I am sure there are valid reasons for the clothing purchases. She will more than likely wear the same outfit more than once. We never heard of anyone complaining about buying Clinton’s pant suits. There are better issues to discuss than clothing purchases and I for one am not about to jump on the bandwagon and complain. Let’s talk about health concerns, the economy and jobs. Let’s discuss the War in Iraq, the Wall Street mess, and what the future might hold. I am not concerned with someone else’s wardrobe.

What bothers me the most is no one is complaining about Obama spending all that money on his campaign. I am getting tired of pulling all the campaign propaganda out of my mail box each day. Do I read it? No! It goes in the trash to be put into the landfills to deteriorate over hundreds of years if people don’t recycle it. So, can we all come to an understanding that money spent on the campaign for things necessary to campaign is just fine?

My opinion on both vice presidential candidates at this time? They are nervous as all get out and not thinking clearly. Neither of them have been in so much limelight that it’s getting to them. All the extra traveling they are doing, reporters shoving cameras and microphones at them, bombarding them with questions they are not prepared to answer. In all honesty, I think we should give them both a chance. I know I would not be able to stand in front of thousands of people and answer questions. Let’s wait and see what Thursday night’s debate between them shows us. Someone stated he felt Sarah Palin was not qualified to be vice president. I wonder what he has to say about Biden’s slip ups. Comments welcome.

Obama: He blamed the Bush administration for the economy and criticized the Republican party for not addressing the issue in greater detail. He also he would offer a tax break to middle and working class families, which would provide relief to 95 % of the population. He plans to invest $15 billion each year in alternate energy over the next decade. He wanted to revitalize manufacturing by investing in cleaner, alternative energy and will offer tax credits for clean energy companies that will keep jobs in the U.S. He said “We can create five million jobs in solar, wind, bio-diesel, hydro, geothermal. All those jobs are well-paying jobs and they can’t be outsourced”. Biden said the Republican party didn’t mention enough about jobs, health care, the economy and things that matter to people.Alex Conant, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said “Apparently Obama was not listening when McCain and Palin offered their plans to keep taxes low and create new jobs. On the other hand, Obama’s economic policies would only raise taxes and eliminate jobs.” Biden also stated: “America needs more than a great soldier. America needs a wise leader.”

McCain: While he has a strong voting record against abortion rights, seldom likes to talk about this social issue or his religious faith. The Democrats have been blasting him as an enemy of abortion rights. Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee said McCain would be a president who doesn’t thin that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is about his pay grade. He also stated that an Obama presidency would mean a Supreme Court lost to liberalism for the next generation. The Republicans were not thrilled that Obama made a comment in San Francisco that he believed :small town Pennsylvanians cling to guns and religion because of their economic anxiety”. Please remember Sarah Palin is from a small town in Alaska. Was this a remark about McCain’s choice of running mate?

It would seem the mud slinging has begun. Where will the next “fight” be staged? I am looking forward to any debates that are upcoming. After all, there are less than 60 days until we vote for the next president. Will the American people put this country in jeopardy by voting for the wrong man? What is the future for the United States beginning in 2009? I wonder.

Acknowledging articles written for the Philadelphia Inquirer (9/6/08) by Joelle Farrell, Kathy Boccella, Robert Moran and Thomas Fitzgerald