Yes Senator Arlen Specter can become a democrate after serving 29 years in the senate as a Republiccan. Crossing the aile to the opposite side was a bitter sweet decision for the senator. The Pennslyvanian senator consistently has had a marverick streak about him in the mould --in the mold of John McCain -- and often votes against his party. This has tended to rub off republicans the wrong way. And frustrated rebpulicans were determined to push him out by supporting his more conservative opponent in the primary. Most polls have Arlen Specter trailing or tying his primary opponent for the 2010 senatorial campaign. Switching parties does two things for Specter. Nmber one, it relieves him of the frustration of being part of a group that he consistently fights against and they openly dislike him for his wayward voting record. Second, it helps him ward off an imminent defeat from a more conservative in the republican primary. As a Democrat in a democratic state, all he would need to do is to clinch the democratic primary--and democrats will certainly reward him for switching in this crucial time -- and the statewide contest in November 2010 will be a forgone conculsion.
For Democrats, Arlen Specter gets them pretty close to the magic 60, which is the filibustor proof number. With the addition of Specter, Democrats get 60 once Franken is seated.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Concern About Obama's Programs
Not taking teachers union ;Not adopting carbon tax. There is concern that Obama is spending too much money but he has not fully taken on the more difficult obstacles that would make his progams work. His programs are the most expensive in the history of government spending. On education, he has pledge a lot of money but he is failing to take on the teachers union who stand in the way of any serios reform in education.
On energy policy, Obama is shying away from the carbon tax which is the only reasonable deterrent against excessive or inefficient use of energy but has devoted a lot of money to new spending on energy programs.
On the economy, he is over spending on health care but he has not put in place any serious reforms on healthcare and scale of his economic spending risks causing massive inflation down the road.
On energy policy, Obama is shying away from the carbon tax which is the only reasonable deterrent against excessive or inefficient use of energy but has devoted a lot of money to new spending on energy programs.
On the economy, he is over spending on health care but he has not put in place any serious reforms on healthcare and scale of his economic spending risks causing massive inflation down the road.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Why Obama Should Embrace the Hussein Name
The silence by Obama and the national media on Obama’s middle evokes images of Prince, the controversial pop music icon from the twin cities of St Paul –Minneapolis, who changed his name to a name-less sign. The U.S. President-elect whose full name is Barack Hussein Obama has been forced by circumstances to go the way of pop icon Prince –Barack’s middle name is no name. Can Barack be faulted for this move? Extreme right wingers seeking to portray Barack Obama as a Muslim extremist have been having a field day with the Hussein name. Of course, bearing the same name of one of the world’s most brutal dictators (Saddam Hussein) can be an odd coincidence that may send chills through the American populace. The issue in itself is so touchy that even by writing about it, I risk alienating some Obama fans, as my effort can be perceived as giving comfort to mischief makers and avowed enemies of Obama.
I take the position that with the election over, Obama should seize the moment and embrace his middle name and allow the media and the public to use it. This is important for the following reasons: (1) reaffirming his comfort with his roots as the son of a Muslim African (2) Extinguishing American prejudice against anything Islamic (3) neutralizing the H-name’s ridicule and phobia, (4) Living up to his inclusiveness tag and (5) you don’t let your opponent define you.
Reaffirming his comfort with his roots as the son of a Muslim African: The Hussein name is distinctively Islamic and makes Obama the bona fide hybrid of Anglo-Afro-Christo-Islamic individual that he is, a la Tiger Wood’s Cablinasian. Obama’s uniqueness is his very entity as a multiracial and multicultural son of America and Africa. Embracing all these multifaceted parts of his being projects strength and confidence, and a sense of comfort with who he is as a global citizen. On the contrary, denying a part of his distinctive multi-layered cultural identity may suggest weakness and diffidence of his background. Obama’s rejection of his name Barack for a more American-sounding Barry exposed this inner struggle. Re-embracing the name Barack signaled regaining of personal strength and a sense of comfort with himself. And, lo and behold, as the uniqueness of the name Barack alone helps make him stand out, so will the uniqueness of the name Hussein in American politics give him that aura of exceptionality.
