There is something in the air tonight. It's the stirring of history, mixed with hope fulfilled.
Today I read Martin Luther King Jr's Letter from the Birmingham Jail. It's a ten page long letter that amazed me in how much it moved me, describing the thinking behind King's struggle in 1963 to get better treatment for Blacks, justifying his non-violent civil disobedience.
And tonight, I see Barack Obama win the Iowa caucus. I hear him give an incredibly inspiring speech-- one that will eclipse the brilliant speech that John Edwards gave.
I watch the tough, thick skinned pundits gush with exuberance as they experience the magic that I've witnessed when I was in Obama's presence. He didn't give ME the chills, but I could see the incredible excitement and energy he inspired among his supporters.
Something magical happened tonight, something that will change America.
Obama pulled very strong among independents and there's an excellent chance they will flock to him in New Hampshire. South Carolina, 50% African American, will surely fall to Obama as his message of hope erases the fear of disappointed failed expectations.
Okay. So tonight I AM feeling chills just thinking about the meaning of a black man winning the Iowa caucus. This is a poignant moment in history. The echoes of this vote will extend far beyond the numbers. You could sense it in the shock and thrill that the pundits were experiencing. They know. This was a seismic event. The American people, the people of the world know. They know that the people of Iowa demonstrated the beauty and vibrancy of democracy, of justice, of equality. Bill Clinton used hope as an essential part of his campaigns. Barack Obama has inherited, appropriated, inherited it-- you chose how to characterize the acquisition. But it's clear that Bill was not able to pass it on to Hillary.
And Obama is manifesting that hope in a way that will swell, like a tidal wave on the distant shores of South Carolina, Florida, California, throughout the south... and it will turn fans of Bill who turned to Hillary as a substitute into buoyed supporters of Obama, floating in the sea of hope his single Iowa win has produced. Who would have guessed. None of the pundits, that's for sure.
Watching Obama give his acceptance speech, his demeanor was serious. Taking photos, I found the faces were intense, emotional, not pretty. This is a man of passion, who, in his moment of victory, did not exult, he spoke to the challenges, which, in his heart, he believes he has a chance, the hope, to face and best.
There were moments, as I watched this intense, serious, powerful black man, that I worried that he would scare some insecure whites. One black writer friend has observed that the mainstream film industry has never allowed a black man to make love to a white woman. Will the mainstream allow a black man to manifest true strength, power and toughness? Obama's no minister, like Jesse Jackson. He's no pacifist, like ML King. Can America handle a tough, strong black man with a mission? Watching the pundits, it seems like a yes. But history is replete with strong black men embarassed, even shamed by stupid white bigots with a little bit of power.
Chris Matthews observed that Blacks got the vote 50 years before women, an suggested that the pattern may be repeating itself here. Perhaps history is being recapitulated, and electing a black man president is the next historical step before the election of a woman.
I am certain that there are tens of thousands of racists, maybe more, who will be very upset about tonight. It will not be easy for Obama. But Obama is a strong man who is no naive innocent. He will triumph.
The democratic turnout was up 89%, with about an 18% increase among Republicans. This bodes well for a massive victory for Obama.
Probably, already, the pollsters have begun matching up Obama against Huckabee, Romney , McCain and maybe Giuliani, who's gambling on a very different strategy. Ron Paul hit double digits and beat Giuliani. Thompson, coming in third may have been handed a second chance, after most pundits declaring him dead.
Things are even more interesting that most imagined. And we haven't even started speculating on vice presidential matches. Would Hillary run as VP? Are there other women who might be possibilities on the Democratic side? How about women on the Republican side?
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
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A few declarations.
-While I'm registered as a Democrat, I consider myself to be a dynamic critic of the Democratic party, just as, well, not quite as much, but almost as much as I am a critic of republicans.
-My articles express my personal opinion, not the opinion of this website.
will buy you a cup of coffee. I am sorry to find myself in the role of curmudgeon these days on this forum but circumstances are what they are.
Barak Obama may give a fine speech, may be inspirational as all get out, may be making history as well. Of course, just the fact that one is forced to mention such details shows how far we still have to go in this regard.
