Tuesday 4 November 2008

Your VOANews.com Headlines (UTF-8)

VOANews.com, with its new community site USAVotes2008.com, will carry the English coverage on election day starting with 10-minute newscasts every hour from 2300-0200 UTC, then the live video program starting at 0300 UTC (Wednesday). We'll track the vote as returns come in on a U.S. map reflecting the popular and electoral counts, as well as the balance of power in Congress, and we'll offer blogs from VOA reporters and a live T2A online chat starting at 0000 UTC (Wednesday), so users can share their thoughts and experiences. Also watch for USAVotes2008 and VOA updates on Twitter!


US Voters Face Long Lines, Machine Problems

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Election officials say they expect massive turnout on Election Day, and they are asking voters to be patient, brace for possible delays
Polls are open across the United States as voters line up to choose a new president and members of Congress. The last major preference polls showed Democrat Barack Obama with a significant advantage over Republican John McCain. VOA's Brian Wagner reports from Florida, one of several key states the candidates are hoping to win.

Line of voters waiting to cast ballots in New Orleans, 04 Nov 2008Voters streamed into libraries, government buildings and schools to cast ballots in an election many voters are saying is the most significant in the nation's history.

Some polling stations in eastern states like New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania reported long lines of voters who gathered before dawn to cast ballots.

Election officials say they expect massive turnout on Election Day, and they are asking voters to be patient and brace for possible delays.

Virginia resident Renu Ahluwalia got in line early Tuesday, and said she would arrive late to her job at the Department of Homeland Security "I just started my wait, but I was told it was up to an hour. I think no matter what time you came the lines were going to be long, but it is exciting. I am making up the hours later in order to come out here this morning," she said.

Officials in New Jersey said they were giving paper ballots to some voters because of problems with electronic voting machines. Other areas encountered minor problems, but officials voiced no major concerns.

Voters cast their ballots at Centreville High School in Clifton, Virginia, 04 Nov. 2008Near Washington, American University law student, Angela Edmond, was part of a volunteer team working to make sure all people qualified to vote are able to do so. "There was only one problem with a man whose wife had applied for an absentee ballot, and she didn't receive it and she was given a hard time inside. She should be able to vote provisionally, but we're not sure, so we are waiting to see when she comes out," she said.

In Miami, college student Paul Torres, said he voted for Obama because of his economic policy, even though he considers himself a Republican. "It was not really a hard decision in this election, because I see people on television saying McCain is going to fix this. But he has the same strategies as George Bush," he said.

Fellow student Andres Suarez said he raced to the polls to vote for John McCain before his morning classes. "I voted today, very early in the morning. It was about an hour and a half [wait], but compared to other friends who waited five hours, it was not that bad," he said.

Long delays were common in Florida and some of the 29 other states that held early voting in recent weeks. Officials say early turnout was unprecedented with more than 40 million Americans casting their ballots before Election Day.

On the final day of campaigning, Barack Obama spoke to thousands of supporters in Virginia - a state no Democrat has won since 1964. "I've just got one question for you, Virginia. Are you fired up? Are you ready to go? Fired up? Ready to go? Fired up? Ready to go? Fired up? Ready to go? Virginia, let's go change the world. Thank you and God Bless the United States of America," he said.

Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and his wife Michelle, cast their votes at a polling place in Chicago, 4 Nov. 2008Senator Obama is spending Election Day with his family in Illinois, before a major rally in Chicago later in the day.

Senator McCain is in his home state of Arizona after making a whirlwind tour of several crucial states on Monday.

At a rally in Indiana, he pointed to some polls showing that he held a narrow lead over his opponent. "We've got the momentum. We've the momentum my friends. We've got it!"

Final national polls showed the presidential contest was narrowing, but Obama held a comfortable lead of between five and 11 points.

Democrats also are expected to make gains in Congressional voting, which includes all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 in the 100 member Senate.