To help extinguish American prejudice against anything Islamic: Islam is arguably the most hated religion in the United States and America’s disdain for anything Islamic knows no boundary. But having a stereotypical Muslim name like Hussein as President would help Americans confront such unfounded prejudice against Muslims. Whilst his supporters worry that embracing the name Hussein may strengthen the Muslim tag imposed on Obama, I believe it would rather help educate the larger America society that people ought not to be discriminated against on the basis of their religion. Americans getting used to a president with a Muslim name would cause us to be more accepting of Islam and Muslim. Shying away from such a potentially positive effect on the American people would be a grave mistake for President-elect Obama.
Neutralizing the H-name’s ridicule and phobia: Both his detractors and comedians alike, are mocking the H-name, for the simple fact that Obama and his advisors are uncomfortable with the name Hussein. Once people know that Big H is Obama’s name and there is nothing wrong with using it, they may cease making fun of it. The humor and fun in ridiculing it will just wear thin.
Living up to the inclusiveness tag: Barack Obama has become the embodiment of a global citizen. As the quintessential citizen of an increasingly integrated and interdependent world, it will pay for Obama to reintroduce to the world a middle name that reflects the religion of about one-quarter of the world’s population. Not only would the Hussein name make the Middle East and the rest of the Arab world feel better about America, it would almost by extension also make them feel a part of the United States and help ease Muslim and Arab hostility to America. What is in a name, the old saying goes. In this case, a lot, and Barack Obama has virtually nothing to lose from embracing his given middle name. On the contrary, Barack, America and the world have a lot to gain from Obama embracing the H name.
You don’t let your opponent define you: A fundamental rule of politics postulates that: thou shall not let thy enemies define. If you do something in reaction to your enemy’s attack or ridicule, it shows a sign of weakness rather than strength. And Barack’ dropping of his middle name ward off enemies’ attacks and ridicule may suggests he suffers from the ailment of spinelessness. It amounts to caving in to an innocuous pressure or assault on something as and fundamental as persons given name –Barack did not chose the name Hussein—a person’s name should be off-limits to any kind of political attack or mockery.
Names have, on the surface, seemed trivial but they always carry significant implications. And in this particular case, a lot of noise has been made about Barack Obama’s middle name since he started running for president. The best way to put the issue to rest once and for all is for the new U.S. president-elect to embrace “the untouchable H” and tell the whole world: I am proud to be Barack Hussein Obama.
I take the position that with the election over, Obama should seize the moment and embrace his middle name and allow the media and the public to use it. This is important for the following reasons: (1) reaffirming his comfort with his roots as the son of a Muslim African (2) Extinguishing American prejudice against anything Islamic (3) neutralizing the H-name’s ridicule and phobia, (4) Living up to his inclusiveness tag and (5) you don’t let your opponent define you.
Reaffirming his comfort with his roots as the son of a Muslim African: The Hussein name is distinctively Islamic and makes Obama the bona fide hybrid of Anglo-Afro-Christo-Islamic individual that he is, a la Tiger Wood’s Cablinasian. Obama’s uniqueness is his very entity as a multiracial and multicultural son of America and Africa. Embracing all these multifaceted parts of his being projects strength and confidence, and a sense of comfort with who he is as a global citizen. On the contrary, denying a part of his distinctive multi-layered cultural identity may suggest weakness and diffidence of his background. Obama’s rejection of his name Barack for a more American-sounding Barry exposed this inner struggle. Re-embracing the name Barack signaled regaining of personal strength and a sense of comfort with himself. And, lo and behold, as the uniqueness of the name Barack alone helps make him stand out, so will the uniqueness of the name Hussein in American politics give him that aura of exceptionality.
To help extinguish American prejudice against anything Islamic: Islam is arguably the most hated religion in the United States and America’s disdain for anything Islamic knows no boundary. But having a stereotypical Muslim name like Hussein as President would help Americans confront such unfounded prejudice against Muslims. Whilst his supporters worry that embracing the name Hussein may strengthen the Muslim tag imposed on Obama, I believe it would rather help educate the larger America society that people ought not to be discriminated against on the basis of their religion. Americans getting used to a president with a Muslim name would cause us to be more accepting of Islam and Muslim. Shying away from such a potentially positive effect on the American people would be a grave mistake for President-elect Obama.
