Obama and McCain Meet – First Meeting Since Election

Why It Matters

This afternoon, in Chicago, Illinois, John McCain will make good on supporting his former rival, president-elect Barack Obama. Senator McCain and President-elect Obama will be meeting this afternoon.

If you saw the concession speech of Senator McCain, then you likely saw the ‘real’ John McCain. At least, you saw John McCain at his best. It was genuine, sincere, from his heart. In fact, anyone with ‘ohs, ahs or boos’ were silenced as he shared his true feelings. Thus, the meeting today between the two, is not surprising.

My field of training and expertise causes me to sit up and take notice of the underlying attitudes of people. The underlying attitudes of two candidates that are so publicly displayed in a political election reveal several things about the private person and his/her true motives and desires.

With that said, I’m going venture far out on the limb and ask what I felt all along in this presidential election. That is,

Did John McCain really want to be president?

Now before you fire off an email to me, hear me out.

Most of us who have any voice at all in the personal development/self help industry, separate politics (and particularly campaigns) from our philosophies that we assert in our books, products, speeches and articles. We allow the deepest desire to ‘always keep everything positive’ our primary aim. I know. I do it myself.

However, I can’t help but listen intently and watch the actions of such public figures and search for their true meaning..

The first obvious sign to me that McCain really didn’t want to the office was when he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Whether she was qualified or not, no one knew who she was or anything about her. The strategy of having her on the ticket, in that moment, could only be a move to secure the female vote that might have gone for Hilary Clinton.

The fact is, most Republican lawmakers and party loyalists stood there and must have at least thought, “What is he doing? Again, no judgment on her qualifications. No one knew anything about her except that she was a governor of a state with an entire population equivalent to the city of El Paso, Texas.

Though ridiculous barbs were thrown back and forth between these two men who will be meeting today, Senator McCain’s campaign (including Governor Palin) ventured into the arena of being at least soiled campaigning if not down right dirty. The media would say that this in itself ’sends and underlying message’ to the American people. I read it as, ‘look at him/her, they are bad; I’m the only one left in this campaign. Vote, but don’t vote for the other guy.’

Too many campaigns have used manipulative fear to get voters’ votes. This election was no exception. To me, the negative campaigning sends a negative message to the American people. I believe that the American people are savvy to such. You may not find it in the media, but I believe that it does exist in the hearts and minds of people.
Today’s meeting of these two men contributes to the ideal of the past two weeks historic events.

I know that John McCain cares deeply about America. I don’t just believe that he offered his life once for this country. I believe that he would do likewise today. To humble himself as he did in his concession speech and now, to reach out so quickly to his for opponent by having this meeting today, I believe is a sign that there is indeed tremendous hope for America.

I applaud both men believe that they have been instrumental in making a positive turn for our country.

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Michael Murphy is the author of ‘Powerful Attitudes’
Email: mike@positiveattitudes.com

Advice and dissent: Obama Reaches Out To Ex-Rivals

Why on earth would anyone reach out to someone who had treated them so brutally in front of the entire world? That’s the question that many are likely asking President-elect Obama. Has he lost his mind? Is he a glutton for punishment.

Think again.

President-elect Obama proved his character in the campaign. In my humble opinion, that’s what got him elected.

I watched this whole campaign, allowing each event, each attack, each accusation, each pointed finger and each ludicrous supposition. I kept a keen eye on the tactics and attitude that prevailed in each candidate.

Attitude reveals character. Character is strength in the end.

All throughout the campaign, President-elect Obama persistently treated his opponents with fairness, integrity and as much compassion as can be had in political elections. Many in the Democratic party were wanting him to come out stronger against Senator McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin. Then Senator Obama restrained much of what he could have done in retaliation to some of the more vicious attacks.

Why did he take this position?

I believe that deeply in his own heart and mind, he knew that answering every ludicrous slur about him (i.e. palin’ around with terrorists, being a radical Muslim, being a radical Christian, blah, blah, blah…) would not work in this favor. He restrained himself and his campaign from making the run for president any kind of personal attack or vendetta against his opponent.

Bottomline, dirty campaigning doesn’t work.

The American people are smart enough to elect officials based on ‘what they are for; what we believe they can do’ and not how bad the other guy is. In essence, don’t give us, ‘my opponent is a bad, bad man so don’t vote for him. Oh…..and…..I’m the only other one on the ballot, so, ‘vote for ME!’

Politicians underestimate the wisdom of the people who go into the poll boothes. Almost intuitively, we see through the dirty tricks, the fear mongering, the ‘those people are bad’ tactics. The truth is, throughout history, the candidate that campaigned the dirtiest, with an onslaught of personal attacks on his opponent, has almost always lost their campaign.

