Gleaning Facebook: It's Election Day!

All my election posts (and comments) from Election Night -- What a night!

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From an e-mail I (& a few million of my closest friends)just received from the President:

"I will spend the rest of my presidency honoring your support, and doing what I can to finish what we started.

But I want you to take real pride, as I do, in how we got the chance in the first place.

Today is the clearest proof yet that, against the odds, ordinary Americans can overcome powerful interests."

Thank you, Mr. President.

Comments:

Neal Brackett: It appears to me that powerful interests overcame other powerful interests.... I hope in the end ordinary Americans will thrive. That remains to be seen. It appears that the President may have won without a mandate. The Senate and the Congress have maintained status. I expect 4 more years of negativity and gridlock. I pray I am wrong.

Terrell: The combination of the Senate win and the Presidential win IS a mandate. It is a mandate for the compromise that the President has offered repeatedly. If there continues to be gridlock it will be the Tea Party and GOP that causes it.

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Today, we re-elect Barack Obama and finish what we've started. But first, you gotta vote. Find your polling place at http://www.barackobama.com/lookup and share this with all your friends.

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Three expected but big victories for the President: Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Michigan. All three have been sometimes included in "battleground" lists, but have never been in that category in my book. PA removes an important "alternate" path from Romney. So far no surprizes. The polls & Nate Silver look good so far. With the southern battlegrounds (FL, NC, VA) still very close. That is encouraging for the President. Fingers crossed.

Comment:

Roger Wade: Terry... Good luck, and I hope and pray that you are wrong..... The only office that I voted for today was Tim Burkhalter for sheriff !!! Every other vote that I cast was against someone or something...... What a shame. And, what a privilege.

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Wisconsin! That is expected also, but VERY important.

The President is leading Hillsborough Co, FL! Important bellwether.

Nate says the Cuban/American vote is a very close win for Romney, while the President is winning non-Cuban Hispanics by a larger margin than 2008!

All good news.

Comment:

Jim Keel: Trained some of their Sheriff's deputies earlier this year... they pointed out its pronounced Hills-brah, in the local dialect. I can't help thinking that every time a news person brings it up. Hills-brah

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Elizabeth Warren!!! Yay!!!!!!!!

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Joe Donnelly!!!!

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CT, MA, IN, FL, OH -- the Senate is looking good

Comment:

Jamie Fergerson: MSNBC just said we're keeping the Senate

Terrell: Absolutely!

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New Hampshire!!! That's the third "Romney Home State" to go to the President. Things are really beginning to look encouraging.

Comment:

Andrew Ozzy Osborn: "Live Free, or Die." yea right!!

Becky Gurley: I will probably end up chew off my finger nails tonight!!

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Iowa and Nevada close soon. So far the only true "battleground " to be called is New Hampshire. I am very uncomfortable with the cockiness I am being tempted to feel...

Comments:

Jackson Williamson: I'm going to save cocky for the morning...

Deborah Lake Dawson: Tell me about it, I am holding by breath!

Becky Gurley: Don't jinx us!!

Christie Hufstetler Boyd: California just closed.

Christie Smith: You have a frequent commenter on your threads who is mighty quiet tonight!

Betty Smith Franklin: oh, go ahead. breathe. I just worked 2 days on the sidewalks of FL, Jacksonville, that is.

Deborah Lake Dawson: Thanks for doing that Betty, I was suppose to go & didn't, appreciate all of the people who have worked so hard for our Pres!

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Claire McCaskill hangs on in Missouri. The Tea Party is having a very bad night.

Comment:

Marilyn Ringstaff: She won!

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A million votes still out in south Florida! Oh my! Could we actually win Florida?

Comments:

Freddie Ashley: Yes we can! Yes we can!

Becky Gurley: I have fingers crossed... Did you include fla as a Obama state in your educated guess last night??

David Dake: I hope so. I'm fired up, ready to go

Terrell: I held FL and NC as my fond hopes. I predicted we'd take all the other battlegrunds - 303 EV

David Crowder: NBC just called Ohio for Obama. He's won!!!

Kimberly Jo Everett: I just ran my fat butt down my street screaming!!!!