Neutralizing the H-name’s ridicule and phobia: Both his detractors and comedians alike, are mocking the H-name, for the simple fact that Obama and his advisors are uncomfortable with the name Hussein. Once people know that Big H is Obama’s name and there is nothing wrong with using it, they may cease making fun of it. The humor and fun in ridiculing it will just wear thin.
Living up to the inclusiveness tag: Barack Obama has become the embodiment of a global citizen. As the quintessential citizen of an increasingly integrated and interdependent world, it will pay for Obama to reintroduce to the world a middle name that reflects the religion of about one-quarter of the world’s population. Not only would the Hussein name make the Middle East and the rest of the Arab world feel better about America, it would almost by extension also make them feel a part of the United States and help ease Muslim and Arab hostility to America. What is in a name, the old saying goes. In this case, a lot, and Barack Obama has virtually nothing to lose from embracing his given middle name. On the contrary, Barack, America and the world have a lot to gain from Obama embracing the H name.
You don’t let your opponent define you: A fundamental rule of politics postulates that: thou shall not let thy enemies define. If you do something in reaction to your enemy’s attack or ridicule, it shows a sign of weakness rather than strength. And Barack’ dropping of his middle name ward off enemies’ attacks and ridicule may suggests he suffers from the ailment of spinelessness. It amounts to caving in to an innocuous pressure or assault on something as and fundamental as persons given name –Barack did not chose the name Hussein—a person’s name should be off-limits to any kind of political attack or mockery.
Names have, on the surface, seemed trivial but they always carry significant implications. And in this particular case, a lot of noise has been made about Barack Obama’s middle name since he started running for president. The best way to put the issue to rest once and for all is for the new U.S. president-elect to embrace “the untouchable H” and tell the whole world: I am proud to be Barack Hussein Obama.
The End of Blackness: Replicating Obama's Success in America Today
On January 20, 2008, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America –a momentous feat of epic proportion. So magical and miraculous is this impending achievement that it was unfathomable even as late as a year ago, before the primaries actually began. Even before Obama won Iowa, most people, including most blacks thought his run for the presidency was a journey to nowhere other than to contribute to the diversity of the Democratic Party’s primary contest. The shock from Obama’s remarkable accomplishment begs the question: why has he succeeded where so many others have failed? How did Obama get to this point of being on the verge of shattering the world’s greatest glass ceiling? There are two plausible scenarios here that could be gleaned from the rise of Barack Obama. On the one hand, we can dismiss his rise as a fluke or that this is a case of one man’s personal charm and unique qualities that has caught fire on a lucky break. But the second and the more apt explanation, in my view, is that Obama’s rise signals a new textbook approach on how a black person can navigate the stormy waters of American racially-based convoluted society.
A friend from Mozambique once remarked: “I find it difficult to understand why Black Americans like to say, ‘I’m proud that I am black’.” Of course, there is nothing wrong with being black, he snapped. This question might sound preposterous to a fault to somebody who knows and understands America’s racial history, but it highlights the emotional and psychological toll of racism on African Americans. That is why such self-uplifting slogans as “black is beautiful,” and “I am proud to be black” or “I am somebody” in Jesse Jackson parlance—became necessary. Thus, as part of the civil rights struggle in the 60’s, accentuating blackness and celebrating black pride became pertinent. The bitter, unflattering and disgraceful history of America when it comes to race made it very necessary for black folks to reaffirm and celebrate their blackness. And how was blackness reaffirmed? Blackness was asserted by reciting uplifting slogans, organizing protest marches to fight injustices, promoting good legislation to fight racism and fighting unjust laws in court.
There are elements of the bi-polar ends of this debate that still hold true and are reflected in everyday black life in America. The first and most controversial view that most blacks find abhorrent is that held by Shelby Steele and other Black conservatives. Their position is that the protest era is over, do away with protections including affirmative action, and get over the victimhood mentality. And gradually, there are increasing number of blacks who live their lives like that and frown on any type of black victim-based assertiveness or exclusivity. The other extreme is the Jesse Jackson-Al Sharpton model: nothing has changed; racism is still overt; more protections are necessary; leave affirmation alone; and black folks are still victims. They are known in some circles as the Grievance Group. While both sides of this debate have a point, the correct reflection in today’s America sits somewhere in the middle –and that is Barack Obama.
