| » Hail to the Chief |
| Mood: hopeful |
I had what can best be described as an unprecedented, wholly unexpected sensation earlier this week. Though I am of course very proud to be Irish, for the first time in my life, I wished that I were an American. This is down to one man, a man whose name is on everyone's lips the world over: President-elect Barack Obama. Not being an American citizen, I was, needless to say, deprived of an opportunity to vote for him.
Come the inauguration on January 20, 2009, he will be the fifth US President during my lifetime and I wholeheartedly believe that he has the potential to be not only the best of these but the best that his country has had in a generation, if not more. With all due respect to the incumbent, he does not exactly have a hard act to follow.
Those of you whom I have discussed US politics previously will be aware that I am not a fan or supporter of the administration or the majority of its policies. To that end, I believe that Barack Obama will be restore confidence in the office of the President and the American political system in both the United States and the wider world. With George W. Bush's approval rating amongst the lowest ever recorded, a breath of fresh air is certainly needed.
At this point, I would like to state that I have no problem whatsoever with Senator John McCain. He is an extremely capable man who has spent a lifetime in the service of his country and, in my opinion, had he been the Republican candidate in the 2000 election and had consequently achieved the Presidency, things would have turned about better than they have under George W. Bush. Though I have a lot of respect for him, I have to say that I think at 72 years old, he was quite frankly too old to take on the most difficult and daunting political role in existence, especially given his less than perfect health in recent years.
It may come as a surprise to some that I actually supported John McCain over Barack Obama for quite a while until a certain governor came on the scene. I speak, of course, of Sarah Palin. While I have quite a high opinion of Senator McCain, I cannot say the same about her, to put it mildly.
She is just plain stupid.
To put it slightly more kindly, she is one of the most ignorant and unintelligent individuals that I have ever seen in my life. I have seen her described as "not your average politician" and I agree with this wholeheartedly. She is well below average. I completely disagree with her extreme right-wing views but that is another matter entirely and I can safely say that I would feel the same if she shared my views exactly. Her candicacy was an insult to women all over the world. I mean, was she really the best female candidate that the Republican Party has to offer? (But, as with her views, it would have made no difference to me one way or another if she was a man. She'd still be an idiot). The thought that this woman could have (and, indeed, still could) become President of the United States is simply terrifying.
In the past, George W. Bush has been described, unfairly, in the much the same way. He is certainly not a gifted public speaker - in stark contrast to, for instance, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton - and has a well-deserved reputation for making very public verbal gaffes. Nevertheless, I believe that he is quite an intelligent man, albeit one who has made more unwise decisions in the the past eight years than I have had hot dinners. With Sarah Palin, however, there are no layers, no shades of grey, no hidden depth. What you see is what you get. You betcha! (Sorry, couldn't resist)
In conclusion, I believe that America and the world is on the verge of an exciting chapter - hopefully one where the mistakes of the recent past can be rectified. I looking forward to January 20, 2009 with great anticipation for all the reasons stated above and - forgive a little indulgence - the fact that I'll being be able to say "Former President George W. Bush." To quote Barack Obama's victory speech, it's been a long time coming.
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 TVoholic
Posts: 4280
Contrib Points: 5274.6
Since: 20/Dec/05
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Posted on Saturday, November 8th 2008 2:51 pm |
| Yep, a black president, anti-abortion measures defeated in three states, and gay marriage bans passed in three more states. Good day indeed. |
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Rebelman
Posts: 1004
Contrib Points: 2539
Since: 14/Dec/05
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Posted on Saturday, November 8th 2008 4:40 pm |
And I just want to post this everywhere because I really am demanding my welfare check.
I am holdng Mr. Inspire the multitudes to every single campaign promise he made.
I'm just waiting for that 28% capital gains tax that will go affect on stocks as well which will spiral us in to something worse than a depression.
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 Ryan
Posts: 30559
Contrib Points: 6838
Since: 01/Dec/05
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Posted on Saturday, November 8th 2008 8:39 pm |
| "Rebelman" Wrote: | | I am holdng Mr. Inspire the multitudes to every single campaign promise he made. |
Yeah.. because every single politician since the beginning of time has fulfilled every promise they ever made..
