Bernard Pivot is a famous French journalist and interviewer. He is most well known for the group of questions he asked each of his guests on his show called “Apostrophes”. Each question was designed to better define guests in the eyes of those watching and more importantly helped to cast aside their celebrity in favor of a more human view. Pivot adapted his questions from Marcel Proust’s Questionnaire that was created to understand personality.

MyLamppost asks the same questions of the people it profiles in People You Need to Know About:

Dean M.L. Cissy Petty

1. What is your favorite word? Hilarious
2. What is your least favorite word? No
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Writing the perfect essay, taking a picture that tells a story
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? People who are duplicitous
5. What sound or noise do you love? The sound of the ocean
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Music jamming next to me in another car
7. What is your favorite curse word?I don’t usually curse. When I do…say if I hurt myself, I say them all as if in one big long sentence. One of my closest friends always emails “wtf” when she wants my attention. She makes me laugh; she’s a preacher’s kid.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Marine biologist studying dolphin and whales
9. What profession would you not like to do? Waitressing
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Everyone you’ve ever loved, your family, friends and pets are all right here.

The following essay is about Dean Cissy Petty, a lifelong Student Affairs officer. It’s written by a former student of hers and bears witness to the fact that, oftentimes, the least known among us are the most influential.

She’s done this numerous times before. It hasn’t changed in the past 15 years. But the reality today is this, I have never done it before, and I am nervous, very nervous. I know I don’t need to be, but for some reason I am.

“Name? asks the young man behind the counter, who does not look much older than me.

“Danielle, Danielle Weaver”

“Danielle all right on your name tag?”

“Yes, that’d be great, thank you.”

He hands me the blue mesh bag filled with everything I need the next four days. I realize; this is it. This is the start of the rest of my life. I have chosen a career path. As I turn around, I realize she is there, the one who has always been there, she was there, standing behind me on campus, supporting me in my leadership roles for the first two years of my undergraduate career, she was there in spirit, standing behind me when my dad was deathly ill, and she was there, standing behind me, watching me in spirit as I was handed my diploma from St. Lawrence University in May of 2007 and now she was truly standing behind me as I registered for my first NASPA conference.

“How does it feel, you just registered for your first professional conference?” Dean Petty questions.

“Pretty cool,” I utter, for a lack of words.

We make our way into the opening speaker; a colleague of hers had saved two seats for us. I get lost in my thoughts as we are awaiting the opening speaker. I think about how surreal it is that my former Dean of Students stood behind me as I registered for my first professional conference. She knows that she is largely responsible for my choice to enter into the realm of student affairs. I do wonder if she knows how much she has really impacted my life.

Now that I am in graduate school pursuing my master’s degree, I get books that are ‘required reading’ for her, not for class. She wants me to be the best student affairs professional I can possibly be. Over the course of the next three days, I would be introduced to a variety of student affairs professionals who have been in the field longer than I have been alive. Dean Petty introduces me to her friends, both old and new in order to enlarge my network. She knows next year I have no set location in mind and I can go anywhere and do anything as a young professional. She just wants to see me succeed, and be happy both professionally and personally.

Even though I have not seen Dean Petty in three years prior to this conference, her presence was felt in my daily life. Her travels during her year-long sabbatical took her all over the United States and she finally landed at a southern university. I would get e-mails from Oregon, the mid-west and the east coast.

Her notes of inspiration, “Dean’s Dailies”, a daily e-mail which contained a quote, poem or just a positive thought always made me realize I am part of something bigger than I realize, and that at the end of the day it would be alright - whatever ‘it’ was. Even though it was a mass email, it’s a way for her to connect. Some days I felt as if ‘the daily’ was chosen just for me, other days, I realize the words were for one of the hundreds of other students whose lives she has impacted.

Even though Dean Petty is on the other side of the country, spreading her knowledge, passion, love and energy for Student Affairs, I know that anytime I need her, she is standing behind me, loving me, supporting me, challenging me, encouraging me, but perhaps most importantly, I know that she will always be my dean, and nothing will ever change that.

Counting Democratic pledged and super delegates, Barack Obama still maintains a healthy lead going into the next primary elections in Indiana and North Carolina on May 6th. Hillary Clinton is still trailing Obama by 125 delegates, 150 if you just count pledged delegates. Does Clinton still have a chance of upending Obama? Can she surpass him? Can she convince the super delegates that she is the best choice and despite what the pledged delegate count says, that she is the candidate that should receive the super delegate endorsement? If she does, she will be the Democratic nominee. Obama has alot of work in front of him. it didn’t have to be like this, Barack.

