Greetings. Some of you probably recognize the username since it is the same as I use on the algore.org site.

I looked forward to my first opportunity to vote almost as much as I did to getting my driver's license. I lived in Knoxville at the time, raised by two 2nd (or 3rd?) generation Republicans. I was proud that I cast my vote for then up-and-coming senator Howard Baker, helping to put our Al's daddy out of work. Within two or three years as I matured and started forming opinions of my own (I also was growing really long hair and a beard, but that's another story) I realized the error of my ways.

When our Al entered the political arena, I immediately recognized him as one of the very few who have both the intellect and the instincts to be one of the greats. I had moved away from Tn, so did not get the opportunity to cast a vote for him until he ran for VP, much to my disappointment that he was not then heading the ticket.

As it happened, he unknowingly returned the favor regarding his dad - his (admittedly quite correct) re-evaluation of Space Station Freedom and the resultant lapse until it was revised into the ISS caused a reduction in force that resulted in my being laid off. So I have enjoyed telling the story that he put me out of work and I still want another chance to vote for him.

I now live in Illinois, deep in heavily-Republican Dupage County, embarrassed that Denny Hastert comes from a neighboring congressional district, but proud to have Barack Obama and Dick Durbin as Senators.

I want Al Gore as President. I wanted him eighteen years ago, fourteen years ago, and six years ago. Over the course of the past six years the urgency to have someone of his capabilities has become overwhelming. What's worse - he is the only one with his capabilities! I don't know quite what it is going to take to turn that desire into reality, am trying to find places to participate in dialog and creative thought, hoping that somehow, some way, we'll ring a bell somewhere and our long national nightmare will end.

I look forward to constructive discussion on this board.

Don

Donald B. Cooley III
Wheaton, Ill

Hi, Don, and welcome! I hope things pick up around here. It's been kind of dead for a while. When Gore's not doing anything, I think everyone kind of goes to sleep or something.

I posted the story about the Disney 9/11 thing here, but I don't think anyone's posted there yet. Hot topic, as we know. :rolleyes:

Hope you'll stick around and become an active member of our community. :good:

BTW, our moderator Erin is also from Illinois. Don't know how close Wheaton is to where she is, but maybe you're pretty close? Curious to find out.

This is such a coincindence because I also used to live in Tennessee and now live in Illinois. I live "downstate" in Auburn which is a bit south of Springfield. We have a Republican congressman here too though I can't seem to remember his name right now. This is also a red area of our blue state. I still have family in Tennessee(Memphis) so I keep up with politics there too. Hope we can get another African American Senator with Harold Ford. Don't agree with some of his votes but it would be such a great victory for Memphis.

Carrying the coincidence a bit further -
you live about 25 miles from Kinmundy, where my ancestors lived in the 1800s before migrating to Tennessee. A few generations earlier, they had migrated to Northern Illinois from New Jersey, not too far from where Earthmother lives.

And I had no idea I had roots in Illinois or New Jersey when I moved here from New Jersey...

Boy, small world, huh? :lol:

Whereabouts in NJ did your ancestors come from? Wonder why they left, too. That was back in the days when Jersey was still nice!

Hey, we may be related!! :clap:

My husband does geneaology. Check out his site at www.myfamilybranches.com

:D