Ralph Noble: Yes!

Becky Gurley: Yeah!!! We are celebrating!! So happy and relived!!

David Dake: Yes Yes Yes Yes 

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The President is getting a larger vote in Hillsborough Co FL than 2008. Wow.

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Nate Silver: The President is leading in the early bellwethers of Colorado.

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Tim Kaine!!!! Yay!!!!

Comments:

Terrell : The good news keeps coming.

Don Henderson: The Senate is ours!

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IOWA!

Comments:

Rodnet Karstetter: I feel a Mitt consession speach coming soon as soon as Florida falls. New Mexico

Terrell: Oh, what sweet words those would be.

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We need 21 more electoral votes. We'll get OR and NV (7+6). That leaves 8 needed.

FL or OH or CO or VA

Comments:

David Dake: I wonder if any body is going to be on a suicide watch for the Republicans?

David Crowder: Ohio looks pretty good...

David Dake:We won. Yes yes yes yes yes

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Oregon!

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OHIO!!!!! Re-elected!!!!
11:12 pm

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Hallelujah!

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This is the greatest night, politically, of my life. We have a great President. He has already done great things. With a second term, he has an opportunity, the temperament, the skills, and the philosophy to go down as one of the truly greats. Thank you America, and thank you Lord.

Comment:

Becky Gurley: Doing a dance!! So happy now I can breath!!

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I wonder if I can finagle a trip to DC for the inauguration...

Comments:

John McClellan: I've only had the opportunity to be invited and attend an inauguration and all of the surrounding events once and that was Jimmy Carter's inauguration back in 1977. It is one of those special memories that everybody has.

Beckey Gurley: Road trip.! My brother went to the first one of Obama!!

Wanda Milky Dagraedt:Hell... I'll send you!!!

Jennifer Kellogg: We should charter a bus!!

Becky Gurley: Jennifer good idea!!

Stacey Cowan Murphy: Sure you can, and why don't you just make it a permanent trip.

Terrell: The immaturity of some grownups is astounding.

Wanda: Steve Schmidt speaks good sense.

Stacey: The ignorance of some people astounds me. I love my country, I have friends in Iran and Iraq fighting for our freedom and protecting our diplomats just so Obama can sign their death papers. He is a murder in my eyes. I have no repect for him or any of his supporters. This is the saddest day of my life! My poor children will have nothing left when they are grown.

Becky: Geez!! Just because people have different views doesn't make them evil. I respect others views. I have a lot of friends who are republicans and we still are friends and get along just fine. It's heartbreaking to see such hostility. Terrell is a wonderful kind man. He loves teaching young children. I have loads if respect for him whether or not he is a democrat or not.

Wanda:They will have health insurance, low interest student loans, daughters will be able to make the same wage as a man, the Supreme Court will not be able make decisions on women's personal health and Obama is cleaning up the wars he inherited, and now he might be able to get the deficit on the right road if you can get the Republicans in the house to get off their "no's" and work on behalf of the American People!!!

Laurie Craw: I'll donate $20 to your trip, Terrell. You've earned that trip!

Carlyn Reichel: I've got a place for you to stay if you do! 

Tracy S Lawler: I agree with Laurie

Katie S Kimbrough: I live in DC!

Betty Smith Franklin: I'm coming up on the train the night before.....Walking over from Union Station.

My 2012 Predictions in the Presidential Race

Here is my best guess about how the electoral votes will turn out on Tuesday. This concedes the following losses from the votes the President received in 2008. 

The Second District in Nebraska (1)

Indiana (11)

North Carolina (15)

Florida (29) 

I believe the President will narrowly carry:

Virginia (13)

Colorado (9)

I think the President will also carry the following 'battleground' states:

Iowa

Ohio

New Hampshire

Nevada

Wisconsin

The President will carry these states that I believe have never really qualified as 'battlegrounds' in this election cycle:

Michigan

Pennsylvania

Minnesota

That will give the President 303 electoral votes to 235 for Mitt Romney.

