Guess Who I'm Inviting to Dinner?

I don't know about you, but if you decided to become an Obama supporter, you've probably been receiving a ton of email blasts from their camp.  The messages come fast and furious - some are inspirational, some tattle on Hillary Clinton's latest misdeed, others urge you to join the grassroots movement and wave an Obama sign in the next state that will be holding a primary, but my favorite one of all has been the "you can have dinner with Obama" messages.  

When I first read the invitation and then saw the big honking DONATE NOW button right below it, I realized it was just a ploy to get me to fork over some bucks to the campaign so that he can keep steamrolling his way through to the nomination.  What I also realized is that even if I give $25 to Senator Obama, there's no way I'm going to wind up becoming the lucky person who will get to break bread with him on the campaign trail.

And so, I've decided that if Obama is truly reading all the commentary about himself in the blogosphere, that I would invite him over to dinner at my house.  But not just any dinner.  I've decided to invite Senator Obama to Passover with my family.  If he truly wants to know what goes on in the minds of bleeding heart liberals, several Democrats and three staunch Republicans, then I say, spend an evening with the Feldmans and get into that Pesach spirit.

If you get there early, my mom and I will give you a lesson on matzoh ball preparation - follow the directions on the box and add a little seltzer for buoyancy.  And then, if you're lucky, you can take a seat next to my dad, Neil who will re-tell the story of the first Passover from our vintage Waldbaums Haggadahs that we still have since 1976.  And don't worry if you can't follow along - most of our attendees are not of the Jewish faith since there were lots of intermarriages in our family.  My cousin Jeff married Terri, whose Irish; my sister-in-law Sherri, is married to Ed - an ultimate conservative whose family is from Puerto Rico; my father-in-law John is another Irishman; my cousin Lee's wife Sandy is Catholic but she converted to Judaism a few years back; then there's George and Evanthia - my husband's step father who is Greek (as is his girlfriend).  So Barack - if you and your family join the festivities, you'll fit right in with our Jewish melting pot.  

Come sing songs with us, learn how to use your red Manischewitz wine to symbolize the plagues.  And watch how my son, who is just learning to read attempts to tackle the four questions in Hebrew.  We've got lots of food to offer - from gefilte fish to chopped liver, to turkey, brisket, matzoh pudding and sweet potatoes mixed with apple compote, walnuts and roasted marshmallows. And here's the kicker - I won't ask you to give us a dime to come and partake in our fabulous meal.  You can breeze in like the wind just like Elijah does each year.  

So if you can make it to the first seder next Saturday, I'm officially inviting you, Barack Obama, your wife Michelle and your two kids to join in on the fun.  And if your children find the matzoh, they can feel free to use the $10 they receive to donate back to your campaign.   

Don't feel obligated to attend, because as my Grandma Dora used to say, "If you don't come, you don't have to go home."  But if you are in the area, feel free to give us a holler before sundown.  

Hillary According to the New York Times...the Party is Over

To the editors at the New York Times:

Can you please stop blatantly endorsing Barack Obama in nearly every article you publish?  It's getting a bit obvious.  I mean, I even voted for the guy but the effusive praise it's getting a bit tired.  I do believe he definitely bounced back when he gave that eloquent speech this week that attempted to put out the flames on all the negative press swirling around his pastor who had made derogatory comments about rich white men and even endorsed a well known anti-semite, but now after all has been forgiven, I'm starting to feel really bad for Hillary Clinton.

Today's NY Times goes on and on and on about New Mexico's Governor Richardson's endorsement of Obama.  The same man who spent Superbowl Sunday with Bill Clinton, who was given numerous positions in the Clinton cabinet, turned his back on his old friend, didn't return his calls and drank the Obama Kool Aid.  "Yes we can!" Gulp!