To put it more bluntly, Obama is the mid-point of these bi-polar extremes. He holds the liberal view that racism might be subtler now, but it is still real. And who can better comprehend the travails of the black underclass than a community organizer, who worked with and interfaced with poor inner city blacks in Chicago. No wonder he could sit through the protest --if not vituperative and controversial sermons-- of Reverend Wright. He supports a refined version of affirmative action because he believes some protections are still needed, but rejects blanket affirmative action especially for wealthy minorities. Simultaneously, Obama adopts a non-confrontational approach in his dealings with the white power structure in America. This was evident in his stint as the Harvard Law Review President, where he gained a reputation as a consensus builder, who could work with just about everybody, including ultra conservatives who held diametrically opposed views. He stresses work ethic and taking responsibility for one’s failures over victimhood sensibilities. Not too long ago, on his campaign trail, his speech chastising absentee black fathers won rave applause from the mainstream media, but it also ruffled some feathers within the traditional civil rights community.
Obama’s Formula The secret behind Obama’s success which ought to be the gold standard approach for blacks in navigating the complex mainstream life in America can be summed up as follows: Obama’s sunny exterior, his conscious effort to downplay the issue of race, his ability to network multi-racially, and last but not least, his sense of comfort in his cultural and racial identity.
Sunny Exterior: Obama projects confidence and positivity, and his natural geniality serves as a charmed offensive that can disarm even the most avowed or ardent racist. Undoubtedly, this has been his key weapon in his presidential campaign trail. Traditionally, years of oppression and racism have had a subliminally sullen effect on many black people. As such we tend to appear more serious and uptight in a manner that can be construed as unfriendly. A more relaxed persona opens doors and it has won Obama many friends and votes on his way to the presidency.
Down Playing Race: Another positive attribute of Obama, is his ability to play down the issue of his race. On the campaign trail, even when he has the opportunity to label his opponents as racists, he held back, opting to disagree with them whilst insisting that he sees no racism. Obama has won the support of numerous whites by downplaying the issue of race. Race is always a sensitive, touchy subject that arouses emotions one way or the other, and one never wins with it. The race issue often makes whites uneasy and blacks defensive. Consequently, it is sometimes better to shun the issue of race than to indulge it. Regardless of one’s intentions, it is a subject that can ignite an uncontrollable conflagration. And with out a doubt, Obama appears to understand this danger and purposefully tries to downplay it as much as possible.
Networking: From his very early years as a college student, Obama established a vast and varied network of friends. As a Columbia University student, he had Pakistani friends and even made a trip to Pakistan. In Chicago, his extensive network went beyond the black community to include whites, Asians, Jews and Hispanics. And as a presidential candidate, his expansive network from Harvard has been invaluable to his campaign both in giving donations and sacrificing their time to help elect Obama. The law of probability posits that more is better; the more you do something, the higher your chances of success. If networking opens doors, then networking cross-racially will open even more doors. Networking across races is imperative for African-Americans, given that we control only a tiny portion of the American economic pie. Networking exclusively within the black community which many African Americans tend to do, limits our socio-economic opportunities.
Being himself whilst not over asserting his blackness: Obama has shown that one can be comfortable in asserting his blackness, or show comfort being black, without appearing defensive or being a turn-off. Being on the receiving end of America’s racial turbulence, many African-Americans tend to struggle with the issue of cultural or racial identity. For centuries and decades, it was almost a curse or pariah to be black or to be of African origin. This had the subliminal effect of racial diffidence among many people of African origin in America. And there is no question Obama, being a product of a biracial union, and growing up without a father really struggled with his identity. No wonder he changed his foreign sounding name Barack to Barry to feel more American and mainstream. Upon rediscovery of his blackness, he dropped Barry to Barack again. Given his ambition for politics, one would think he should have done the opposite and taken on a more mainstream sounding name. Overall, he has shown that he is at ease with his identity: After Harvard Law School, he passed up lucrative opportunities on Wall Street to work as a community organizer in an underserved black neighborhood. That sense of reassurance with his identity has served him well in his ability to work with the community outside the black community. It is that aura of confidence and comfort in his blackness that obviates the need to over assert his blackness and enjoy a healthy relationship with multiracial America.