So what would President-elect Obama seek the help of his former rivals?

I believe that he is using the wisdom of a Lincoln to pull this country together. He knows that if he can win the hearts of his former opponents then he can win the hearts of the 48% of Americans who didn’t vote for him. His appointments of former rivals can be the most powerful force in turning around what we are presently facing in this country and the world.

Though I declare no affiliation with either party, I applaud what I’m seeing right now. I believe it is vital in leading us to many answers our country and the world needs right now. Let’s learn from this example. Unity is power. Let us continue to remember that we are ‘one nation’. Let’s regain the respect of the world!

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Michael Murphy is the author of ‘Powerful Attitudes’. He is a speaker, author and positive living business and personal coach. Visit his website at http://www.positiveattitudes.com or write him at mike@positiveattitudes.com .

Why McCain Lost

I’m going to begin this post by saying that I’m no expert on political matters nor do I want to be. I look at things from a greater distance rather than getting captured into being a ‘Republican’ or ‘Democrat.’ I did come from my first voting experience and was empowered to help elect Ronald Reagan. In my view, the greatest president of our era.

What that said, I want to share some things that I believe at least hurt McCain from getting elected.

Almost every time I heard a McCain speech, he was ‘against’ President-elect Obama. This was especially evident in the debates. Such phrases as, ‘what Senator Obama doesn’t understand is…….’. Then outside of the debates the constant attempts to connect President-elect Obama with Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright and other radicals, did little to instill enough fear in the American people to not vote for him (Obama). Governor Palin did little to gain any credibility with the public with her similar attacks.

I think that the American people are smarter than most politicians give them credit for. On a deeper intuitive level, we don’t like negative, ‘attack the opponent’ campaigning. To attack the ‘dirt’ of the opponent is a mindless and spineless way to win people over to your way of thinking. I see it as attempting to convey, ‘hey, that guy over there is bad! Let me show you how bad. Now that you know that he/she is bad, I’m the only other choice you have.’

The American people don’t want to hear what you’re against and why. We want to know what you are for and why. The latter takes a level of intelligence. The former can be designed at the local bar.

I don’t want to vote for you because I’m scared of him/her. That tells me nothing about you. That reveals nothing that a couple of junior high school adolescents can’t do.

Negativity, including negative politics, is not the way of progress for the future. McCain, being a self proclaimed maverick, would have done better to run against President Bush’s disasterous record and failures than to attempt to ‘inform’ us on all that President-elect Obama ‘may’ have done or been.

Senator McCain made an amazing concession speech the other night. Not because he was giving up and relenting his campaign. But because he was honestly speaking from his heart and showing us what we wanted to see from him all throughout his campaign.

I spoke with an ex-green beret and highly decorated African American soldier this morning. His observation was, that if McCain had run his campaign based on the positive change that he was going to bring about in our country, there would have been no stopping him. He went on to say that if Senator McCain had adopted the attitude that he displayed during his concession speech, then, he would have likely won the election.

So why am I weighing in on the election when I stay as far away from politics as I can?

Positive attitudes always prevail. The light always dispels the darkness. It takes ‘zero’, ‘zilch’, ‘nada’, intelligence to curse the darkness. It takes proactive intelligence to turn on the light.

I’ll end by saying that I believe John McCain to be a very good man. He is a dedicated war hero. He has given his life to you and me (this country). I believe that about him. I believe that he is due the honor that he rightfully deserves. AND, I don’t believe that his attacks on President-elect Obama originated with him. I can’t prove that. But that is what I believe. I believe someone else set forth that strategy.

Bottom line is, it didn’t work. Nor will it work for anyone else.

The world is looking for leaders. Ronald Reagan didn’t sit by the sidelines and curse Communism. He used intelligence to over come it. You won’t get far at all in your life pointing out the ills of our world. You will be respected and even honored when you choose to find solutions with a positive, progressive attitude. Adopt one for the rest of your life.

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Michael Murphy is the author of the breakthrough book, ‘Powerful Attitudes’. Go to http://www.lulu.com/content/400603 . He is also radio host of ‘Power Points For Positive Living’. You can visit his website at http://www.positiveattitudes.com or email him at mike@positiveattitudes.com .

Flesh and Spirit

In the ancient story of the ‘Frat Twins’ (as in fraternal), there exists a clear illustration of the war that rages within most of us.

The ‘Frat Twins’ of course, are Jacob and Esau. The story reveals that they waged a mighty struggle within their mother’s womb. In fact, when they were born, Esau came out first with Jacob laying hold of his brother’s foot. It was almost like, “You’ve got to get back here. I’m suppose to be first.” Interestingly enough, that’s how it played out in their lives.

