Democrats
19 January 2009 - 8:48pm
Obama: the President of global change
Watching the round-table on the NewsHour tonight, with Gwen Ifill leading several observers:
Rev. Joseph Lowery, who with Dr. King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; he will deliver the benediction at tomorrow's swearing in; Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a NewsHour alum who was also the first African-American woman to attend the University of Georgia, she's now a special correspondent in Africa for NPR and other news organizations; Ta-Nehisi Coates, contributing editor for the Atlantic and a fellow at the Nation Institute; and Rael Nelson James, a development associate for KIPP DC, a network of high-performing inner-city charter schools in and around Washington, D.C.
... my friend asked me, "If Hillary had won the election, would we have a panel talking like this, about the "transcendental" nature of her election?"
Yes and no. It would be different.
If Hillary were elected, I don't think that the world's reaction would be quite the same. The world has seen a few quite prominent and powerful female leaders. Major nations today are led by female presidents (or similar titles). If America had elected Hillary Clinton, I think the world would be relieved that it wasn't McCain and the Bush era was ending, but I don't think they would be quite so rocked to their core. For all the misogyny in the world, women leaders are not so unknown.
(Stay with me, I'm coming back to Hillary in a moment.)
If you've traveled overseas in the past few years, you might know that, as racist as America has been (and still is), the rest of the world is on balance more racist. "Ethnic cleansing" is a foreign thing, not an American thing. Frankly, much of the world truly believed that America would never ever elect a black president.
And coming out of this darkest era in the modern history of the United States -- Iraq, torture, extraordinary renditions, surveillance, unilateralism -- the contrast of the impending Barack Obama presidency vs. the Bush presidency is pretty shocking. The world is relieved, astounded, hopeful, and I think inspired. We turned from the dark side. And this former slaver nation has elected Barack Obama!
So what about Hillary?
I'll say this: If Hillary had been elected, it would not be such a profound worldwide event, but it would be an earth-shattering change in domestic politics.
America does not have a strong history of powerful female political leaders. It's not just misogyny -- that's too easy. It's also a matter of cultural habit, and blindness.
It took an exceptionally intelligent, graceful, savvy, tenacious Barack Obama to cross the racial barrier. And perhaps it's his bipartisan rhetoric that has made it possible at all.
It will take an even more exceptionally intelligent, graceful, savvy, tenacious woman candidate -- also bipartisan, I think, to win against the prejudgers -- to cross the gender barrier.
Because there is a barrier, no question.
Hillary might have been that person, but I think she truly undermined her own candidacy. Someday a woman will win. And while the world at that moment may just shrug, it will be a transcendent event in America.
(Unless it's Sarah Palin, in which case America is doomed.)
3 November 2008 - 10:15pm
Election results map for Presidential, Senate and House election
19 October 2008 - 3:52pm
It's HOW Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama that's interesting
It's not quite 8 minutes long. Listen to Powell.
What politics could be.
update: Interesting discussion on Blogher about this.
5 October 2008 - 10:24pm
When the cat's away, the Wall Street mice play ... and walk away with plenty of cheese
In case you missed it, here is tonight's 60 Minutes report on the financial crisis, and how we got here.
No doubt this is not the whole story, but it's enough: $60 trillion enough!
Warning: You may find this frightening or depressing.
Think of this when you hear John McCain and the Republicans try to blame too much regulation for the current mess we're in.
P.S. - This is not to say I am against the bail-outs that already passed. I'm reasonably convinced that liquidity was a problem, and as someone who believes in Keynesian economics, I think that government can do a lot to help. (And I just hope it was the right kind of help, pork notwithstanding.)
But what happens next is even more important. What I saw on 60 Minutes was an indication that there was a scheme being played upon the American people ... and the rest of the world, frankly, by these institutions that claim to "transcend" national boundaries.
They were selling snake oil, otherwise known as "swaps". They knew it was snake oil. They called it snake oil because to call it "insurance" would have meant that the government -- regulators, people -- would have required that these companies actually have capital to back their gambles. So with some small lies and fast talk, they build an entirely new financial marketplace upon which to make their own personal millions a year.
And here we are.
Oh, and what 60 Minutes doesn't quite say is that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. was one of the CEOs who lobbied for deregulation. Where does he stand on those swaps?
The transcript is here.
This is criminal. This is treasonous, if you think about it.
11 September 2008 - 7:14pm
Which candidate would I rather have a beer with?
Which candidate do I feel has the most level head?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate has a plan to address healthcare?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate has been pushing for change the most against the Republican status quo?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate is going to cut my taxes?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate is campaigning with dignity?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate most respects my own civil liberties?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate named a running mate to help him govern?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate speaks most intelligently on every issue?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate is the most unlike George W. Bush?
Barack Obama.
Which candidate would I rather have a beer with?
Barack Obama.
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