this incident, but I am still scared about what’s to come over the next 10 months.

Barack Comes to Pittsburgh and Tidbits from My Time on the Campaign Trail

 

Barack Obama traveled to Pittsburgh today. More than 16,000 people packed into Mellon Arena. Special guests included Art Rooney, Gov. Ed Rendell, and Sen. Bob Casey. It was a cold day in the Burgh and people turned out for this event, which was held at 3 p.m. today. This was Barack’s last chance to interact with Pittsburgh voters before the election on Nov. 4. Bill Clinton will be stumping for Obama on Wednesday in the area. 

Last weekend, I worked all day and all night at the Obama HQ in Pittsburgh. The experience is nothing short of awe-inspiring. This is the first time I’ve lived in a battleground state during a presidential election and I can say that I have never seen anything like it. The Obama campaign has at least 15 offices in Southwestern Pennsylvania. There are surrogates here on a daily basis and there are ads during every single television program. There are calls and canvassers everywhere. I have never seen anything like it. It’s amazing for a politico, like myself.

Last weekend, I worked with labor union members from all across the country. Hundreds of union members have traveled to Pittsburgh to support Senator Obama in this election. All of the union reps I met–Teamsters, AFSCME, and many others–were some of the most genuine people I’ve met during political campaigns. I’ve worked on local, state, and national campaigns and these folks were the most dedicated and hard-working volunteers I’ve ever seen. My entire view of the union faction has changed after this interaction. Unions are falsely portrayed as anarchists in the media. I’m also in a conservative MBA program, where unions are depicted as an obstruction to business continuity. I’m so happy to be working on this campaign and meeting people with different backgrounds and experiences!

McCain Staffer Attacked and “B” Was Carved Into Face

This is by far is the strangest campaign attack I’ve ever heard of. I feel sorry for this poor young woman. This happened less than 3 miles from where I campaign nearly every day! This hasn’t even made national news yet! The Drudge Report broke the story and scooped the mainstream media once again.

McCain worker says man scratched ‘B’ into her face

By Jill King Greenwood
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, October 24, 2008

PITTSBURGH–A knife-wielding man robbed a McCain-Palin campaign volunteer and etched a “B” into her face after he saw a McCain bumper sticker on her car, the woman told Pittsburgh police.

Police planned to administer a polygraph test to Ashley Todd, 20, because her statements about the attack conflict with evidence from the Citizens Bank ATM where she claims the incident occurred, police said.

Todd, of College Station, Texas, told police she was using an ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street in Bloomfield just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man approached her, put a knife to her throat and demanded money.

Todd told police she handed the man $60 she had in her pocket and stepped away from him. The man then noticed the bumper sticker on her car, which was parked in front of the ATM, and became angry, she told police.

He made comments to Todd about Republican presidential candidate John McCain and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground, police said Todd told them.

“He continued to kick and punch her repeatedly and said he would teach her a lesson for supporting John McCain,” said police Chief Nate Harper.

The man scratched a backward “B” onto Todd’s right cheek, she told police. Todd, who isn’t familiar with the area, drove to a friend’s house nearby. She told her friend she wasn’t sure of the exact location the robbery happened but remembered a green sign above the ATM.

The friend called police and an officer met them at his house. They drove along Liberty Avenue until Todd saw a Citizens Bank ATM that looked familiar, police said.

Police said Todd declined medical treatment at the scene. Her friend, a law student at University of Pittsburgh, said he took her to UPMC Shadyside for treatment.

“Initially when the police came and took the report she didn’t want to go, but we convinced her, ” he said.

Todd declined to comment. Her friend said she is a student at Texas A&M University.

“She is a volunteer for the McCain-Palin campaign,” said campaign spokesman Peter Feldman. “Sen. McCain has reached out to her via telephone and has spoken to her and her family,” as has McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Feldman said. “Out of respect for her privacy we’re not going to comment further.”

Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign released a statement saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.”

Police said she described the attacker as black, about 6-foot-4, and said he was wearing dark-colored jeans and a black tank top. She said he had a knife with a 5-inch blade and ran from the scene on foot, Harper said.

“We are treating this as a credible report,” he said.

The ATM has a security camera, and investigators were trying to watch the video.

Why I Love Fox News…

Recently, I received a barrage of hate emails about my post from last week, “Where’s the Maverick?” I wrote this post after seeing a video made by a talented filmmaker that I received from a friend. I thought the behavior of McCain supporters was appalling and inappropriate, so I shared it on my blog since this is MY outlet for communicating MY thoughts. I never thought Fox News would place this post on their site. This right-wing media outlet has singlehandedly placed this blog at the #4 spot on WordPress’s Growing Blogs List. Thank You Fox News. I love discourse and I love the comments from your viewers, even the hate mail. My favorite comment came from a European blogger, who was amazed that we let “scary biscuits” like those people in the video vote! I even love the emails that I’m receiving from people who were too intimidated to put their hateful words on a public site. Because of the traffic that’s being generated because of Fox News, I am really seeing that McCain supporters are very angry. Cheer up, folks! We only have two more weeks and this campaign is over. Hopefully, we can unite as Americans when this over. We’re going to need each other as our economy continues to decline and people are in more dismal situations than ever before. To my Fox News friends who send such mean and hurtful email, stop being so angry! Here’s a video to make everyone laugh!

Joe Biden to Host Conference Call for Military Families on Sunday

Where’s the Maverick?