Most projections have Democrats expanding their current 36 seat House advantage by at least 20. Potential losses could give Democrats their strongest majority in 18 years, putting Republicans far below their current 199 seat minority.

Democrats would like to widen their current narrow 51-49 margin of control in the Senate to or near a 60-seat majority that could make it easier to win votes on legislation.

 


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Democrats Expected to Gain Seats in US Congress

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Democrats hope to pick up enough Senate seats so they can deprive Republican minority of ability to block legislation
Americans go to the polls Tuesday to vote for members of the U.S. Congress as well as the president. All 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives will be up for election, along with will more than one-third of the 100-member Senate. Democrats are hoping to pick up enough Senate seats so they can deprive the Republican minority of their ability to block legislation. VOA's Deborah Tate has this report on how the battle is shaping up.

The US Capitol is seen Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 in Washington, three days before the makeup of the two houses of Congress will be determined by the Nov. 4, 2008 electionMost of the attention on the congressional races is focused on the Senate, where Democrats, who now hold a narrow majority, hope to win an additional nine seats to give them an influential 60-vote majority. That would be an important victory for Democrats, according to Alan Lichtman, political science professor at American University."A 60-seat majority is of enormous significance because that is a filibuster-proof majority. Republicans could not block legislation by in effect talking it to death, delaying it," he said.

Lichtman believes Democrats will increase their ranks, but fall a few seats short of the critical 60-vote majority. He argues that Democrats could win over enough moderate Republicans on individual issues to overcome any efforts to block their legislation.Democrats are also expected to expand their 36-seat majority in the House of Representatives. Analysts predict Democrats could win between 20 and 35 additional seats. Congressional Republicans acknowledge they face a tough election battle. Among incumbents facing close reelection bids in the Senate are Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, who was found guilty of corruption charges last month.A number of Republican House members also are waging tough reelection campaigns, including Congressman Chris Shays of Connecticut - a political moderate who has often been at odds with President Bush, and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who made a controversial call for investigations of U.S. lawmakers whom she had suggested hold "anti-American views". If Democrat Barack Obama becomes president, larger Democratic majorities in the House and Senate could be key to swiftly implementing his legislative agenda, including withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq and implementing health care reform.

"Democrats have been out of power for some time. They have not controlled the presidency and the Congress since the early 1990s under Bill Clinton. Democrats are going to be hungry for real accomplishment," added Professor Lichtman.But Steven Hess of the Brookings Institution says a Democratic Congress will not necessarily be in lock step with a Democratic president."Neither party is monolithic. Both parties in a sense have regional interests that differ as well as conservative and liberal wings of the party," said Hess.If Republican John McCain is elected president, Alan Lichtman says the veteran senator's record of bipartisanship could help in moving legislation through congress, although he says the partisan nature of his presidential campaign would make relations with Democrats more difficult."He has run a very relentless-negative campaign, and a campaign decried by even some Republicans. He would have a lot of mending to do in order to bring around Democrats who are very bitter about the negative campaign that he has run," said Lichtman.The presidential candidate who loses the election will return to Capitol Hill as a U.S. senator, but likely with a higher profile than before his White House campaign. 

 


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President Bush Maintains Low Profile Ahead of Tuesday's Election

