RNC Day 4

 

Last night, Alaska Gov. Sara Palin stole the show.  She definetly has the conservative base jazzed up.  I have to tell you though, the atmosphere is much different than the DNC.  Gov. Mitt Romney delivered a pretty good speech, but the crowd didn’t seem to be in it. Gov. Mike Huckabee did the same, but again the crowd didn’t seem to be into it.

It finally took former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani to awaken the crowd.  Then, Palin sealed the deal.  She told us who she was, what she believed in and went after Sen. Barack Obama.  Palin said, “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don’t quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren’t listening.”  She continued, “We’ve all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.  And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.  But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.”  Before the speech I said on KTAR’s War Room I wasn’t sure how much she would go after Obama becuase she really had to focus on her biography.  But, she didn’t hold back at all.  After Obama picked Biden to be his running mate the pundits said he was exactly what the Illinois Senator.  Biden was a great attack dog and he would go right after McCain.  That is after all, the V.P.’s job.   Palin did exacly what Biden did.  The Vice Presidental debate won’t decide the election in November, but it should be entertaining to say the least.

RNC Day 3

Well, it’s day one for me live from the RNC.  But, we had to bring you the stories of Hurricane Gustav.  It’s been a hell of a ride for us.  We hope it has been for you too.  I’ve been in eight states over the last four days.  Now, we are back in St. Paul to bring you the final two days of the Republican Convention.  Tonight, Vice Presidential Candidate Sara Palin will address the nation.  Tomorrow, it’s McCain.  I’m looking forward to Palin’s speech tonight.  Will she be talking about her daughter?  Will she talk about foreign policy?  What about being a mom?  This could go so many ways, it should be fun.

You can check out Ankarlo Mornings via webcam, by clicking here. 

Anyways, take a look at these two pictures.  Notice a difference here?

  

Live in New Orleans

 

It’s been a heck of a day.  Well, really two days.  I left my hotel in Denver at 7am Sunday for my scheduled flight to reach the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesotta.  Meanwhile, Hurricane Gustav was poised to slam into the Gulf Coast.  My team and I acted immediately, booking a last minute flight to Houston via Atlanta.  We landed in Houston around 10 o’clock with no supplies.  I headed into the local Walmart.  There we bought water, sleeping bags and a couple of flashlights.  After buying supplies, our original plan called for us to set up shop and broadcast the show in Lake Charles, La or Lafeyette, La.  Gustav was set to strike Lake Charles later Monday afternoon.  Lafeyette would have put us even closer to New Orleans as we moved east down Interstate 10.  When we arrived in the Lafeyette area, Rob assured me he was feeling good despite it being 3am.  So we pushed on.  We passed Baton Rouge and kept driving right into the eye of the storm.  I told Rob we should start looking for a hotel, he agreed but said we would have to wait until we got closer to the Louis Armstrong International Airport outside New Orleans. 

Once we got there, everything was closed and boarded up.  There was going to be no open hotel rooms.  So we continued on.  By now, it had begun raining pretty hard and the wind was starting to pick up.  We drove through in our rented Hummer.  Rob assured me this was the best vehicle to drive into a Hurricane because of it’s ground clearance.  See, Rob was here in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and actually fled the N.O. in a rented Hummer.  Deja vu perhaps?  Anyways…we made our way through Kenner, Metairie and finally into New Orleans.  We were the only car on the road (probably the only group dumb enough to make this journey).  Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect coming into New Orleans.  What we found was a ghost town.  Empty street after empty street in a city that is always on the move.  Not today.  Reports say up to 95% of the population of the New Orleans metro area and along the Louisiana coast clear across to Texas have evacuated.  Based on what we have seen that number looks accurate.  The only people here are a few stragglers, some televison media, the NOPD and the Ankarlo team.

Currently, we are broadcasting from the Marriot downtown.  We are less than a mile from the Superdome, a couple of blocks from Bourbon Street and short walk to the Mississippi River.  You may have seen the images of people at the Superdome during Katrina.  Not during Gustav.  The Superdome is not being used as a shelter, nor is the Convention Center.  Only a few of the hotels are open and I had to bribe my way in.  The Walgreens right down Canal Street was looted during Katrina and so far we have seen no signs of that only signs saying “We Shoot Looters.”  Again, some lessons have been learned including from both the federal and local governments.  They are not messing around here.  That much is clear. 