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I'm happy to see you're pleased with the outcome Gus. It really makes me happy when I see non-US residents voice their opinions in a positive light. I've talked to many people from the UK and a great deal of them believed Obama was the better man for the job. I myself was never an Obama supporter but I did want him to win over McCain for reasons similar to yours. He is already halfway there after giving everyone hope. Now he just has to act on that. It's going to be an interesting year coming up. |
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Rebelman
Posts: 1004
Contrib Points: 2539
Since: 14/Dec/05
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Posted on Saturday, November 8th 2008 9:48 pm |
They tell Mr. Change and Hope to stop lying. I thought he was flawless and can run chills down everybodys spine? I think I feel a chill now *thinks of hope* oh my goodness! *thinks of change* Oh my goodness! Ah! Nope it wasnt that it was just cold air in the house
Let's not make excuses for the Inspirational One. I am going to hold him to every promise and you are already saying he lied, perfect Mr. New direction is doing old politics |
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nishikaze
Posts: 6780
Contrib Points: 1155.7
Since: 29/Jan/06
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Posted on Sunday, November 9th 2008 2:14 pm |
Don't mind him. He's still pissed that Obama won. 
He just wants to pick a fight.
I found a few interesting articles while on the Time website that may interest you, Gus.
The World Sees Obama's Victory As a New Beginning for America
The World's View of Obama's Win
I especially enjoyed:
| Quote: | | The most important thing that Barack Obama brings to the presidency is his willingness to reason. He won his presidency not as a black American but as a reasoning American who happens to be black. America needs a change from the reign of "obtruding false rules pranked in reason's garb" — to use John Milton's words. Attacking Iraq for an imagined link with 9/11 was daft. Having unaffordable health care is not a reasonable way to run a rich society. Destroying the environment is not smart. Spreading the wealth a bit in a deeply unequal society is not as offensive to reason as it appeared to Joe the noncertified Plumber. —By Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize–winning economist |
And pawnage from France:
| Quote: | | The skeptics can go on repeating ad nauseam that an Obama presidency will change nothing about American hyperpower and the reprobation it elicits. Anti-Americanism will not disappear as though by magic, but its life will get harder. It will have to revise its arguments. Planetary shock wave? Another, geopolitical New Deal? One thing is sure — which places a heavy, metahistorical responsibility on the new President's shoulders: never will an American election have excited in the rest of the world a hope at once so crazy and so reasoned. —By Bernard-Henri Lévy, Writer and philosopher |
My Chance Encounter With Obama in Hawaii - just a cool article. |
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Ryan
Posts: 30559
Contrib Points: 6838
Since: 01/Dec/05
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Posted on Sunday, November 9th 2008 4:34 pm |
| "nishikaze" Wrote: | | He just wants to pick a fight. |
Pick a fight? The fight is over and Obama won.  |
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nishikaze
Posts: 6780
Contrib Points: 1155.7
Since: 29/Jan/06
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Posted on Sunday, November 9th 2008 9:58 pm |
| Quote: | | Pick a fight? The fight is over and Obama won. |
TKO - Obama, FTW!!! |
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Rebelman
Posts: 1004
Contrib Points: 2539
Since: 14/Dec/05
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Posted on Monday, November 10th 2008 10:52 am |
| Rhetoric is bliss. You just proved you can't answer that simple question either, thank you |
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nishikaze
Posts: 6780
Contrib Points: 1155.7
Since: 29/Jan/06
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Posted on Monday, November 10th 2008 4:45 pm |
Poor Gus. I'm sorry. Feel free to delete all comments that you feel are inappropriate.
I have to say also (if I haven't said it enough, I've actually have been taking it easy on her believe it or not ) I too had serious issues with Palin. You put it rather well actually. Stupid and Unqualified.  |
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SultanPeppershaker
Posts: 19450
Contrib Points: 831.5
Since: 24/Jan/06
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Posted on Monday, November 10th 2008 6:26 pm |
Oh man, yeah. One of my friends kept saying people were giving Palin a hard time because she was a woman. Apparently he didn't realize how unqualified she was.  |
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Rebelman
Posts: 1004
Contrib Points: 2539
Since: 14/Dec/05
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Posted on Tuesday, November 18th 2008 7:37 pm |
Because as we al know Obama is very qualified
And that Sarah Palin acts like Tina Fey, gotta love how drowned yall get in biased media  |
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nishikaze
Posts: 6780
Contrib Points: 1155.7
Since: 29/Jan/06
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Posted on Tuesday, November 25th 2008 2:38 pm |
| Quote: | | Because as we all know Obama is very qualified |
And he's doing a great job so far and he isn't even in office yet. Just his appointments to his cabinet got a jump in wall street.
And we don't need the media to tell us Palin is a moron. She opens her mouth and there's all the evidence we need. |
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