America’s racial landscape has changed dramatically from the 60’s era when racism was more overt than subvert, when Jim Crow was alive and well, and when economic opportunities for blacks were limited. Today there are increased opportunities for blacks in almost every facet of American life, whether economical or socio-political, albeit problems remain on several fronts. For instance unemployment is still disproportionately higher for blacks, blacks are incarcerated at a higher than other groups, and the list goes on. This progress has in a way blunted non-white sensitivity to black complaints, and not surprisingly, more whites are now opposed to programs such as affirmative action, now than ever before. Thus aggressively projecting or asserting blackness –which was more accommodating in 1968-- can elicit scorn rather than sympathy in 2008. So Obama’s moderated but firm and sunny approach, works well in today’s America. And that is what blacks may have to emulate for greater success in the most competitive society on earth. You can’t argue against success.
A friend from Mozambique once remarked: “I find it difficult to understand why Black Americans like to say, ‘I’m proud that I am black’.” Of course, there is nothing wrong with being black, he snapped. This question might sound preposterous to a fault to somebody who knows and understands America’s racial history, but it highlights the emotional and psychological toll of racism on African Americans. That is why such self-uplifting slogans as “black is beautiful,” and “I am proud to be black” or “I am somebody” in Jesse Jackson parlance—became necessary. Thus, as part of the civil rights struggle in the 60’s, accentuating blackness and celebrating black pride became pertinent. The bitter, unflattering and disgraceful history of America when it comes to race made it very necessary for black folks to reaffirm and celebrate their blackness. And how was blackness reaffirmed? Blackness was asserted by reciting uplifting slogans, organizing protest marches to fight injustices, promoting good legislation to fight racism and fighting unjust laws in court.
There are elements of the bi-polar ends of this debate that still hold true and are reflected in everyday black life in America. The first and most controversial view that most blacks find abhorrent is that held by Shelby Steele and other Black conservatives. Their position is that the protest era is over, do away with protections including affirmative action, and get over the victimhood mentality. And gradually, there are increasing number of blacks who live their lives like that and frown on any type of black victim-based assertiveness or exclusivity. The other extreme is the Jesse Jackson-Al Sharpton model: nothing has changed; racism is still overt; more protections are necessary; leave affirmation alone; and black folks are still victims. They are known in some circles as the Grievance Group. While both sides of this debate have a point, the correct reflection in today’s America sits somewhere in the middle –and that is Barack Obama.
To put it more bluntly, Obama is the mid-point of these bi-polar extremes. He holds the liberal view that racism might be subtler now, but it is still real. And who can better comprehend the travails of the black underclass than a community organizer, who worked with and interfaced with poor inner city blacks in Chicago. No wonder he could sit through the protest --if not vituperative and controversial sermons-- of Reverend Wright. He supports a refined version of affirmative action because he believes some protections are still needed, but rejects blanket affirmative action especially for wealthy minorities. Simultaneously, Obama adopts a non-confrontational approach in his dealings with the white power structure in America. This was evident in his stint as the Harvard Law Review President, where he gained a reputation as a consensus builder, who could work with just about everybody, including ultra conservatives who held diametrically opposed views. He stresses work ethic and taking responsibility for one’s failures over victimhood sensibilities. Not too long ago, on his campaign trail, his speech chastising absentee black fathers won rave applause from the mainstream media, but it also ruffled some feathers within the traditional civil rights community.
Obama’s Formula The secret behind Obama’s success which ought to be the gold standard approach for blacks in navigating the complex mainstream life in America can be summed up as follows: Obama’s sunny exterior, his conscious effort to downplay the issue of race, his ability to network multi-racially, and last but not least, his sense of comfort in his cultural and racial identity.