Today, Rob and I drove around New Orleans before the show.  We drove through wind, rain, puddles, downed trees, damaged buildings.  The water on the lakefront is normally calm, today the waves are rocky.  Water is spilling over the industrial canal.  That canal failed after Katrina causing devestating flooding to the 9th Ward.  But, Rob tells me Gustav isn’t bringing nearly the rain that Katrina brought.  But, the wind here is pretty fierce and could cause major damage.  After the show today, I will continue driving around and bring you the latest updates.  Ankarlo Mornings is live from New Orleans.

Check out our photo gallery.

Day 4 and Photos

I’ve told you more than a few times that I’m a preacher’s kid, a Pentecostal preacher’s kid and much like many black churches a Pentecostal crowd like to shout Hallelujahs and Amens and talk back to the person delivering the message.  It’s been a while since I’ve been in one of those services—that is, until Wednesday night in Denver.  That’s when reverend Bill Clinton took the stage at the Democratic National Convention and all I can say is this evangelist of a bigger government more taxes had the choir screaming for more.  The crowd hung on every word and shouted back throughout the message.  I’ve seen President Clinton many times over the years and though I’m not a big fan and though his approval ratings have suffered in recent months he has rarely been better.  As I told you yesterday on my show, while many thought he might deliberately throw Barack Obama under the bus with a less than stellar endorsement I believed he would do exactly what he did at the Pepsi Center.  He did it for two reasons:  1) He loves being the big dog—and indeed he was and 2) His fierce competitive streak made him deliver a message so powerful that all Barack Obama has to do to cause this once failed convention to end as a success is hit his Roman stage on Thursday night and say—“I agree with President Clinton” and leave the stage.  Yes indeed, this was most definitely the Clinton Convention and Mr. Obama would do well not to forget that.  Amen and Hallelujah.

A note on history: 45 Years ago today, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered one of the most memorable speeches in our nation’s history. Dr. King had a dream over four decades ago and tonight, for the first time, a black man will accept the nomination to become President of the United States. Politics aside, this is history; tonight I am a proud American. It wasn’t that long ago America passed the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Act. America still had “seperate but equal” as it’s phrase until those critical years of the 1950’s and 1960’s. First, Brown V. The Board of Education in 1954. Then Martin Luther King and so many other. Today, Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Party’s nomination. I will be watching live from Invesco Field and part of me will be smiling watching him speak.

Photos by Aaron Farnham.

Day 3 and Photos

Last night, it was Hillary’s turn.  Her speech was well written, but poorly delivered.  I have seen her speak many times during the course of this campaign in Iowa, New Hampshire and now Denver.  Her heart just wasn’t in it last night.  She said everything she was supposed to say, but we all know Hillary wants to be the nominee.  Hillary received a standing ovation when they introduced her as the crowd waved Hillary signs throughout the Pepsi Center.  In fact, I managed to get my hand on a Hillary/Unity sign that was paid for by Barack Obama for America. 

The speech lasted just over 20 minutes and one of the first messages was that of unity.  She said, “My friends, it is time to take back the country we love. And whether you voted for me or you voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose.”  But, does she mean it?  She mentioned Barack Obama’s name at least 14 times during the speech.  Hillary also mentioned McCain several times with the most memorable line being, “And you haven’t worked so hard over the last 18 months or endured the last eight years to suffer through more failed leadership.  Noo way, nohow, no McCain.” The attacks were echoed by earlier speakers including Virgina Gov. Mark Warner, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer.  The McCain attacks are all the same, “four more years.”  I think the Democrats are going to have to do more than that in order to attack McCain.  The same Bush attacks have been around for years and really haven’t affected McCain’s poll numbers.  Will they start now?

