On the 7th anniversary of terrorists' attack on our country, Democrats, Republicans and Independents join together to mourn the loss of fellow Americans that terrible day. Both nominees for President will suspend their political campaigning and appear together to honor their countrymen who were killed by terrorists seven years ago today. We too remember their loss on that dreadful day and pay homage to the courageous and heroic actions of rescue personnel who worked tirelessly to save others from dying and later to recover bodies of the dead. We are grateful and thankful for their service to our country.

Just as the other women in the limelight this election season, 54-year old Cindy McCain has combined work and volunteer activities with mothering. Receiving a Masters degree in Special Education, she taught high school students with special needs before beginning her family. The stepmother of 3 children and mother of another 4, one adopted from Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh, Cindy was an active philanthropist for charities throughout the world, most directed to children, as her own were growing. A wealthy woman, she founded the American Voluntary Medical Team to provide medical assistance and food to disaster-struck or war-torn third world countries. Traveling abroad over 50 times to oversee these humanitarian activities personally, she is now actively involved in Operation Smile and other non-profit organizations.

While her level of wealth puts her in a different category than most of us, her balancing act is familiar. Cindy McCain has jumped into her volunteer work with passion and dedication that often take her away from home. As you uncover your own passions, find a way to give yourself the freedom to carry them out. When you are satisfied that you are pursuing your own personal goals as well as those of your family, you will take more pleasure in the rites and responsibilities of motherhood. So follow your dreams - it can be a win-win situation for you and your family in this election year.

The 4 women campaigning for the November election represent divergent political positions but they each are dealing with the same challenges as Sandwiched Boomers - struggling to balance work, personal needs, marital relationship, children and aging parents or in-laws. Of course, the one who has initiated the most discussion about balance between career and family is Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, Governor Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin symbolizes different things to different women. To some she is the ultimate ceiling breaker, the first woman on a Republican Vice Presidential ticket. To others, she embodies the ultimate contradiction between family values and personal ambition. Certain women are asking, can she adequately mother her five children while carrying on the national responsibilities required of a Vice-President. Those questions have not been raised when a father of five takes on enormous challenges in his work life, even today when fathers are more involved in the day to day lives of their children. Is this a double standard or justified by the reality of family needs? Do women face unique pulls when they become wives and mothers? Where are women to look now for their role models as they juggle career and family? What direction will the fight for women's rights take now and in the future? Let us know your thoughts as move through this political season.

Tomorrow we will look at the issues raised by the wife of the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee, Jill Biden.

Ending his speech to the American people with thundering applause as he promised, "I fight for you!" John McCain accepted his party's nomination to become President of the United States. Positioning himself as a fighter, a reformer and a patriot, he told his personal story of dedication to country and his political story of pragmatic reaching across party lines to accomplish national goals. And he challenged the American people to "fight for what's right for our country…the ideals and character of a free people."

Portraying himself as an agent for change in Washington and a maverick not an insider in the beltway, McCain demonstrated his responsiveness to the people. "I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you." He talked about creating energy independence, improving schools, lowering taxes and reducing big government. To achieve these, McCain said, "I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. My friends, I have that record and the scars to prove it... I’m not in the habit of breaking promises to my country. And when we tell you we’re going to change Washington, and stop leaving our country’s problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it.”

Earlier in the evening his wife, Cindy McCain, came onstage with their seven children and spoke about their family and her charitable and philanthropic efforts here and overseas. Reaffirming the theme of trust and straight talk, Cindy said "It's going to take someone of unusual strength and character - someone exactly like my husband - to lead us through the reefs and currents that lie ahead. I know John. You can trust his hand at the wheel."

Now that both parties have concluded their conventions, it's off to the races. Let's hope that the Presidential and Vice-Presidential debates give us all facts to digest and plans to consider as we move toward making the important decision about whom to vote for in the historic election in November.