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Far from providing a boost to fellow-Republican John McCain, George Bush widely viewed as having a detrimental effect on Arizona senator's chances of winning the election
In the final days of the presidential campaign, Americans have been flooded with messages from John McCain and Barack Obama. One person who has maintained a conspicuously low profile is the man both candidates hope to replace: President Bush. Far from providing a boost to fellow-Republican McCain, Mr. Bush is widely viewed as having a detrimental effect on the Arizona senator's chances of winning the election, due to his record-low public approval ratings, a troubled economy and a war effort in Iraq that has lasted more than five years. Monday, the White House acknowledged President Bush's unpopularity while restating Mr. Bush's support for Senator McCain. VOA's Michael Bowman reports. President George W. Bush As a rule, outgoing presidents hit the campaign trail in support of their party's presidential nominee. But not this year. President Bush did not attend the Republican National Convention in September, and has not appeared in public with Senator McCain since then.Not that Mr. Bush has been forgotten. On the campaign trial, Democrat Barack Obama has spoken about President Bush almost as much as John McCain - and sought to link the two."John McCain has ridden shotgun [alongside] as George Bush has driven our economy towards a cliff," Obama said. "And now he wants to take the wheel and step on the gas."Far from defending the president, McCain has protested the Illinois senator's suggestion that he and Mr. Bush are political bedfellows. Senator John McCain in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, 02 Nov 2008"I am not George Bush, McCain said. "If Senator Obama wanted to run against George Bush, he should have run for president four years ago."That comment from the campaign trail stands in sharp contrast to McCain's assertion in March, when he appeared with the president at the White House after it became clear he would win the Republican presidential nomination."I intend to have as much [many] possible campaigning events together [with Mr. Bush] as is in keeping with the president's heavy schedule," he said.In fact, McCain has not shied from criticizing President Bush on his handling of the economy. In a television advertisement, McCain noted that "The last eight years have not worked very well, have they?"Asked about being shunned by both presidential aspirants, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr. Bush understands today's political climate. Dana Perino (file)"We are realistic about the political environment that we are in," she said. "We are also cognizant that the Republican Party wanted to make this election about John McCain. And that is appropriate."Perino acknowledged the American people's desire for change, but said President Bush has remained true to his ideals while confronting difficult challenges. She dismissed any suggestion that Mr. Bush is resentful of McCain's criticism of the president."Everybody would like to be popular. We can all remember that back in high school," she said. "Everyone really wanted to be popular, and some of us just were not. We are supporting this candidate [McCain] and trying to be respectful of what they [Republicans] have thought is the best way to run their campaign."It is not at all clear that the McCain campaign welcomes Perino's comments, coming one day before the election. Last week, Vice President Cheney voiced his support for McCain - an endorsement that was immediately picked up by the Obama campaign and used in a television advertisement attacking the Arizona senator.Perino says President Bush will remain in the White House Tuesday to watch election returns. Mr. Bush is expected to congratulate the winner once final results are known.


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World Markets Higher as Americans Vote

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European, Asian and US markets post gains, Tuesday as key indicator of banks' willingness to lend to each other improves again
People walk nearby an electric market board in Tokyo, 04 Nov 2008Many stock markets around the world are posting strong gain Tuesday as Americans head to the polls to choose a new president for the world's largest economy. U.S. share prices gained around three percent in mid-day trading.  European indexes are up between four and five percent in late trading, and key Asian markets were higher at the close.The gains come as a key measure of banks' willingness to lend to each other improved again.  Before recent declines in the "Libor" interest rate, credit markets had been stalled, making the economic crisis worse.Credit markets began flowing as governments around the world offered trillions of dollars in emergency aid to financial institutions and cut interest rates in a bid to restore bankers' confidence.  Australia cut its key interest rate Tuesday and the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are widely expected to slash rates on Thursday.  But that news may be tempered by a new United Nations' report that says the financial crisis has spread to international trade, hitting developing nations that export commodities particularly hard.  The U.N. report says a key measure of demand for trade, which tracks shipping costs, has fallen dramatically over the past few months.    Also Tuesday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown predicted oil-rich countries from the Persian Gulf will contribute more money to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when world leaders meet in Washington next week.  The IMF is already giving billions of dollars to help bail out Iceland, Ukraine and Hungary.

Some information for this report was provided by Bloomberg. 


