"Columnists such as David Broder and George Will of the Washington Post or Maureen Dowd and Paul Krugman of The New York Times specialize in the politics, policies and events in our government. They talk face-to-face with world and national leaders and, on occasion, travel inside countries where their interviews are salted with bullets and bombs.
Although they may lean to one party or candidate at times, their experience says they are experts.
Me? I can speak only as a "woman on the street," one of many who aren't intimately familiar with each candidate and glean what we know from the media. But here are some of my thoughts.
McCain supports the Iraq war and supported a bill for amnesty for illegal immigrants. But what strikes me most about McCain, even though I don't agree with his stand on the war, is that he is an American hero. Five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam should count for something.
Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani or McCain? I can't help but like the war hero.
What is Clinton's strength in this contest? She and Bill Clinton are a "two-fer." Two heads are better than one, they say, and I agree. What's better than a former successful president as the "first gentleman?"
There are times — I've followed her climb though the years — that Hillary seems too formed by her political machine — almost robotlike.
Yet, this woman on the street's opinion is although I like Obama and what he stands for, I think Hillary Clinton or the Clintons could put the country on the right track."
Get the Story:Bring on McCain versus Clinton (The Grand Forks Herald 12/15)
pwpwd More Dorreen Yellow Bird:
Yellow Bird: UND graduates Indian nurses (12/12)
Yellow Bird: Candy shop in Grand Forks creative (12/11)
Yellow Bird: Teachers and cultural sensitivity (12/5)
Yellow Bird: Instant wealth in a poor community (11/29)
Yellow Bird: Don't feel guilty about Thanksgiving (11/22)
Yellow Bird: Indian people take care of their own (11/19)
Yellow Bird: From 'Nutcracker' to a 'Beat Down' (11/14)
Yellow Bird: Ghosts haunt Standing Rock veteran (11/7)
Yellow Bird: Reservation center helps those in need (11/5)
Yellow Bird: Put an end to 'Fighting Sioux' nick (10/31)
Yellow Bird: Generosity of Shakopee Tribe (10/24)
Yellow Bird: Foreign journalists shared cultural gifts (10/22)
Yellow Bird: Domestic violence happens every day (10/15)
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Yellow Bird: The BIA and its broken promises (10/8)
Yellow Bird: Halloween marks coming of winter (10/3)
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Yellow Bird: No manual for learning Indian culture (9/26)
Yellow Bird: Exploring the Dahlen esker (9/24)
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Yellow Bird: A short but sweet wild fruit season (9/17)
Yellow Bird: Crying out for better role models (9/12)
Yellow Bird: Sharing culture brings understanding (9/10)
Yellow Bird: Indians don't get 'free ride' at UND (9/5)
Yellow Bird: North Dakota not the next Tornado Alley (8/29)
Yellow Bird: Time for smoke-free tribal casinos (8/27)
Yellow Bird: Elvis Presley still the king of rock'n'roll (8/20)
Yellow Bird: Inside and outside the Sundance circle (8/15)
Yellow Bird: Abuse of Indians reaches back in history (8/13)
Yellow Bird: Preparing for the ritual of the Sundance (07/25)
Yellow Bird: Re-examining tribal governments (7/23)
Yellow Bird: Chippewa man leaves strong legacy (7/18)
Yellow Bird: Seeing history through modern eyes (7/16)
Yellow Bird: Following the Lewis and Clark trail (7/11)
Yellow Bird: Be careful shopping in the wild (7/9)
Yellow Bird: Indians were foreigners in own land (7/5)
Yellow Bird: Yellowstone River needs protection (7/2)
Yellow Bird: Change comes but we can't forget past (6/25)
Yellow Bird: Festival days and prairie nights (6/20)
Yellow Bird: The case of the $54 million pants (6/18)
Yellow Bird: Monarch butterfly a special creature (6/13)
Yellow Bird: Graduates inspire with their lives (6/6)
Yellow Bird: Meth walks our reservations (6/4)
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Yellow Bird: Remember heroes on Memorial Day (5/28)
Yellow Bird: Blogger lacks facts about Indian life (5/22)
Yellow Bird: Indian culture changes in subtle ways (5/16)
Yellow Bird: Wolf knew it was ready to cross over (5/14)
Yellow Bird: Woman sees world with understanding (5/9)
Yellow Bird: Indian women and spiritual leadership (5/7)
Yellow Bird: Tighten gun control laws in North Dakota (5/3)
Yellow Bird: Easy ways at becoming more green (4/30)
Yellow Bird: School shootings just don't 'happen' (4/18)
Yellow Bird: The Red River Valley Flood of 1997 (4/9)
Yellow Bird: Women of color share their views (4/5)
Yellow Bird: UND powwow needs your support (4/2)
Yellow Bird: UTTC begs for funding year after year (3/26)
Yellow Bird: Even more about colon cancer screening (3/21)
Yellow Bird: Remembering my aunt/mother, Pearl (3/19)
Yellow Bird: Colon cancer screening essential (3/14)
Yellow Bird: Return land to North Dakota tribe (3/12)
Yellow Bird: Native Media Center at UND prospers (3/7)
Yellow Bird: Woody Keeble a true American hero (3/5)
Yellow Bird: Cell phone addiction affects driving (2/28)
Yellow Bird: UND has many reasons to be proud (2/26)
Yellow Bird: Signs of spring already in the air (2/21)
Yellow Bird: US automakers ignore innovation (2/19)
Yellow Bird: Tribes should snuff out smoking too (2/14)
Yellow Bird: On being Black or Indian 'enough' (2/9)
Yellow Bird: Braving the cold North Dakota winter (2/5)
Yellow Bird: Chokecherry for North Dakota state fruit (1/31)
Yellow Bird: Name-calling and bullying in schools (1/24)
Yellow Bird: Climate change impossible to ignore (1/17)
Yellow Bird: Tribes can help Indian doctors program (1/15)
Yellow Bird: Tribes have much to offer North Dakota (1/11)
Yellow Bird: Catching a ride on the Dakota wind (1/2)
