If it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press, and in an election year, it's guaranteed to be an especially exciting episode of this historically invaluable NBC news program. But tragically, last week was the final time that these words were ever spoken by the show's most honored and long-running host.
As I found out while vacationing this weekend, and most people have already heard, Washington bureau chief and host of Meet the Press Tim Russert died of a heart attack last Friday. Today marked the first episode of Meet the Press in seventeen years that did not feature Russert and his trademark serious-but-jovial examination of the week's pressing issues. Although this is a blog about all things Obama, there is little doubt in my mind that Tim provided some of Barack Obama's most stirring moments in the public eye have been on Meet the Press. Like all of his guests on the show, Tim greeted Barack with the same 'tough-but-fair' interview that he is reputed for, and as a result, gave Barack opportunities to shine as well as feel humble. As a small tribute to Russert and the great political legacy he's leaving behind, I thought I'd post a tribute that Senator Obama paid to his friend and critic Tim Russert on NBC this weekend.
As a young person who often turns a very cynical eye to the news media, especially television journalism, I can think of no journalist that inspires as much hope for progress and truth as Tim Russert. Rest in peace, Tim.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Day Forty-Eight, June 3
If you managed to read a newspaper headline or tune into any network tv station tonight, you already know why tonight is one of the most important nights in Obama's presidential campaign run: it's the night he nudged over the line to claim the 2,118 delegates necessary to gain the Democratic nomination! Although the delegate milestone is a major step in his confirmation as the party's nominee, it doesn't clinch it just yet (keep reading). Nevertheless, this is definitely a joyous occasion, and Barack recognized it and claimed victory in a speech that aired nationally at around 8pm MST (I was at work; a portion of that speech can be viewed here). Obama also picked up a win in Montana's state primary, according to CNN estimates.
It's a great day to be an Obama supporter, and an even better day to have politically-likeminded friends. But before we start patting ourselves on the back too much, the truth of the matter must be acknowledged: although Barack has the numbers in his favor, and has passed the quantifiable finish line, Hillary Clinton still has not withdrawn from the race. Senator Clinton, who won the South Dakota primary today (the final contest of a drawn-out electoral season), has been the focus of a swarm of rumors about her impending concession speech, but it didn't come tonight. This leaves Obama's flagbearers--and members of the Democratic party at large--in an awkward position. On one hand, we are compelled to do the right thing and allow her to carry on her fight as long as she chooses. It has been apparent for a long time that it was only a matter of time until Obama netted the required delegate total, and Hillary has still not given any indication that she's going to drop out yet. And in a way, that sort of passion is both unsurprising from her, but still commendable.
On the other hand, we have the plain reality of today's primary outcomes. In terms as varied as delegate counts to superdelegates to popular support to media coverage, Obama is the objective winner of the Democratic contest. It would take a series of miracles (or disasters) to undo the achievement that Obama has symbolically reached today. What sort of realistic claim can Hillary make to the Party that the nomination will still be in contention when the DNC rolls into town? As of tonight, Senator Clinton is still not making her concession speech (check it out), but logically, it will be a matter of weeks or days until she will back down and let the race between McCain and Obama take center stage. And no matter how much ground we've gained today, there is still a long march ahead toward the White House this November. However, the tone of Obama's speech today is enough to put chills up my spine, and makes me look forward to the work that's left to come.
So at the end of the day, today was a pretty nice day for Barack Obama and all his fans out there. But in spite of the passage of a very important campaign mile-marker, and the hope and confidence it may inspire for our country, it's also a day that presents a lot of interesting questions. How will this victory impact Barack's behavior for the remainder of his campaign? When Hillary does decide to bow out, what steps can she (and we) take to unite the party? What fun political Fruit Roll-Ups will John McCain's campaign roll out with next? We shall see. But no matter the answers, there can be no mistaking the growing feeling of hope that will continue to gain momentum across the country in the months ahead.
It's a great day to be an Obama supporter, and an even better day to have politically-likeminded friends. But before we start patting ourselves on the back too much, the truth of the matter must be acknowledged: although Barack has the numbers in his favor, and has passed the quantifiable finish line, Hillary Clinton still has not withdrawn from the race. Senator Clinton, who won the South Dakota primary today (the final contest of a drawn-out electoral season), has been the focus of a swarm of rumors about her impending concession speech, but it didn't come tonight. This leaves Obama's flagbearers--and members of the Democratic party at large--in an awkward position. On one hand, we are compelled to do the right thing and allow her to carry on her fight as long as she chooses. It has been apparent for a long time that it was only a matter of time until Obama netted the required delegate total, and Hillary has still not given any indication that she's going to drop out yet. And in a way, that sort of passion is both unsurprising from her, but still commendable.
On the other hand, we have the plain reality of today's primary outcomes. In terms as varied as delegate counts to superdelegates to popular support to media coverage, Obama is the objective winner of the Democratic contest. It would take a series of miracles (or disasters) to undo the achievement that Obama has symbolically reached today. What sort of realistic claim can Hillary make to the Party that the nomination will still be in contention when the DNC rolls into town? As of tonight, Senator Clinton is still not making her concession speech (check it out), but logically, it will be a matter of weeks or days until she will back down and let the race between McCain and Obama take center stage. And no matter how much ground we've gained today, there is still a long march ahead toward the White House this November. However, the tone of Obama's speech today is enough to put chills up my spine, and makes me look forward to the work that's left to come.
So at the end of the day, today was a pretty nice day for Barack Obama and all his fans out there. But in spite of the passage of a very important campaign mile-marker, and the hope and confidence it may inspire for our country, it's also a day that presents a lot of interesting questions. How will this victory impact Barack's behavior for the remainder of his campaign? When Hillary does decide to bow out, what steps can she (and we) take to unite the party? What fun political Fruit Roll-Ups will John McCain's campaign roll out with next? We shall see. But no matter the answers, there can be no mistaking the growing feeling of hope that will continue to gain momentum across the country in the months ahead.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Day Forty-Seven, May 28
As far as Obama's world goes, it doesn't get much more momentous than today. At least not as far as this blog is concerned. Because today Barack Obama paid a visit to the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts in Thornton, the school I student taught at last fall and have been subbing at full-time since January. There are countless reasons that I have stuck with MESA (mainly the character of the student body and the world-class teaching faculty), but I never imagined that this would be one of them. Friday morning the staff was informed that the visit would be taking place, the story broke in the Denver Post over the Labor Day weekend, and today, the big day finally arrived, and it was as stunning as we all imagined.
I won't divulge the full itinerary of Obama's visit, but he started off the day by taking a tour of the school (lead by MESA director Mike Johnston, with guides representing the 8th and 11th grade classes), learning more about what the school does and makes its formula so successful. One of the reasons that the Obama camp was attracted to MESA is the fact that this year it was the first public high school in Colorado history to graduate 100% of its senior class and have them all admitted into a four-year college of university. After seeing his way around campus, Obama was invited to sit in on a class of 8th graders' passage portfolio presentations, a necessary step for every 8th, 10th, and 12th grader to move on to the next step of their education. Barack listened to two students practice their portfolios in front of the class, and then gave them feedback to improve their presentations for the real deal later this week (can you imagine a better judge to critique your public speaking skills?).
At lunchtime, the hour the entire school had been waiting for arrived, as Barack made his way to the school auditorium and gave a fantastic speech on his platforms on education reform, followed by a 30-minute question and answer session with audience members. Standing before MESA's inaugural graduating class--this year's seniors--Obama spoke passionately on points such as struggling inner city schools, the lightened role of standardized testing, and the demand to reform No Child Left Behind. He repeatedly touched on MESA as a model for what inner city schools can achieve with a dedicated staff, student body, and family members to push the model to success. "Recently, eighty-seven percent of Colorado teachers said that testing was crowding out subjects like music and art," Obama said in his opening remarks. "But we need to look no further than MESA to see that accountability does not need to come at the expense of a well-rounded education: it can help complete it. And it should." During the Q&A that followed his speech, audience members posed questions to Obama to tackle some of the specifics of his education policies. One recently-graduated member of the senior class asked Obama what he would do to aid children of illegal immigrants attend college.
Here is a video of the speech Obama gave to the audience at MESA:
One hell of a way to close out the school year, no? Before he left MESA's campus, Obama paid one last visit to the most important members of the MESA population: the students. Making a surprise appearance at a final school assembly at the end of the day, Obama posed for a group photograph with the school's staff (totally in there!), before commending the entire student body on their hard work and offering some encouraging remarks to next year's class of seniors. A common gripe overheard amongst MESA students today was the fact that they wouldn't even get to see or meet Obama, so what a treat it was for them to get an audience with him at the end of the day!
Of course, if the students were excited to see Obama in person, the staff at MESA were downright giddy. And with good cause. Political affiliations aside, a tremendous amount of work was completed by the staff in the two school days leading up to Barack's visit, and being the last day of school, it would've been understandable if staff members were simply running on fumes to finish the year. Instead, I have never seen a more enthusiastic, positive, and supportive team of teachers in my entire life. As he entered the school's gymnasium to address the students, Obama shook hands with faculty members before beginning his speech (I got a quick one in while trying to salvage a decent photo from his grand entrance). As he spoke, I began to think about how unforgettable the occasion was for those of us in attendance, but also what sort of message the visit gave about Obama as a candidate. I feel that today's visit is the only proof one needs to see that Obama recognizes not only the struggles thousands of schools in America are facing, but also the triumphs that we share. In his speech, Obama remarked how students in Denver today face competition all over the world, and that a good education is "no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, but a prerequisite ". Tell it like it is, sir. We're all ears.
It was truly a school day to remember, and one that has given me enough fuel to keep this blog going for a long time to come. I've been scouring the net to try and find as much documentation of today's visit as possible, and I've uncovered a slideshow on CBS4, a detailed write-up of Obama's tour in the Rocky Mountain News, and a glowing account of the Senator's visit on the dailycamera.com All the photos I captured with my digital camera came out pretty blurry (or too far off to be worth a close look), but if I can get a hold of some better pictures, I'll post them.
What a day!
I won't divulge the full itinerary of Obama's visit, but he started off the day by taking a tour of the school (lead by MESA director Mike Johnston, with guides representing the 8th and 11th grade classes), learning more about what the school does and makes its formula so successful. One of the reasons that the Obama camp was attracted to MESA is the fact that this year it was the first public high school in Colorado history to graduate 100% of its senior class and have them all admitted into a four-year college of university. After seeing his way around campus, Obama was invited to sit in on a class of 8th graders' passage portfolio presentations, a necessary step for every 8th, 10th, and 12th grader to move on to the next step of their education. Barack listened to two students practice their portfolios in front of the class, and then gave them feedback to improve their presentations for the real deal later this week (can you imagine a better judge to critique your public speaking skills?).
At lunchtime, the hour the entire school had been waiting for arrived, as Barack made his way to the school auditorium and gave a fantastic speech on his platforms on education reform, followed by a 30-minute question and answer session with audience members. Standing before MESA's inaugural graduating class--this year's seniors--Obama spoke passionately on points such as struggling inner city schools, the lightened role of standardized testing, and the demand to reform No Child Left Behind. He repeatedly touched on MESA as a model for what inner city schools can achieve with a dedicated staff, student body, and family members to push the model to success. "Recently, eighty-seven percent of Colorado teachers said that testing was crowding out subjects like music and art," Obama said in his opening remarks. "But we need to look no further than MESA to see that accountability does not need to come at the expense of a well-rounded education: it can help complete it. And it should." During the Q&A that followed his speech, audience members posed questions to Obama to tackle some of the specifics of his education policies. One recently-graduated member of the senior class asked Obama what he would do to aid children of illegal immigrants attend college.
Here is a video of the speech Obama gave to the audience at MESA:
One hell of a way to close out the school year, no? Before he left MESA's campus, Obama paid one last visit to the most important members of the MESA population: the students. Making a surprise appearance at a final school assembly at the end of the day, Obama posed for a group photograph with the school's staff (totally in there!), before commending the entire student body on their hard work and offering some encouraging remarks to next year's class of seniors. A common gripe overheard amongst MESA students today was the fact that they wouldn't even get to see or meet Obama, so what a treat it was for them to get an audience with him at the end of the day!
Of course, if the students were excited to see Obama in person, the staff at MESA were downright giddy. And with good cause. Political affiliations aside, a tremendous amount of work was completed by the staff in the two school days leading up to Barack's visit, and being the last day of school, it would've been understandable if staff members were simply running on fumes to finish the year. Instead, I have never seen a more enthusiastic, positive, and supportive team of teachers in my entire life. As he entered the school's gymnasium to address the students, Obama shook hands with faculty members before beginning his speech (I got a quick one in while trying to salvage a decent photo from his grand entrance). As he spoke, I began to think about how unforgettable the occasion was for those of us in attendance, but also what sort of message the visit gave about Obama as a candidate. I feel that today's visit is the only proof one needs to see that Obama recognizes not only the struggles thousands of schools in America are facing, but also the triumphs that we share. In his speech, Obama remarked how students in Denver today face competition all over the world, and that a good education is "no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, but a prerequisite ". Tell it like it is, sir. We're all ears.
It was truly a school day to remember, and one that has given me enough fuel to keep this blog going for a long time to come. I've been scouring the net to try and find as much documentation of today's visit as possible, and I've uncovered a slideshow on CBS4, a detailed write-up of Obama's tour in the Rocky Mountain News, and a glowing account of the Senator's visit on the dailycamera.com All the photos I captured with my digital camera came out pretty blurry (or too far off to be worth a close look), but if I can get a hold of some better pictures, I'll post them.