The bottom line for me is the fact that we choose our leaders unwisely, we do not subject our choices to the cold clear light of reason, we instead need passion and inspiration, which opens us up to deceit and trickery.
I would suggest that , rather than dwell upon fiery speechifying, rather than note how far this particular black man rises, we instead subject our potential choices to the track record they have left in public service. This, rather than prose, is the best way to ensure a good choice, dontcha think?
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2388 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 6:50:08 AM
...will get you a cup o' jo, and the presidency. Electing a resume isn't a great idea either, Ardee. It all depends on what your priorities are.
I want to be proud of my country again. I want to be proud of my president again. I want a president that will rehabilitate our world standing.
Barack Obama is the guy that can uniquely accomplish that dream for me.
When Obama lets loose, and says what HE wants to say, not what people tell him he should say, it's believable, because HE believes. He believes! It's no act. His passion is real, his character high -- the highest, his statesmanship ability unmatched; his passion unmatched, his ethos unmatched, his intellect unmatched, and, of all the candidates, he is the most admired and respected outside this country, both parties included.
America has, over the past 7 years, degenerated to the status of rogue state. Our Government is infected with an insidious disease called neoconitis, and Obama is the cure.
Last night we turned the corner. America is on the upswing. I’m fired up.
3 Cheers for Obama.
3 Cheers for America!
by
Robert Sargent (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 24 diaries, 302 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 7:34:40 AM
And, I want to point out that Obama declared last night that he would not not tell us what we want to hear, he will tell us what we need to know. He wasn't kidding about that, either.
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John Sanchez Jr. (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 1059 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 8:16:50 AM
"The bottom line for me is the fact that we choose our leaders unwisely, we do not subject our choices to the cold clear light of reason, we instead need passion and inspiration, which opens us up to deceit and trickery."
Yes, Ardee, but the day this happens we will be a different species, and who has time to wait that long? I rooted for Kucinich for eight years, till it became painfully evident he didn't have the charisma to fire up his own campaign. I still root for his ideas and I'd give my left arm to see them implemented--but all that would happen, if I made the effort, is that I'd have no left arm.
So give me a cataclysmic social event with some positive implications and I'll be very happy for quite a while. And I promise to keep working toward Kucnich's visions in the meantime.
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 58 quicklinks, 121 diaries, 681 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 8:35:21 AM
But thanks for catching me before I pursued something the Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act would like to keep from happening.
by
Kevin Gosztola (195 articles, 103 quicklinks, 64 diaries, 779 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 10:13:38 PM
a good guy, I think so. Is he the best candidate in the Democratic field, In my opinion, yes. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, we can get off the Kucinich bandwagon (who scored 0% in Iowa) and perhaps even get off the Edwards bent.
Obama however, has no viable plan for the American economy. I said viable.
In the past few weeks the economy has become a greater concern to the American voter than Iraq.
Without a sustainable underlying economy, little else matters. Mr. Obama is weak on both domestic and macro economic issues.
Other than that, he not a bad candidate.
by
Mike Folkerth (120 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 566 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 8:39:49 AM
Plans for the economy are at best dicey-- it is affected so much by outside forces-- oil, turmoil, dollar value, to name a few. I would doubt any plan that was not primarily based upon a vision, a set of principles.
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Rob Kall (762 articles, 3852 quicklinks, 321 diaries, 1643 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 10:19:55 AM
That was one very good speech. But is Terrorism really a common threat ? Or is the phony war on terror and the erosion of our rights (not only in the USA) a greater common threat ?
With cameras running, the nation and the world watching, this man delivered a speech that hardly any one of us can contest to. Hitler did it before him and even Hitler had people on both sides of the isle cheering him on. History tells us the rest of that story.
Should we choose to back this man, we should at the same time remember history, be aware of reality and not be blinded or pied pipered into an even stronger, united fascism.