Several Democrats here in Denver are worried about Obama’s poll numbers.  Others though are pointing to 1980.  Ronald Reagan was way behind President Jimmy Carter until late in the race after he reassured American he could lead.  Will Obama do the same thing?  The final part of the campaign begins Thursday night for Obama.  As for tonight though, it’s going to be all about former President Bill Clinton.  Will he rally the troops better than his wife did?  And then, what will Obama’s vice presidential selection Joe Biden say?  We’ll have all of that for you tomorrow between 8:30 and 12n during Ankarlo Mornings live from Denver…

Want to see just how “green” the Democratic Convention is?  Watch this great piece from our friend Paul Gleiser at KTBB.

Photos from the protests.  More to come.  Photos by Aaron Farnham.

Day 2 and Photos

 

Michelle Obama was welcomed by a huge crowd last night at the Pepsi Center.  Her goal:  Make the Obama’s real.  There is no doubt, McCain’s celebrity ads have taken their toll on this campaign.  Because of that (and other factors) the Obama’s have a ton to do during this convention.  They have to reintroduce Obama, make Obama real and spell out their agenda.  Night one was a reintroduction.  My impression from Michelle’s speech was simple.  Did you know Obama and I both grew up in working class families?  We have both lived the American dream.  We are raising our children just like you.  It was silly and I am amazed people actually fall for it. 

Then the kids came out.  This happens at every convention.  You always have to have the family hug (or in the case of Al Gore, that nasty kiss with Tipper).  What was different last night was Sasha.  She is the Obama’s youngest daughter.  Sasha kept interrupting her Dad while he was on a video screen.  Obama, himself, was thrown off his game too.  He stuttered a little bit and said he was first in St. Louis then in Kansas City.  Hmmm.  For all the faults and hiccups, night one at the Convention made the Obama’s to be an all American family. 

Michelle Obama was brilliant when she mentioned Sen. Hillary Clinton.  Michelle said, “People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher. “  This shoutout is obviously meant to bridge a gap between the Clinton supporters and the Obama supporters.  Several Clinton supporters I have talked to on the ground have said they aren’t budging.  Others, though, are open to Obama.  Hillary Clinton is the headline speaker tonight.  Obama’s camp has been trying to edit Clinton’s speech.  But, the Clinton’s aren’t having it.  Tonight will be interesting.  I’ll keep you updated throughout the day here and tomorrow morning from 8:30 until Noon live from Denver.

Check out our photo gallery from last night. Photos by Aaron Farnham.

Dem. Convention Day 1 and Photos

I arrived in Denver to a town that is buzzing.  Police, SWAT and all other types of security are everywhere.  There have already been a few protests and famous protestor Cindy Sheehan is in town.  And the Obama t-shirts.  It seems everyone has something Obama on.  I have never seen anything like this.  I mean, people are wearing shirts with Obama’s face on them.  The only good note is that vendors are making up these shirts on their own and hawking them on street corners.  Yes, they too have been checked by security.

By the way, don’t mention you are a conservative here.  You will get yelled at.  I arrived at the airport, told a few people I was in media and I wanted to leave it at that.  But, they didn’t let me off the hook.  They kept asking what kind of media.  I finally relented telling them I was a talk show host.  Oh, did they love that.  It was like I just had thrown a pack of red meat to the wolves.  They started yelling and screaming about being a conservative.  Look, I make no apologies about being a conservative.  At the same time, I don’t always agree with conservatives.  These people at the airport have never met me, never talked to me and they were very quick to judge me.  Why the quick hostility?  There is no doubt there is more hostility coming from the Democrats than the Republicans.  I have seen so many people filled with so much hate already.  It’s only been two days.  I’m sure it will only get worse as the week wears on.

Check out this photo gallery from the Rocky Mountain News to see protestors yelling at the police officers and getting right up in their faces.

Here is our photo gallery!

Ankarlo’s Book on Sale Now

Ankarlo’s new book, Another Man’s Sombrero, is on sale now in bookstores. You can also pick up a copy from Barnes & Noble by clicking here.

The first book signing was a success. Thanks to everyone who came out! Check out the slide show here.

Ankarlo’s next book signing is Thursday July 24th from Noon until 1pm at the Barnes & Noble at 3111 W. Chandler Blvd. The store is located on the southwest corner of the 101 and W. Chandler Blvd. For directions click here.

