Giving Thanks For The Mother Of Thanksgiving

When Americans observe the traditional Thanksgiving Day holiday this year, they will think of Pilgrims, Native Americans, football games, turkey, pie, travel, family and the traditional Thanksgiving Day Parade.

However, few people know that the Thanksgiving Day Holiday in America was also an attempt to abolish slavery and to prevent the American Civil War. The day is a reminder of a story of a remarkable women with an intelligence and foresight far ahead of her time.

"The Lady Editor," as Sarah Hale was affectionately called, advocated a national celebration of Thanksgiving as early as 1827. "We have too few holidays. Thanksgiving like the Fourth of July should be considered a national festival and observed by all our people" she wrote in her first book, a novel titled Northwood.

An idea that she often promoted was a letter writing campaign to churches asking them to raise money on a special day of thanksgiving to buy freedom for the slaves. She felt confidant that if she could even just get a day of thanksgiving to be recognized, "that the reflection alone would go a long way in ending this terrible institution".

To Sarah Hale, Thanksgiving would be a holiday of national contemplation. "There is a deep moral influence in these periodical seasons of rejoicing, in which whole communities participate. They bring out . . . the best sympathies in our natures."

Hale saw this spiritual dimension of Thanksgiving as a means for preventing the insanity of civil war in America. This is why, as hostilities heated up between North and South, she bombarded both national and state officials with requests for the national holiday.

She wrote in an 1859 editorial, "If every state would join in Union, Thanksgiving on the 24th of this month, would it not be a renewed pledge of love and loyalty to the Constitution of the United States?"

Of course, Sarah Hale was unable to avert those saddest years of American history. Still, By 1863 when Lincoln issued his now famous Thanksgiving Proclamation, Sarah Hale had penned literally thousands of letters requesting Thanksgiving Day in her own hand.

Finally, On October 3, 1863, by Presidential Order, Lincoln fulfilled Sarah Hale’s lifelong plea to have a “day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival".

Sarah Josepha Hale was a writer, editor and a single mom. She is often referred to as the "Mother of Thanksgiving". There should be room at every table to honor her memory when giving thanks for what many of us consider to be our best national holiday.

John Edwards Joins The Club Of Self Destruction

John Edwards admitted yesterday what he previously had always denied. He admitted an affair in 2006 with an novice female film maker employed with his campaign. The National Enquirer can fill you in on all the specific details.

However, all you really have to know is that the allegations include a script right out of the plot line of the movie Mamma Mia because Edwards joined the brotherhood of traveling pants.

Edwards tells us that his affair occurred while his wife was in remission from cancer in 2006 and that he did not really love his mistress. He denies fostering a love child but has not yet taken a paternity test. Are we really suppose to believe this or to care?

The reality of all of this is that John Edwards political career is over and the incredible hypocrisy of his 2008 election campaign is now in full view for everyone to see.

Edwards ran his campaign as a caring husband and family man. The multi-millionaire with the $100 haircuts also campaigned as the champion of the poor.

The truth is that Edwards is now just another dubious politician that has joined the club of self destruction.

However, there may yet be fallout from all of this in the Democratic convention. There are minefields for Barack Obama to navigate. He has to decide if Edwards has a place at the convention. Also, Edwards delegates are not bound to vote for him on the first ballot. Will they swing to Hillary Clinton?

For the mainstream media, questions of its objectivity abound. Is the National Enquirer now the national standard of investigative excellence? Was this Edwards sordid affair story intentionally suppressed because he was a Democrat?

The public already believes that the media is favoring Barack Obama in this 2008 Election campaign. The handling of Edwards story will do nothing to change that opinion.

For more on political self destruction read: Eliot Spitzer Joins The Club Of Self-Destruction

For more on John Edwards read: John Edwards Campaign Of Contradictions on eWorldvu.com.

Democrats: Top Three For VP

Barack Obama will soon choose his Vice Presidential running mate. There are certainly no shortage of qualified Democratic candidates. However, his choice needs to provide the ticket with the following: 1. Add experience to the ticket. 2. Add electoral votes by appealing to a specific demographic of voters. 3. Come from a swing state in election 2008 or a state voting for the Republican party in 2004. The choice for V.P. cannot upstage Barack Obama and cannot be involved with controversy or bring negative publicity that can detract from the 2008 campaign. Based on this criteria, the following Democrats are likely not under consideration; Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, John Edwards ( He currently is involved in a messy National Enquirer story)and Joe Biden (past plagerism) . Sam Nunn would provide extensive foreign policy experience with twenty years as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee but his selection would bring a washington insider that would not fit into the campaign theme of change. So, who is on the short list of likely candidates to share the 2008 Democratic ticket with Barack Obama? Here is the eWorldvu.com top three for Democratic V.P. :

Kathleen Sebelius-Governor of Kansas would place that state in play. Sebelius on ticket would bring the female vote. Ticket of a black man and a female would certainly signal change for the Democrats in election 2008.

Tom Kaine-Governor of Virginia for the last two years. He would put that Republican state in play. He appeals to Catholics and middle class white voters.

Evan Bayh-Senator from Indiana and former Governor of the State. Appeals to Catholics and white Middle Class voters. He comes from a swing state in election 2008. Brings a moderate to the ticket and has recently stated his interest in the number 2 slot.

Tomorrow we will look at the Republican top three for V.P..