Vertigo

Are you feeling a little disoriented?

Last night, the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, we heard a 46-year old man born of a Kenyan father and white mother accept his party's nomination as President. While I thought the speech did what Obama had to do and made a strong case for him as a candidate.... I wondered once more about his reticence. Is he a cold, ambitious politician? Is he is reluctant to play on our emotions? Or is he just too hip to flip (in public, anyway)?

My sense is, the latter.

Today his opponent, John McCain, told Americans that his running mate is a 44-year old Alaskan governor, and mother of five. Sarah Palin, the former Miss Wassilla, has only had two years experience in state government. On the plus side, she's know as a reformer who sold the former governor's private plane.

On the questionable side, she is also involved in some kind of ugly dispute about whether or not she tried to get a state trooper, formerly married to her sister, fired.

Sounds like something that might happen in Wallace Township-once we get a police department.

That being said, the past couple of days have definitely not been politics as usual.

Meanwhile, tropical storm Gustav is on track to hit the Gulf Coast right around the time of the Republican Convention. Those considering the chance that they might reschedule the convention may take some comfort in the idea that this year the forces of change are at the helm.

It doesn't pay to get your knickers twisted.

As for us-let's batten the hatches and pray for the residents of the Gulf States-losing an election is one thing. Losing your city, your home and your neighbors is another entirely.