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Suicide Bomber Kills 1, Wounds 7 in Northwestern Pakistan

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Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas are considered to be Taliban, al-Qaida militant strongholds
Police in northwestern Pakistan say a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-filled car at a security post Tuesday, killing a Pakistani soldier and wounding at least seven others.Authorities say the attack occurred in the town of Doaba in Hangu district. Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas are considered to be Taliban and al-Qaida militant strongholds.   Elsewhere in the northwest, officials say two rockets landed near the runway of Peshawar airport before dawn Tuesday.  Reports of damage varied, from slight to none at all.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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Nigerian Armed Group Offers to Help Free Kidnapped Lebanese Engineer

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Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta says it was not behind attack but will work to locate hostage, negotiate with abductors
Nigerian security authorities have confirmed the kidnapping of a Lebanese construction worker in the country's southern oil region, by unidentified gunmen.  Nigeria's most prominent armed group - the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta - says it was not behind the attack and will work to free the Lebanese citizen.  For VOA, Gilbert da Costa in Abuja has more.A fighter of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) holds his weapons at the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta, 17 Sep 2008In a written statement, MEND says it was not involved in the attack.  The group says it will assist in locating and negotiating with his abductors.  No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.MEND is the most prominent armed group in the Niger Delta, the country's oil-rich region, where sabotage, kidnappings and attacks on foreign oil workers are rampant.A Navy spokesman in the main oil city, Port Harcourt, Lieutenant Way Olabisi, says MEND is now a depleted fighting force.  He says the army will continue to fight armed groups in the Niger Delta. "The situation is not like the way it used to be," Olabisi said.  "When they declared Operation [oil war], they lost so many of their fighters because they confronted the military.  And, at the end they declared a ceasefire.  We, the military, never entered any agreement for fighting so declaring a ceasefire or no ceasefire has nothing to do with the military.   We are just doing our work.  But, maybe because they found out that this thing was not paying off, so they now decided to cool down." The Lebanese man was abducted Monday from a road project he was working on in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil hub.More than 200 foreigners have been abducted.  Most of them have been released in exchange for money, in nearly three years of escalating violence across the southern region.Well-armed criminal gangs are exploiting the anarchy in the region to stage robberies and kidnappings for ransom.Military and criminal activities have slowed Nigeria's oil production, which has declined by 25 percent, compared with its peak production of 2.6 million barrels per day. 

 

 


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Iranian Parliament Begins Impeachment of Interior Minister Ali Kordan

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Kordan angered many Iranian lawmakers for falsely claiming to possess honorary degree from Oxford University
The Iranian parliament has decided to begin the process of impeaching Interior Minister Ali Kordan for falsely claiming to possess an honorary doctorate from Oxford University.  While not a close ally of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Kordan is causing embarrassment to the president and could eventually bring down his government if he is unable to win a confidence vote, as Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Cairo.Ali Kordan delivers speech, prior to vote by members of parliament to impeach him, 04 Nov 2008The short tenure of Iranian Interior Minister Ali Kordan appears to be drawing to a close, after Iran's parliament began the impeachment process Tuesday.  Kordan angered many Iranian lawmakers for falsely claiming to possess an honorary degree from Oxford University.The ethics issue arose after Kordan told parliament during a confidence vote on August 5 that he possessed a degree from Oxford, which he proceeded to display. Officials from Oxford University later denied that Kordan had been awarded any degree from the institution.The news of the impeachment process comes as little surprise, as the Iranian press has been ridiculing Kordan for weeks about his so-called "phony" doctorate, and many political commentators have predicted that his demise was imminent.Top Iran expert Ali Nouri Zadeh tells VOA the Kordan scandal is causing some embarrassment to President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, despite the fact that both men were never close allies.  Zadeh says the impeachment could imperil the presidency, because Mr. Ahmedinejad must go through a new confidence vote before parliament."First of all that was something we all expected," he said. "Mr. Kordan is not going to last beside the opponent of Mr. Ahmedinejad.  Some of the supporters also withdrew support because of Mr. Kordan, bearing in mind that Mr. Kordan has not been selected by Mr. Ahmedinejad.  On the contrary he was forced on him by Ayotallah Khamenei, but suddenly Ayotallah Khamenei stayed away and let Ahmedinejad to sustain the punches." But Nouri Zadeh predicts that a deal will be reached between him and parliament speaker Ali Larijani to avoid a quick ouster of his government."Absolutely, if Mr. Ahmedinejad does not get vote of confidence this means the end of Ahmedinejad.  Then, there will be the Ahmedinejad impeachment.  He will be out.  But, I do not think we have to look at it this way. I think the whole situation is not as dramatic as somebody may, you know, say.  I think Ahmedinejad thinks he does not have too many months ahead of him so he may as I say have compromised with Larijani," said Zadeh.President Ahmedinejad's term in office ends in August 2009, although it is widely expected that he will run again.  Past rumors that parliament would cut Mr. Ahmedinejad's term short have not proved true, due to apparent behind-the-scenes support  from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.  Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if Khamenei comes to Mr. Ahmedinejad's rescue, this time around. 


