simeneh makonnen's Blog

FROM SLAVERY TO THE WHITE HOUSE

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:35:14 EST

"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there," Obama said in Chicago, Illinois, before an estimated crowd of up to 240,000 people.

Barack Obama wrote a new chapter into US history becoming the first African-American elected president, capping a stunning rise which in just four years propelled him into the Oval Office.

With unflagging energy and vitality, he took on the political establishment, defeating former first lady Hillary Clinton in the party primaries, overturned the perception that America was not ready to vote for a black president, and crushed the weight of the Republican attack machine.
Four short years ago, Obama was just a little-known but charismatic Chicago politician with a ready smile, who wowed the 2004 Democratic convention with a dazzling speech. The world’s greatest boxing champion, Ali, once said, “Champions must have skill and good will. The good will must be stronger than the skill”.

Certainly, Barack Obama possesses both qualities enormously and used them effectively to achieve a long, overdue dream, walk to freedom. Obama said “America change is now or never…, America you have spoken…., this is your time…. and this is your choice…..” and obviously, the choice was manifested on November 4th, 2008 electing him as their president to the White House.

The next biggest choice and change would be the name of the White House which is outdated and it was named at the time of white domination and the American people need to carry on with the choice and change by naming it with universal names such as American House, Open House, Lincoln House or Obama House to mark this audacity of historic hope and change in progress.
"There is no a black America, and white America and Latino America and Asian America- there's the United States of America," he proclaimed then. The same is true if I say there is no a Black House, and White House and Latino House and Asian House- there is the American House, …..
It was a message he has used to ignite a new fervor and excitement in a country angered by the economic crisis which has dragged down the world's top economy and sickened by the Iraq war.
In defying the odds, the 47 year old, Obama has reshaped conventional wisdom on how to pay for a successful White House bid by harnessing the Internet as a powerful fund-raising tool.

As a community organizer, he understood that the younger generation is the locomotive of change. Obama directly addressed and motivated the young generation and middle income communities to embrace a new agenda called ‘change we believe in’. By so doing he galvanized millions of young Americans to enroll for change and preached so well that America change is now or never. On the contrary John McCain solely depended on traditional followers that are the haves and CEOs.
McCain lacked mass base, resources and energy to bring to Americans the change they want in the 21st century.
Obama’s campaign also put together a formidable grass-roots organization, especially in key battleground states, which in the end gave him an unstoppable momentum towards the White House.

The son of a Kenyan, African, father and a white mother from Kansas, America, Obama has sought to rise above the issue of race and project himself as the candidate for all Americans.
But his victory on will remain bittersweet for Obama, after the woman who raised him to believe he would be whatever he wanted to be passed away just hours before his crowning moment.
His white maternal grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, whom he called "Toot" lost her battle with cancer in her home in Hawaii, never living to see Obama realize the aspirations of generations.
In a rare show of emotion, from a man who has been seen as cool and collected throughout the grueling 21-month campaign, tears streamed down Obama's face at a North Carolina rally.
His voice thick with grief, Obama said this was a "bitter-sweet time for me. She is going home".
Obama recapped his grandmother's life from her birth in 1922 and her marriage to his grandfather, their struggles through the Great Depression and with his infant mother through World War II.
"She was one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America," said Obama. "They're not famous. Their names aren't in the newspapers," he said, vowing to fight for all the country's quiet heroes.

Born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961, Obama's path to the White House has not been backed by the privilege and wealth often enjoyed by past candidates.
His father left when he was just two, and the young Obama later moved to Indonesia with his mother, Ann, when she re-married.
He spent several years in Jakarta, before returning to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents when he was in his teens.
After attending Columbia University in New York, Obama went to the elite Harvard Law School, where he was the first black American to be president of the influential Harvard Law Review.

It was while working at a Chicago law firm that he met and then married Michelle, a fellow lawyer, in 1992. The couple has two young daughters, Malia 10, and Sasha, seven.
On November 4 the world, as it expected, saw an African American, Barack Obama, rise to the highest post of the most powerful nation on Earth.
It's how everything that happened with black people and the drastic changes were in the past, and for once it's in the present and we can have a stake.

I screamed so loudly and cried during his victory speech. Words cannot describe how proud I am of Barack Obama and his accomplishments. I have followed his race repeatedly, joined barackobama.com site and most importantly I began to believe that he could win during his campaign. The road ahead of us will be difficult and the fight will be hard, but last night was a great victory, and I honestly believed that Obama can beat John McCain.

