True or False: Check the facts about candidates

There are endless online resources available to help Americans make the best decision about which presidential candidate to vote for. Let's evaluate and discuss a few I have spent time surfing and reading.

The purpose of Factcheck is to allow browsers to search for political information online. You want to confirm or disprove that rumor about Senator Obama? Well, type in Factcheck.org and click on Hot Topics, which has a long list of questions from concerned Americans with detailed responses. What's great about this section is that you can initially read a condensed response, but click again for a very specific, longer explanation. I think this is a smart idea because often people want to look something up and immediately find the answer without reading a two page article. But, if it's a topic someone is truly interested in learning about, there is the option to investigate further.

Politifact.com is a really great site. It's engaging from the moment you skim over the homepage. Instead of overwhelming you with information and headlines, the site is broken down into eight sections. Click on the TRUTH-O-METER because you know you want to. It tells you if a statement or rumor is true, mostly true, half true, barely true, or false. Remember, ultimately one must pass their own judgement and not simply go by the site's review! Be smart and always get your news from a wide range of reliable sources!

Project vote smart offers alot of links to political websites, but doesn't directly present any information. I think it's a good source if you have unlimited time to surf the web, but definitely need time to sit down and search it.

Go to Congress votes database to find out how members of Congress voted over the past seventeen years. Look at the profiles of John McCain and Barack Obama. See how many times McCain and Obama voted against their party since 1991. This is great data to get your hands on all at the click of a mouse. I made some interesting comparisons by reviewing key votes made by both candidates. For example, both individuals declined to vote on the July, 26, 2007 amendement to the Homeland Security Act.

Girl Power!

As a well-educated, independent, strong female I want to see influential women in power. I am currently waiting for the first female president to be elected to office. But, I don't mind the anticipation because she needs to and will set the necessary precedent for future presidents; male or female. Eventually, the day will come.

Regardless of your political opinion of Sarah Palin, I think women have to unite and agree it's extremely encouraging to see a female as McCain's running mate. For a moment, Democratic women, please suppress your angry words of disapproval about the McCain campaign. It is comforting to know women are fighting for leadership positions in this country. Although Hillary Clinton was eliminated from the election, she is another example of a solid female presence in a male dominated democracy. I'm happy women of all ages, especially young girls, see female leaders emerging and growing in numbers. I hope girls realize they have the ability to become president one day if they chose to pursue a political path.

Since John McCain officially announced Pallin as his vice president potential, she dramatically turned the media attention on herself and McCain's campaign. The poor Obama movement was left in the dust. The Alaskan governor is also a mother with a infant son and pregnant 17 year-old daughter. She is a mother, wife, and career woman. Regardless of her political agenda and whether you agree with her stance on the issues, she is a strong role model for women. It is possible to successfully achieve a balanacing act between motherhood and pursuing your career.

My Favorite Political Blogs

Blogs. Blogging. Journalism. Today the term blogging has established itself as the newest form of journalism. Blogs have earned a great deal of attention in the media world. Yes, I have written blogs for previous journalism classes, but I never considered myself an avid blog reader or writer. Hopefully, that will all change as I dive into the blogging media world and devote more time to reading the blogs of others.

I decided to focus on politics and more specifically the presidential race because I mean honestly.....there is nothing else covered in the news these days. Given the prominence of the upcoming 2008 presidential election in the media and the impact its results will have on our nation; I feel very compelled to talk about politics.

The race is in full swing with only forty-eight days until the election, but political journalists invaded the internet long ago voicing their approval and disapproval over particular candidates.

Here are several blogs I like:

Pajamas Media has a solid variety of political blogs. Some concentrate on McCain and Obama, while others are from the viewpoint of soldiers fighting for our nation in the Middle East. Acute Politics is written by soldiers stationed in Kuwait. The posts are really powerful considering they're written from a first hand account and there are additional links to a long list of war zone blogs.

Of course the list of sources for political banter is endless. The Corner on nationalreview.com offers some witty perspective on Sarah Palin and challenges the campaign of both presidential candidates. There is mention of the failing economy and the Lehman Bros disaster, too. "The demise of Lehman Bros will be mourned perhaps most by the environmental movement."

Lastly, I recommend to take a look at two blogs that don't directly relate to politics..... Perez Hilton is the first. I know not many people read it (sarcasm) or should I say don't admit to reading entertainment news. I love journalism and covering serious issues, but it's fun and necessary to keep up with the celebrity news and gossip!!

Drudge Report is a decent resource for web links and a wide variety of news. I wouldn't rely on it as my primary news outlet, but it's worthwhile to read over and use as a stepping stone to other online news sources.