USA
USA
USA
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USA
USA
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get my point ? USA ?
by
Tony Forest (4 articles, 14 quicklinks, 131 diaries, 1216 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 8:49:05 AM
Obama will never win elections. Neither will Hillary. Demparty is playing a game of 'losing with honor' and the best way to do that is to present a nonelectable candidate. The Iowa caucus is just a show, nothing more; people, for goodness sake, you yourself many times mentioned that we had a new reality now and you still cling to the oldd criteria? Accept the premise you thyselves proclaimed- that democratic process is a sham and use your imagination- the Iowa voters had just preferred THE LEAST ELECTABLE people on both sides! What does it tell you? It tells you that instead of being at least somehow rational people like in Russia just ' vote against all' and Huckabee/Obama tandem iss perfect for it.
I don't care if Obama is black or green. I do care that two-parties had become one and it is demonstrated again and again. God Help us all. Whoever he wants to destroyhe takes His mind away.
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Mark Sashine (47 articles, 19 quicklinks, 236 diaries, 3362 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 9:03:38 AM
And as a member of the Kucinich campaign, let me tell you---
Kucinich didn't try in Iowa at all because the establishment of the Democratic Party did everything to keep him out. So, he gave up and went to New Hampshire where he plans to win ...
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Kevin Gosztola (195 articles, 103 quicklinks, 64 diaries, 779 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 9:29:55 AM
It's hard to let go of one's candidate, but Kucinich is finished. Whether he tried or not, he got 0%. Paul did little work in Iowa and go 10 or 11%. Even Paul has little chance.
We only have a few days to see who is correct, but I'm afraid the Dennis will end his run in NH.
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Mike Folkerth (120 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 566 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 10:53:34 AM
But finished or not, Kucinich is providing quite a valuable service to the Republic by being a source of gravitational attraction on the left. As these candidates navigate their way through the campaign their positions can move left or right, but the gravitational outposts keep them from straying too far.
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John Sanchez Jr. (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 1059 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 1:32:03 PM
Uh...I think he won elections in the state of Illinois, and I think he was elected to the United States Senate by way of, I'm pretty sure, although I didn't research this, an election.
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Robert Sargent (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 24 diaries, 302 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 9:33:31 AM
if he was not a candidate from the Demparty. You, folks sound very strange: in all aspects of life you promote the right andd properly solemn thesis that the system is broke and it needs significant repair or even a new one but comes Iowa and off we go- you all are ready to cheer what the system produces. I am sorry. Yes, such person like Obama can become a senator: he is an honest man and also senatorial seats on the demside are not really much of a goal because our Senate is paralysed: Hillary is a senator, right, although she is not even from NY. But during the Bush's tenure a deal was struck and so far it is followed to the letter: GOP rules ( actually only one little group in it) and Dems cover them. Obama does all what he can to actually prove to those who brokered the deal that he understands it and will not be a trouble. But they know better. WE should also know better. We here should realise that the only possible candidate on the Dem platrform who has even a slight chance to win is Edwards. Not that Dem party will abandon its course to 'honorable defeat'. No, but Edwards can win if populism as a factor prevails locally. Obama cannot. I like him, he could be even the man of the future. But right now there is not a chance in Hell. We better see through the smoke.
by
Mark Sashine (47 articles, 19 quicklinks, 236 diaries, 3362 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 1:39:53 PM
Visions and principals are wonderful things, but the economics of realizing those visions are based on math. Some things just can't be accomplished by happy thoughts and flowery speeches. What we have today in the U.S. is proof positive of that statement.
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Mike Folkerth (120 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 566 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 11:00:57 AM
I'll take a visionary, principled leader over an accountant as president any day. Of course, that leader better have the sense to hire a brilliant team of accountants with their feet on the ground.
Whoever becomes president will be inheriting a massive disaster-- an intentionally wounded and damaged government, a bleeding economy that has been fed upon by transnational corporate carnivores that Bush and company opened the doors to let in to do the feeding.
That president needs to assess the damage, replace the traitor appointees who are siding against america and the people and then make a plan. I can't see how such a plan can be put together until assessments are made and the "enemy" is removed from the inner workings of government.