Esau was a hairy baby (yuck!). Jacob was smooth skinned. Esau was red headed. Jacob, well, might have been bald for all we know.

Jacob, whose name meant, ‘the supplanter’, figured out a way to trick their father, Issac, into giving him first inheritance rights as if he were the old of the two boys. Tradition was firm in that which ever of a twin comes out first, will have the rights of the ‘firstborn.’

These boys were what we would call, ‘third generation wealthy.’ Their grandfather, Abraham, had moved to his land of promise in order to build a dynasty. His wealth was so widespread that he had to part ways with his nephew two generations back. By the time these two boys came along, the wealth had only multiplied.

Throughout their lives, Jacob always got the upper hand on Esau. Esau struggled as prophesied by Issac. Jacob flourished and apparently made his deceptions pay off. Today we would describe Esau as a bit slow. Jacob was always one step ahead of him.

Jacob tricked Issac into giving him ‘first rights’ to the inheritance that Issac would leave. Jacob tricked Esau into giving up his rights. And then, when it really matter the most, as Isaac laid on his death bed, Jacob dressed up (hairy bod and all) and went into to ultimately procure his ‘first rights.’

My chosen mentor from another generation and from a day that I was not even born, Neville Goddard, interprets this biblical passage through his writings.

Neville sees Esau as this body of flesh. As the scriptures describe it, ‘the old man.’ This is the position of most people before enlightenment as graced their path. It is the place of struggle. Always coming up a day late and many dollars short. It is the place where the ego (Edging God Out) always attempts to ‘be in charge.’ However, it proves to be a place of frustration, futility and failure.

Jacob, on the other hand, is revealed as being the ‘Christ man.’ One who is like Jesus Christ. He is the ’spiritual man’, created to be like God in true character and practice. At one point, the story tells us that Jacob even got into a wrestling duel with an angel. Again, to make sure and procure his blessing.

Jesus said that those who are warriors and winners in their faith, ‘lay hold’ of the Kingdom of Heaven. They are those who understand that the battle to be one is not of the fleshly nature. It is one of overcoming the supremacy of the earthly nature and lives from a place of power, from the spirit. For the prophet did say, ‘It is not by (human) power, nor by (human) might, but by my Spirit.’

The life lived by the Spirit is the life that is lived from within. I’ve shared many times that those who live from the outward appearances of life, will live ‘without’. Those who live from the Spirit live from ‘within’. If you live from ‘without’, you’ll end up ‘without’. If you live from ‘within’, you’ll find the Kingdom of God.

The story of the ‘Frat Twins’ tell us to live life from within. As Neville says it, ‘living from the place of the Imagination.’ It is creating your life from the blueprint of the inner images, sounds, emotions and spiritual leadings. It is trusting ‘Christ within you’ to be your solid and assured hope of winning and inheriting the truly abundant life that we are promised.

Are you living from ‘within’? If so, you’ll find the greatest storehouse of wisdom, riches, happiness and love. If you are not living from ‘within’, caring for, nurturing and building your ‘inner man’, then choose to do starting today.

Follow me as I follow this path. I’ll share my insights, wisdoms, subtle leadings and revelations. Come on this path of the Spirit with me.

Simplicity of ‘Life Change’

Say this Powerfirmation aloud
(or under your breath if
you’re sitting at your desk
with others around).

“My dreams are possible for me.
(your firstname), your dreams are
possible for you.
(your first and last name)’s
dreams are possible for him/her.”

What you say to yourself determines
how you think about yourself. It
really is THAT simple.

Your subconscious mind is a
‘learning center.’ It’s listening
to what your conscious mind (your
chosen words) is telling it.

Like a small child, your subconscious
believes everything that it is told.
Positive or negative.

Unlike a child, your subconscious
is like Superman. It can do and will
do whatever it is told.

It is, powerful, totally trusting and
obedient. It also remembers everything.

The REALLY SUPER GOOD NEWS is, if it
is not serving you what you want
from life, it CAN be retrained.

This fact has been proven over and over
again.

I create tools to take years off
of the ‘retraining process’ for
you. That’s what Powerfirmations is
all about.

Go get the first audio tool that I
created for the retraining process.
It is called ‘Instant Success Immersion’.

It is masterfully engineered with the
right language for powerful retraining
and with binaural beats (a type of
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Give yourself a massive advantage by
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Keep on believing in your dreams!

Here to help,

Michael Murphy

P.S. If you have been thinking about
getting a life coach, I have some
time slots available right now.
They probably won’t be there long.

If you’re interested, write me back
and let me know that you are interested
in me coaching you to live your dreams.

You’ll take your success level up at
blazing speed.

Write me at mike@positiveattitudes.com if
you’re interested. It will be the best
investment you’ll ever make in
yourself.

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