Supporters and critics alike agreed that Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's speech last night at the Republican convention was a big WOW. She introduced herself to the American people, embodying the contribution women make to their families and communities. She was poised and comfortable - a natural - as she stepped into the spotlight of history, a woman showing her toughness, yet with a smile.

Reaching out to women in the electorate, Palin said of her place on the Republican ticket, it proved that, "Every woman can walk through every door of opportunity." But, just as a double standard is often applied to women, not everyone agrees that she is the right choice. Is the argument that Sarah Palin, mother of five, shouldn't try to take on the enormous responsibilities of the Vice-Presidency anti-feminist? The positions of liberals and conservatives on women's rights and opportunities seem to have flipped as far as this issue is concerned. Some of the most liberal of feminists contend that Sarah Palin should not be on the ticket whereas conservatives state that she can balance her family responsibilities along with one of the most important jobs in the federal executive branch. What are your thoughts?

In her speech, Palin praised small-town America and appealed to the core, saying "Small town people love their country in good times and bad." She positioned herself as everywoman, while acknowledging, "Our family has the same ups and downs as others." Proving that she's willing to get into the trenches and join the fight, Palin took a dig at the Democrats while supporting her candidate for President, saying "Some politicians use change to promote their careers and others, like John McCain, use their careers to promote change."

This election process continues to be exciting and history-making. Get involved and enjoy the ride!

Who would have thought eight years ago when he was running for Vice-President on the Democratic ticket that Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman would be giving an impassioned prime-time speech in support of presumptive Presidential nominee John McCain at the Republican convention? Lieberman, transpartisan himself, praised maverick McCain for reaching across the aisle time and again to forge bipartisan accords between Independents, Democrats and Republicans in an effort to improve government for all Americans. Speaking directly to the undecided voters at home, he urged them to support McCain, casting him as a seasoned and principled candidate. Calling McCain his own man, Lieberman reminded voters that they knew him and could trust him.

With the theme of the Republican convention being "Country First," prime-time speaker former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson eloquently highlighted John McCain's record of service to his country as a Naval flier, prisoner of war and Senator. After relating the grueling story of McCain's torture and imprisonment, Thompson said, "John McCain’s bones may have been broken but his spirit never was. Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be president. But it does reveal character." Thompson described McCain's character as embodying the traits the country needs in a President: strength, wisdom, courage, determination, honor, service to country.

Both speakers agreed that reformer John McCain was the experienced candidate who could actually bring about change in Washington as he had in the past. As you deal with your own personal and family challenges, what helps you make the changes you need? Do you find that cooperation and compromise are essential as a Sandwiched Boomer tackling the difficult problems confronting you as you care for your growing children and aging parents? Serving as chief executive of your family in flux, you may find that your experience gives you greater insight into the election process this fall.

Presumptive Presidential nominee John McCain has again demonstrated his commitment to put country before party. Concerned about Americans of the Gulf Coast in the path of Hurricane Gustav, he suspended most of the activities of the Republican Convention on Monday. Touring the emergency management center in Mississippi for closed-door briefings before the storm hit, McCain said, "We must redirect our efforts from the really celebratory event of the nomination of president and vice president of our party to acting as all Americans."

Calling on his party to "act as Americans…not as Republicans" McCain has asked corporations sponsoring the convention to focus at this time on fundraising not partying, support not celebration, the Red Cross, not the red states. Cindy McCain mirrored her husband's focus, reminding us, as Hanna and Ike form behind Gustav, “The challenges will continue in the days ahead. I would ask that each one of us commit to join together to aid those in need as quickly as possible. This is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats.” In response, Republicans at the convention in St. Paul have been using some of their downtime to raise money for relief efforts along the Gulf Coast. One telethon raised more than $1 million in the course of an hour Monday afternoon.

As Sandwiched Boomers facing challenges in your own lives, you may find yourselves in the same dilemma McCain struggled with - making difficult decisions about when to direct your efforts to meeting your own needs and when to put others first.