  [Election Eve Note: I see this is the same final prediction of Real Clear Politics and Election Projection - two conservative poll aggregators. I just spent a couple of hours making volunteer calls to voters in Florida. When the 9:30 deadline arrived I checked in on Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight and found Nate had turned Florida blue on his map. I'll take credit for that if Nate is right. ]

Now, I believe there is good (40% or so) chance that the President can also carry Florida. That would be great! 332 electoral votes!

Or even North Carolina!  (25% chance maybe)  347 electoral votes. I believe this map represents the best possible result we can expect, and it would require a point or two movement of the electorate toward the President.

I am also old enough to remember some very disappointing election nights, and there is still the small but real possibility that we could lose this thing (15% chance) if too many voters stay home and the more energized "antis" show up, as they always do. A small percentage of stay-at-homes could give FL, NC, VA, CO, NH, IA, and/or even, though less likely, OH away. That could be tragic. Please get out and vote on Tuesday!

Four years ago my prognostications did pretty well.

Are we better off than we were four years ago?  Yes, we are.

Gleaning Facebook: Chuckle

 Chuckle... I'm glad, in this house, we're of one mind and our sign is for President Barack Obama. (Even an individual would have to be of multiple minds to support Mr. Romney's multiple positions on the issues)

Gleaning Facebook: What a Country!

March 2011: I didn't take many pictures at the Southern Order of Storytellers annual winter festival. I diid take notes. I hope to write a post about it soon. But I'll go ahead and post this highlight. We got to see our good storytelling friend and now Facebook friend, Tersi Bendiberg.

My storytelling Facebook friend, Tersi Bendiberg, tells of her first Halloween in America after her family came to Georgia from Cuba in the early sixties. 

FIRST HALLOWEEN, DECATUR, GEORGIA 1964 AFTER ARRIVING FROM CUBA ON FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR. (I've shared this before but I'm sharing it again.)

Mrs. Tubesing, Carla Tubesing's Mom, explain the basics of Halloween to me. She gave me a pillowcase for the candy I would get Trick or Treating. I quickly went into our home and painted freckles on my face, put my hair in two braids, found an old hat, Dad's work pants and boots (which I stuffed with toilet paper), a big old flannel shirt, a stick with a stuffed kerchief hanging from one end of the stick. I painted two teeth black to look like I was missing teeth. I was a hobo. Not politically correct I know.

We went all over the Oakhurst neighborhood trick or treating. Finally an hour or more later I returned to our home and dumped all of the candy inside the pillowcase on the living room rug. "Papi, Mami", I said, "You say Trick or Treat. They give you candy!" and my Dad, with hands at the waist said, "What a country!" 

Gleaning Facebook: Farewell to the Bounty

Yours truly aboard the HMS Bounty. The ship sank in the Atlantic last night. The ship's captain is still missing. One crew member was just recovered but "unresponsive". The remaining crew members were rescued.

Gleaning Facebook: Donate Through UMCOR

The United Methodist Committee on Relief gives aid in disasters. Its overhead costs are paid by our regular church funds so that all disaster relief donations go directly to disaster relief. And judging from the pictures I am seeing on Facebook tonight, there is going to be a lot of relief needed on the East Coast in the coming days.

Gleaning Facebook: Strep Throat & Civil War

Strep throat. Got my hiney pumped full of antibiotics and shouldn't be contagious after today, which complicates things considerably since I missed rehearsal Saturday and we have another rehearsal tonight. Y'all come see the show: Sat at Cedartown Auditorium, and the next weekend at Rome City Auditorium.

Comments:

Jan Heaton Skeen: get well!! 

Tersi Bendiberg: Feel much better soon, dear Terrell.

Nancy Johal Singh: Feel better!!!

Tiffany Nelson Chaffer: Oh no! hope you get to feeling better!

Vivian Davis: I saw Sheila at Kroger and she told me that you were sick... I told her to use all of her wife powers and keep you home and resting until your performance. However, it is my understanding you stood out in the weather for Cave Screams and told stories.( My roommate said you did a great job!) I can't wait to see your show next weekend..and hear Lillian's solo.

Lyn Davis: Oh, no! I'm so sorry you feel awful! Get well!

Patricia Canada: hope u get to feeling better. what show is it?

Terrell Shaw: The Civil War, Pat. 

http://romearts.org/events/211

George Barton: Is opening in Cedartown like opening off Broadway?

