NASSAU, BAHAMAS - It's a different world down here. Swaying palm trees, sandy beaches and sparkling blue-green water that, when viewed from the air, puts one in the mood for some fun in the sun.
Son Brian and his family have invited us along for a few days on Paradise Island, advertised pretentiously as the "embodiment of privacy, exclusively and prestige."
It may be all of that, but it was the huge water park with breath-snatching slides like the Leap of Faith, that made the grandkids squeal with delight. The ride features an almost vertical drop into an underwater glass tube that knifes through an aquarium inhabited by sharks and other sea creatures - what a rush.
Anticipating some down time, and with the Democratic and Republican National Conventions looming, my carry-on luggage contained some relevant reading material.
I've already read excerpts from the McCain and Obama autobiographies. Meanwhile, Jerome Corsi's "The Obama Nation" has been lying around gathering dust. The book made the New York Times' bestseller list, and I'd like to know more.
Discussion of the book leads to some lively family discussion, the more so because daughter-in-law Mary Beth met Obama when both were summer associates at Sidley Austin law firm in Chicago in the late '80s.
She remembers Obama as very bright and friendly. So, too, apparently, did his future wife, Michelle, a Sidley attorney at the time who was assigned to be his mentor. The match-making law firm also brought together our Brian and Mary Beth while both were partners at the firm.
I'm also curious about polling data that shows the race tightening up. With the concept of "change" as the flavor of the day among politicos, it would seem Obama has staked out a solid claim with this futuristic theme.
Obama's handlers go to great lengths to keep the focus on the future. In his book, Corsi points out why they might want to distance the candidate from his past.
There are few accomplishments to puff at the national level - Obama followed the party line almost exclusively, as most freshman senators do. It is the 25 or so years of his previous life experience, however, that Obama must obscure if he hopes to get elected.
In the past, Obama's Muslim origins and previous statements sympathetic to Palestinian and other Arab interests have found favor among many Middle East governments. Obama's campaign committee co-chair, Tony McPeak, has consistently taken a strongly anti-Jewish position, claiming that Israeli lobbyists control U.S. policy in the region.
Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel, had until recently been particularly complimentary. Its political advisor, Ahmed Yousef, spoke highly of Obama and expressed hope that he would win the election.
The organization is less enthusiastic, however, now that Obama has expressed great sympathy for Israeli interests. On the other hand, one might expect the Jewish community will see through this Johnny-come-lately attempt to curry favor.
Corsi points out that Obama owes his political success to some of the worst-ever Anti-American characters to claim national prominence. Former Weather Underground "heroes" Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's spiritual leader for the past 20 years, are among those who have nurtured Obama's political aspirations.
Obama's staunch support for abortion rights claims the allegiance of many like-minded groups - and well it should. Corsi points to the case of the baby that survived a late-term abortion in Illinois, leading to a legislative effort to protect babies caught thusly between life and death.
Obama was the only senator to speak in opposition to the bill. But, when it came time to take a stand, Obama's vote was neither here nor there. He voted "present."
Then there is the image of Obama sharing the stage with several other political figures at an Iowa forum. All, save one, placed their hands over their hearts during the playing of the national anthem - the exception was the same candidate ambivalent about wearing an American flag on his lapel.
Meanwhile, McCain has not exactly lit a fire under the conservative factions that bring in gobs of money and in-kind support. The charge of "RINO" - Republican In Name Only - seems to have stuck with many conservatives.
Choosing Democrat/Independent Joe Lieberman (on the short list) as the vice-presidential nominee would drive even more support to third-party candidate Bob Barr. A Libertarian and former Republican congressional representative from Georgia, Barr has already captured 6 percent of the vote, according to national polling data.
Conversely, many middle-of-the-road Americans like McCain for his maverick reputation and putting the best interests of the country ahead of appeasing one group or another. Some flaws remain, however.
Like Obama, his milque-toast position on illegal immigration is hopelessly inadequate. No other civilized nation in the world would allow millions of illegal aliens to run loose within its borders - including Mexico.
McCain's position on Second Amendment rights has struck a positive chord with many sportsmen. On the other hand, Obama's anti-gun record is indisputable, despite his recent claim to favor hunting and the recreational use of firearms.
In the Illinois Senate, Obama voted against a bill designed to allow citizens to defend themselves against intruders within their own homes. The bill passed both houses of the legislature by wide margins.
Obama also served for several years on the Joyce Foundation, an organization devoted to gun-control efforts. The Foundation provides major funding for the Violence Policy Center, which supports an outright ban on handguns and semi-automatic firearms, while imposing substantial restrictions on gun owners.
Regardless of political persuasion, we have a responsibility as citizens to educate ourselves on the issues and the character of the candidates at every level of government.
As for the Bahamas, I hope to return to the tropics again some day. I'll skip the Leap of Faith, however, and go for a relaxing float on Paradise Island's Lazy River.