Sunny Exterior: Obama projects confidence and positivity, and his natural geniality serves as a charmed offensive that can disarm even the most avowed or ardent racist. Undoubtedly, this has been his key weapon in his presidential campaign trail. Traditionally, years of oppression and racism have had a subliminally sullen effect on many black people. As such we tend to appear more serious and uptight in a manner that can be construed as unfriendly. A more relaxed persona opens doors and it has won Obama many friends and votes on his way to the presidency.
Down Playing Race: Another positive attribute of Obama, is his ability to play down the issue of his race. On the campaign trail, even when he has the opportunity to label his opponents as racists, he held back, opting to disagree with them whilst insisting that he sees no racism. Obama has won the support of numerous whites by downplaying the issue of race. Race is always a sensitive, touchy subject that arouses emotions one way or the other, and one never wins with it. The race issue often makes whites uneasy and blacks defensive. Consequently, it is sometimes better to shun the issue of race than to indulge it. Regardless of one’s intentions, it is a subject that can ignite an uncontrollable conflagration. And with out a doubt, Obama appears to understand this danger and purposefully tries to downplay it as much as possible.
Networking: From his very early years as a college student, Obama established a vast and varied network of friends. As a Columbia University student, he had Pakistani friends and even made a trip to Pakistan. In Chicago, his extensive network went beyond the black community to include whites, Asians, Jews and Hispanics. And as a presidential candidate, his expansive network from Harvard has been invaluable to his campaign both in giving donations and sacrificing their time to help elect Obama. The law of probability posits that more is better; the more you do something, the higher your chances of success. If networking opens doors, then networking cross-racially will open even more doors. Networking across races is imperative for African-Americans, given that we control only a tiny portion of the American economic pie. Networking exclusively within the black community which many African Americans tend to do, limits our socio-economic opportunities.
Being himself whilst not over asserting his blackness: Obama has shown that one can be comfortable in asserting his blackness, or show comfort being black, without appearing defensive or being a turn-off. Being on the receiving end of America’s racial turbulence, many African-Americans tend to struggle with the issue of cultural or racial identity. For centuries and decades, it was almost a curse or pariah to be black or to be of African origin. This had the subliminal effect of racial diffidence among many people of African origin in America. And there is no question Obama, being a product of a biracial union, and growing up without a father really struggled with his identity. No wonder he changed his foreign sounding name Barack to Barry to feel more American and mainstream. Upon rediscovery of his blackness, he dropped Barry to Barack again. Given his ambition for politics, one would think he should have done the opposite and taken on a more mainstream sounding name. Overall, he has shown that he is at ease with his identity: After Harvard Law School, he passed up lucrative opportunities on Wall Street to work as a community organizer in an underserved black neighborhood. That sense of reassurance with his identity has served him well in his ability to work with the community outside the black community. It is that aura of confidence and comfort in his blackness that obviates the need to over assert his blackness and enjoy a healthy relationship with multiracial America.
America’s racial landscape has changed dramatically from the 60’s era when racism was more overt than subvert, when Jim Crow was alive and well, and when economic opportunities for blacks were limited. Today there are increased opportunities for blacks in almost every facet of American life, whether economical or socio-political, albeit problems remain on several fronts. For instance unemployment is still disproportionately higher for blacks, blacks are incarcerated at a higher than other groups, and the list goes on. This progress has in a way blunted non-white sensitivity to black complaints, and not surprisingly, more whites are now opposed to programs such as affirmative action, now than ever before. Thus aggressively projecting or asserting blackness –which was more accommodating in 1968-- can elicit scorn rather than sympathy in 2008. So Obama’s moderated but firm and sunny approach, works well in today’s America. And that is what blacks may have to emulate for greater success in the most competitive society on earth. You can’t argue against success.
PRESIDENT OBAMA UNVEILS WATERBOARDING MEMOS
After a long legal battle to release the memos relating to waterboarding as sanctioned by the Bush administration, President Obama finally released these memos yesterday. The details in torture tactics the were endorsed and employed by the Bush administration were simply too gruesome. While Presdient Obama received widespread praise from the left for releasing the memos, as act of honoring his campaign pledge to promote transparency, both sides of the political debate are enraged. The left are furious because the president has balked at prosecuting officials involved in the torture of detainees and the right are enraged over the release of the memos, citing threat to national security as the release would give boost to terrorists. My take is that, President Obama did the right thing in releasing the memos and excercised the right judgement in not going after the Bush administration and CIA officials involved in torture of detainees.