Today, I was looking at a video that a friend sent me and I have to say that I am shocked. This film was produced by a talented filmmaker named Robert Greenwald. He produced a series a films about John McCain’s and his campaign. These films show the type of hate that John McCain and Sarah Palin are fueling on the campaign trail. McCain and Palin are allowing their supporters to make the most violent, hateful comments that have ever been seen in a campaign. Congressman John Lewis is absolutely right about John McCain. The Maverick IS acting more like George C. Wallace. I attended the University of Alabama and took classes in Foster Auditorium where George Wallace said, “Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and segregation tomorrow.” Quite frankly, John McCain’s silence and hateful undertones in his campaign ads are much more dangerous than the words uttered from Wallace. Wallace never incited fear, violence, or hate. He did not want to integrate Alabama. He had a serious white supremacy issue. He was apologizing for his actions until the day he died. He begged African Americans to forgive him for his hateful ideology. I don’t see John McCain apologizing for anything.

In last night’s debate, John McCain wanted Obama to repudiate Congressman Lewis’ comments. McCain should publicly say that Barack Obama is a God-fearing Christian and that he is not a terrorist. There was a rally where John McCain defended Obama, but he said that Obama is a good family man and he is not dangerous. He did not mention the keywords that are important–Christian and not a terrorist. He should tell all of his supporters that he doesn’t want their vote if they’re voting for him because they’re racist or because they wrongfully believe he’s Muslim. In a debate during the primaries, John Edwards publicly said that he didn’t want votes from people who don’t want to vote for Barack because he’s black, or vote for Hillary because she’s a woman. That was a statement made by a maverick. 

I used to think that John McCain was a maverick and that he developed bills that were important for the American people. The maverick has become a conformist who will do anything to get elected even if it means allowing white supremacists to participate in events and make violent threats. At this point, I don’t think Senator McCain is capable of protecting the interests of his Arizona constituency let alone this entire country. 

The campaign has taken a scary turn for the worst. I plan on doubling my volunteer hours from 10 hours a week to 20 hours a week to talk to voters about the lies they’re seeing on television. It’s so important that Obama wins my county. Winning my county will be the key to winning the entire state of Pennsylvania. I must do everything I can to ensure that McCain is never in the White House.

Here’s the film that I saw that has really opened my eyes.

Military Spouse Magazine: Such a Disappointment

So, I am so fortunate that my husband calls me nearly every day. Hearing his voice so often makes me realize that I can make it through this deployment. We’re in month 2 and we’re going strong. Before Jay left, I promised that I would stay on top of the latest military news. Of course, I decided to get involved with the FRG and I began to regularly read the Army Times. The day before Jay left, I subscribed to Military Spouse Magazine. I thought this would be a great addition to my already large queue of magazines that I read: Shape, Self, Marie Claire, Runner’s World, Money, and Rolling Stone. Magazines are one of my guilty pleasures since I used to work for a magazine company.

I got my first issue of Military Spouse Magazine last week. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED! The editorial features were very weak and lacked substance. I felt like the magazine was constantly talking at me. Instead of featuring military spouses who are angry about deployment, the magazine includes thoughtless banter about deployment anger in a very general sense. The only articles that included actual stories about military personnel were sponsored by companies. Home Depot had a Career Profile and so did USAA.

The publication also had an article called, “OPSEC, Part II.” The article never explains the acronym in any of its 500 words or so. I am a military spouse, but I can’t remember every single acronym. I also felt like Military Spouse Magazine was talking down to me with articles such as “How to Buy a Car” and “Get a Job.” I think the tips in these articles are no brainers for anyone over the age of 19.

Some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met have been military spouses. These women (and a few men) are courageous, generous, and have more life experience than most people in the world. These are the people you should feature in this magazine. They have a wealth of advice and words of wisdom when it comes to military life. We need to see photos and articles with military spouses in this magazine, not generic stock photos and meaningless non-military-related articles (i.e. “Tell the Flu to Split”). I did like the Obama/McCain spread and the article on autism in the magazine, but nothing else was substantive.

I hope the next issue gets better, or I’ll have to sell the remainder of my issues on eBay!

The milspouse.com web site is so much better than the magazine!

Politically InCorrect

Yesterday, I went to the theater after seeing, “Radio Golf,” a wonderful play by legendary Pittsburgh playwright, August Wilson. The play is about the trials and tribulations of the first African American to run for mayor of Pittsburgh. This play is obviously a work of fiction because there is little to no diversity in Pittsburgh’s city government. The protagonist in this play, Harmon Wilks, is ironically facing many of the same challenges of Barack Obama. He’s challenged with the evils that will come into play for any politician (think Tony Rezko). Of course, good prevails over evil and Wilks overcomes his moral dilemma and fights for the people who need him most. I highly recommend this play. It was quite entertaining.

After a fabulous dinner with one of my girlfriends, I came home to face my own moral dillema. I received an email from a GOP political consultant expressing how impressed he is with this blog and how he wants to continue the conversation offline. After reviewing the candidates that this consultant represents, I realized that a conversation with us can never happen. His candidates are the right-wing warhawks that we need out of Congress. My husband, the soldier, would actually think that all of these men are “chickenhawks.” Anyways, I will protect the identity of the consultant by not naming him expressly, but I am disappointed that he made the assumption that “The Real Army Wife” is a diehard member of the GOP because of the namesake of this blog. As most of you know, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I am diehard Democrat and I am voting with the party for every position this year because the GOP has singlehandedly destroyed this country. Thank you Mr. Political Consultant for your kind words. I respectfully decline your offer to continue a conversation about the political blogosphere. I wish you the best of luck in your pursuits this campaign season.