What a day!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Day Forty-Six, May 20
For those of you out there still paying attention (to the national news media, not your humble narrator, of course), a lot has been going on in Obamaland since I made my last post. In order to bring the blog up to speed, I'll be posting three videos that help encapsulate just how much progress Barack's campaign has made in a little under a week, and provide a glimpse into how this will impact his oncoming candidacy for the Democratic party.
First off, the news so HUGE it demands capital letters and a bold typeface to boot: John Edwards got off the fence, and we're delighted to have him on our side! Ever since he withdrew his own bid for the presidency way back on January 30, Edwards has been very upright about his oath to keep his lips sealed until he was good and ready to lend his support to either Hillary or Barack. At a campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan last Wednesday, Edwards gave a speech introducing the candidate to his rabid audience and finally put a country of Obamaphiles' worries to rest by coming out for our candidate. A perennial 'good guy' in both 2004 and 2008's Democratic races, Edwards' decision to show his support for Barack is great news, and gives major push for the Obama campaign, especially in the South (Edwards has served as a Senator, representing the voters of North Carolina). Like many of the other celebrity delegates who have come out in favor of Obama this year, Edwards' endorsement speech consisted of several glowing descriptions of the candidate, but in true Edwards fashion, his seventeen-minute speech focused on the issues that he is passionate about (education, poverty, health care), and societal ills that Obama can help solve as President. Here is a full length capture of that speech:
Next on this post's agenda is a breathtaking sight: at a rally held this Monday in Portland, OR, Obama drew over 75,000 people to hear him speak! The impressive--nay, astounding--collection of folks gathered in a single rally is a great example of how Obama's gaining momentum not just on tv news programs and in the papers, but in real, demonstrative ways. People are coming out more than ever, in real life, to see the man spread his message. If this many people are coming out to see him deliver the goods now, still six months before the general election, it makes me giddy to think what we will be a part of when the DNC comes to our front door in August.
Besides the sheer awesome glimpse of an ocean of people coming out Obama (and in spite of the forced twang in the background music), another promising side to this video is the tone of Barack's rhetoric. With his nomination as good as sealed by now, Obama has shifted his tone back to the more hopeful, inclusive type of speech that gained him national notoriety earlier in the year. In a quote taken from the clip, Obama said, "This campaign and this election are not about Barack Obama. It's not about Hillary Clinton. It's not about John McCain. It's about your hopes, it's about your dreams. It's about what's possible when a new generations of Americans stand up and say, 'We're not gonna settle for what is, we're gonna imagine what might be.'" The rest of that quote, and a glimpse of its landmark audience, can be viewed here:
Finally, and most pertinently tonight, it would be criminal to create a post without acknowledging Obama's victory in today's Oregon Democratic primary. Besides overtaking the state's polls by a margin of sixteen points, (cnn.com estimates here, as of 11pm MST Tuesday night), today Obama has also reached a significant goal in the delegate count, having now claimed over half of the pledged delegates up for grabs in the Democratic race. In other words, as analysts have been phoning in for several weeks now, it is now mathematically impossible for Hillary to win her party's nomination (at least in the delegate count). Although it must also be pointed out that Senator Clinton came away with a handy victory in the Kentucky primary (65-30 points), also held today, and that neither candidate is going to claim the 2,015 delegates needed to definitively seal the primary. However, taking the majority lead is an important accomplishment, and provides yet another mile marker in how far this campaign has come in just over a year of politicking. Wolf Blitzer's beard was among the first to report the nab here, while Obama himself addressed this noteworthy milestone at a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, where his presidential bid really took off just five months ago:
First off, the news so HUGE it demands capital letters and a bold typeface to boot: John Edwards got off the fence, and we're delighted to have him on our side! Ever since he withdrew his own bid for the presidency way back on January 30, Edwards has been very upright about his oath to keep his lips sealed until he was good and ready to lend his support to either Hillary or Barack. At a campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan last Wednesday, Edwards gave a speech introducing the candidate to his rabid audience and finally put a country of Obamaphiles' worries to rest by coming out for our candidate. A perennial 'good guy' in both 2004 and 2008's Democratic races, Edwards' decision to show his support for Barack is great news, and gives major push for the Obama campaign, especially in the South (Edwards has served as a Senator, representing the voters of North Carolina). Like many of the other celebrity delegates who have come out in favor of Obama this year, Edwards' endorsement speech consisted of several glowing descriptions of the candidate, but in true Edwards fashion, his seventeen-minute speech focused on the issues that he is passionate about (education, poverty, health care), and societal ills that Obama can help solve as President. Here is a full length capture of that speech:
Next on this post's agenda is a breathtaking sight: at a rally held this Monday in Portland, OR, Obama drew over 75,000 people to hear him speak! The impressive--nay, astounding--collection of folks gathered in a single rally is a great example of how Obama's gaining momentum not just on tv news programs and in the papers, but in real, demonstrative ways. People are coming out more than ever, in real life, to see the man spread his message. If this many people are coming out to see him deliver the goods now, still six months before the general election, it makes me giddy to think what we will be a part of when the DNC comes to our front door in August.
Besides the sheer awesome glimpse of an ocean of people coming out Obama (and in spite of the forced twang in the background music), another promising side to this video is the tone of Barack's rhetoric. With his nomination as good as sealed by now, Obama has shifted his tone back to the more hopeful, inclusive type of speech that gained him national notoriety earlier in the year. In a quote taken from the clip, Obama said, "This campaign and this election are not about Barack Obama. It's not about Hillary Clinton. It's not about John McCain. It's about your hopes, it's about your dreams. It's about what's possible when a new generations of Americans stand up and say, 'We're not gonna settle for what is, we're gonna imagine what might be.'" The rest of that quote, and a glimpse of its landmark audience, can be viewed here:
Finally, and most pertinently tonight, it would be criminal to create a post without acknowledging Obama's victory in today's Oregon Democratic primary. Besides overtaking the state's polls by a margin of sixteen points, (cnn.com estimates here, as of 11pm MST Tuesday night), today Obama has also reached a significant goal in the delegate count, having now claimed over half of the pledged delegates up for grabs in the Democratic race. In other words, as analysts have been phoning in for several weeks now, it is now mathematically impossible for Hillary to win her party's nomination (at least in the delegate count). Although it must also be pointed out that Senator Clinton came away with a handy victory in the Kentucky primary (65-30 points), also held today, and that neither candidate is going to claim the 2,015 delegates needed to definitively seal the primary. However, taking the majority lead is an important accomplishment, and provides yet another mile marker in how far this campaign has come in just over a year of politicking. Wolf Blitzer's beard was among the first to report the nab here, while Obama himself addressed this noteworthy milestone at a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, where his presidential bid really took off just five months ago:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Day Forty-five, May 14
Alright, so anybody who's been paying attention to this blog (who is anybody, really) may have noticed that I haven't updated my posts since last Friday, giving a sense of false advertising to the journal's very name. This is because 'real life' stuff has recently had a tendency of getting in my way of posting on here on a regular basis, and since this isn't the first time I've fallen behind on my daily commitment, I've decided to cut back a little bit on the blogging. The downside is that I won't be as informed or rapidly up-to-date on all things Obama. The good news is that each post will return to the original intent of the blog: to post something inspiring about the candidate as they come along. So for at least a while, it's going to be the Bi-daily Dose of Hope or the As-Often-As-I-Can-Manage Dose of Hope, but like I said, the content should hopefully improve* as a result.
* This also means a lot less picking on Hillary or McCain, which quite a few of my most recent posts were thinly-veiled diatribes against.
As for today's content, I'd like to include a lengthy but revealing article from last month's Time magazine. I'd originally planned this feature to coincide with Mother's Day on Sunday (love you, mom!), but the , written by Amanda Ripley, is certainly worthwhile enough to post it a few days after the holiday. You can click here to start reading the article.
In the midst of Obama's almost certain claim as the chosen nominee for his party, the media is giving more air to the candidate's issues, less attention is being paid to the people that surround him. In certain cases, like Reverend Wright, this is allowing Obama to continue picking up political speed uninhibited. However, this also means that a part of the more human side of Barack is getting lost in the politics of today. Much has been made of Obama's Kenyan-born father, Barack Obama Sr., who returned to Africa without his family when Barack was only a child, but that more tender, human side to the Obama family story is there: the tale of Obama's mother, S. Ann Sutero. At a time where Obama is still (unbelievably) being typecast as an 'elitist', one needs look no further than the story of his mother's life to see just how rocky life has been for Barack. Speaking about his mother in the article, Obama told Ripley, "When I think about my mother. I think that there was a certain combination of being very grounded in who she was, what she believed in. But also a certain recklessness. I think she was always searching for something. She wasn't comfortable seeing her life confined to a certain box."
Throughout the article, Ripley traces the course of the rest of Stanley's (her father had wanted a boy, she soon settled on the name 'Ann' instead) life, and the values she imparted in her son. From the Sutero family's move to Hawaii just after Ann graduated from high school to falling in love with Barack's father to the impetus that took the family to Indonesia just a few years later, Ann Sutero's story is a compelling one. It also an eye-opening glimpse into some of the core values that her son still carries today: generosity, education, tolerance, devotion and (you guessed it) hope. In the article, the author quotes one of Ann's friends Nancy Peluso. "When Barack smiles," says Peluso, "there's just a certain Ann look. He lights up in a particular way that she did." From collecting food stamps in Indonesia to finishing her 1,000 page dissertation in the field of anthropology in her 50's, this is easily the most rewarding as well as surprising article I've included in this blog thus far. If you want to know where Obama got some of the inspiration that pushes him forward today, I can't recommend it enough.
* This also means a lot less picking on Hillary or McCain, which quite a few of my most recent posts were thinly-veiled diatribes against.
As for today's content, I'd like to include a lengthy but revealing article from last month's Time magazine. I'd originally planned this feature to coincide with Mother's Day on Sunday (love you, mom!), but the , written by Amanda Ripley, is certainly worthwhile enough to post it a few days after the holiday. You can click here to start reading the article.
In the midst of Obama's almost certain claim as the chosen nominee for his party, the media is giving more air to the candidate's issues, less attention is being paid to the people that surround him. In certain cases, like Reverend Wright, this is allowing Obama to continue picking up political speed uninhibited. However, this also means that a part of the more human side of Barack is getting lost in the politics of today. Much has been made of Obama's Kenyan-born father, Barack Obama Sr., who returned to Africa without his family when Barack was only a child, but that more tender, human side to the Obama family story is there: the tale of Obama's mother, S. Ann Sutero. At a time where Obama is still (unbelievably) being typecast as an 'elitist', one needs look no further than the story of his mother's life to see just how rocky life has been for Barack. Speaking about his mother in the article, Obama told Ripley, "When I think about my mother. I think that there was a certain combination of being very grounded in who she was, what she believed in. But also a certain recklessness. I think she was always searching for something. She wasn't comfortable seeing her life confined to a certain box."
Throughout the article, Ripley traces the course of the rest of Stanley's (her father had wanted a boy, she soon settled on the name 'Ann' instead) life, and the values she imparted in her son. From the Sutero family's move to Hawaii just after Ann graduated from high school to falling in love with Barack's father to the impetus that took the family to Indonesia just a few years later, Ann Sutero's story is a compelling one. It also an eye-opening glimpse into some of the core values that her son still carries today: generosity, education, tolerance, devotion and (you guessed it) hope. In the article, the author quotes one of Ann's friends Nancy Peluso. "When Barack smiles," says Peluso, "there's just a certain Ann look. He lights up in a particular way that she did." From collecting food stamps in Indonesia to finishing her 1,000 page dissertation in the field of anthropology in her 50's, this is easily the most rewarding as well as surprising article I've included in this blog thus far. If you want to know where Obama got some of the inspiration that pushes him forward today, I can't recommend it enough.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Day Forty-four, May 9
Here's another reason to support Senator Obama's bid for the presidency: the man can do math. And on a day like today, that sort of thing comes in handy. The reason's as important as learning your multiplication tables, but much quicker to figure out: today he picked up nine superdelegates. In just a few short hours this afternoon, superdelegates all over the United States were jumping into the ring for Obama, devouring Senator Clinton's narrow lead in no time. Nine supers in a single day is important record in recent months of the Democratic race, and one that is only helping Obama gain steam in the days following what may have been the table-turning primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. The most important part of the equation is that these superdelegates bring Obama's count up to 271, a mere one-half of a superdelegate of Hillary's total*. Although Senator Clinton also picked up one superdelegate's endorsement today, Obama is currently leading the overall delegate count 1,859.5 delegates, to 1,697. That math could be what it takes to make Obama his party's official candidate before the DNC comes to Denver three months from now.
To put this gain into better perspective, on the day before Super Tuesday, Senator Clinton was leading the superdelegate count 169-63. What a difference a few months can make!
As reported in our own Denver Post today (via the Associated Press), superdelegates from the country have come out to stand behind Obama's run for the Oval Office. A few of them have even defected from the Hillary camp (yet again) to board the Hope train right before it gains full steam this summer. New Jersey representative Donald Payne originally came out for Senator Clinton's campaign on January 1st, but was one of the nine superdelegates to lend his support to Obama today. Payne summed up his switch to Obama, saying, "After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs." He is the tenth superdelegate to defect to Obama's campaign this year; so far, Obama has not lost any of his supporters to Senator Clinton. Obama also picked up an endorsement from The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a Washington D.C.-based workers' union. Said John Gage, president of the AFGE, "Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign." It seemed to be an easy choice for the union, according to Gage, who went on to say "I think it's time we start really focusing in on McCain, who just has a terrible record when it comes to federal employees." Amen, brother. And we might just take a few more of those superdelegates with us!