Terrell Shaw: Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Off off off Broadway.

Christy Davis: Off across the street and down a little from Broadway...

Anita Stewart: Get better so ou can sing.

Gleaning Facebook: Brandeis on Democracy

I want to preserve here for future reference this quote from one of the great Supreme Court justices. I found it on Facebook. I believe to my toes that maximum liberty is somewhere in  the middle of the scale of socialism on one end and capitalism on the other. Both extremes are tyranny. 

Gleaning Facebook: The Presidential Debate

Post 1:

Comments:

Dawn N Luke Andrews

Looks like a bag of empty rhetoric that better hold on tight because there is a rising tide about to sweep his smirking, adolescent behind right out of Washington

Terrell Shaw
You continue your astute, mature evaluations. I'm almost convinced Luke. Keep trying. 

Dawn N Luke Andrews
No delusions here....you are beyond reason in your adoration of this man. His behavior last night was evidence of his adolescent, petulant nature....smirking or scowling the whole time and looking far less presidential than his opponent. Fortunately, this will all be over in 2 weeks and we can begin a true recovery from the damage of the man-child in chief.

John Countryman
I appreciate the comic relief…

Steven Bell
a true recovery...ah

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Post 2:

Great job, Mr. President. Romney played defense all night. Romney continues to deny his previous positions. And did I hear him right? Romney doesn't know Iran has a coastline?

Comments:

Greg McCary
Romney looked bad. He sounded tired. I think he lost it tonight.

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt
Yep.. You're right on the coastline.

George Barton
I think I know where the Syria connection came from. During WWII, Iran was considered the USSR's path to the sea, to be re-supplied by the allies for their fight on the eastern front. The allies took over Iran and put the Shah in place to insure this route, and this was the beginnings of our problems with Iran. Romney just didn't quite remember this bit of history, but he was probably in the 8th grade when he learned it.

Patricia Canada
Terrell, I love you dearly. but if Obama is elected president the world will surely come to an end.

Terrell Shaw
If one listens to the right wing you'd think that, Pat. It's hilarious till you think of how sad it is that so many folks swallow that nonsense and really fear the fine young President who has led so ably through the recent economic crisis and also led the battle so successfully against al Qaeda.

Dan Bevels
Iran does in fact have a coastline. That's where our troops Biden was referring to were posted.

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Post 3:

"If the debate had continued another thirty minutes Romney would have endorsed the President." - (CNN guy whose name I can't remember)

Comment:

Howard Smith

Ain't that the truth!

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Post 4:

Comments:

Rodney Karstetter
The GOP is stating the President was trying to draw Mitt into a fight, but Mitt did not take the bait. LOL Drawing Mitt into a fight was not what Obama was doing. Why would Obama attempt to draw some one totally unqualified to be president into a fight. What President Obama was doing was clearly stating his record on Foriegn policy, and it is not the President's fault that Romney is so weak in foriegn affairs that all he could do was say he agreed with Obama, and his policies. It is not the President's fault that Mitt did not know that Iran was not a land locked country and it was Obvious that he was thinking of Iran as being Russia's access to the Sea. It was not the Presidents fault that Mitt's thinking of building up the Navy of pre WWII. The Presidents comments were so on point. "Govenor we have less horses and Bayonets" LOL this was a great revealing debate of how unqualified Romney is to be President.

J. Chris Lawler
And Obama is qualified? he has proven for the past 4 years he isn't.

Rodney Karstetter
J. I think you should stop watching FOX news and look into what the President has accomplished. The President has proven more qualified than the man he replaced these last 4 years. And tonight he has proven that Mitt is not remotely qualified to be the Commander and Chief when once again he did not mention the Veterans. He whole hartedly endorsed Obama tonight so you tell me then J. if Mitt agrees and Endorsed Obama's policies in foriegn policy and Obama is not qualified how scary then would it be to elect this guy. The Republicans should have ran a better candidate not this guy. So if you want what is right for this country and not what's right for the Republican Party who has moved to far to the right. The best choice in this election is Obama. This debate has shown this fact in bright neon flashing lights.