Official Press Release:

Not since the Civil War has America been so divided over such a seemingly unsolvable issue as U.S. immigration policy.

The president and congress are at an impasse, while vigilante groups patrol our nation’s borders looking for one of the million yearly invaders. Why are 20 million people disregarding America’s sovereign borders and laws to come to this country? Popular radio host Darrell Ankarlo follows the lives of several Mexican citizens as they contemplate their existence south of the border, their temptation to sneak into America, and what waits for them here. To understand the issue first-hand, Ankarlo stared down gun barrels, was caught in the middle of a drug-lord showdown, and then wandered the Arizona desert after illegally sneaking back into America. Another Man’s Sombrero explores issues raised by these personal stories and offers perspectives-often contradictory-from U.S. citizens.

Daily Links

How many properties does McCain own?  Well, he isn’t sure.  But, politico.com says he owns up to eight.  Let me clarify, his wife owns up to 8.  Here is a map of McCain’s houses.

Vaccine fears is being blamed for a recent increase in the number of cases of measles.  There have been 131 in the first seven months of 2008.  There were only 42 last year.

Scientists say dogs are learning moral behavior from humans.

A professor who flew into Stanford to give a guest lecture actually billed the school $11 to offset his carbon footprint.  Would you try this next time you travel for business?

2 pregnant women stole a Glendale police bait car.  Why?

Another strange story involving Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman.  This time he wrote a judge a letter on behalf of a drunk driver.  The drunk driver, Raymond Kohan, killed Sean Andujar in May 2007 while driving under the influence.   Kohan has two prior DUIs as well.  In his letter to the judge, Berman writes, “in light of Raymond’s extreme remorse and his volunteer work with cancer patients, I urge you to be compassionate and grant Raymond probation with no prison sentence.”

The International Olympic Committee is launching an investigation of Chinese gymnast, He Kexin.

If you don’t make the cheerleading squad, you might work harder and try again next year.  But, in Oklahoma, one mom was so upset her daughter didn’t make the cut she shocked a coach with a taser.

Mayor Phil Gordon gave his illegal immigration speech in Washington, D.C. yesterday.

The US strikes a missile defense deal with the Ukraine and with Poland.  Russia is seeking a new weapons deal with Syria.  Russia already sold anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, will they step up their sales in order to hit back at America?

The self-deportation program is over.  The sad part is several people in our government thought this was a good enough idea to actually go forward with.  Way to go Feds.  Thanks for wasting more of my money.

Daily Links

Ankarlo Mornings is live from the Biltmore today. Ankarlo will appear on stage with political pundits James Carville and Mary Matalin as part of our Talk The Vote coverage. This weekend, Ankarlo will fly to Denver to cover the Democratic Convention live.  After Obama speaks to 75,000 of his closet friends it’s off to St. Paul to broadcast live from the Republican Convention in St. Paul.  Then, after McCain gives his speech Ankarlo is back to Phoenix for the War Room Live on Sept. 5th with Glenn Beck, Mac Watson and Pat McMahon.

Could US troops be out of population centers in Iraq by 2009? The deal still needs final approval in Iraq, but either way it’s very interesting.

Talk the Vote: Voters want the economy to be front and center. Listen up Obama and McCain.

200,000 kids are physically punished in school. Some are being spanked with paddles. Wait, in America?

US and Poland OK a missile defense base. I’m sure Putin in Russia is loving that idea. Not so much. Russia has threatened to go beyond diplomacy to deal with the new agreement. Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice shot back saying basically, if you attack Poland you attack us.

Mark Spitz says Michael Phelps may have set the Olympic record with eight gold medals, but he still couldn’t beat me. Take it the pool then.

A Valley women is back in jail after stealing from her second husband. The funny part is she met her second husband while serving a jail sentence for stealing from her first husband. I’d say she has a problem.

PETA is looking buying Seaworld and releasing all the animals. I’m sure that will work well.

99 Cent stores could be raising their prices. Will they change their name to the 1.09 store?

Is Guitar Hero Saving Rock ‘N Roll?

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