Glog » obama

Dear Leta

gerirgaudi — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:45:05 +0000

Well worth the read, Month Fifty-seven, a precious gift from Heather B. Armstrong:

And yet, while this election is a firm rejection of that kind of thinking, it’s also about how this man brought so many people together and inspired us by his example to focus not on bickering or hurt feelings or the vast divide of our differences, but on rolling up our sleeves and looking for a way to bridge that chasm.

[...]

I know I am not alone when I say that my vote in this election was as much for his vision as it was for you and your future.

One fine example of something that makes this election different: hope portrayed not as some rhetorical romantic concept but as a powerful motivator and driver, at a very personal level, of the work ahead.

Obama: Yes, We Can. We Have. We Will.

gerirgaudi — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:12:08 +0000

I woke up this morning and did something I rarely, if ever, do: I turned on the TV. It’s rare for me to turn on the TV, much less at 6:45a in the morning, but it had to be done. I flipped the channels until I found one with election coverage (no cable/satellite, so I only have a handful of local options available), and knew immediately the outcome even before the commentator said a word, given the cheering crowds and the very positive feeling that came through the glass.

So the past and the present goals have been accomplished (obliterated one might say, given the landslide victory), and now comes the hardest part of it all: the future. But it is at least one driven by hope and a belief that change is as feasible as it is necessary. Yes, we can. We Have. We Will.

I found Mr McCain’s concession speech gracious and elegant, even as his supporters booed each and every mention of Mr Obama’s name (ironically, the same was not true on the other camp: Mr Obama’s mentions of Mr McCain and Mrs Palin’s names drew cheers and applause). Mr Obama’s speech was direct and gracious as well, fit of the leader that he is.

It’s only begun. Rock on.

The Economist Endorses Barak Obama

gerirgaudi — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:41:35 +0000

The Economist is endorsing Mr. Obama.

Amusing quotes:

Somehow Ronald Reagan’s party of western individualism and limited government has ended up not just increasing the size of the state but turning it into a tool of southern-fried moralism.

Which feels like an understatement, but I digress. My two favorite quotes, however, are:

He seems a quick learner and has built up an impressive team of advisers, drawing in seasoned hands like Paul Volcker, Robert Rubin and Larry Summers. Of course, Mr Obama will make mistakes; but this is a man who listens, learns and manages well.

and

He has campaigned with more style, intelligence and discipline than his opponent. Whether he can fulfil his immense potential remains to be seen. But Mr Obama deserves the presidency.

And the presidency deserves Mr. Obama.

Colin Power Endorses Barak Obama

gerirgaudi — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:29:22 +0000

It’s a slow Sunday after a night out celebrating a friend’s birthday, and I just wanted to give the news a cursory look, more out of habit than anything else. It turned out anything but cursory as news outlets report on Mr. Powell’s endorsement of Mr. Obama. He was already an outcast in Republican circles, and the usual outlets will go onto the offensive and set the spin wheels in motion: from race to redemption, vengeance and bitterness, in whatever array of colors, shapes and sizes anyone cares to add. I have always respected Mr. Powell, and I am glad to see that there is a shred of decency in him that seems to have survived his tenure in the first Bush term. I believe he hit rock-bottom as he stood in front of members of the United Nations on February 5, 2003 to defend the indefensible, and his replacement has essentially been a lame duck all throughout the second term (and I don’t particularly mind that state of affairs).

Is his endorsement redemption? Perhaps. Is there an agenda behind it? Maybe. Might he get to be, serving under President Obama, the Secretary of State he could never be under President Bush? Not unthinkable, and not necessarily undesirable. Regardless, it is undeniable that he has stepped up to the plate, and I’d like to believe he has done so in following a core set of beliefs that are able to distinguish right from wrong.

Obama

gerirgaudi — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:14:08 +0000

Although Mrs. Clinton has not yet conceded, it’s done: it’s Mr. Obama on the Democratic ticket. Now off to November (but not before figuring out who will be number two on the ticket). I so wished the press dropped the labeling altogether. Interestingly enough, this is [web] front-page news in a lot of the press in Spain, which should not surprise me given I’ve been doing a fair amount of explaining the electoral process in the US over the last few months (the concept of primaries does not exist out here). It’s also interesting because politics is again showing up in my “engage” radar. Yey!