Terrell Shaw
Chris I sometimes wonder if my friends on the right live in a completely different realm. Four years ago:

- we were on the verge of depression

- al Qaeda was strong and Bin Laden was alive

- the US auto industry was on the verge of collapse

- our reputation in the world was at the lowest point at least since the early seventies.

- we were the only major industrialized nation without universal healthcare insurance.

- Mubarek & Gaddafi were in power

And the President's successes came despite unprecedented stonewalling by the Republicans.
And tonight the President was calm, friendly, thoughtful, factual, and forceful. His answers were responsive, eloquent, and accurate. Romney was weak, waffling from many previous stances, and came close to completely endorsing the President on foreign policy except for a few blatant untruths like the "apology" falsehood.

Rodney Karstetter
What these debates have truely proven imo is that Romeny is trying to show he relates to the middle class and the common man. However, his only experience he can draw upon is his youth when his father was making a better life for his family. It is amazing that his veiws of America are based not in the present but in the past. Obama strongly pointed that out tonight. Romney's policies for the milatary are from pre WWII, his views for the economy are from the 20s and his views on equal rights are that of the 50s. This is how Romney has to relate to the common man because he does not represent the common man of 2012.

Gleaning Facebook: The World Today

Dawn N Luke Andrews

Freaking laughable Terrell Shaw after Obama dumped BILLIONS into failing solar companies who donate to him....America had decided...your dream is over....change is coming in a big way

Terrell Shaw

It's a very close election, Luke. You could be right in your prediction. I still prefer our position to yours in the "horse race" but it ain't over.

Some of the solar investments have worked and some haven't. There is no evidence of preferential treatment of one company over another. Of course Democrats support solar energy companies.

"These people" stand for achievement, going out and working every day, ... and a society that works, Josh. The trickle-down, top-down approach of the right has been tried and didn't work. When we have built a strong middle class we have thrived. During the recent recession, for example, the rich folk by and large got along just fine while most of us experienced pretty severe losses. 

I think you, and many on the right, have a mistaken idea about what "these people stand for." It is very American to recognize the efficacy of BOTH a strong free-enterprise system AND measures to ensure our common welfare. Whether it is the Erie Canal, postal service, Transcontinental Railroad, Social Security, Interstate Highway System, Medicare, or Affordable Healthcare, we have always striven to strengthen our nation through collective action as well as individual achievements. "These people" (the President and I, for example) laud Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and all the other inventor/entrepreneurs/business folk whose individual enterprise has helped to build a mighty business engine that helps to make us all prosper. But we also recognize that the great infrastructure of public works, public education, public roads, public heath efforts and protections, public-sponsored efforts of all sorts, and the people who worked for these folks, were a big part of their successes. 

Josh, are you unaware of the welfare reforms of the Clinton administration? There is a much larger corporate welfare problem. This President has been a great example to poor kids to get off their bottoms and get to work to realize the American dream.

We alwats have ti watch out for unintended conseqyences of our well-intentioned effirts on all sides. There has been and will be welfare fraud. But we have greatly improved that sutuation over the last couple of decades. (Please excuse the fat fingers- I shouldnt try to text!)

Jim May

When I hear "business people" I often think of my self--small business, entrepreneur for 26yrs.I don't think the current political situation cares about most businesses. The irony is the big money (Kock Bros, International Corporations, etc) control the government, make it serve their interests which, buy definition, is to make profits. Everyone needs to make a profit in business but that does not mean the biggest kids on the block should be controlling government with their money and dictating social policy on health care, education and who dies in war (poor and lower mid class) and who does not--about everyone else, but particular young people who go to private schools, live in the best neighborhoods, etc. Corps shout "Government doesn't create jobs! No excavator, G.I. Bill veteran, defense contractor, or (given Bush's high priced drug plan that passed) can the big parmacy companies. Ironically the big corporations want to USE GOVERNMENT to create the kind of capital that benefits their international corporate interests whether or not it is good policy. I think the direction that our society is going, spurred on by flag-waiving, anti-government voices, is thoroughly not patriotic or good American citizenship, to say nothing of the new testament

Terrell Shaw

I am also a former small businessman. My wife and I gave everything we could to our firet try (1975-77) and again on the 2nd (1988-99). I have grest repect for and appreciation of the struggles of entrepreneurship!!!