Hillary, as much as I'd hate to admit it, if it were up to the NY Times, Obama is going to get that nomination.  Plus, that Times article about your involvement in the peace process in Northern Ireland isn't helping your cause either.  Sure as a First Lady, you probably made lots of phone calls and had tons of teas with all the leaders in Ireland but when it came time to sign any treaties, you were banished to the tea room and let the men take over to sign on the dotted line.  Let's face it.  You're not going to win the presidency this time around.   That doesn't mean you won't be president one day - but right now, things are not looking to good for you.  But if I were you, I wouldn't let the media praise of Obama and all that negativity get you down.

Take the high road like Al Gore.  Produce a movie, win an Academy Award and an Emmy and realize that there are better things out there than being President.  And judging from the sex scandals among all these politicians, who needs politics anyway - they're all a bunch of pompous power mongers who can't really relate to what the rest of the nation is going through anyway.   

And as for Obama - I'm thoroughly impressed by your words, your intelligence and your charisma - I just hope that once you and John McCain get into the ring that it won't turn into a boxing match.  You've already got the gray lady in your corner and the reliably conservative NY Post - maybe you should quit while you're ahead and just become the Governor of NY.

Obama Problema...I'm Having Second Thoughts

I've been spending the morning watching the Presidential campaign through the eyes of YouTube and the New York Times.  And a funny thing happened as I clicked on video after video.  I learned more about the people who inspired Barack Obama - his mother and his minister.  The profile of his mother was quite inspiring - she seemed to have been a selfless individual who devoted her life to making the world a better place for her children.  Obama's minister on the other hand, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, personally scares me.  

First, a friend of mine told me about his radical views against what he calls "rich, white, men" who control the government.  After reading an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, I even found out that Obama's minister fervently supports Louis Farrakhan and even gave him an award on behalf of his church.  I also decided to check out some of his speeches for myself.  Just do a search on YouTube and you'll find a selection that'll open your eyes and then some.   Sadly, his speeches are eerily reminiscent to Hitler - who blamed rich Jews for all of Germany's failings. As a Jewish woman with family members who escaped Nazi Germany and who also has friends who have lost their lives to terrorist attacks, the last thing I want to see is someone closely aligned with a presidential candidate whose views are incredibly antiquated and divisive.  It is not supposed to be about us and them.  We are all Americans and we are all for pursuing the American Dream.  Barack Obama is proof positive that it is possible to succeed despite prejudice but if he has aligned with a minister whose speeches contain loads of references to hate speak, can we trust that he doesn't secretly feel the exact same way?

On a side note, I was watching some clips from Fox News, and yes, I know that Fox is a right wing channel so I am always suspect of their reports, but they did something that was interesting.  They asked a group of people to name one accomplishment made by Barack Obama and no one could come up with a single thing.  They then asked the same question of a U.S. senator who supported Obama and he was completely stumped too.  The only accomplishments his supporters could name were that his speeches are incredibly inspirational and he's one of the first black U.S. senators.  Both have nothing to do with the accomplishments he's made to affect legislation in this country.

So, not to burst anyone's bubble - I mean I voted for the guy already so it's too late to change my mind (at least for now), I have to admit that these two glaring points about Obama are quite troubling.  Has he ever been involved in high level meetings with foreign leaders or other policy makers to actually help find a solution to the crisis in the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan or Darfur?  Has he been involved at all in drafting foreign policy or does he have any experience whatsoever that would help bail out our country from its financial woes?  He sure can argue with that Ivy League law degree, but is being a master orator enough to solve the terrible mess we've gotten ourselves into with the help of the current administration?  

Will Obama truly bring America together or will he favor those people whom he believes have been forgotten and turn his back on the people who have found success by pursuing the American dream?   Will he look to his mentors like Rev. Jeremiah Wright - for guidance on issues involving race and equality? Will he have the experience to serve and protect our country or will he be in over his head?  Incidentally, in the clip above from MSNBC, Obama recently distanced himself from Wright - saying he was ready for retirement and he is not involved the campaign moving forward.   But could his involvement change if Obama wins the nomination and ultimately the election?

I completely got swept up in the hope and inspiration that Obama's offering.  But will that be enough?  Something tells me, it probably won't.