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 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.

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.

August 13, 2008

Today on Ankarlo Mornings: Ankarlo is on a tear. 26-year old Eboni Perri plead guilty to charged of attempted child abuse. Judge Timothy Ryan sentenced her to lifetime probation after the county attorney’s office recommended a sentence of 15 years. Judge Ryan is not allowed to comment on individual cases, so there hasn’t been any comment there.

Here are the facts: 2-year old Nakeisha Walker died two days after her second birthday. She weighed 14 pounds at the time. There was no baby formula, cups, plates or utensils in the home. Nakeisha was also born with neurological problems due to her mother’s cocaine and marijuana use while she was pregnant. Her mom, Eboni Perri was taking her daughter to therapy, but inexplicably stopped a few months before her death. Perri also took out a life insurance policy on her daughter a month before she died. No jail time though. Thanks Judge Ryan.

In case you are wondering, Tracy Wareing runs Arizona’s Child Protective Services. CPS had been to Perri’s home five times.

Also today, Ankarlo says his show could be silenced if some in Congress have their way. The Fairness Doctrine could make a return.

Aug. 05, 2008

Today on Ankarlo Mornings: Does saying Obama is too skinny to be president mean you are a closet racist and talking in code words? Some think so. Ankarlo says that is just insane.

Ankarlo asks Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon why he took shots at Sheriff Joe Arpaio while he was in Washington, D.C.

A few liberal commentators have said McCain’s celebrity ad featuring Paris Hilton is filled with phallic symbols. What!? Are we stretching this far just to make a political point?

Daily Links

China unsafe? An attack kills 16 policeman. The attack is tied to terrorists.

Anthrax suspect allegedly had a sorority obsession.

Israeli parents forget their daughter at the airport. This is a true Home Alone moment.

A farmer welcomed his new neighbors when they first moved in. But, then they started complaining about his farm. They said there were too many mosquitoes and flies. The farmer responded by putting a fence by parking three cars between their properties.

A Florida man called 9-1-1 after his Subway sandwich didn’t have any sauce.

German police women will be given bullet proof bras. What’s next a bullet proof jock strap?

The House of Representatives might be on August recess. But, that didn’t stop Republicans from taking to the floor to demand the Democrats come back and vote on offshore oil drilling. Is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi silently urging Democrats to vote for offshore drilling?

Phoenix police nab 2 ID thieves charged with stealing up to 180K.

A Tempe robber almost got away with it. Until he fell asleep from exhaustion.

The Wall Street Journal wrote a column asking if Obama was too skinny to become President since most of the nation is overweight. But, did “skinny” really mean “black?”

Welcome back the “women only” hotel floors as hotels begin marketing to female business travelers.

The New York Times says you might want to hang on to your SUV for now because you aren’t going to get good value if you trade it in.

Obama compared himself to Paris Hilton back in 2005. So why all the fuss about the McCain ad? Oh, because a presidential election is at stake.

An Ohio inmate claims he is too fat for lethal injection. He says it might be too painful for him. Electric chair anyone?

The US has extended its pilot program to allow Mexican trucks into the US and US trucks into Mexico.

Good news out of Iraq? Is Al-Sadr turning his rebel Army into a civic organization?

Move On is joining with Obama to attack the Big Oil companies.

Sheriff Joe and tent city go green.

Operation “Scheduled Departure” starts today. Illegal immigrants can show up to the ICE offices and the US government will help them get back home.

We Buy Manipulation!

Recently I had the chance to watch a documentary on the 2002 Bolivian election process called “We Manage Crisis.” It’s a film about James Carville’s political consulting firm and how they used American resources and tactics to direct that country’s future.

In the film they are upfront about planting stories about rival candidates in order to sully their names, using focus groups to find key issues that the politician can claim even if they don’t care about it and basically, the art of lying to the citizens in order to win. As I watched the strategy sessions and consulting meetings unfold I kept thinking about our process and how people like this are manipulating us daily. They want us to get angry about the price of oil, race, old age or crime and magically—that’s what we are debating. If one guy creates his message to get us to go north, the other one crafts one headed south.

The Bolivian experiment ended in anarchy and death in the streets—here, it just ends in our electing a person whose image is carefully crafted and his words are exactly what we tell him we want to hear. So, as we lose more and more of our rights—are they just doing what we’ve told them we expect?

August 1, 2008

Today on Ankarlo Mornings the staff is spread all over the place. Pablo is off. Darrin and Rob remain in Phoenix. Diane is in Flagstaff at Cardinals camp and Ankarlo is in Vegas. Diane reports from camp with Ron Wolfley and Kurt Warner.

Obama calls for a tax on Exxon Mobil and other oil companies to pay for another stimulus package. Ankarlo says socialism.

Ankarlo also chats about Sheriff Joe Arpaio latest. He arrested food vendors yesterday and all 11 of them turned out to be illegal immigrants.

Daily Links

A man’s wife ran away with a younger man. So he decided to get revenge by selling her wedding dress on Ebay to help pay for his divorce.

Since everyone has a cell phone camera, the NYPD is calling on citizens to turn in videos of crimes they might have filmed. Citizen policia!

A new poll shows the majority of Floridians support offshore drilling. Will that help McCain come November?

John Edwards is involved in a little controversy. He was caught sneaking around a hotel around 2am and says it was nothing. But, there are rumors out there he fathered a love child. Well, it turns out the love child’s birth certificate doesn’t name a father.

A California judge has ruled that cell phone early termination fees are illegal. But, isn’t it a contract you sign? So are all contracts null and void? What if you wanted to turn your car in early and stop paying for it?

A teacher is suing a school district because they failed to expel a violent student. The suit claims the injuries the teacher received were a direct result of no discipline. Usually, this happens the other way around.

If you ever wonder why the government fails you, here is one example: The Minnesota Department of Transportation emergency response director was fired after the tragic bridge collapse. Rightly so. But, the federal Department of Homeland Security hired her after her termination. I feel safe.

Should Brett Favre accept $20 million to stay retired?

Sheriff Joe arrests street vendors for health violations, but they are also here illegally.

Scottsdale red light cameras are going to catch illegal left turns too.

An Arizona sex offender law is causing controversy. Minors who are convicted as sex offenders could have their records wiped clean.

The country’s jobless rate ticked up today to 5.7%.

The first lawsuit in connection with the deadly Phoenix helicopter crash has been filed.

July 31, 2008

Today on Ankarlo Mornings: Should any public agencies be allowed to advertise even for the public good? The Ankarlo team has a debate. Ankarlo, Darrin, and Diane say yes. Rob, on the other hand, doesn’t like the idea. County Attorney candidate Gerald Richard called in to join the discussion.

Steven Camarota from the Center For Immigration Studies explains his new findings. America’s illegal immigration population has dropped 11% largely due to stepped up enforcement.

Ankarlo also wonders today, why John McCain’s new ad (found in the videos section of this website) has become about race.

Investigative journalist Benjamin Dover talks to Ankarlo about the real estate bailout bill and NASA is paying people to stay in bed for 3 months!

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