What happened in the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary?
In the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, there were lots of voters who decided their vote at the last minute and among those last minute voters about 60% voted for Clinton. Clinton also received alot of blue collar type votes, lots of women votes and lots of older votes.

But the real question is, why, after months and months of getting to know Clinton and Obama, are there so many people deciding their vote at the last minute? Are people wanting to vote for Obama but still walking uneasy not knowing what’s behind the rhetoric? Did the last debate held on April 16th have anything to do with it? The debate was watched by more Americans (10 million) than any other debate we’ve had so far in this 2008 Presidential Primary season.

Obama is definitely getting rocked a bit by probing interview questions but I guess that comes with the turf when you’re the front-runner because the the only negative to standing on the front-runner throne is that we Americans like to bounce you off of it. Pretty large negative. Just ask Britney Spears. Clinton began her campaign stating emphatically that she was more than prepared to be the next Commander-in-Chief, citing experience in the Oval Office as First Lady and as Senator from New York. Obama can’t match her record as hard as he tries - one term as Illinois Senator - so has tried to rely on rhetoric - “CHANGE” - and endorsements (read: fundraising).

Many American voters will prop you up on good looks and rhetoric but, in the end, it really does boil down to issues and experience which may explain teh high number of last minute voters in Pennsylvania. When pressed by the media about the effect on revenues given an increase in the capital gains tax, Obama seemed ill-prepared to answer. (The question was based on that fact that government revenues actually increased when the capital gains tax was cut. Conversely, government revenues decreased when the capital gains rate was increased.)

We are entering the proverbial 4th quarter of the 2008 Democratic Primary season. It is one thing to build a lead, another to maintain it and quite another to preserve it when the momentum swings to your opponent. American voters are asking the tough questions (through the media and blogs) and this requires that a few layers of Obama’s “issue onion” be peeled back. What is underneath the “CHANGE” rhetoric? Does he understand economics, social policy, foreign policy. Is he poised enough? When TV viewers witness frustration, discontent and non-answers, they project that on to other issues, challenges and confrontations. Can Obama stand strong against other foreign leaders? Can he ably negotiate with Republicans if the Democrats do not gain a majority in the mid-term elections? Basically, does he really and truly “get it”?

Clinton, on the other hand, is somewhat ascerbic and not as good-looking as Obama. She lacks charisma and really does have a whiney voice. Does she have to continually yell into that microphone of hers? Does she think I can’t hear her? But, in the end, who do you trust in the White House? Clinton is right. She has been there. She has had on-the-job training and was given Presidential-type responsibilities while acting as First Lady. She is smart, like Obama, but seems better prepared to stand up to resistance, discontent and threats. She seems better prepared to lead.

The opinon of the Lamppost is this: Obama could have secured the Democratic nomination a while back but super delegates, and now regular voters, are wondering if he really is
better than Clinton and if he even has a chance in hell of beating McCain. So many super delegates are worried, in our opinion, that he will be swallowed whole by McCain. And, we
tend to think this is possible because “change” rhetoric will not fly in the general Presidential election debates. The issues will be debated. A grasp of economics will be required. So will a pragmatic and experienced view of foreign policy.

The super delegates are awaiting a few things before they really commit to either Democratic candidate: one, they want to see how the country continues to vote in the seven (7 Democratic primaries that remain, and two, they will take measure of each as a viable opponent to John McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee for President. The feeling is that if Clinton continues to trail Obama in pledged delegate totals yet continues to mount momentum with primary victories, the super delegates will not support Obama and swing the nomination to Clinton. In effect, the race is tied. Whichi candidate will reach down and grab that “something extra” to convince us of his or her strength, intelligence, quick wit and poise?

Delegate totals are current as of the Pennsylvania Primary held on April 22, 2008. The Democratic nominee requires 2,025 delegates to be nominated; the Republican nominee needs 1,191 delegates to be nominated.

2008 Presidential Primary Results

IOWA - January 3, 2008

WYOMING - January 5, 2008

NEW HAMPSHIRE - January 8, 2008

MICHIGAN - January 15, 2008

January 19, 2008

NEVADA

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH CAROLINA - January 26, 2008