* Can someone please explain to me why delegates are being split between the two candidates, accounting for a .5 lead? I missed this when it happened last month.
To put this gain into better perspective, on the day before Super Tuesday, Senator Clinton was leading the superdelegate count 169-63. What a difference a few months can make!
As reported in our own Denver Post today (via the Associated Press), superdelegates from the country have come out to stand behind Obama's run for the Oval Office. A few of them have even defected from the Hillary camp (yet again) to board the Hope train right before it gains full steam this summer. New Jersey representative Donald Payne originally came out for Senator Clinton's campaign on January 1st, but was one of the nine superdelegates to lend his support to Obama today. Payne summed up his switch to Obama, saying, "After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs." He is the tenth superdelegate to defect to Obama's campaign this year; so far, Obama has not lost any of his supporters to Senator Clinton. Obama also picked up an endorsement from The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a Washington D.C.-based workers' union. Said John Gage, president of the AFGE, "Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign." It seemed to be an easy choice for the union, according to Gage, who went on to say "I think it's time we start really focusing in on McCain, who just has a terrible record when it comes to federal employees." Amen, brother. And we might just take a few more of those superdelegates with us!
* Can someone please explain to me why delegates are being split between the two candidates, accounting for a .5 lead? I missed this when it happened last month.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Day Forty-three, May 8
In another post that will suggest I'm somehow running out of things to be genuinely hopeful about when it comes to Obama, today I'd like to give some recognition to one of the lesser-reported aspects of Barack's lifestyle: his taste in beverages. First up, his breakfast drink of choice. In a country gone mad for caffeinated beverages, here is a man who stands up to the Starbucks' and Folgers' of the world. The following is an excerpt from a discussion between Chris Matthews and David Schuster on the April 11th episode of Hardball:
But gloating about your candidate's preference of juice over coffee is a little smug, right? That's why I'm also taking advantage of the recent photo of Obama toasting his North Carolina victory in Raleigh bar with a beer in his hand.
That beer he's sipping? None other than Pabst Blue Ribbon. Although I have a 'take it or leave it' policy on PBR, and I doubt he'll be keeping it on tap in the White House, still, it's a nice gesture. And a smooth, canned aftertaste!
Hear that, coffee addicts? Your vitamin c intake is limited at best, and your days are numbered! As a fellow abstainer of the java (and OJ addict), I can't help but feel my hope glands swell ever so slightly, yet sillily, whenever I pour my glass of Tropicana every morning.SHUSTER: Well, here's the other thing that we saw on the tape, Chris, is that, when Obama went in, he was offered coffee, and he said, "I'll have orange juice."
MATTHEWS: No.
SHUSTER: He did.
And it's just one of those sort of weird things. You know, when the owner of the diner says, "Here, have some coffee," you say, "Yes, thank you," and, "Oh, can I also please have some orange juice, in addition to this?" You don't just say, "No, I'll take orange juice," and then turn away and start shaking hands. That's what happens [unintelligible] --
MATTHEWS: You don't ask for a substitute on the menu.
SHUSTER: Exactly.
MATTHEWS: David, what a regular guy. You could do this. Anyway, thank you, David Shuster. I mean, go to the diners.
But gloating about your candidate's preference of juice over coffee is a little smug, right? That's why I'm also taking advantage of the recent photo of Obama toasting his North Carolina victory in Raleigh bar with a beer in his hand.
That beer he's sipping? None other than Pabst Blue Ribbon. Although I have a 'take it or leave it' policy on PBR, and I doubt he'll be keeping it on tap in the White House, still, it's a nice gesture. And a smooth, canned aftertaste!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Day Forth-two, April 7
So the day after the potential tie-breaker primary in Indiana, it turns out that Hillary actually did win--albeit very narrowly--and kept some hope alive for her supporters. But will that slim margin of victory be enough to sustain a credible run for the presidency? If you picked up virtually any newspaper in the country today, the answer is 'no'.
Take today's Rocky Mountain News for example, and Mike Littwin's (largely editorial) feature, "Say 'Hil-la-ry' with a straight face'. Written from the floor where Hillary gave her victory speech in Indianapolis last night, Littwin sums up just what kind of death knell such a close primary race could spell for Clinton. After describing that smile that just won't quit on Hillary's face, Littwin turns to the cold reality at hand, writing, "the entire basis for the Clinton candidacy at this point - late, late in the campaign - is to continue making the argument to superdelegates that Barack Obama can't win and that they must therefore turn to a smiling Clinton, the happy warrior." And, while biased, he's got a point that's hard to bat down here; the sun appears to be setting on Senator Clinton's bid for the presidency. After squeaking ahead in the last 'upset' state she had left, and with the next-biggest primary being Oregon's election next week (65 delegates at stake there, as opposed to the 134 up for grabs in North Carolina yesterday), Hillary's on her last leg of the race, and losing wind at a sharp pace. A 2% margin of victory in a state as important as Indiana isn't much to brag about, and as Littberg summizes, "at this point a subpar day for Clinton is devastating enough."
In spite of a hard-fought victory in Indiana (and largely because of the less-reported 14-point loss in North Carolina on the same day), Senator Clinton's ship of popularity and believability is sinking fast. This is, of course, welcome news to Obama's supporters, and countless talking heads and bloggers are already predicting that Hillary will beckon rationality's call and withdrawal her bid within the next two weeks (google 'Obama+pundit' to get an idea how much the race has changed in the last 24 hours). The even better news, however, is that Obama appears to be taking his gains with grace, and maybe even a grain of salt. As reported in this blog by Leonard Doyle on the Independent.co.uk website, Obama is calling for an end to the race with Clinton, but seems ready to wait it out, if that's what it takes to seal the nomination proper. "We have a clear path to victory," he said. "But now is the time for each one of us to step up and do what we can to close out this primary." (from the article) Doyle then went on to suggest how Obama's success in yesterday's primaries are proof of his resilience in the face of dirty politics and controversy, and his refusal to pander to voters by standing up to the 'gas tax holiday' proposal. Last night, in his address to supporters in Raleigh, NC "Because of you, we've seen that it's possible to overcome the politics of division and the politics of distraction. That it's possible to overcome the same old negative attacks that are always about scoring points and never about solving our problems." Video of that speech can be found here, on Barack's Youtube page.
This week will play a big part in sealing the deal for Obama, and it's worth noting that he hasn't resorted to cutting down his opponent just to claim a premature victory. Even better, Barack's started using his 'us' message again, and is focusing less and less on the differences between himself and Hillary. Now is the time to reunite the party in preparation for the A-game that the Republicans will assuredly bring in the next six months. I'll try not to devote much more of this blog to any perceived Hillary-bashing, but as a party, it's time to wrap up the nomination so we can put Barack up on the banner and start marching together toward a victory in November. And yesterday his campaign got several giant steps closer to finishing that march.
Take today's Rocky Mountain News for example, and Mike Littwin's (largely editorial) feature, "Say 'Hil-la-ry' with a straight face'. Written from the floor where Hillary gave her victory speech in Indianapolis last night, Littwin sums up just what kind of death knell such a close primary race could spell for Clinton. After describing that smile that just won't quit on Hillary's face, Littwin turns to the cold reality at hand, writing, "the entire basis for the Clinton candidacy at this point - late, late in the campaign - is to continue making the argument to superdelegates that Barack Obama can't win and that they must therefore turn to a smiling Clinton, the happy warrior." And, while biased, he's got a point that's hard to bat down here; the sun appears to be setting on Senator Clinton's bid for the presidency. After squeaking ahead in the last 'upset' state she had left, and with the next-biggest primary being Oregon's election next week (65 delegates at stake there, as opposed to the 134 up for grabs in North Carolina yesterday), Hillary's on her last leg of the race, and losing wind at a sharp pace. A 2% margin of victory in a state as important as Indiana isn't much to brag about, and as Littberg summizes, "at this point a subpar day for Clinton is devastating enough."
In spite of a hard-fought victory in Indiana (and largely because of the less-reported 14-point loss in North Carolina on the same day), Senator Clinton's ship of popularity and believability is sinking fast. This is, of course, welcome news to Obama's supporters, and countless talking heads and bloggers are already predicting that Hillary will beckon rationality's call and withdrawal her bid within the next two weeks (google 'Obama+pundit' to get an idea how much the race has changed in the last 24 hours). The even better news, however, is that Obama appears to be taking his gains with grace, and maybe even a grain of salt. As reported in this blog by Leonard Doyle on the Independent.co.uk website, Obama is calling for an end to the race with Clinton, but seems ready to wait it out, if that's what it takes to seal the nomination proper. "We have a clear path to victory," he said. "But now is the time for each one of us to step up and do what we can to close out this primary." (from the article) Doyle then went on to suggest how Obama's success in yesterday's primaries are proof of his resilience in the face of dirty politics and controversy, and his refusal to pander to voters by standing up to the 'gas tax holiday' proposal. Last night, in his address to supporters in Raleigh, NC "Because of you, we've seen that it's possible to overcome the politics of division and the politics of distraction. That it's possible to overcome the same old negative attacks that are always about scoring points and never about solving our problems." Video of that speech can be found here, on Barack's Youtube page.
This week will play a big part in sealing the deal for Obama, and it's worth noting that he hasn't resorted to cutting down his opponent just to claim a premature victory. Even better, Barack's started using his 'us' message again, and is focusing less and less on the differences between himself and Hillary. Now is the time to reunite the party in preparation for the A-game that the Republicans will assuredly bring in the next six months. I'll try not to devote much more of this blog to any perceived Hillary-bashing, but as a party, it's time to wrap up the nomination so we can put Barack up on the banner and start marching together toward a victory in November. And yesterday his campaign got several giant steps closer to finishing that march.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Day Forty-one, May 6
As of one minute ago (10:38pm MST), and with 95% of precincts reporting CNN.com is giving Senator Clinton a 2% lead over Barack Obama in Indiana. An hour ago, at 85% precincts reporting, Hillary was ahead by 4%, at 52 to 48. And, ten minutes to midnight in Indianapolis, it's still too close to call at this point. Both candidates knew it was going to be close, with even Obama conceding victory to his rival before voters even hit the polls, but the slim possibility that it could end in a dead-heat is great news. Similar to when Obama managed to narrow the polling gap to within six points in Pennsylvania in April, a primary race as close as this one is all the campaign needs to keep its edge in the delegate count. Of course, all of this work is diminished (barely) today as Hillary demands that the delegate count include the already voided districts in Michigan and Florida. That would push the required amount of delegates from 2,025 (which Barack is within earshot of after today's victory in North Carolina) up to 2,209, a mathematical impossibility for either candidate since votes from the aforementioned states will assuredly not be counted. Click here to read more on that hissyfit (and Hillary's repeated recognition of the 2,025 delegate total).
In the rapid counting pace of the Indiana primary that will make this blog post obsolete before tomorrow morning, I thought I'd post an even more primitive assessment of the election, this article from the Associated Press, "Obama wins N.C. primary, Clinton leads in Indiana". I can only hope that headline will take on a 'Dewey Deafeats Truman'-esque faleshood by the time all the votes are counted, but in the meantime, it's worth reading in order to shed some light on the vigor that both candidates have put into this competition since April 22. The report, written by David Espo and Liz Sidoti, offers a glimpse into what propelled voters toward both candidate, and also provides some refreshing news on what factors helped Obama close the voting gap. Most notably, while six out of ten voters said that the Reverend Wright debacle affected their vote for Hillary, more voters in the Obama camp said that it wasn't a factor in their decision (probably won't hear that on Good Morning America anytime soon, unfortunately). This little step is welcomed news to those of us who want to return the Obama campaign to the issues at hand, rather than spending more time pondering the company the Senator no longer chooses to keep for himself. Furthermore, although less surprisingly, is how the economy played a part in influencing voter decisions: "The economy was the top issue by far in both states, according to interviews with voters as they left their polling places," the authors state in the article. Depending on how it's depicted in the media, this could be good news for Obama's campaign, as the gas tax debate appears to be the next stop on the media's roulette wheel for the ongoing campaign season.
In the rapid counting pace of the Indiana primary that will make this blog post obsolete before tomorrow morning, I thought I'd post an even more primitive assessment of the election, this article from the Associated Press, "Obama wins N.C. primary, Clinton leads in Indiana". I can only hope that headline will take on a 'Dewey Deafeats Truman'-esque faleshood by the time all the votes are counted, but in the meantime, it's worth reading in order to shed some light on the vigor that both candidates have put into this competition since April 22. The report, written by David Espo and Liz Sidoti, offers a glimpse into what propelled voters toward both candidate, and also provides some refreshing news on what factors helped Obama close the voting gap. Most notably, while six out of ten voters said that the Reverend Wright debacle affected their vote for Hillary, more voters in the Obama camp said that it wasn't a factor in their decision (probably won't hear that on Good Morning America anytime soon, unfortunately). This little step is welcomed news to those of us who want to return the Obama campaign to the issues at hand, rather than spending more time pondering the company the Senator no longer chooses to keep for himself. Furthermore, although less surprisingly, is how the economy played a part in influencing voter decisions: "The economy was the top issue by far in both states, according to interviews with voters as they left their polling places," the authors state in the article. Depending on how it's depicted in the media, this could be good news for Obama's campaign, as the gas tax debate appears to be the next stop on the media's roulette wheel for the ongoing campaign season.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Day Forty, May 5
Tonight a friend took me to see DJ Spooky (Paul Miller) speak at Denver University, and the man gave one hell of a stimulating presentation. Miller's discussion covered a wide variety of topics, focusing mainly on the place of 'cut-and-paste' aesthetic in art, text, and music, but occasionally he did veer into the political arena. At one point, he took advantage of the opportunity to throw in a hearty cheer for Obama, which made me wonder just what he had done for the campaign lately (not like this blog adds up to jack squat). So I went on Google to try and suss out some sort-of DJ Spooky/Obama mash-up online, be it spoken, written, or musical endorsement.