I watched McCain's speech and I didn't see change- I saw the same old politics and the same legacy of elderly Anglo Saxon men leading America. Americans want real change! They want a better foreign policy that is not driven by arrogant bully tactics. They want an educational system that actually doesn't leave a child behind. They want a leader who knows more about the economy than I know, I know and I do. They want a leader who understands the complexity of race relations in America and civil rights issues.

And dammed, I want somebody that looks like me in a leadership role for a change!
I was so excited watching history being made - the election of Barack Obama, the first black president.
Until now, the history of the black civil rights movement in America has been largely that - history.
The great moments and characters that define it - the desegregation of schools, the "I Have a Dream" speech of 1963, the Rosa Parks and Martin Luther Kings - serve as the milestones describing the slow transition to equal rights. For blacks living being marginalized in a just and equal society is equal to prisoner’s in a death raw waiting for their doomsday to come.

Who will forget the infamous Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, who issued a proclamation against integration and stood in a doorway to prevent two black students enrolling at the University of Alabama in the 60s?

In this planet earth there is no place where you could find respect for black race including our own Africa. Blacks are facing insults, beating and killing for exercising their right to speak up, belong to any party they choose and vote in any kind of elections by their own government who have low expectations and respect for their own black people.

The monkey chant in European sport stadiums and the street attack by white supremacists on European streets and the Asian countries prejudice against black people is all known.

Now, Americans by putting a black person as their leader has now challenged the world to show respect for fellow black people wherever they are.

I have no doubt; however, it is only in America blacks can reach to the highest office through democratic election living as members of the minority community. This could not have been possible in Europe and you should not even think in Asia and Australia.

We as a people congratulate Americans for their unity as “one people” and for electing Barack Obama as their president. Congratulations!

Watching a black man become president is an inspiration, a reflection that the fabled land of opportunity has opened the doors to people of colour as well, a coup for blacks, the United States and the world.

It's very inspiring to know we've gone from nowhere to somewhere, from nobody to somebody and from slavery to the White House having a black man as president.

It will be a great influence on all the people that are racist against blacks. Obama's election is one of the greatest achievements for America and for black people around the world living in obscurity.

Bigotry is still well and alive and flourishing implicitly. But the fact that Obama explicitly and smartly muted race issues during his campaign gave way for his vision of hope and change to gracefully emerge.

Racism is far more widespread in the United States, UK and other countries than in Australia.
The race issue is not as prevalent in Australia as in the States, with its gangs and crime.

I don't think the country’s politicians are sensitive to the subtleties of Australian race issues. Still, the effect of having an intelligent, articulate black man on TV on a regular basis can't help but have a positive effect.

Yet again, you can't underestimate the value of breaking those stereotypes. To do so Australia and other countries must give equal opportunity and allow black people/artists to take part in the media rather than paint white people’s faces as black to take part in comedy and artistic roles. There are more black artists equally talented if not overly artistic to do the job.

For Australia, apologizing to the stolen generation is just symbolic when the road to recovery and change is so steep by not giving Aborigines and other blacks an opportunity and support, to perform in the mainstream artistic industry and managerial positions, without resenting and discriminating.

Nevertheless, one day change will come to Australia that a black man will be the leader of the Democratic Republic of Australia, New Zealand, UK and other European and Asian countries.

At last! With role models like Obama and new generations raised in a multicultural mix, we're finally nearing the point where a candidate of colour will no longer be an issue.

In good spirits,

Congratulations and thank you, Mr. President!

THE PEOPLE'S PRINCE

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:19:54 EST

Barack Obama's remarkable rise really does equate with his campaign's theme: "Change you can believe in."
In that many Americans today are concerned, even fearful, of what their future holds. Obama has demonstrated sound judgement; excellent decision making abilities and a sincere character and electing him president would be a fundamental change in leadership for America. I wouldn’t be wrong if I say that he truly is the people’s prince because he is a formidable candidate in American history who inspired millions of people around the world and we all have seen that a sea of people in America rallies and around the world absolutely adored and endorsed him to be the next President of United States of America who, undoubtedly, will bring change and re-instill the American dream and bring about peace and stability in the world.
BY FAR THE BEST MAN
I have read the stories of past presidents of America and have seen others in my life time, only a handful has been extraordinaire influential people like Senator Barack Obama. Amazingly, I read about the most prominent United States newspapers, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times & Chicago Tribune, have endorsed Senator Barack Obama to become the next United States President by praising his leadership ability, intelligence and political skill while blasting, both his opponents, Senator McCain and his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin.