- Lee Fahrney is an outdoors writer for The Monroe Times. He holds a degree in government and Politics from the University of Maryland. He served on the Fitchburg Common Council and the Dane County Board of Supervisors in the 1990s. He is a retired Air Force officer who once taught National Defense Policy with the UW-Madison Air Force ROTC unit. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
Son Brian and his family have invited us along for a few days on Paradise Island, advertised pretentiously as the "embodiment of privacy, exclusively and prestige."
It may be all of that, but it was the huge water park with breath-snatching slides like the Leap of Faith, that made the grandkids squeal with delight. The ride features an almost vertical drop into an underwater glass tube that knifes through an aquarium inhabited by sharks and other sea creatures - what a rush.
Anticipating some down time, and with the Democratic and Republican National Conventions looming, my carry-on luggage contained some relevant reading material.
I've already read excerpts from the McCain and Obama autobiographies. Meanwhile, Jerome Corsi's "The Obama Nation" has been lying around gathering dust. The book made the New York Times' bestseller list, and I'd like to know more.
Discussion of the book leads to some lively family discussion, the more so because daughter-in-law Mary Beth met Obama when both were summer associates at Sidley Austin law firm in Chicago in the late '80s.
She remembers Obama as very bright and friendly. So, too, apparently, did his future wife, Michelle, a Sidley attorney at the time who was assigned to be his mentor. The match-making law firm also brought together our Brian and Mary Beth while both were partners at the firm.
I'm also curious about polling data that shows the race tightening up. With the concept of "change" as the flavor of the day among politicos, it would seem Obama has staked out a solid claim with this futuristic theme.
Obama's handlers go to great lengths to keep the focus on the future. In his book, Corsi points out why they might want to distance the candidate from his past.
There are few accomplishments to puff at the national level - Obama followed the party line almost exclusively, as most freshman senators do. It is the 25 or so years of his previous life experience, however, that Obama must obscure if he hopes to get elected.
In the past, Obama's Muslim origins and previous statements sympathetic to Palestinian and other Arab interests have found favor among many Middle East governments. Obama's campaign committee co-chair, Tony McPeak, has consistently taken a strongly anti-Jewish position, claiming that Israeli lobbyists control U.S. policy in the region.
Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel, had until recently been particularly complimentary. Its political advisor, Ahmed Yousef, spoke highly of Obama and expressed hope that he would win the election.
The organization is less enthusiastic, however, now that Obama has expressed great sympathy for Israeli interests. On the other hand, one might expect the Jewish community will see through this Johnny-come-lately attempt to curry favor.
Corsi points out that Obama owes his political success to some of the worst-ever Anti-American characters to claim national prominence. Former Weather Underground "heroes" Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's spiritual leader for the past 20 years, are among those who have nurtured Obama's political aspirations.
Obama's staunch support for abortion rights claims the allegiance of many like-minded groups - and well it should. Corsi points to the case of the baby that survived a late-term abortion in Illinois, leading to a legislative effort to protect babies caught thusly between life and death.
Obama was the only senator to speak in opposition to the bill. But, when it came time to take a stand, Obama's vote was neither here nor there. He voted "present."
Then there is the image of Obama sharing the stage with several other political figures at an Iowa forum. All, save one, placed their hands over their hearts during the playing of the national anthem - the exception was the same candidate ambivalent about wearing an American flag on his lapel.
Meanwhile, McCain has not exactly lit a fire under the conservative factions that bring in gobs of money and in-kind support. The charge of "RINO" - Republican In Name Only - seems to have stuck with many conservatives.
Choosing Democrat/Independent Joe Lieberman (on the short list) as the vice-presidential nominee would drive even more support to third-party candidate Bob Barr. A Libertarian and former Republican congressional representative from Georgia, Barr has already captured 6 percent of the vote, according to national polling data.
Conversely, many middle-of-the-road Americans like McCain for his maverick reputation and putting the best interests of the country ahead of appeasing one group or another. Some flaws remain, however.
Like Obama, his milque-toast position on illegal immigration is hopelessly inadequate. No other civilized nation in the world would allow millions of illegal aliens to run loose within its borders - including Mexico.
McCain's position on Second Amendment rights has struck a positive chord with many sportsmen. On the other hand, Obama's anti-gun record is indisputable, despite his recent claim to favor hunting and the recreational use of firearms.
In the Illinois Senate, Obama voted against a bill designed to allow citizens to defend themselves against intruders within their own homes. The bill passed both houses of the legislature by wide margins.
Obama also served for several years on the Joyce Foundation, an organization devoted to gun-control efforts. The Foundation provides major funding for the Violence Policy Center, which supports an outright ban on handguns and semi-automatic firearms, while imposing substantial restrictions on gun owners.
Regardless of political persuasion, we have a responsibility as citizens to educate ourselves on the issues and the character of the candidates at every level of government.
As for the Bahamas, I hope to return to the tropics again some day. I'll skip the Leap of Faith, however, and go for a relaxing float on Paradise Island's Lazy River.
- Lee Fahrney is an outdoors writer for The Monroe Times. He holds a degree in government and Politics from the University of Maryland. He served on the Fitchburg Common Council and the Dane County Board of Supervisors in the 1990s. He is a retired Air Force officer who once taught National Defense Policy with the UW-Madison Air Force ROTC unit. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or at fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