OBAMA"S AMERICAS' TRIP
Baracak Obama's trip to Trinidad to the conference of the America's was a huge success. The trip helped define the new Obama doctrine, which upholdss American exceptionalism but recognizes that America is still one among many nations in the world. Acknowledging America's supremacy and power and at the same time showing respect to other nations are not mutually excusive things. But the right wing in America are up in arms against Obama for extending curtesies to Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro. The right has also lambasted President Obama for not hitting back at Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega who used the occasion to ferociously attack Washington for its imperialistic ways towards Latin America. President Obama rejected such criticism as misplaced, noting that these are relatively small countries that pose no threat to American power and security in any way.
Friday, April 10, 2009
PRESIDENT OBAMA CONFOUNDS CRITICS
This early in his presidency, President Obama is enjoying huge popularity both home and abroad. This is a welcome and positive development for his aides who are already thinking about his reelection in two 2012. If the popular can continue to ride this popular wave, his reelection in 2012 is all but assured.
On this domestic front, he has achieved much in a relatively short time. His leadership helped passed the largest budget in American history, after barely a month in office. This passing of the budget was crucial for the president ability to pursue most of his domestic agenda. Obama effort to deliver on his campaign promise on Guantanamo Bay has received universal applause in the international community. He has also sharply criticized torture tactics that was endorsed by the previous administration of George W. Bush.
His first foreign trip abroad was also a huge success. In Europe, both European leaders and their people literally fawn over the president. Europe leaders appreciate his all inclusive style of leadership as opposed to George Bush's America first style. Europeans appreciate that fact that Obama is showing them more respected that is usually accorded them by past United States presidents.
Similarly the Europeans masses are enamored by Obama's leadership style: his humility, eloquence and overall charisma. They even appreciate his exotic stock of being the first black U.S. president. Even though there were 19 other world leaders to the G-20 summit in London, President Obama was almost always the center of attention for the European media, the people and their leaders.
All Obama's hugely successful early start as President has confounded his critics so much so that they have resorted preposterous attacks on the irrelevant. Some in the right wing media has attacked Obama's effort in reaching out to foreign countries as demeaning America abroad. Critics are even citing his so called failings in the area of protocol, including sharply lambasting him for alleged bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. Others have attacked his wife physically embracing the queen of England. What more, Obama’s critics is for attacked him for presenting poor gifts to Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom.
When your detractors start attacking your protocol and gifts you presented, you know you are doing something right. President Obama, at this point in his presidency seems to be hitting all the right nodes, and must keep it that way.
On this domestic front, he has achieved much in a relatively short time. His leadership helped passed the largest budget in American history, after barely a month in office. This passing of the budget was crucial for the president ability to pursue most of his domestic agenda. Obama effort to deliver on his campaign promise on Guantanamo Bay has received universal applause in the international community. He has also sharply criticized torture tactics that was endorsed by the previous administration of George W. Bush.
His first foreign trip abroad was also a huge success. In Europe, both European leaders and their people literally fawn over the president. Europe leaders appreciate his all inclusive style of leadership as opposed to George Bush's America first style. Europeans appreciate that fact that Obama is showing them more respected that is usually accorded them by past United States presidents.
Similarly the Europeans masses are enamored by Obama's leadership style: his humility, eloquence and overall charisma. They even appreciate his exotic stock of being the first black U.S. president. Even though there were 19 other world leaders to the G-20 summit in London, President Obama was almost always the center of attention for the European media, the people and their leaders.
All Obama's hugely successful early start as President has confounded his critics so much so that they have resorted preposterous attacks on the irrelevant. Some in the right wing media has attacked Obama's effort in reaching out to foreign countries as demeaning America abroad. Critics are even citing his so called failings in the area of protocol, including sharply lambasting him for alleged bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. Others have attacked his wife physically embracing the queen of England. What more, Obama’s critics is for attacked him for presenting poor gifts to Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom.
When your detractors start attacking your protocol and gifts you presented, you know you are doing something right. President Obama, at this point in his presidency seems to be hitting all the right nodes, and must keep it that way.
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