The best search result was the following video, a remix of will.i.am's "Yes We Can" tribute to Barack. At a time where there's been more focus on the actions of Barack's pastor and what he is(n't) wearing on his suit lapel than on his message of hope, I think it's time for this inspiring video to make a comeback. Spooky's website is here, containing much more of his own art, music, and musings, and the original video can be found here at dipdive.com.
Here's DJ Spooky's remix of the moving music video for "Yes We Can":
The best search result was the following video, a remix of will.i.am's "Yes We Can" tribute to Barack. At a time where there's been more focus on the actions of Barack's pastor and what he is(n't) wearing on his suit lapel than on his message of hope, I think it's time for this inspiring video to make a comeback. Spooky's website is here, containing much more of his own art, music, and musings, and the original video can be found here at dipdive.com.
Here's DJ Spooky's remix of the moving music video for "Yes We Can":
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Day Thirty-nine, May 4
This morning, my favorite Sunday morning political show (Meet the Press) interviewed my favorite presidential candidate (duh), and I missed it! Anyway, Russert talked to Obama for the entire hour of the show, which has already been captured and posted on Youtube. As usual, the staff managed to dig deep in the issues to get the tough questions on the candidate, and Obama held up pretty well (especially since the first 20 minutes are devoted to the Rev. Wright controversy). Obama's starting to look like he's flip-flopping on Wright, when pressed about why he didn't outright disown him during his race speech in March, but other than that, he presents himself as candid, confident, and competent as ever.
Here's the video in five parts, thanks to Youtube user 'VOTERSTHINKdotORG'.
Video Uno
Video Dos
Video Tres
Video Cuatro
Video Cinco
Here's the video in five parts, thanks to Youtube user 'VOTERSTHINKdotORG'.
Video Uno
Video Dos
Video Tres
Video Cuatro
Video Cinco
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Day Thirty-eight, May 3
Now that only a few days remain until the crucial primary elections in Indiana and North Carolina, the candidates are focusing their attention on the issues they want to highlight in order to appeal to voters' good senses. The political winds are settling for a moment, and Obama's standing in the country (and the media) will go with them. This means that some of the attention is shifted off of Reverend Wright controversy and back onto Obama's stance on gas prices, the recession, and other issues that will affect Americans intimately. It also allows the talking heads to spend less time asking if Obama is really 'elitist' (finally). And they've virtually forgotten all about that dreadful bowling game of his that didn't win over any voters in Pennsylvania last month.
Which is good, according to Globe and Mail writer John Ibbitson, because now we can focus on what really wins voters: hoopskills. In a feature published in last Wednesday's Opinion section, Ibbitson muses about how Barack's love of (and talent for) basketball could be a major benefit for his Indiana campaign next week. By broadening the politics of shooting hoops as far as they will go, the thought-provoking piece suggests that the sport is not mere pandering to voters, but a genuine avenue for the public to relate to Obama, especially with working-class folks in the Hoosier state. "In places like Indiana, with its ethos of hard work and plain speaking, Barack Obama's seemingly dismissive comments about rural folk will hurt him," Ibbitson writes. "Fortunately, he plays basketball." After giving a base explanation about the political appeal that he can tap into by showing off his skills on the court, Ibbitson breaks it down even further, explaining that basketball is just the anchor Obama needs to keep his public opinion from drifting any further away due to a perceived affluence. By keeping his lifestyle and talents both political and relatable, Obama stands to regain a lot of the ground he's lost due to recent controversy and accusations of elitism. In his editorial's closing statement, Ibbitson says that all Obama needs to do "is remind [voters] that he grew up in a house where money was tight, that his grandparents were from Kansas, and that basketball is divinely inspired." Game on.
Which is good, according to Globe and Mail writer John Ibbitson, because now we can focus on what really wins voters: hoopskills. In a feature published in last Wednesday's Opinion section, Ibbitson muses about how Barack's love of (and talent for) basketball could be a major benefit for his Indiana campaign next week. By broadening the politics of shooting hoops as far as they will go, the thought-provoking piece suggests that the sport is not mere pandering to voters, but a genuine avenue for the public to relate to Obama, especially with working-class folks in the Hoosier state. "In places like Indiana, with its ethos of hard work and plain speaking, Barack Obama's seemingly dismissive comments about rural folk will hurt him," Ibbitson writes. "Fortunately, he plays basketball." After giving a base explanation about the political appeal that he can tap into by showing off his skills on the court, Ibbitson breaks it down even further, explaining that basketball is just the anchor Obama needs to keep his public opinion from drifting any further away due to a perceived affluence. By keeping his lifestyle and talents both political and relatable, Obama stands to regain a lot of the ground he's lost due to recent controversy and accusations of elitism. In his editorial's closing statement, Ibbitson says that all Obama needs to do "is remind [voters] that he grew up in a house where money was tight, that his grandparents were from Kansas, and that basketball is divinely inspired." Game on.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Day Thirty-seven, May 2
Yesterday morning, Barack and his wife Michelle made an appearance on my morning news broadcast of choice, the Today show, and I missed it! Fortunately, somebody captured the segment and put it on Youtube (duh). In it, that delightful Meredith Viera asks the Obamas questions about the same old shi--er, the most 'pressing matters' in the presidential race, like Reverend Wright and accusations that Obama is 'elitist'. Nice. What a timely interview, NBC. It is a treat to see the two of them together, though! Video courtesy of Youtube poster ewallstreet:
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Days Thirty-Six and Seven, April 30 and May 1
Another two-parter, what's wrong with me?
Getting right back into the swing of things, a lot of superdelegates have been emerging in favor of Obama this week, although it's usually not the Bill Richardson-level superstars that grab headlines. One exception did emerge today, though, when former DNC Chairman under President Clinton, Joe Andrew, tipped his hat in for Obama (New York Times reports here, more on that in the second half of today's post). So why isn't there any more talk over the superdelegate race? Is it because the media stopped caring as soon as Reverend Wright started grabbing their attention again? Or maybe we've started paying more attention to what the popular vote has to say in the primaries, and less about the superdelegates' sway in the race.
According to an article from yesterday's Huffington Post, the more logical explanation is because the game is already wrapped up and the officials are just biding their time. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) suggested that the race is as good as over, and now the appointed superdelegates are just deploying their allegiance a few at a time. Strategically, this makes sense for both camps, since neither party ones to be the one to see an inundation of superdelegates only to have their opponent counter with an even bigger wave of support a few days later. By letting a few supporters out every day or two, the race stays relatively even, and subsequently out of the headlines. But the good news, according to Senator McCaskill, is that the majority of those waiting in the wings are on Obama's side. Said McCaskill, "The majority of superdelegates I've talked to are committed, but it is a matter of timing. They're just preferring to make their decision public after the primaries are over. ... They would like someone else to act for them before they talk about it in the cold light of day." McCaskill isn't the first to suggest that the superdelegate race is as good as over now, and many non-mainstream media outlets are already speculating that this will be the coup de grace that gives Obama the nomination in the next month, maybe as early as as next week depending on the outcome of the Indiana and North Carolina primary elections.
So, if such credible speculation is to be believed, we won't have to wait much longer for the party majority to put their support behind Obama. And in that case, as Tom Petty wrote, the waiting's the hardest part.
So then what about that controversial about-face committed by the former DNC Chairman, Joseph J. Andrews? This is the first superdelegate in a few weeks to have made more than a marginal impact on the race at large, and the words 'surprise' and 'betrayal' is popping up in a lot of today's articles on Andrews' switch to Obama. Fortunately, Andrews wasted no time in explaining his rationale for pledging his vote toward Obama. In a letter released today clarifying his position, the former Democratic chairman said that the party must unite behind Obama to move the race and country forward. In the letter, which conveys a touching amount of passion and urgency for unification, Andrew wrote, "What is best for our Party and our country is not blind loyalty, but passionate support for the candidate who can best correct the misguided policies of the last eight years."
Andrew spoke eloquently about what moved him in favor of Obama, even beginning his address with four simple words: "I have been inspired." In a passage intended to persuade fellow Indiana residents to cast their vote for Obama in next week's primary election, Andrew said,
Getting right back into the swing of things, a lot of superdelegates have been emerging in favor of Obama this week, although it's usually not the Bill Richardson-level superstars that grab headlines. One exception did emerge today, though, when former DNC Chairman under President Clinton, Joe Andrew, tipped his hat in for Obama (New York Times reports here, more on that in the second half of today's post). So why isn't there any more talk over the superdelegate race? Is it because the media stopped caring as soon as Reverend Wright started grabbing their attention again? Or maybe we've started paying more attention to what the popular vote has to say in the primaries, and less about the superdelegates' sway in the race.
According to an article from yesterday's Huffington Post, the more logical explanation is because the game is already wrapped up and the officials are just biding their time. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) suggested that the race is as good as over, and now the appointed superdelegates are just deploying their allegiance a few at a time. Strategically, this makes sense for both camps, since neither party ones to be the one to see an inundation of superdelegates only to have their opponent counter with an even bigger wave of support a few days later. By letting a few supporters out every day or two, the race stays relatively even, and subsequently out of the headlines. But the good news, according to Senator McCaskill, is that the majority of those waiting in the wings are on Obama's side. Said McCaskill, "The majority of superdelegates I've talked to are committed, but it is a matter of timing. They're just preferring to make their decision public after the primaries are over. ... They would like someone else to act for them before they talk about it in the cold light of day." McCaskill isn't the first to suggest that the superdelegate race is as good as over now, and many non-mainstream media outlets are already speculating that this will be the coup de grace that gives Obama the nomination in the next month, maybe as early as as next week depending on the outcome of the Indiana and North Carolina primary elections.
So, if such credible speculation is to be believed, we won't have to wait much longer for the party majority to put their support behind Obama. And in that case, as Tom Petty wrote, the waiting's the hardest part.
So then what about that controversial about-face committed by the former DNC Chairman, Joseph J. Andrews? This is the first superdelegate in a few weeks to have made more than a marginal impact on the race at large, and the words 'surprise' and 'betrayal' is popping up in a lot of today's articles on Andrews' switch to Obama. Fortunately, Andrews wasted no time in explaining his rationale for pledging his vote toward Obama. In a letter released today clarifying his position, the former Democratic chairman said that the party must unite behind Obama to move the race and country forward. In the letter, which conveys a touching amount of passion and urgency for unification, Andrew wrote, "What is best for our Party and our country is not blind loyalty, but passionate support for the candidate who can best correct the misguided policies of the last eight years."
Andrew spoke eloquently about what moved him in favor of Obama, even beginning his address with four simple words: "I have been inspired." In a passage intended to persuade fellow Indiana residents to cast their vote for Obama in next week's primary election, Andrew said,
I ask Hoosiers to come together and vote for Barack Obama to be our next President. In an accident of timing, Indiana has been given the opportunity to truly make a difference. Hoosiers should grab that power and do what in their heart they know is right. They should reject the old negative politics and vote for true change. Don't settle for the tried and true and the simplistic slogans, but listen to your heart and dare to be inspired. Only a cynic would be critical of Barack Obama inspiring millions. Only the uninformed could forget that the candidate that wins in November is always the candidate that inspires millions.That compelling letter can be found here in its entirety, again compliments of today's Huffington Post.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Day Thirty-five, April 29
One of my favorite things about Obama is his willingness to stand up and say 'enough is enough'. In a way, this is one of the driving messages of his platform, his entire presidential campaign, the call to 'cut the crap, America' (but in much more eloquent terms). Whether it's the nation's desire for a speedy withdrawal from Iraq, to the flawed and failing No Child Left Behind Act, to politicians' opening their wallets to lobbyists and PACs, Obama knows when to quit. He has no problem with coming clean on these things out in the open, either. It's a rare and valuable quality in a politician. And perhaps today this is trait more pertinent than ever, as Obama has publicly denounced his former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, for comments he made on Monday.
Saying he was "outraged and saddened" by Wright's recent comments, Obama has refused to stand by his spiritual leader since 1992. "The person I saw yesterday was not the person I met twenty years ago," he went on to say. The comments that the Senator is referring to occured Monday, when Wright suggested that it might have been possible that the U.S. Government engineered AIDS to harm the black community, and praising controversial Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan as "one of the greatest voices of the 20th and 21st century". When Obama viewed the video of this speech for the first time this morning, he wasted no time in disavowing himself from such incendiary comments. "When I say I find these comments appaling, I mean it" Barack said today in a press conference. After watching yesterday's press conference (or reading this transcript), it's clear that Wright is making some pretty racially and religiously extreme comments in the media, without much fear of reprisal. Or, as my mom put it to me today discussing this week's development over the phone, "he's gone off the deep end." No kidding, mom. But did he jump so far off that he'll be bringing down the Obama campaign along with him? After Barack's prompt response today, hopefully not.
But many will wonder, is this merely a political tactic for Obama to regain (or avoid losing any more) clout with middle America? While he no doubt had this in mind while composing his responnse, after listening to the speech he gave today, this is surely a secondary consideration--or less--for Obama. In his somber, almost frustrated tone of voice, Barack seems to be wrestling with his conscience, suggesting just how much of he's put his personal life at stake by moving away from Reverend Wright like he has. But these are the words of a man who's fed up, not with having the limelight taken away from him, but with having the rants of a madman repeated as if they were his own.
