Senator McCain officially accepted the republican nomination for president last night. McCain is a veteran and champion of all types of service having authored legislation to expand AmeriCorps from 75,000 members to 250,000 members after 9/11. However, my predictions of how often service would emerge in his speech fell very short. I was 1-for-3. However, this doesn’t reflect his support in the least. Just noting.

Odd Controversy?

Governor Palin’s speech has stirred controversy when she mocked the community organizing experience of Senator Obama, saying:

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities.

Hopefully this was simply a rhetorical jab at her opponent and not her true feelings about those who serve their community and fellow citizen. Why she chose this topic is odd, especially since she has supported service programs in her state:

I encourage all Alaskans to join me in commending AmeriCorps volunteers for their dedication to Alaska communities.

- Governor Palin, Alaska Proclamation for AmeriCorps Week 2008

Plus, Alaska’s Office of Management and Budget reported that in 2007, 128 AmeriCorps members generated 5,759 additional volunteers. Seems like community service and community organizing are doing good work in Alaska and are taking on the responsibility of recruiting and managing volunteers at a ratio of 1 to 45.