BTW Jim, Sheila & I have enjoyed your recordings for years & esp your live telling at Jonesborough in 2011. When are yiu coming South again?

I would add :the recession did not become depression, the President is a Christian and with his beautiful Christian wife is raising his two lovely daughters as Christians, a war has ended, bin Laden is dead, and the Dow has doubled.

 

Yes, we have a ways to go, but I won't be part of giving control back to the folks who put us in the mess we were in four years ago. We are much better off than we were before the two stimulus bills, healthcare reform, the rescue of the auto industry, the killing of Bin Laden, the better regulation of wall street, the recovery of our retirement funds in the stock market, etc., etc., etc.

Gleaning Facebook: Catfish Kissin'

 

Vote for me in the Catfish Kissin' Contest! IfGo ahead and donate $35 bucks and become a CRBI member while you help us preserve the most biologically diverse river system in North America!

Gleaning Facebook: Great Job, Mr. President!

Mr. President, you have been a wonderful steward of our Presidency during four very difficult years. Times are still tough, but I can see little that anyone could have done that would have brought us 5 million jobs, restored our standing in the world, decimated al Qaeda (and killed Bin Laden), restored the our lost investments in the stock market, reformed healthcare insurance, increased women's rights, etc., etc., etc.

I am not a Sheldon Adelson, but I will do what I can. I am making another donation tonight to your campaign to continue and accelerate our national recovery.

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Wow! The President won the debate, hands down. He had the details. Romney, none. On substance and style, the President won. Period.

The best debate in the President's career, I think.

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Gleaning Facebook: To Jonesborough

Beautiful drive through North Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee today. We got to visit in Helen with our wonderful friend Mildred Greear for a couple of hours. We didn't make it to Jonesborough in time for the Donald Davis session, but we were tired and sort of glad to have a chance to watch the debate.

Sherry Jean Sims:

How nice! I have always loved the Greears! Went to school with the children, got to know Margaret years later when she became one of my clients when I was cutting hair. She would always bring me beautiful plants and flowers from her garden every visit. What great people! 

Gleaning Facebook: The Debate

The pundits seem to think Romney did what he was trying to do. I am prejudiced, of course, but I thought the President did exactly what he did in 2008. The President was friendly, relaxed, reasonable. He avoided any mistakes and reminded us that Romney hasn't provided details to his proposals. He did what he always does: He just listened to and answered the questions.

The challenging candidate usually gains from mere presence. I suppose Romney managed that. Romney was more aggressive, but he lied repeatedly about Medicare (as verified by all the fact-checkers. He also looked flushed and uncomfortable at times to me.

My take: few minds were changed, but the race will tighten by one or two points in the next day or two -- the pattern of prior campaigns -- just by virtue of Romney sharing the stage with the President without a breakdown. Whether he maintains that and builds on it is another matter.

Gleaning Facebook: Stories at Proctor's Farm

Debby Brown, Gary Greene, and I got to entertain with stories at Proctor Farm last night for a great kid's birthday party. I so enjoy Debby and Gary and their stories. We shared transportation the eleven miles out to Texas Valley and this beautiful venue. Along the way the three storytellers did some serious talking about the future of storytelling in this area. We'd all three love to find a way to bring some national storytellers to northwest Georgia, and maybe make a way for local and regional storytellers to have audiences here. 

From Gary Greene:

Last night was fabulous telling stories @ The Proctor Farm w/ Chieftains Friend and Terrell Shaw. Thanks Michael Proctor and family for having such a Marvelous Magic place. The night was full of the common magic of Storytelling. What a great Birthday for Jarrett !

From Ann Hollingsworth Croft:

What a wonderful gift ... to be able to recreate stories for people so that they can experience the story!

From Michael Proctor:

Gary thanks to you Debbie and Terrell for making it a magical and special night for everyone and especially Jarrett, we have had tons of compliments .Thank you for preserving a special talent that everyone needs to take advantage of whenever they have the opportunity. Looking forward to next time for sure.

It was mine and Kathy's pleasure.