One can only imagine what Wright's reaction to Obama's words will be, although we probably won't have to wait long to see just what he'll have to say, and how this will dampen the Obama campaign. The pastor has already done his damage, and the worst is probably behind us, we can be glad. But I think the courage that Barack has mustered to do this, to turn his back on an estranged , is a testament to his 'enough is enough' mentality. Wright has already spoken his piece several times over, and now there can be no doubt that he is not preaching for the most famous member of his church ever again.
Saying he was "outraged and saddened" by Wright's recent comments, Obama has refused to stand by his spiritual leader since 1992. "The person I saw yesterday was not the person I met twenty years ago," he went on to say. The comments that the Senator is referring to occured Monday, when Wright suggested that it might have been possible that the U.S. Government engineered AIDS to harm the black community, and praising controversial Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan as "one of the greatest voices of the 20th and 21st century". When Obama viewed the video of this speech for the first time this morning, he wasted no time in disavowing himself from such incendiary comments. "When I say I find these comments appaling, I mean it" Barack said today in a press conference. After watching yesterday's press conference (or reading this transcript), it's clear that Wright is making some pretty racially and religiously extreme comments in the media, without much fear of reprisal. Or, as my mom put it to me today discussing this week's development over the phone, "he's gone off the deep end." No kidding, mom. But did he jump so far off that he'll be bringing down the Obama campaign along with him? After Barack's prompt response today, hopefully not.
But many will wonder, is this merely a political tactic for Obama to regain (or avoid losing any more) clout with middle America? While he no doubt had this in mind while composing his responnse, after listening to the speech he gave today, this is surely a secondary consideration--or less--for Obama. In his somber, almost frustrated tone of voice, Barack seems to be wrestling with his conscience, suggesting just how much of he's put his personal life at stake by moving away from Reverend Wright like he has. But these are the words of a man who's fed up, not with having the limelight taken away from him, but with having the rants of a madman repeated as if they were his own.
One can only imagine what Wright's reaction to Obama's words will be, although we probably won't have to wait long to see just what he'll have to say, and how this will dampen the Obama campaign. The pastor has already done his damage, and the worst is probably behind us, we can be glad. But I think the courage that Barack has mustered to do this, to turn his back on an estranged , is a testament to his 'enough is enough' mentality. Wright has already spoken his piece several times over, and now there can be no doubt that he is not preaching for the most famous member of his church ever again.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Day Thirty-four, April 28
Obama graces Fox News with his presence? Stranger things have happened, I suppose, but yesterday, that's just what the Illinois Senator did, providing an interview with Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday. But the mere fact that the words 'Obama' and 'FOX News' are in the same sentence isn't the most interesting part. Wallace has actually had a little bit of a sordid history with the Senator. For instance, on March 21, Wallace phoned into that delightfully tacky 'Fox and Friends' show to ask the hosts to lighten up on Obama in the aftermath of his 'typical white person' comment last month (and man, just look at those cross-eyed hosts, folks). However, this pardon came at the same time Wallace started a new feature on his show, the so-called 'Obama Watch', a countdown clock tallying the days since Obama promised Chris he would make an appearance on his show. The Daily Show gives a fair and balanced glimpse of the phenomenon here. 'Put up or shut up,' Wallace's timer seemed to beckon to the Senator.
And put up Obama did, for almost forty minutes, even. Answering straightforward questions on issues as pressing as his loss in the Pennsylvania primary to the remergence of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Wallace pulled no punches, and Obama dealt with them swiftly. Maintaining a surprisingly relaxed tone, Obama answered the questions handily, (and, frankly) in an intimate setting that is more becoming than a stadium backdrop for right now. Obama was willing to walk into the lion's den of FOX News, and he came out without a scratch. Perhaps best of all, Chris Wallace had his field day, and can retire his countdown for good. Now we can finally stash that stupid counter and start counting the days until its honoree is the official nominee of his party.
Thanks for sticking to your word and keeping to the straight talk, Barack. You can read a transcript of the interview here, or watch a four-part video capture compliments of Youtube user yd2008:
Interview Part One
Interview Part Two
Interview Part Three
Interview Part Four
And put up Obama did, for almost forty minutes, even. Answering straightforward questions on issues as pressing as his loss in the Pennsylvania primary to the remergence of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Wallace pulled no punches, and Obama dealt with them swiftly. Maintaining a surprisingly relaxed tone, Obama answered the questions handily, (and, frankly) in an intimate setting that is more becoming than a stadium backdrop for right now. Obama was willing to walk into the lion's den of FOX News, and he came out without a scratch. Perhaps best of all, Chris Wallace had his field day, and can retire his countdown for good. Now we can finally stash that stupid counter and start counting the days until its honoree is the official nominee of his party.
Thanks for sticking to your word and keeping to the straight talk, Barack. You can read a transcript of the interview here, or watch a four-part video capture compliments of Youtube user yd2008:
Interview Part One
Interview Part Two
Interview Part Three
Interview Part Four
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Day Thirty-three, April 27
In the second half of yesterday's post, I promised that in today's update I would be continue rambling about Obama's fuel policy, and ramble on I shall. What I'm specifically refering to is Senator McCain's proposed 'gas tax holiday', and Senator Obama's immediate opposition to this proposal. As he outlined in his economic policy speech ten days ago, McCain says that by eliminating the $.18 per gallon tax on gasoline from Memorial Day to Labor Day, we'll get a break on filling up our cars, which will even stimulate a fragile economy. Not so fast, says Barack. Calling the proposal the "latest scheme" by McCain, Obama quickly went on record and spoke out against such a deceptively quick fix on a mounting problem. "I’ve said I think John McCain’s proposal for a three-month tax holiday is a bad idea,” Obama said, as reported in last mon's Wall Street Journal. And he's right. By cutting taxes of eighteen cents on the gallon, individuals receive less than a five-percent discount with the current price of gas, and resulting in a savings of roughly $28 per consumer. But hey, that's almost $30 more I can spend on Obama stickers and placards, right?
This isn't even considering the amount of damage such a tax holiday would deal to our country's already weakened infrastructure. Senator Obama handily referenced the effects of such a scenario in his speech in Anderson, IN, slyly asking, "Remember that bridge in Minneapolis?".
The 'hopeful' moral of today's story is this: here's just one (great) example of how far Obama is willing to stick his neck out to speech the truth to Americans, at possibly serious expense to his campaign. Outside of the extremely rich, to which "high gas prices are mostly an annoyance", as Barack said in his address yesterday, everyone who drives a vehicle in the country is feeling the burn now more than ever whenever they gas up their cars. Trimming a little bit off the cost of gas--even if it didn't amount to that much in the long run--would still feel pretty good right now, and even better come July. But Obama has wasted no time in making it painfully obvious that such a deduction is not only misleading, but does nothing to fix the fuel crisis in the long-run. “We’re talking about 5 percent of your total cost of gas that you suspend for three months, which might save you a few hundred bucks that then will spike right up,” Obama said last week in an address at a community college in Pennsylvania. “Now keep in mind that it will save you that if Exxon Mobil doesn’t decide, ‘We’ll just tack on another 5 percent on the current cost.'” Considering how frequently gas prices have jumped in just the last week, such a scenario is not difficult to imagine.
Along the lines of those $600 checks from the fed that we'll be getting in the next few weeks, a holiday on gas taxes is a short-term 'solution' to a long-term problem, and one that we'll all be feeling long after the Memorial Day weekend this September. Instead of taking the road to good P.R. and supporting the tax suspension (like Senator Clinton has done), Obama has shown the serious face this country will need in order to come to terms with our dependence on oil, and the unrelenting rise of fuel costs. Loosening the belt on the economy may relieve some pressure temporarily, but it doesn't mean we're actually trimming back the fat, which is something that Obama has made clear on this and other issues. The only way we'll combat the unyielding rise on the price of gas is by limiting our dependence on it, and I'm glad to see Obama standing up for the real solution to this growing problem in our world.
This isn't even considering the amount of damage such a tax holiday would deal to our country's already weakened infrastructure. Senator Obama handily referenced the effects of such a scenario in his speech in Anderson, IN, slyly asking, "Remember that bridge in Minneapolis?".
The 'hopeful' moral of today's story is this: here's just one (great) example of how far Obama is willing to stick his neck out to speech the truth to Americans, at possibly serious expense to his campaign. Outside of the extremely rich, to which "high gas prices are mostly an annoyance", as Barack said in his address yesterday, everyone who drives a vehicle in the country is feeling the burn now more than ever whenever they gas up their cars. Trimming a little bit off the cost of gas--even if it didn't amount to that much in the long run--would still feel pretty good right now, and even better come July. But Obama has wasted no time in making it painfully obvious that such a deduction is not only misleading, but does nothing to fix the fuel crisis in the long-run. “We’re talking about 5 percent of your total cost of gas that you suspend for three months, which might save you a few hundred bucks that then will spike right up,” Obama said last week in an address at a community college in Pennsylvania. “Now keep in mind that it will save you that if Exxon Mobil doesn’t decide, ‘We’ll just tack on another 5 percent on the current cost.'” Considering how frequently gas prices have jumped in just the last week, such a scenario is not difficult to imagine.
Along the lines of those $600 checks from the fed that we'll be getting in the next few weeks, a holiday on gas taxes is a short-term 'solution' to a long-term problem, and one that we'll all be feeling long after the Memorial Day weekend this September. Instead of taking the road to good P.R. and supporting the tax suspension (like Senator Clinton has done), Obama has shown the serious face this country will need in order to come to terms with our dependence on oil, and the unrelenting rise of fuel costs. Loosening the belt on the economy may relieve some pressure temporarily, but it doesn't mean we're actually trimming back the fat, which is something that Obama has made clear on this and other issues. The only way we'll combat the unyielding rise on the price of gas is by limiting our dependence on it, and I'm glad to see Obama standing up for the real solution to this growing problem in our world.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Days Thirty-One and Thirty-Two, April 26
So yet again I've allowed my work and social life (or glaring lack thereof) to interfere with my daily posting on the blog, and missed putting up a post yesterday. To be honest, with the way my favorite candidate was starting to wage war with the Hillary camp towards the deadline in the Pennsylvania primary the last couple weeks, the situation was getting a little grim. When you turn on the news (or Google or Youtube) and are confronted with the guy who's fighting against politics as usual trying to poison the well of his opponent, it makes a task like this one considerably more difficult to believe in. Hope was getting a little harder to come by.
That's the primary reason why I'm so impressed by this post by Alec MacGillis. His blog, The Trail, follows a similar schedule and content outline as this one (although his writing is admittedly much less subjective, and more widely read than mine), and in this afternoon's post, he addressed the very same trends that has been disturbing Obamaphiles around the country. I know I'm not the only one who was counting on Obama to clean up his campaign's act after we fell short of victory in Pennsylvania last week, and MacGillis is proving that he's already doing just that. By highlighting the policy and philosophical differences between himself and John McCain, and subsequently lightening up on Hillary, Obama is regaining his cred with those who already support him, while giving him renewed appeal to the presently unaffiliated. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Anderson, Indiana last week, Obama told his audience, "If you watched the last few weeks of campaign, you'd think all politics is about is negative ads and bickering and arguing and gaffes and sideline issues. There's no serious discussion about how we're actually going to bring jobs back to Anderson, that's not what's being debated. That's the politics we've gotten used to over the last 20 years, and I'm tired of that politics because it doesn't solve problems."
This newly rejuvenated 'good guy' quotient in Obama couldn't come at a better time, either. With the Indiana primary just ten days away, and economic factors like gas prices and food rations looming large in headlines around the country, the time for slinging mud with/at Senator Clinton is over. And as MacGillis' investigation seems to suggest, Obama realizes this, and is already washing his hands for a cleaner campaign in Indiana and North Carolina. It seems like a new trend could be ready to come around in Obama's campaign machine, where instead of just inundating his speeches and interviews with the 'hope/change/repeat' rhetoric, he can really take time to elaborate on his core issues. The time is ripe for this shift in gears, as more and more Americans are refusing to buy hype (or hope) alone as a reason to vote Obama this November. And if he plays his cards right, one of the stances that could pan out big for Obama is his economic platforms.