One "economic" plan that any president should have is to investigate and prosecute anyone who broke the law. A lawless, corrupt economy cannot succeed.
by
Rob Kall (762 articles, 3852 quicklinks, 321 diaries, 1643 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 11:36:01 AM
Sure we could "wish upon a star" and hope for a return trip to Kansas after clicking our heels but this ain't the movies. There's reality to deal with and just stretching out our "hearts filled with hope" has no meaning whatsoever. So let's take a look at what we can expect if Obama were to be elected. Who would he turn to for policy and advise cause he sure ain't going to be the one writing policy:
ALLAN NAIRN: Well, Obama’s top adviser is Zbigniew Brzezinski. Brzezinski gave an interview to the French press a number of years ago where he boasted about the fact that it was he who created the whole Afghan jihadi movement, the movement that produced Osama bin Laden. And he was asked by the interviewer, “Well, don’t you think this might have had some bad consequences?” And Brzezinski replied, “Absolutely not. It was definitely worth it, because we were going after the Soviets. We were getting the Soviets.” Another top Obama person—
AMY GOODMAN: I think his comment actually was, “What’s a few riled-up Muslims?” And this, that whole idea of blowback, the idea of arming, financing, training the Mujahideen in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets, including Osama bin Laden, and then when they’re done with the Soviets, they set their sights, well, on the United States.
ALLAN NAIRN: Right. And later, during Bill Clinton’s administration, during the Bosnia killing, the US actually flew some of the Afghan Mujahideen, the early al-Qaeda people—the US actually arranged for them to be flown from there to Bosnia to fight on the Muslim/NATO side.
Another key Obama adviser, Anthony Lake, he was the main force behind the US invasion of Haiti in the mid-Clinton years during which they brought back Aristide essentially in political chains, pledged to support a World Bank/IMF overhaul of the economy, which resulted in an increase in malnutrition deaths among Haitians and set the stage for the current ongoing political disaster in Haiti.
Another Obama adviser, General Merrill McPeak, an Air Force man, who not long after the Dili massacre in East Timor in ’91 that you and I survived, he was—I happened to see on Indonesian TV shortly after that—there was General McPeak overseeing the delivery to Indonesia of US fighter planes.
Another key Obama adviser, Dennis Ross. Ross, for many years under both Clinton and Bush 2, a key—he has advised Clinton and both Bushes. He oversaw US policy toward Israel/Palestine. He pushed the principle that the legal rights of the Palestinians, the rights recognized under international law, must be subordinated to the needs of the Israeli government—in other words, their desires, their desires to expand to do whatever they want in the Occupied Territories. And Ross was one of the people who, interestingly, led the political assault on former Democratic President Jimmy Carter. Carter, no peacenik—I mean, Carter is the one who bears ultimate responsibility for that Timor terror that Holbrooke was involved in. But Ross led an assault on him, because, regarding Palestine, Carter was so bold as to agree with Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa that what Israel was doing in the Occupied Territories was tantamount to apartheid. And so, Ross was one of those who fiercely attacked him.
Another Obama adviser, Sarah Sewall, who heads a human rights center at Harvard and is a former Defense official, she wrote the introduction to General Petraeus’s Marine Corps/Army counterinsurgency handbook, the handbook that is now being used worldwide by US troops in various killing operations. That’s the Obama team.
...predicted an Obama victory. He also suggested that an Obama win might actually strengthen candidates like Dobbs and Biden. Well that notion fell flat on its face!
I see the Obama victory and Edwards second place finish as a victory for progressives, though we must still remember the advisors in both progressive camps are what I would call non-progressive and exponents of the military industrial complex. But the bottom line is that this may show America's willingness to force change and that is what it will take if we are ever to get out from under this huge mess created by the neocons.
Although I see this historical victory as good, only time will tell how good it may be. Obama has strong support in California, my home state. But when it comes to going to the polls, will white America do behind the polling curtains what they did publicly in Iowa last night? This is the big question.
by
Michael Shaw (7 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 310 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 11:56:57 AM
which is why he is able to raise so much money- 356 bundlers, 9 of which are lobbyists, according to whitehouseforsale.org
he believes the US needs to continue projecting corporate military power around the world
he accepts the 9/11 Commission's story, despite it being an obvious coverup
he will not abolish the criminal and treasonous federal reserve system
he will not establish a national healthcare system- he will continue the "health" care/insurance industry's exploitation of the American people
he will not work for human rights, and a leveling of the economic and political playing fields between human beings and corporations/elites, such as campaign finance and med