FLORIDA - January 29, 2008

MAINE - February 1, 2008

February 5, 2008 - SUPER TUESDAY

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

GEORGIA

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

KANSAS

MASSACHUSETTS

MINNESOTA

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH DAKOTA

OKLAHOMA

TENNESSEE

UTAH

WEST VIRGINIA

February 9, 2008

KANSAS

LOUISIANA

NEBRASKA

WASHINGTON

February 10, 2008

MAINE

February 12, 2008

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

February 19, 2008

HAWAII

WASHINGTON

WISCONSIN

March 4, 2008 - Little Super Tuesday - Clinton Survives, McCain Wins Nomination

OHIO

RHODE ISLAND

TEXAS

VERMONT

March 8, 2008

WYOMING

March 11, 2008

MISSISSIPPI

April 22, 2008

PENNSYLVANIA

May 6, 2008

INDIANA

NORTH CAROLINA

May 13, 2008

NEBRASKA

WEST VIRGINIA

May 20, 2008

KENTUCKY

OREGON

May 27, 2008

IDAHO

June 3, 2008

MONTANA

NEW MEXICO

SOUTH DAKOTA

Last week, in our post entitled Obama Sweeps 9 Primaries - Leads by Only 98 Delegates? we said that Hillary Clinton would have to win at least one of the large primaries on “Little Super Tuesday” in order to stay in the Democratic primary race.

Well, tonight Hillary Clinton regained her momentum and threw a pin into the momentum balloon that Barack Obama was riding. As of 9pm PST, Clinton has won Rhode Island and Ohio and is winning Texas with 58% of the precincts reporting. Earlier Obama won in Vermont.

So Who is Winning the Democratic Primary Race Now?

Even thought it’s early, let’s have some fun with the Democratic delegate counts adn assume that the vote percentages in each state as of 9pm PST hold true:

Updated Delegate Totals: Barack Obama would have 1,543 delegates and Hillary Clinton would have 1,473 delegates. Barack Obama would lead by 70 delegates but Clinton would have successfully stayed off Obama’s momentum, his message and a possible clinching Democratic nomination. Still, though, Clinton has alot of work to do to regain those 70 delegates and with apportioned delegates, it darned may be impossible unless she can whip off a winning streak similar to Obama’s the last month or convince the superdelegates to vote her way.

Who are you going to vote for President? My father tends to vote according to his wallet. My mother veers toward the religious issues, abortion rights chief among them.

It seems that your Presidential vote in November 2008 will be influenced by your personal agenda and then perhaps by your social standing. In other words, if you’re wealthy or a business owner, you may vote according to taxation ideology. If you’re Hispanic, African American or a woman, you may vote according to health insurance or taxation ideology. If you’re vote is influenced by religion, you may vote according to tenets outlined in your particular religious constitution, i.e., Bible, Koran, Torah, etc: chiefly abortion rights and same sex partnerships.

When Ronald Reagan, our 41st U.S. President who served from 1981 – 1989, ran for re-election, he asked if we were better off than we were 4 years earlier. In other words, did we have more money? Were we making more money? Did we have a good or better job? Did we feel good about our country? The populace seemed to get the point, agreed that they were better off, and elected him to a 2nd term overwhelming over Walter Mondale. I’m not a Reagan apologist. Many things did not go as planned. What I liked about him was that he had charisma, made us feel really good about being Americans, was able to criticize without extracting pounds of flesh (Berlin Wall speech comes to mind). Supply side economics (aka trickle down economics) didn’t work out the way he planned but his plan was new and revolutionary. Many benefited from his economic policies. Many didn’t. But, he tried. He believed in being a good person to his spouse, to his friends, to his colleagues in power. He was decent. He believed in wealth, did not punish those for being rich and tried to legislate a trickle down effect where millions of others could get rich also.

I am neither a conservative nor liberal. I believe in some ideologies promoted by both Republicans and Democrats. I also disagree with some ideologies promoted by both Parties.