This week, as gas prices rose to a record high three times, one of the most hotly-debated issues of the summer (and the election, if prices continue to rise) will undoubtedly be fuel prices. Yesterday it took nearly fifty dollars to fill up my fourteen gallon gas tank, a new record. A scary proposition, and one that the vast majority of Americans share, and are equally nervous about as gas prices refuse to relent. Americans want answers for both the short- and long-term about how we'll solve the fuel problems this country faces, and will continue to face in coming years. In a speech in Indianapolis yesterday, Barack talked straight about why gas prices are rising steeply today, as a result of decades of political inactivity in the nation's capitol. "Unless we're willing to challenge the broken system in Washington, and stop letting lobbyists use their clout to get their way, nothing else is gonna change. And the reason I'm running for President is to challenge that system," Obama said. He also gave a straightforward and compelling series of solutions to the fuel crisis, focusing on reforming the way Congress and the oil industry do business together. By implementing a 'windfall profit' tax on gas companies while assisting middle-class Americans with taxes paid on gas, Obama outlined his short-term plan to assist working citizens combat the price of gas. In the wider scheme of things, Obama maintained his stance that change "won't happen overnight", but that we need to rethink energy factors like fuel sources, our consumption of it, and raising our fuel and emissions standards. This comes at a time where Obama is actually being put in the political crosshairs for similarly-realistic comments on the futility of eliminating the gas tax this summer (more on that in tomorrow's post). In the meantime, here's a video of that speech in Indianapolis:
That's the primary reason why I'm so impressed by this post by Alec MacGillis. His blog, The Trail, follows a similar schedule and content outline as this one (although his writing is admittedly much less subjective, and more widely read than mine), and in this afternoon's post, he addressed the very same trends that has been disturbing Obamaphiles around the country. I know I'm not the only one who was counting on Obama to clean up his campaign's act after we fell short of victory in Pennsylvania last week, and MacGillis is proving that he's already doing just that. By highlighting the policy and philosophical differences between himself and John McCain, and subsequently lightening up on Hillary, Obama is regaining his cred with those who already support him, while giving him renewed appeal to the presently unaffiliated. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Anderson, Indiana last week, Obama told his audience, "If you watched the last few weeks of campaign, you'd think all politics is about is negative ads and bickering and arguing and gaffes and sideline issues. There's no serious discussion about how we're actually going to bring jobs back to Anderson, that's not what's being debated. That's the politics we've gotten used to over the last 20 years, and I'm tired of that politics because it doesn't solve problems."
This newly rejuvenated 'good guy' quotient in Obama couldn't come at a better time, either. With the Indiana primary just ten days away, and economic factors like gas prices and food rations looming large in headlines around the country, the time for slinging mud with/at Senator Clinton is over. And as MacGillis' investigation seems to suggest, Obama realizes this, and is already washing his hands for a cleaner campaign in Indiana and North Carolina. It seems like a new trend could be ready to come around in Obama's campaign machine, where instead of just inundating his speeches and interviews with the 'hope/change/repeat' rhetoric, he can really take time to elaborate on his core issues. The time is ripe for this shift in gears, as more and more Americans are refusing to buy hype (or hope) alone as a reason to vote Obama this November. And if he plays his cards right, one of the stances that could pan out big for Obama is his economic platforms.
This week, as gas prices rose to a record high three times, one of the most hotly-debated issues of the summer (and the election, if prices continue to rise) will undoubtedly be fuel prices. Yesterday it took nearly fifty dollars to fill up my fourteen gallon gas tank, a new record. A scary proposition, and one that the vast majority of Americans share, and are equally nervous about as gas prices refuse to relent. Americans want answers for both the short- and long-term about how we'll solve the fuel problems this country faces, and will continue to face in coming years. In a speech in Indianapolis yesterday, Barack talked straight about why gas prices are rising steeply today, as a result of decades of political inactivity in the nation's capitol. "Unless we're willing to challenge the broken system in Washington, and stop letting lobbyists use their clout to get their way, nothing else is gonna change. And the reason I'm running for President is to challenge that system," Obama said. He also gave a straightforward and compelling series of solutions to the fuel crisis, focusing on reforming the way Congress and the oil industry do business together. By implementing a 'windfall profit' tax on gas companies while assisting middle-class Americans with taxes paid on gas, Obama outlined his short-term plan to assist working citizens combat the price of gas. In the wider scheme of things, Obama maintained his stance that change "won't happen overnight", but that we need to rethink energy factors like fuel sources, our consumption of it, and raising our fuel and emissions standards. This comes at a time where Obama is actually being put in the political crosshairs for similarly-realistic comments on the futility of eliminating the gas tax this summer (more on that in tomorrow's post). In the meantime, here's a video of that speech in Indianapolis:
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Day Thirty, April 24
To celebrate one month of 'publication', I thought I'd post one of the most thought-provoking articles I've ever read about Barack Obama tonight. From the 'What if...?' file, comes this article by Chris Wilson, bluntly titled 'Drop Out, Obama'. There's more to it than just the defeatist headline, however. In the article, Wilson speculates what would happen if Barack conceded victory to Clinton and "regain his messiah creds by making the ultimate sacrifice to the party." It doesn't get much more united than that, does it?
What Wilson suggests, is that by dropping out gracefully now, Barack can have a much better chance of winning the nomination in 2008, as his followers will surely not cling to Hillary in November (in spite of what exit polls in Pennsylvania indicated on Tuesday). Is it worth putting our hopes for Obama--and our country--on hold for four years so we can have an assured victory in 2012? Will the Hope Train still be pumping steam if such a scenario prevailed? Hard to tell. But it's something to think about...
What Wilson suggests, is that by dropping out gracefully now, Barack can have a much better chance of winning the nomination in 2008, as his followers will surely not cling to Hillary in November (in spite of what exit polls in Pennsylvania indicated on Tuesday). Is it worth putting our hopes for Obama--and our country--on hold for four years so we can have an assured victory in 2012? Will the Hope Train still be pumping steam if such a scenario prevailed? Hard to tell. But it's something to think about...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Day Twenty-nine, April 23
In case anybody missed it (I did--we don't have Comedy Central), Obama made his third appearance on The Daily Show With John Stewart on Monday. Here's a capture of the appearance, courtesy of The Daily Show's Indecision 2008 website:
Part uno!
Part dos!
It's appearances like this (note: McCain and Hillary have also showed up on the show) that make me think about how much the American political process, campaigning in particular, has changed in the last 50 years. Just imagine the novelty of being able to watch Kennedy and Nixon's debate on TV, and how Nixon's ugly mug was enough of a chip against him to see him narrowly lose the election. Now compare that to how politicians are not only out there campaigning in ways never thought possible as recent as ten or fifteen years ago. The media's eyes are always on the candidates now, it feels like they have no choice but to be 'on' every hour of every day during this race. That's why it's assuring to see Barack in such a composed but warm and laid-back state on an appearance like this. We all love to watch the man speak, but sometimes, it's just as nice to see him do it from behind a desk instead of a podium. Plus, just look at him talk with those hands!
Part uno!
Part dos!
It's appearances like this (note: McCain and Hillary have also showed up on the show) that make me think about how much the American political process, campaigning in particular, has changed in the last 50 years. Just imagine the novelty of being able to watch Kennedy and Nixon's debate on TV, and how Nixon's ugly mug was enough of a chip against him to see him narrowly lose the election. Now compare that to how politicians are not only out there campaigning in ways never thought possible as recent as ten or fifteen years ago. The media's eyes are always on the candidates now, it feels like they have no choice but to be 'on' every hour of every day during this race. That's why it's assuring to see Barack in such a composed but warm and laid-back state on an appearance like this. We all love to watch the man speak, but sometimes, it's just as nice to see him do it from behind a desk instead of a podium. Plus, just look at him talk with those hands!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Day Twenty-eight, April 22
So today was the big day, and Obama came in second. No surprises there, as even the man himself wasn't predicting a win in the Keystone State as recently as this Sunday. But this loss shouldn't even be that disappointing to Obama's supporters, or at least, if you were following the news. It might sound like sore loser talk, but the truth is that Barack's campaign had acknowledged that they were fighting a war of attrition every step of the way, trying to get Clinton's margin of victory slimmed down, if not stumped. And there's something to be said for winning a battle of the margins, especially when forecasts in March put Hillary as far as 25 points ahead of Obama. We only lost it by ten measely points, folks. She netted a whopping 16 delegates over Obama, who still leads by 138 delegates overall. Onwards and upwards, I say, pack the wagons for Indiana.
So instead of posting one of the countless articles accounting for Hillary's victory in Pennsylvania today, or any one that might recount the same polling statistics I so readily rattled off in my introductory paragraph, I thought I'd go with something more worthwhile. Today I dug up this article in the Associated Press, 'Party switchers lean toward Obama, exit polls show'. The headline's enough to raise a few eyebrows on its own, but the meat of the article packs some real surprises. For instance, it's interesting to know that almost a tenth of those who voted in today's primary were recently registered Democrats, about half of them former Republicans. But it's downright startling to find out that one fifth of Obama's supporters are among their ranks! So much for the 'voter switcheroo' to bring down Hillary idea, eh?
Another suprising statistic is that Clinton managed to split the 'under 30' vote, a constituency that has heavily favored Obama in previous contests. Perhaps the most unexpected--as well reassuring--number to come out of the pollshowever, is that rural voters preferred Clinton in roughly equal numbers to urban dwellers. We can then infer that, although the damage has been done by 'bittergate' (I hate using that word), that the effect of that one statement has subsided, at least in Pennsylvania, the state where it probably could have hurt him the most. On a day where it seems like only one set of numbers matter, it's the digits behind the headline that could make the biggest difference for Obama's campaign in the long-run.
So instead of posting one of the countless articles accounting for Hillary's victory in Pennsylvania today, or any one that might recount the same polling statistics I so readily rattled off in my introductory paragraph, I thought I'd go with something more worthwhile. Today I dug up this article in the Associated Press, 'Party switchers lean toward Obama, exit polls show'. The headline's enough to raise a few eyebrows on its own, but the meat of the article packs some real surprises. For instance, it's interesting to know that almost a tenth of those who voted in today's primary were recently registered Democrats, about half of them former Republicans. But it's downright startling to find out that one fifth of Obama's supporters are among their ranks! So much for the 'voter switcheroo' to bring down Hillary idea, eh?
Another suprising statistic is that Clinton managed to split the 'under 30' vote, a constituency that has heavily favored Obama in previous contests. Perhaps the most unexpected--as well reassuring--number to come out of the pollshowever, is that rural voters preferred Clinton in roughly equal numbers to urban dwellers. We can then infer that, although the damage has been done by 'bittergate' (I hate using that word), that the effect of that one statement has subsided, at least in Pennsylvania, the state where it probably could have hurt him the most. On a day where it seems like only one set of numbers matter, it's the digits behind the headline that could make the biggest difference for Obama's campaign in the long-run.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Day Twenty-seven, April 21
Earlier this afternoon, while examining the results of my daily Google search for 'Barack Obama news', I couldn't help but feel a little disheartened by most of the headlines that filled my screen. "Insults hit new low as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama face showdown," The New York Times. "Obama and Clinton, wrestling in the raw," The Washington Post. I sighed out loud. Was this really the most exciting headlines today, on the eve of one of the most decisive elections this year?
More than any other primary or caucus in this race so far, the Pennsylvania election is one that has short-circuited some of optimism and 'new politics' that make Barack such a unique, inspiring candidate. Knowing that today's post would probably not be found in this pile of disheartening news articles, I turned to Youtube in search of some brighter fare. And after looking at a couple cheeky videos (not one cheekier than the musical tribute from yesterday's post, however), I happened upon this gem: Barack's speech in Philadelphia. Taped last Saturday, in front of an audience of 35,000 supporters, this video is a diamond in the rough, as it's been an admittedly rough six weeks in Pennsylvania for both Democratic candidates. But unlike the recent swipes at Hillary's electability or retaliatory TV ads, this speech is an immediate reminder about what makes Obama so damn hopeful in the first place. He speaks his mind on his flag bearing issues (education, economic reform, troop withdrawal), but more movingly, he talks about just how crucial this year's election will be in the history of America. The little time he does spend talking about Hillary and McCain, he actually pays some respects to both his competitors, something he's shown less and less in recent weeks of the campaign. That's the Obama we love, and here's something for his supporters to hold on to!
When watching the video, it's hard not to be reminded what's at stake in this election, and more importantly, what hopes so many Americans have staked in Obama. The speech is humble but powerful, and goes out on an uplifting note. In a word, it's inspiring. While I'm sure I haven't been the only person that's been disappointed in the recent downturn of Barack's campaign tactics, I also refuse to buy into the media's suggestion that he's already cashing in his chips as the 'good guy' candidate. If we must keep our faith in the power of progress, the following is all the proof you need:
Pennsylvania, don't let us down.
More than any other primary or caucus in this race so far, the Pennsylvania election is one that has short-circuited some of optimism and 'new politics' that make Barack such a unique, inspiring candidate. Knowing that today's post would probably not be found in this pile of disheartening news articles, I turned to Youtube in search of some brighter fare. And after looking at a couple cheeky videos (not one cheekier than the musical tribute from yesterday's post, however), I happened upon this gem: Barack's speech in Philadelphia. Taped last Saturday, in front of an audience of 35,000 supporters, this video is a diamond in the rough, as it's been an admittedly rough six weeks in Pennsylvania for both Democratic candidates. But unlike the recent swipes at Hillary's electability or retaliatory TV ads, this speech is an immediate reminder about what makes Obama so damn hopeful in the first place. He speaks his mind on his flag bearing issues (education, economic reform, troop withdrawal), but more movingly, he talks about just how crucial this year's election will be in the history of America. The little time he does spend talking about Hillary and McCain, he actually pays some respects to both his competitors, something he's shown less and less in recent weeks of the campaign. That's the Obama we love, and here's something for his supporters to hold on to!
