In February 1982, Eugene McCarthy came to speak at my small, liberal arts college, St. Mary of the Plains College. After his talk, I asked him for his autograph on a magazine page containing two of his poems. He asked for my address. Not long after, I received an autographed copy of his book, "Other Things and the Aardvark," in the mail with this inscription: "Next time a session on poetry." It took me until the summer that year to get around to writing him a thank you for the book. He sent an autographed copy of "Ground Fog and Night" in response to my late thank you.

We could use a few politicians today who read, write, and love poetry!

From Gene McCarthy's poem, Courage at Sixty:

Broken things are powerful.

Things about to break are stronger still.

The last shot from the brittle bow is truest.

The other night, I heard Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. on the BBC. Vonnegut said that calling yourself "A War President" is like calling yourself "A Syphilis President." Think about it. Neither is a title one should be proud of. I think of President Bush as "A National Disaster President."

Greetings to the NSA if you happen to be reading this!

I work for the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (aka Welfare office) in downtown Wichita, Kansas. On lunch breaks, I can walk from my office to the main library in Wichita. I don't know how the situation is from the point of view of the library staff, but I find the library a place of great refuge. I get to check out books from the new book shelf--in the middle of a work day! Sometimes I come across interesting ideas to carry me through the rest of the work day. I also see some of my agency's clients at the library enjoying a soft chair or getting a drink of cool water from the fountains. Occasionally, I may see clients learning how to use computers in the library's computer lab.

The public library seems like a sacred place to me, a place of great ideas for avid readers and of small comforts for some of the city's neediest people. Perhaps the library in Wichita is no longer filling its purest function as a "temple of learning," but I think it is a broad-minded place that gives me great hope as it cares for all who enter.

Just watched both speeches from Springfield today on the web. Happy days are here again--I feel it. Biden is going to bring a lot of energy and humor to Obama's campaign.

The lack of specificity from Obama during the primary drove me nuts. From Joe Biden, I've already gotten more reasons for supporting Obama than I heard during the primary. These two guys seem like they will work together very well.

I keep hearing what a brilliant guy Obama is. The Biden choice gives me concrete proof!

I had the wonderful experience of caucusing for Hillary Clinton during a blizzard on February 5 in Wichita, Kansas. I see her great instruction at work in the Obama-Biden ticket: You need to connect with voters over the issues that affect real lives.

This Hillary supporter is going to be happy to vote for the Obama-Biden ticket, and I'm looking forward to the Hillary Clinton Universal Health Care Bill becoming law under President Obama.

1. What makes you prepared to step in to be the president of the United States? Why should people take a chance on voting for the McCain-Palin ticket? (Please give specific examples from your life to support your answer.)

2. Do you believe that climate change is occuring due to human action?

3. What are the greatest challenges the United States faces in the area of foreign policy? How do you think the war in Afghanistan is going?

4. How would a McCain-Palin presidency revive the United States economy? (Why would tax cuts for the wealthy help the economy when the same cuts are doing nothing for the economy now?)

5. How much oil and natural gas are available to be drilled in ANWR and off the coast of the United States? Would domestic energy sources be enough to meet US demand? If so, how long? What will be left for the next generation if all resources are tapped now?

6. How have oil drilling and oil transport affected the Alaskan environment? What is the present condition of the Alaskan pipeline? What is the condition of Prudoe Bay?

7. Do you speak a foreign language? Do you have any friends who live outside the United States? What countries in the world would you like to visit?

8. Is it true that you pressured a librarian to remove books from the Wasila Library? (Why have people reported this if you say no?) What books did you wish to have removed? Why?

9. Can you tell us something about your religious beliefs and how they would guide you if you become vice-president. Why did your family leave the Catholic church when you were twelve?

10. There are reports that you attended five colleges in five years. Can you tell us what you were like at that point in your life. How did you afford tuition at so many different institutions?

11. Who is caring for Trig while you are on the road campaigning? What advice have you received from doctors about helping Trig develop to his fullest capacity?

12. Alaska is a beautiful, remote place to most Americans. Because of Alaska's resources, it's still possible to make a good living there with physical labor and without a lot of education. What do you know about the plight of displaced workers in urban areas who can't find jobs that pay much more than minimum wage? Why should voters in urban areas (i.e. the rust belt) think you understand their situations?

13. After "coming out swinging" in your first address to the American public, how can we believe you and Senator McCain would unite the country?