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Taiwan, China Seek Closer Economic Ties

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New landmark deals will dramatically increase transportation links
China and Taiwan have signed landmark deals that will dramatically increase transportation links between the two.  The agreements were signed in Taiwan during the highest-level visit by a Chinese official in 60 years.  Thibault Worth reports from Taipei.Among other things, the agreements triple the number of direct weekly charter flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to 108.  In addition, cargo flights will be allowed for the first time and seaports will be open for direct cargo shipments.  Both sides also agreed to establish a safety alert system in case of tainted food imports. Beijing representative Chen Yunlin (L) exchanges document with Taiwanese counterpart Chiang Pin-kung during  signing ceremony at Grand hotel in Taipei, 04 Nov 2008P.K. Chiang is chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation.  He signed the agreements with Chen Yunlin, the chairman of China's Association of Relations Across the Taiwan Strait.Chiang says this is a big development in direct transportation links across the strait and an important milestone in the normalization of commerce on both sides.Relations between mainland China and Taiwan have been warming since the election of Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou in March. Mr. Ma won on a platform of economic revitalization, largely based on closer economic ties with the mainland.  But many Taiwanese are uncomfortable with his policies because China claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island, and says they must eventually unite, by force if necessary.Recent tainted milk imports from China have further deepened the distrust of many Taiwanese.  So far on his visit Chen has been careful to steer clear of politics.Chen says this is the first time since the establishment of the two associations that they have held a meeting between the two leaders in Taipei.  He goes on to say that the meeting shows the relationship continues to improve and develop.There have been several protests around Taiwan against Chen's meeting.  Many Taiwan residents favor declaring independence from China, something that Beijing has warned would bring an armed response.The two sides agreed to hold talks every six months and to focus on building closer financial ties during the next round of meetings. 


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NASA Prepares Space Shuttle Endeavour for Launch

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Shuttle will service International Space Station and prepare it for an expansion in spring
The U.S. space agency NASA is gearing up for next week's launch of the space shuttle Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle will service the orbiting scientific outpost and prepare it for an expansion in the spring. VOA's Jessica Berman reports. Shuttle Endeavour being moved to launch pad (file photo)Endeavour will blast off on November 14, ferrying almost sixteen thousand kilograms of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station.  During the 15-day mission, astronauts will conduct four space walks, including operations to clean and service machinery that has been jammed for a year and interfered with the operations of the space station's solar panels.Endeavour's payload will include an extra toilet and sleeping quarters for the space station to expand the living space on the station to support six crew members. Currently, there is enough room for only three astronauts.Mike Suffredini is the International Space Station's Program Manager. The crew of space shuttle Endeavour have spent hours studying the plan for a busy 15 days in space"And if, in fact, we get to the point where six crew members can't get all of the research done that we want to do, then we will explore the possibility of expanding the crew," said Mike Suffredini.Suffredini says the expansion means there will more room to accommodate non-U.S. astronauts on the International Space Station. Suffredini says he understands the frustrations other countries must feel about not getting a chance to do research on the orbiting outpost."Imagine for a moment that we have an International Space Station in orbit that we've invested in and we don't have any U.S. crews on board," he said. "That's what the partners live with today. So we have agreements to get their crews to orbit based on their percent contribution, very significant contributions by the way. Billions of dollars have been spend by these agencies as well to contribute to the ISS [International Space Station]."NASA managers hope to have the space station ready for additional astronauts by early next year. 