When watching the video, it's hard not to be reminded what's at stake in this election, and more importantly, what hopes so many Americans have staked in Obama. The speech is humble but powerful, and goes out on an uplifting note. In a word, it's inspiring. While I'm sure I haven't been the only person that's been disappointed in the recent downturn of Barack's campaign tactics, I also refuse to buy into the media's suggestion that he's already cashing in his chips as the 'good guy' candidate. If we must keep our faith in the power of progress, the following is all the proof you need:
Pennsylvania, don't let us down.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Day Twenty-six, April 20
A couple of weeks back, the gods smiled on me and this blog when Mark Hamill endorsed Obama's run for presidency. Now my other main love in life has gone and done the same, as Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French has re-recorded a stunning version of the band's 1984 hit, "I Wanna Rock". The newly reformatted title? "I Want Barack". Since this video defies explanation, I'll let French do the talking--er, rocking--for me:
And hell, since the original video is a gem unto itself (cue "What do you wanna do with your LIIIIFEEEE?" flashbacks), here's the original:
And hell, since the original video is a gem unto itself (cue "What do you wanna do with your LIIIIFEEEE?" flashbacks), here's the original:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Day Twenty-five, April 19
Today's feature comes from a source that, I will admit, must be taken with at least a few grains of salt: bloomberg.com. Since New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is one of the primary suspects in candidates Obama might pick for his VP, a lot of the pro-Barack articles that come up on Google are from that site. But that having been said, this feature by Julianna Goldman is too good to resist. Predicting an oncoming sweep of superdelegates and other Democratic party big cheeses, Goldman reports on some big names that have recently given their support to the Illinois Senator. Like former Senators Sam Nunn and David Boren, two conservative leaning congressmen on the left. Or Bill Clinton's labor secretary, Robert Reich, who said he'd heard enough of the name-calling coming from Clinton's side of the fence. It's enough to make a former officer for the Clinton family think twice about reenlisting, evidently.
For anyone who's supporting Obama, but recognizes that sheer hope and goodwill won't put the man in office, this sort of sway is what his campaign has been counting on to help seal his candidacy. Unaligned Democratic strategist Steve McMahon described the outpouring for Obama as "the canary in the coal mine for the Clinton campaign. What they're saying reflects what a lot of people are thinking but not yet saying.'' Considering that many superdelegates and other influential Democrats are making a point about Obama's resistance to mudslinging and other 'dirty' political tactics, this in itself is a sign of hope. Although it's died down in light of recent superficial attacks on him, a previously common accusation was how hard it was going to be for Obama to convince the majority of Washington to clean up their act and act in a bipartisan fashion. However, with how many of his supporters are now citing his style of clean politicking as an influence in their decision, that argument is fading fast. By constantly rerouting the 'hope train' to higher ground, the Obama campaign is successfully picking up speed and boarding some very welcome passengers along the way.
For anyone who's supporting Obama, but recognizes that sheer hope and goodwill won't put the man in office, this sort of sway is what his campaign has been counting on to help seal his candidacy. Unaligned Democratic strategist Steve McMahon described the outpouring for Obama as "the canary in the coal mine for the Clinton campaign. What they're saying reflects what a lot of people are thinking but not yet saying.'' Considering that many superdelegates and other influential Democrats are making a point about Obama's resistance to mudslinging and other 'dirty' political tactics, this in itself is a sign of hope. Although it's died down in light of recent superficial attacks on him, a previously common accusation was how hard it was going to be for Obama to convince the majority of Washington to clean up their act and act in a bipartisan fashion. However, with how many of his supporters are now citing his style of clean politicking as an influence in their decision, that argument is fading fast. By constantly rerouting the 'hope train' to higher ground, the Obama campaign is successfully picking up speed and boarding some very welcome passengers along the way.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Day Twenty-four, April 18
It's superficial. It's silly. It's actually kind-of stupid, but I do it, too: I get excited when I see an 'Obama '08' sticker on the back of somebody's car. Or a placard on their lawn, or a copy of The Audacity of Hope on their bookshelf. That's all it takes to feel like my best friend lives down the street, or is waiting at the same red light as me. And it happens a lot in Colorado. Around Denver, you'll spot the occasional Hillary bumper sticker, and John McCain's name is virtually nowhere to be seen, but it seems like Obama supporters are coming out of the freaking walls. That's what Libby Copeland's article from Sunday's Washington Post is all about: the signifier of Obama pride, the 'O' sticker. The entertaining feature covers not only the pride one feels in spotting another Obamaniac on the street, but the extra sense of esteem that one gets in sporting an especially worn sticker or button sporting the candidate's name. It's the pride that only comes with the wear and tear of being an active supporter out on the campaign trail, Copeland explains. Howard Park, a Obama supporter from Washington, D.C. explains it thusly: "It kind of shows we were here in the beginning," not like "the new, mint-condition sticker people." Like many successful presidential runs before him, the omnipresence of Obama's name on buttons, banners, signs, and--of course--stickers is all the required proof of his popularity, and the grassroots effort that's helped put him where he is today.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Day Twenty-three, April 17
Last night was the twenty-first debate between Hillary and Barack, and I was at work while it aired on ABC, so unfortunately, I had to miss it. Though from what I've read today, maybe that's a blessing in disguise. Newspapers are saying that Obama was on the defense for most of the debate, and the questions pandered to past issues such as Jeremiah Wright and Senator Clinton's 'sniper fire' claim. Perhaps it is for the best, then, that Obama is hinting that he will be focusing his efforts on campaigning--not another lackluster debate--for the remainder of the run with Hillary (cnn.com reports). "I'll be honest with you, we've now had 21," Senator Obama said at a campaign stop in Raleigh, NC today. "It's not as if we don't know how to do these things. I could deliver Sen. Clinton's lines; she could, I'm sure, deliver mine." Americans who watched the debate, both in person and at home, wasted no time in weighing in on the superfluous nature of the questions from moderators Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulus.
Barack also spoke about his frustration in getting to the point of the debates: the issues that most affect voters. "Last night, we set a new record, because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking -- until we started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people," he said. You can click here to see the entirety of Barack's speech to his North Carolinian rally, which, frankly, has a few 'less-than-hopeful' moments to speak of. I'm a little worried that the blunt force of his opponents are getting the best of him already, and he's starting to retaliate a little more than I'd like to see. Regardless, here's to hoping that he can rise above this in-fighting, stick to campaigning, and wrap this thing up in the next couple of weeks with big wins in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and North Carolina.
Barack also spoke about his frustration in getting to the point of the debates: the issues that most affect voters. "Last night, we set a new record, because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking -- until we started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people," he said. You can click here to see the entirety of Barack's speech to his North Carolinian rally, which, frankly, has a few 'less-than-hopeful' moments to speak of. I'm a little worried that the blunt force of his opponents are getting the best of him already, and he's starting to retaliate a little more than I'd like to see. Regardless, here's to hoping that he can rise above this in-fighting, stick to campaigning, and wrap this thing up in the next couple of weeks with big wins in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and North Carolina.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Day Twenty-two, April 16
Today another pop star has decided to endorse Barack, but this time, he's a real-life hero, not an intergalactic one (see Day Sixteen). The Boss himself--Bruce Springsteen to the culturally uninitiated--has officially put his support behind the Illinois Senator, the Guardian reported today. "Like most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest," Springsteen said. This move couldn't have come at a better time, as Obama's opponents are still putting him on the ropes for his remarks that offended some Americans in areas most affected by industrial drought in the U.S. Springsteen's songs carry an especially heavy weight in states like Pennsylvania, where the predominantly-working class population will host its primary next Tuesday.
Thanks, Boss.
Thanks, Boss.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Day Twenty-one, April 15
Seeing as how April 15 is every red-blooded American's favorite holiday, I thought I'd do a little research on Senator Obama's stance on taxes. On the 'Economy' tab of his own website, Senator Obama's first reference to taxes is the need to cut taxes to America's middle class. This includes the creation of a "Making Work Pay" tax credit, a rebate which will eliminate taxes for 10 million Americans. Barack even wants to make revisions to the tax procedure so that most Americans will be able to file their taxes in 5 minutes or less. Such a time-saving initiative would surely be a welcome change for many Americans this time next year. On a more serious note, I think that Obama's proposed tax cuts are part (albeit not all) of what it will take to save the US from plummeting further into economic trouble, since the middle class makes up not only the majority of Americans, but also those that are getting the blunt end of the repression stick right now.
The website, ontheissues.org, provides a (reader-friendly!) point-by-point review of Obama's voting record on taxes, coupled with relevant quotes from his Senate career. Key points of Obama's actions on tax reform include:
The website, ontheissues.org, provides a (reader-friendly!) point-by-point review of Obama's voting record on taxes, coupled with relevant quotes from his Senate career. Key points of Obama's actions on tax reform include:
- Companies that are willing to outsource jobs overseas should not continue to receive tax cuts from the fed, while offering tax incentives to businesses that keep who keep their employees native.
- Obama is in favor of repealing President Bush's tax cuts in order to allocate money for welfare programs, particularly the adoption of universal health care.
- He has repeatedly voted against repealing the death ('estate') tax, keeping with popular Democratic opinion in Congress.
- On the website Citizens for Tax Justice, Obama has earned a 100% rating on taxation issues, indicating that he is strongly in favor of progressive taxation. As of December of 2006, 190 members of Congress (~40%) received an 80-100% rating by ctj.org.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Days Nineteen and Twenty, April 14
The Hope Train is starting to take a turn for the ugly, folks. Admittedly, the way that Barack has gradually let his guard down and compensated with attacks at McCain and Clinton is a little disheartening. Isn't the candidate that is supposed to change all this mudslinging for good? Even if he's started to give a few good jabs to his opponents lately, at least he's making them worthwhile, like in this interview with CBS' Maria Gavrilovic. Besides stating that he feels the relentless assault from Hillary is "toughening me up", Obama further commended Senator Clinton on her tenacious campaigning, saying that she "has been a formidable candidate. You know there aren’t very many figures in American politics that can sustain 11 straight losses and hang in a race, and raise $35 million dollars and in that sense she’s unique.” Oh, dear. Is this what the media refers to as a 'dick move'? Because it's a dick move with integrity.
For the day's second contribution (sorry about the doubling-up again, sometimes life gets in the way of blogging), I'm posting this video, from Barack's youtube page. Doug is a man from Belleftone, PA, population 7,000, and he explains a little bit about his town and why he's voting for Obama. Awesome picture of his son, too. The reason I find this video hopeful (if a little depressing at the same time) is because I think that the media has successfully turned the state of Pennsylvania on its head, depicting it, as James Carville once called the state, "Pittsburgh to the west, Philadelphia to the East, and Alabama in the middle." This is an unfortunate misrepresentation of the state, to think that anyone who a.) attends church or b.) owns guns is automatically turning their back on Obama because of what he said. Barack is trying to make it up to American voters over the damaging comments he made last week, but it's affirming to see small-town Pennsylvania man who isn't going to be swayed by a single comment. This video was posted today:
For the day's second contribution (sorry about the doubling-up again, sometimes life gets in the way of blogging), I'm posting this video, from Barack's youtube page. Doug is a man from Belleftone, PA, population 7,000, and he explains a little bit about his town and why he's voting for Obama. Awesome picture of his son, too. The reason I find this video hopeful (if a little depressing at the same time) is because I think that the media has successfully turned the state of Pennsylvania on its head, depicting it, as James Carville once called the state, "Pittsburgh to the west, Philadelphia to the East, and Alabama in the middle." This is an unfortunate misrepresentation of the state, to think that anyone who a.) attends church or b.) owns guns is automatically turning their back on Obama because of what he said. Barack is trying to make it up to American voters over the damaging comments he made last week, but it's affirming to see small-town Pennsylvania man who isn't going to be swayed by a single comment. This video was posted today:
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Day Eighteen, April 12
It's the kind of wishful thinking that makes the term 'tag team' a viable part of political jargon: 'Jimmy 'the Judge' Carter and Angry Albert Gore challenge Hillary 'Headhunter' Clinton to a handicapped match of POLITICAL PROPORTIONS. Next Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!'
In a speculative piece that cannot but help but take me back to my salad days of wrestling fanhood, today Chris Stephen released this article, predicting that Gore and Carter will emerge in support of Obama in the coming weeks. The lengthy piece of writing pointed out how Gore and Carter have each been spited by the Clintons in the past, and the duo would stand to gain both personally and politically by tipping their hat to the Obama campaign. It's more than a little presumptive, and there's no way a blow like this would actually be made publicly before the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, but this is still a move the Democratic Party could use to get their game face on for the November election.
This late in the year (halfway through April, already?), such a move is a desperately-needed powerplay to bring some sutures to the increasingly deep schism between Democratic voters across the country. If these two 'supermen' of the Democratic party did act in support of Obama, and swayed the remaining undecided super delegates as Stephens predicts, the party could finally combine their efforts to get their chosen candidate into office next year. In spite of how strongly I feel about Obama, even if the tables were turned, and Barack was on the run in terms of popularity, delegates, and media attention, I'd still be fearful for how long this Democratic race could be drawn out. If Hillary is serious about taking the contest all the way to the DNC in August--and who would dare to think that she isn't?--then we have four more months of in-fighting and divisiveness to look forward to. I've never been a fan of Gore or Carter in their presidential/vice-presidential faculties, but nothing would please me more than the two of them to apply the chokehold of rationality to Senator Clinton. Of course, if this is what it takes
to put Clinton away in the race, well, perhaps it's best put this way: Senator Clinton...LET'S GET READY TO CRUMBBLLLLEEEE...
In a speculative piece that cannot but help but take me back to my salad days of wrestling fanhood, today Chris Stephen released this article, predicting that Gore and Carter will emerge in support of Obama in the coming weeks. The lengthy piece of writing pointed out how Gore and Carter have each been spited by the Clintons in the past, and the duo would stand to gain both personally and politically by tipping their hat to the Obama campaign. It's more than a little presumptive, and there's no way a blow like this would actually be made publicly before the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, but this is still a move the Democratic Party could use to get their game face on for the November election.