• I am a business owner.
• I believe in helping people.
• I don’t believe in Imperialism.
• I do believe in maintaining a prepared self-defense system, i.e., military.
• I believe, from experience, that we need health insurance reform but think it’s necessary that it not be taken over by the State.
• I don’t think there should be a wide divide between rich and poor, at least between those that are rich and those that want to be rich. To those that want a monthly paycheck without working for it, well, I don’t want to pay for you.
• However, if you want to work but can’t, we’ll find a way to take care of you.
• If you’re a veteran and are handicapped mentally, physically or emotionally, my country should support you, reward you and thank you.
• I believe that smoking is not healthy but it doesn’t mean I advocate going into Tobacco Road in South Carolina and immediately eliminating 1,000’s of farming, infrastructure, and managerial jobs as well as family structures. Let’s create a plan to grow something else or retrain the affected population so that they can continue to work and live a meaningful, contributory life.
• I don’t believe in building walls to prevent people from entering our country especially after the symbol of our country in the 80’s - Reagan - sat atop the Berlin Wall and raged against that “communist symbol”.
• I also believe that emigration to the United States is a privilege and a right. Hispanics must promote, nurture and preserve their culture - continue to speak Spanish - but they must also learn to speak English like the Italian immigrants did in 1880-1920 when millions of them entered the United States to escape injustices, poverty and disease in Italy. Same should be said of Asians, Filipinos, Russians – all ethnic groups emigrating to the U.S. Preserve your traditions but help build a unified America. Sure, monitor emigration. Repel those that seek to hurt America. But, make a plan for those that can and want to contribute. Retrain immigrants like you would retrain workers on Tobacco Road.
• How about the War in Iraq? Not sure I was a proponent of the war in Iraq. But since we’re in there, why would we leave a political vacuum and potential unrest in a region uniformly known for 1,000’s of years of turmoil and unrest? Don’t you think that Obama or Clinton would immediately gain the advice of their military chiefs and, after say, 10 minutes, decide that we had to stay in after all? I’m not opponents of Clinton or Obama – I just don’t trust them on this issue. Obama could be naïve; Clinton’s been there. She knows better.
• And my last point: why must every Democrat seek to punish the rich? What is wrong with getting rich, being rich and staying rich? There are bad rich people and there are bad poor people. Sure, there are company executives that steal and cheat. There are still those executives that do everything legally yet everything immorally – accepting huge stock payoffs while 2,000 employees are laid off. Wrong message to send. But, what? We’re going to legislate against it? The media pick up on it and skewer these people anyway. They really don’t ever get away with it and they represent such a minor percentage of wealthy people anyway. Millions of people that are rich today didn’t begin life as wealthy people. However, they did see an America that allowed them to get rich. So, why should someone that risks everything, works tirelessly for 18 hours a day, pays taxes and employs people be punished because someday that risk pays off in the form of a lot of money? The stock market is famous for promoting the phrase “high risk, high reward”. If you risk your time and energy, social relationships, deferment of a home so you can pay an employee’s salary and oil bills, why would you not deserve to be wealthy? Do you know why Michael Jordan made $30 million in the last year of his contract with the Chicago Bulls? Because he made his owner 10x (guess) that amount throughout his playing days. Heck, his visits to the arenas of opponents were typically sold out events – how much money did he make for them? How much did he make for the entire NBA during his playing tenure? The $30m was a thank you note for all that he had done. He deserved it.

Do you know what millions of people with money do - including the rich, wealthy and upper middle class? They own businesses that employ millions of people. When interest rates are stable (and low enough) they build real estate, they add onto their plants, they buy machinery, they buy office supplies, they entertain at restaurants that employ cooks and waiters, they buy nice cars sold by car salesmen, take their cars to gas stations to buy gas from gas station owners. Their employees buy homes which have to be built by construction companies or financed by bankers or mortgage brokers. Finished raw materials for home construction must be purchased from lumber yards. Their employees get married and have kids. Kids eat a lot so there are many supermarket visits where a lot of fruits and vegetables are purchased. Fruits and vegetables are picked by farmers. Kids go to schools (and daycare) that employ teachers. The point is that there is a trickle down effect here. People make money in our capitalist system because others can afford to SPEND it.

Rich people, or let’s just say people with expendable income, also donate time and money to charities. I’m not naïve: many would not donate if the tax code did not provide incentive but… I’m also not naïve: many still would give to charities despite the tax law. Charities employ administrators who, in turn, designate donations to needy people.

So, again, I ask the question: why must there be advocates of increasing the taxes for rich people? Why not decrease taxes for the rich and middle class? Right, you ask, where’s the money going to come from?

We spend, what, a half billion dollars a day in Iraq? There is money in the budget to address social and financial disadvantage and misfortune. The problem is that the lobbies for the military are stronger than the homeless lobby. We just need, as a country, to get smart about keeping the dream alive for everyone that wants to participate in the dream.

In short, we are only as good as our weakest links: racial divides, class divides, laziness, obesity, imperialism, know-it-all-ism, homelessness, intolerance et al. Let’s get with it

So, who will you vote for? I’m thinking McClintama!

Yeah, yeah, Barack Obama has swept the past 9 consecutive democratic primaries by my count, has grabbed the spotlight and has the edge in charisma. As a result, you’d think that he was ahead by a McCain-country mile.

Well, after his 9-state sweep, Obama is ahead by only 98 delegates with the March 4th democratic primary elections upcoming. (On March 4th, Democratic state primaries are held in Rhode Island, Vermont, Texas, and Ohio.) Because the Democratic primaries were not winner take all primaries, Hillary Clinton was apportioned delegates based on her percentage of votes, thus keeping the 2nd place finisher in the race. But, it is getting tight now.

What does Obama’s 98 delegate lead mean? Is he ahead by a McCain country-mile or is the Democratic race basically tied?

