RIGHTWINGSPARKLE

My blogging maybe spotty for the next few weeks. I have 2 kids doing some pretty intense competition things and I am all into that. Honestly I do not see how working moms do it. I give them tons of credit. I am also busy getting scholarship stuff in for my Senior. It is crazy how they all want different things and the school will not allow you to take a certified copy of his transcripts, so everytime I get one or two ready I have to go to the school with all the stuff and pay for the transcript and they have to mail it. So I have to trust that they will do it in time!! And not lose it. His senior class has ONLY 721 students! It is so frustrating! I will tell you more about the other competitions later (if your interested at all) .

But as you all know, I get pretty passionate about some things and if something comes up, then I will be typing away at midnight. I am looking forward to the Presidents State Of The Union Address. He has alot to be proud of, but I'm betting there won't be too much bragging and what there is, his speech makers probably insisted. He is a humble man.

I just finished reading Karen Hughe's "Ten Minutes From Normal." An excellent book and if you really want to understand what kind of man Bush is just read the 9-11 chapter. Karen is very good at not getting too mushy or emotional. But 3 things stood out for me in this chapter other than what you know will be riveting. The first thing was about the morning of 9-11. I knew as soon as the 2nd plane hit that we were being attacked. I had called everyone in my family and my friends and my mom had asked me why I was so upset. "It is going to be ok." she said. "No, Mom..it is not going to be ok." I just knew that. But I called my best friend because she knows me so well and I told her that the thing that was frightening me the most was that the press had no idea where the President's plane was. I knew that information shouldn't be on the news of course, but I told my friend, "I will not be OK until I know where he is." Well it turns out that Karen Hughes was at home that day. After it was known what was going on she had talked to Ari briefly and told to get to the White House. On the way there she asked the operator to get her Air Force One. The operator said, "I'm sorry, We are unable to contact Air Force One." Karen said in all the time she had spent on that plane and seen the President make calls all over the world, and called the plane herself, never had she not been able to get through, unable to contact. She said that was the most afraid she had been that day. I can tell you that I am glad I didn't know that. I figured the press was being kept out of the loop for the obvious reasons, but if they had reported that his most personal adviser could not contact him I would have freaked. I was just so afraid that one or more planes were going to hit Air Force One. Thank God that didn't happen.

Anyway, the 2nd thing that struck me was that a few days after 9-11 there was another warning and security was evacuating the White House. Karen asked the President if they were leaving. He said, "I'm not letting them force me out of the White House." Everyone agreed to let non essential personnel go home and then the President turned to his Secret Service detail and said, "I'm not leaving," he told them tersely, "if a plane hits us, I'll just die. And Ferdi, I'm hungry," turning to his the mess steward. "I'll have a hamburger."

Reading this I thought this is exactly the kind of man I wanted in the White House. Unafraid. Unwillingly to give the terrorists even a little satisfaction in thinking they could scare or intimidate him.

I encourage you on the left to go to a local Barnes and Noble and just pick up the book and read the 9-11 chapter there in one of those comfy seats. You don't have to buy the book. But just so you can see from a personal view how this President handled this MAJOR crisis. I think you will be impressed.

The final thing that struck me is the unabashed faith of Karen. She relys on her faith and does not back away from writing about it. A few days after 9-11 the President called her and told her to be on call for a meeting the next day. The next day was Sunday, so Karen got up early and went to early Church so she wouldn't have to miss Church for the call (here that usually means about 7:00am). And guess who was already sitting there? Condi Rice. Here are the two most influential women in the President's life and knew they needed to be on call that day, so they get up early to make it to Church. Most of us will miss Church for a football game, not to mention a call from the President. But these two women knew where they gained their strength. They had their priorities straight.

One more final note, now that I think of it. Karen also describes her difficult decision to leave the White House and return to Texas. Here is a woman with a job thousands dream of. She loved it. But her son was unhappy and about to start High School. She knew he wanted to be back in Texas with his friends. Although he didn't complain. Her husband too, wanted to go back to Texas but both understood the importance of her job and encouraged her the whole way. But that still small voice that we of faith listen for, told her that her place was home in Texas. That it was important to spend more time with her son in his last few years at home. So, to the surprise of just about everyone, she went home. I admire her for that. I admire her for putting her family above her career. After reading her book, I admire her for everything that she is. A strong woman of faith, smart and determined to do what it is right.