This late in the year (halfway through April, already?), such a move is a desperately-needed powerplay to bring some sutures to the increasingly deep schism between Democratic voters across the country. If these two 'supermen' of the Democratic party did act in support of Obama, and swayed the remaining undecided super delegates as Stephens predicts, the party could finally combine their efforts to get their chosen candidate into office next year. In spite of how strongly I feel about Obama, even if the tables were turned, and Barack was on the run in terms of popularity, delegates, and media attention, I'd still be fearful for how long this Democratic race could be drawn out. If Hillary is serious about taking the contest all the way to the DNC in August--and who would dare to think that she isn't?--then we have four more months of in-fighting and divisiveness to look forward to. I've never been a fan of Gore or Carter in their presidential/vice-presidential faculties, but nothing would please me more than the two of them to apply the chokehold of rationality to Senator Clinton. Of course, if this is what it takes
to put Clinton away in the race, well, perhaps it's best put this way: Senator Clinton...LET'S GET READY TO CRUMBBLLLLEEEE...
Friday, April 11, 2008
Day Seventeen, April 11
Something short and sweet for tonight's post. It's been a while since I've done a video of Barack giving a speech, so here's one that might stir up some controversy between now and the Pennsylvania primary. This video, captured in Terra Haute, IN, is a response to recent criticism that McCain and Clinton have targeted at Barack for some comments he made regarding issues effecting voters in Pennsylvania. Some have taken issue with these statements, saying it shows Obama as being 'elitist' or 'out of touch' with struggles of the middle class in states experiencing industry fall-out (like Pennsylvania and Indiana). In the following video, Barack expands on his statement, but also defends it, by clarifying how he spoke from the heart, and also from a realistic, sympathetic point of view, representing the voters in Pennsylvania. I admire the bravery Obama showed here by sticking by his statement, standing up for the same classes he's supposedly condescending, and still fighting back against attacks from his rivals. Here's the video:
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Day Sixteen, April 10
Luke: "But how will I know the good side from the bad?"It's not every candidate that manages to get Luke Skywalker himself to endorse his or her candidacy. But somehow, yesterday, Barack Obama did just that when Mark Hamill spoke to students at Point Park University in Philadelphia, PA on his swelling feelings for the Illinois Senator. Hamill described Obama as a "once-in-a-lifetime candidate," but resisted the opportunity to compare him to his former mentor, Obama-Wan Kenobi. Best endorsement video ever:
Yoda: "You will know...when you are calm. At peace."
-The Empire Strikes Back
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Day Fifteen, April 9
One of the things that is unique about Hillary Clinton's campaign is that a lot of attention is being paid to her family. This is unavoidable in her case, and there have been some weeks in the race where it has seemed more like Bill is the one running the show on his spouse's campaign, instead of the other way around (at least now Hillary knows what it feels like to be the marionette instead of the puppeteer). Daughter Chelsea Clinton hasn't garnered as much press as her parents, but has still been a frequent sight on the campaign trail, whether traveling with mom and dad or fielding tough questions on her own. In the case of John McCain, the media is obviously more enamored with his spouse's age (he's 72, she'll turn 50 this year) and physique than they are with any actual accomplishments she's made. I'm a little surprised (and grateful) that the phrase 'trophy wife' hasn't been widely applied to Cindy McCain by now, especially since she's perhaps most noteworthy for her position as chair of Hensley & Co., the largest Amheiser-Busch distributor in the American southwest. Somehow, all of Cindy's appearances in the press have glossed over that fact. But I digress.
In the third and final campaign slot sit the Obama family. Besides the increasingly world famous man of the house, Barack, we have Michelle, his wife, and his two young daughters, Malia and Sasha. So far, although the Obama family have made periodic appearances along with Barack on the campaign trail and posed for the requisite family portraits, Obama's wife and children haven't gotten a ton of media attention. And the reason for that is quite simple: because they've got lives of their own. Unlike Bill who is giving Hillary the edge of having twice the Clinton coverage in the U.S., and Cindy whose main contribution to her husband's campaign is taking the cameras off McCain's grandfatherly grimaces, Mrs. Obama has a busy life outside of getting her husband elected to the presidency. Tonight I finished the penultimate chapter in The Audacity of Hope, titled 'Family', in which Barack cuts back on his bigger political visions to tell the story of how he and Michelle met started their family together. Barack describes his wife in a loving passage from the chapter (pg. 327):
As I stated earlier, Michelle's a busy woman, with the commitments and schedule of any working mother. Her is a short summary listing some of her accomplishments, past and present (source: Wikipedia and The Audacity of Hope):
In addition to being able to accomplish all of this by the age of forty-four, Michelle is still working for the University of Chicago, albeit part-time to devote more time to raising her family. And on top of all that, she's still frequently making stops on the campaign trail or in the media to support Barack's run for president. According to Wikipedia, Michelle attended thirty-three events in eight days in February of this year, all of this in spite of her husband's repeated insistence that Michelle 'doesn't like to get too involved in politics'. Michelle's commitment to these functions, and her willingness to suffer the media with grace and her well-known sense of humor, is a testament to both her hard-working nature as well as her faith in Barack's vision for America. The Obama family currently resides in Chicago's south side, not Washington D.C, which puts added strain on Michelle's already astoundingly tough balancing act of career, family, and political campaigning.
I don't want to cheapen how inspiring a person Michelle is by making this a token 'great wife, Barack!' post, so I will be periodically create posts that highlight Michelle's media appearances or stops along the campaign trail. I'm keeping the focus of this blog on things that I think make Obama a unique, challenging and inspiring candidate, but the inspiring story of his wife and family are certainly at the top of that list. If you're old-fashioned enough to still subscribe to that 'behind every great man...' adage, to catch a glimpse of a truly great woman, look no further than Michelle Obama.
In the third and final campaign slot sit the Obama family. Besides the increasingly world famous man of the house, Barack, we have Michelle, his wife, and his two young daughters, Malia and Sasha. So far, although the Obama family have made periodic appearances along with Barack on the campaign trail and posed for the requisite family portraits, Obama's wife and children haven't gotten a ton of media attention. And the reason for that is quite simple: because they've got lives of their own. Unlike Bill who is giving Hillary the edge of having twice the Clinton coverage in the U.S., and Cindy whose main contribution to her husband's campaign is taking the cameras off McCain's grandfatherly grimaces, Mrs. Obama has a busy life outside of getting her husband elected to the presidency. Tonight I finished the penultimate chapter in The Audacity of Hope, titled 'Family', in which Barack cuts back on his bigger political visions to tell the story of how he and Michelle met started their family together. Barack describes his wife in a loving passage from the chapter (pg. 327):
"Most people who meet my wife quickly conclude that she is remarkable. They are right about this--she sis smart, funny and thoroughly charming. She is also very beautiful, although not in a way that men find intimidating or women find off-putting; it is the lived-in beauty of the mother and busy professional rather than the touched-up image we see on the cover of glossy magazines. Often, after hearing her speak at some function or working with her on a project, people will approach me and say something to the effect of "You know I think the world of you, Barack, but your wife...wow!" I nod, knowing that if I ever had to run against her for public office, she would beat me without much difficulty.It is this sort of assertion, which Barack makes more than once throughout his book, that makes me admire her dedication to her husband's campaign even more. She's not in a position to take a pitstop from work and her family to go devote her daily life to the Obama campaign. Still, she makes time to pull out stops like this one, visiting Winston Salem State University on Tuesday. Instead of taking an easy role as policy flagbearer or doting housewife, Michelle spoke to a packed house about some of the faucets of the Obama campaign that make it so exciting to be a part of. From the article: “The energy and excitement has not subsided (since) – not for one second,”. “Something different is going on; people are engaged, they’re focused and they know that we can do better and they’re hopeful, and that’s a good thing for all of us.”
Fortunately for me, Michelle would never go into politics. "I don't have the patience," she says to people who ask. As is always the case, she is telling the truth.
As I stated earlier, Michelle's a busy woman, with the commitments and schedule of any working mother. Her is a short summary listing some of her accomplishments, past and present (source: Wikipedia and The Audacity of Hope):
- Michelle graduated from Chiacgo's first magnet school, Whitney Young High School, in 1981.
- She went on to study sociology at Princeton, where she graduated cum laude.
- At the age of twenty-four, Michelle earned her juris doctor from Harvard Law School in 1988.
- Met Barack at the Sidley Austin law firm after he was hired on (she was his mentor at the firm); they married in 1992.
- After leaving the firm, Michelle worked as an Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago, gaining experience working the public sector.
- Became Executive Director for the Chicago Office of Public Allies in 1993, an organization that enabled youth to work in non-profit organizations in the city.
- In 1996, Michelle served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago, where she developed the University's Community Service Center.
- In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as executive director for community affairs and, beginning May, 2005, as Vice President for Community and External Affairs.
In addition to being able to accomplish all of this by the age of forty-four, Michelle is still working for the University of Chicago, albeit part-time to devote more time to raising her family. And on top of all that, she's still frequently making stops on the campaign trail or in the media to support Barack's run for president. According to Wikipedia, Michelle attended thirty-three events in eight days in February of this year, all of this in spite of her husband's repeated insistence that Michelle 'doesn't like to get too involved in politics'. Michelle's commitment to these functions, and her willingness to suffer the media with grace and her well-known sense of humor, is a testament to both her hard-working nature as well as her faith in Barack's vision for America. The Obama family currently resides in Chicago's south side, not Washington D.C, which puts added strain on Michelle's already astoundingly tough balancing act of career, family, and political campaigning.
I don't want to cheapen how inspiring a person Michelle is by making this a token 'great wife, Barack!' post, so I will be periodically create posts that highlight Michelle's media appearances or stops along the campaign trail. I'm keeping the focus of this blog on things that I think make Obama a unique, challenging and inspiring candidate, but the inspiring story of his wife and family are certainly at the top of that list. If you're old-fashioned enough to still subscribe to that 'behind every great man...' adage, to catch a glimpse of a truly great woman, look no further than Michelle Obama.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Day Fourteen, April 8
Right now, anyone who has their eyes on Obama is keeping at least one eye out for what will be happening in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Two weeks from today, one of the largest remaining political contests the Democratic party has yet to wage will play its part in determining which Senator is going to be on the ballot in November. A month ago, the situation was looking rather grim for Obama in the aptly-named Keystone State, but as countless publications are reporting today, the Illinois Senator has done much to turn his own ship around.
In order to kick off today's post I chose this article, posted today on Forbes.com. Starting out by reminding us just how far ahead Senator Clinton was a month ago (17 points in a poll back in March!), blogger Paul M. Murdock demonstrates just how hard Obama has worked to gain a fighting chance in Pennsylvania. With latest polls showing Hillary ahead by a mere 6 percentage points, Obama is on the tail of the margin-of-error victory that could give him the majority of delegates up for grabs. Considering that he's been outspending his rival's campaign by a count of three-to-one, perhaps this updraft of undecided voters is less surprising after all.
The most inspiring thing about this charge that Obama has mounted in Pennsylvania is the fact that he's managed to do it mostly by recruiting from the type of voters that Hillary has previously been able to keep in her pocket in this race. By reaching out to the white, middle- and working-class vote, Obama is showing the people of Pennsylvania that he not only sympathizes with a state hit especially hard by the recession, but he is willing to fight for them. In a campaign that has placed the importance of no state above any other, making this sort of a comeback is no small feat. Obama's message of economic reform and affordable health care is no more appealing than in Pennslyvania.
In the long run, I think that this month will play a major role in making the economy one of Obama's core issues, which will undoubtedly work out in his favor (and more importantly, it's just what America needs). If the Obama campaign can bring the economy to the forefront of the debates this fall (or if the Federal Reserve does it for him), this will give him a huge edge on McCain, who is holding little more than military experience and his promise to stay the course in Iraq as his trump cards. In a quote from an editorial in last Friday's Boston Globe, Obama emphasized the economic crisis, saying, "there's some very concrete issues that have to be dealt with in terms of disparities in healthcare, or income or joblessness, legacies of the past. So we don't want to paper those issues over." Click here to read the entirety of that editorial, by author Derrick B. Jackson.
In order to kick off today's post I chose this article, posted today on Forbes.com. Starting out by reminding us just how far ahead Senator Clinton was a month ago (17 points in a poll back in March!), blogger Paul M. Murdock demonstrates just how hard Obama has worked to gain a fighting chance in Pennsylvania. With latest polls showing Hillary ahead by a mere 6 percentage points, Obama is on the tail of the margin-of-error victory that could give him the majority of delegates up for grabs. Considering that he's been outspending his rival's campaign by a count of three-to-one, perhaps this updraft of undecided voters is less surprising after all.
The most inspiring thing about this charge that Obama has mounted in Pennsylvania is the fact that he's managed to do it mostly by recruiting from the type of voters that Hillary has previously been able to keep in her pocket in this race. By reaching out to the white, middle- and working-class vote, Obama is showing the people of Pennsylvania that he not only sympathizes with a state hit especially hard by the recession, but he is willing to fight for them. In a campaign that has placed the importance of no state above any other, making this sort of a comeback is no small feat. Obama's message of economic reform and affordable health care is no more appealing than in Pennslyvania.
In the long run, I think that this month will play a major role in making the economy one of Obama's core issues, which will undoubtedly work out in his favor (and more importantly, it's just what America needs). If the Obama campaign can bring the economy to the forefront of the debates this fall (or if the Federal Reserve does it for him), this will give him a huge edge on McCain, who is holding little more than military experience and his promise to stay the course in Iraq as his trump cards. In a quote from an editorial in last Friday's Boston Globe, Obama emphasized the economic crisis, saying, "there's some very concrete issues that have to be dealt with in terms of disparities in healthcare, or income or joblessness, legacies of the past. So we don't want to paper those issues over." Click here to read the entirety of that editorial, by author Derrick B. Jackson.
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