If you look at the number of state primaries remaining (14) as well as the number of delegates up for grabs (922), you’d think the race was about tied and that no matter the results of March 4th, Hillary Clinton would still live to fight another day.

But, on closer look, it appears Hillary Clinton has to win either Ohio or Texas to remain in the race.

Here’s why:
Given the past 9 primaries, Obama has won by an average of 64%. Let’s say he sweeps the March 4th primaries (TX, OH, VT, RI) with the same vote percentage and let’s say Clinton takes the remaining 36%. Obama would win 237 out of 370 pledged delegates available while Clinton would capture 133, leaving them with 1,609 and 1,407 delegates, respectively. The math says that Obama would be ahead by 202 delegates, not counting superdelegates. A lead of 202 delegates with momentum could prove insurmountable given that the state primaries that follow, even though they represent the remaining 720 delegates, really do not have many delegates to give separately, other than Pennsylvania and Indiana.

If Clinton loses Texas and Ohio, she would have to literally shut out Obama in Pennsylvania and Indiana to come back which in all likelihood won’t happen given Obama’s would-be momentum and that we’d be in the homestretch of the primary race.

Remaining Democratic State Primaries:

Tonight, Wednesday, February 20, 2008, in Los Angeles, beginning right after 7pm and lasting until close to 8pm, the moon moved under the long shadow of Earth to give us the first total lunar eclipse since last August 28, 2007. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is exactly aligned between the Sun and Moon. Tonight’s lunar eclipse could be seen in the Americas, Europe and Africa. The next total lunar eclipse will be on December 21, 2010.

First lunar eclipse picture was taken at about 7:03pm, PST on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Second lunar eclipse photo: Note the rusty red light of the moon. It is actually indirect light from the Earth’s atmosphere.

Third lunar eclipse picture: the Moon reflecting the Sun’s light as it emerges from the Earth’s shadow. (photos courtesy of Palmerino Photography)

Republicans are known for their unity and today Mitt Romney sought to unite the Republican party and its conservative base behind John McCain. A fractured Republican party leading up to the September nominating convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul would not have proved strategic with the general election only a couple of months after that.

It was clear that McCain and Romney did not see eye to eye. McCain is known as more of a moderate Republican often walking across the aisle to work with Democrats. Romney advocates a more staunch conservative Republican ideology. But, Romney has conceded that Republican Party unity and the chance to settle the Party going into general elections is paramount and more important than his own aspirations - at least in this election year. But, believe me, Republicans do not forget. When it comes time for Romney to run again in 2012 or 2016, he will have support as a result of his actions today.

I prefer McCain’s strategy of reconciliation and compromise to Obama’s “We Need Change” credo. In our government, we don’t suffer naive mavericks gladly. Reagan, no matter what you think, was a maverick but a maverick with a plan and respect for his colleagueas. Hell, he once was a Democrat. The President of the United States has to compromise, negotiate, prod and convince Congress and the House of Representatives that his ideas are worth merit - that is unless the majority on both sides belong to the President’s Party. So why Barack Obama is giving the indication he will go it alone and change Washington is beyond me. Washington “insiders” don’t change unless there’s something in it for them.

So What Happens to Romney’s Delegates?

B Simpson asked that very question. Delegates - both pledged and super delegates - are not bound to vote for the candidate that leaves a primary race for President in our United States. However, delegates usually vote according to the retired candidates’ endorsement. For example, today, February 14th, 2008, Mitt Romney officially endorsed John McCain for President and asked his delegates to follow suit. It is expected that his 280 delegates will unite behind Romney’s sentiment and vote for McCain also. This is typically what happens in a Priamry race as a candidate begins to emerge. However, this year may be different. The reason Huckabee is still in the running is because a good percentage of conservative Republicans stand behind his ideologies and are unsure of McCain’s conservative leanings. Well, it’s more like they doubt that McCain will aptly represent their conservative social agenda. So, don’t be surprised if, at the Republican convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul in September, some of Romney’s delegates swing to Huckabee. Last point, the swing in delegate votes from Romney to Huckabee could be a mute point if McCain secures more than the 1,191 delegates needed to nominate the Republican candidate for President BEFOREHAND. If all of Romney’s delegates were to swing to McCain, McCain would have 1,123 delegates today, just 68 delegates shy of the nomination.So, there you go - delegates can do whatever they want to do at the convention. I’m even pretty sure that they don’t have to endorse McCain if they feel too separated
from his agenda. If the race were closer and McCain needed the votes, you’d see some major concessions coming from the McCain camp. He already has made quite a few to the conservative base, I’m sure, which accounts for his large lead over Huckabee.