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Bluegrass Music Legend's Son Earns Praise for 'This One Is II'

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Ralph Stanley II, 30, has more baritone voice than his dad, and recorded songs by Lyle Lovett, Fred Eaglesmith and Elton John for his new CD
For music fans, the name Ralph Stanley brings to mind the high, lonesome sound of traditional bluegrass.  At 80, he's a living legend, having released more than 150 record albums.  He's also one of the few members of the first generation of bluegrass pickers and singers still performing regularly.  This might lead you to believe the name Ralph Stanley II would be quite a burden for a young singer to carry.  But as VOA's Katherine Cole reports, "II" takes it all in stride.One reason might be that the two Ralph Stanley's have totally different sounds.  The patriarch is revered for his traditional style of mountain music, sung in a smoky high tenor. The son's voice couldn't be more different. Ralph Stanley II sings with a baritone voice that is more reminiscent of traditional country singers George Jones or Merle Haggard. Ralph Stanley 'This One is II' CD Ralph Stanley II's voice also bears some resemblance to that of his late uncle Carter Stanley, which makes Fred Eaglesmith's song "Carter" rather an interesting choice for II to sing on his latest CD, This One Is II (Two). "Fred's a big Stanley Brothers fan, and for him to write a song like that, and for me to get to sing it here was just a true blessing," Stanley says.  "You know, it's kind of ironic how we got that song.  When I first signed with Lonesome Day Records, the very day I signed, the song came in the mail."    Cole: "Was there any doubt in your mind that this is what you wanted to do?""When I was two years-old, I always wanted to sing," explains Stanley.  "I loved George Jones and I loved The Stanley Brothers' music.  You know, my dad he'd play a lot old stuff, like Carter Family songs.  He'd play a lot of Bill Monroe stuff.  My hero was always my Uncle Carter, of course. And Keith Whitley.  And George [Jones].  My dad's a hero, too.  And I always wanted to be his lead singer.  And luckily, when I was 16 years-old, he gave me the job.  But yes, I always wanted to do this. "Ralph Stanley IIRaised in southwestern Virginia, Ralph Stanley II began going out on the road with his father when he was just two years-old.  At 30, he has spent nearly half his life singing and playing rhythm guitar in his father's fabled band, The Clinch Mountain Boys.  So it came as a surprise to some that Ralph Stanley II turned to writers outside the old school bluegrass and country worlds for songs to sing on his fourth solo CD.  "We did a song of Lyle Lovett's.  Me and a couple of the guys co-wrote some of the songs," he notes. "Fred Eaglesmith, of course. Townes Van Zant. Elton John.  We did a song of his."You know, I give Randall Deaton a lot of credit," Stanley adds. "Actually, Marty Raybon, too. They call me 'Two,' you know.  They said 'Two, do you want to give it a shot?  Try something different?  Try to become your own self?' If anybody thinks I'm quitting, or taking off, that's not it.  I'm still a Clinch Mountain Boy, and I always will be.  It's just that I need to try something on my own.  I'm my own person … 30 years-old.  It's time to give it a shot I believe."With This One is II, Ralph Stanley II has done more than just "give it a shot."  While his new CD may sound a bit "too country" for fans of the current music out of Nashville, "This One is II" is a treat for anyone who appreciates the traditional sound of country music. 


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