Washington Post described Obama as “a man of supple intelligence, with a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building”. The Post also wrote, “Mr. Obama has the potential to become a great president”.
Los Angeles Times backed Obama on its Website editorial saying, “a leader who demonstrates thoughtful calm and grace under pressure”.
Obama’s hometown newspaper, Chicago Tribune, is the first time it has come out to support a democratic candidate since its founding in 1847, says.
The number of United States newspapers endorsing Obama in the November 4 election has reached 51, against 16 for his rival Senator McCain, a tally by the Editor and Publisher trade journal.
Therefore, my conclusion is, needless to say, Senator Barack Obama is by far the best man for the President, Commander in Chief, of the United States of America.

For more than 20 months, Obama has been running for president against tough and experienced opponents.
There have been some serious challenges during this time, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the revolt by some of Senator Hillary Clinton's supporters, but he has demonstrated the kind of calm leadership, intelligence and skillful communicating that will be needed as America deals with the present economic crisis.

Obama, who has led McCain by a relatively narrow margin over weeks, now has been deliberate and careful; never losing his cool, acting presidential, if you will, before voters decide if that indeed will be his next job.
McCain has failed to sound any consistent themes; was all over the map during his final debate over the federal bailout package; McCain looked as if he has hearing problem when he incorrectly misquoted Obama’s stand on Joe the plumber’s taxation problem, looking for more criticism on Obama’s past performances rather than tangible messages of his own. He said to Obama’s face, “The witch you associated with”. Obama seemed unflappable.

Whenever Obama is speaking about very important issues, McCain was like African meerkat on the lookout looking everywhere erratically and his eyes blink 100 miles an hour grimacing and apprehensively. He looked so abrupt and smart every time Obama is telling the truth about his negative campaigning and issues of unworthiness, McCain recoils and buries his head on to his note pretending to take what was being said.

One very important thing I couldn’t understand why McCain started off the debate by mentioning the death of JFK in Dallas. I do hope that nothing like that will happen this time. Should anything happen to Obama, the Vietnam veteran is accountable. He is carrying too much anger on his chest.
Because he made a huge mistake by picking Sarah Palin, he has no choice but to embrace, impress, uplift her spirit by saying “she is a role model and I am proud of her”. Simply Pathetic!
For the current economic situation, he has come up with a $300 billion plan to buy distressed mortgages, without any description of how he would pay for it.

So far, the experienced candidate, “I know this and that, I have been there, I can fix it” Fix what? Damn, tell us. McCain has acted more like a first-timer on the national stage in contrast to Obama's consistency and calm.
Clearly, Palin is not yet ready to lead the country, but just as clearly she has struck a chord with many conservative and working-class voters and at least given the ticket a chance. While McCain's advisers were wrong to shield her for so long from journalists, the media's mockery has only added to her stature among supporters, already angry over the nearly universal adulation granted Obama.
Palin, however, is not the main issue. Eight years of the Bush administration have left America weary and yearning for hope. McCain not AcGain!
Obama, for many reasons, has given many people a sense of hope- change that America needs.
GLOBAL ISSUE
Issues such as climate change and energy will have to be dealt with during a painful recession.
The next president will need the kind of qualities that Barack Obama has demonstrated in his long and historic fight to lead the United States of America.
I worry about the environment and how America may not be the only cause of global warming, but is the biggest contributor to it. America need to focus more on alternative fuels and sources...nuclear will only be a short term answer... Change is needed. Americans have gone on in an oversized hunger for oil and not focused on what their choices in their past have done to impact their children's futures.
American schools are having less and less funding so their future leaders of tomorrow are not getting the full educations needed to be able to make educated decisions they will be forced to make. How can they lead and make educated decisions without an education?
I'm hearing more solutions than excuses from Obama. The only thing that McCain and I agree on is marriage; I think it should be only between a Man & a Woman. But I think that Gays should be able to have a lawfully binding ... civil unions that allow them the same financial rights as married heterosexual couples. The only difference is marriage is reserved for between a Man & a Woman...sorry it's Biblical...abortions, I believe woman have a right to a choice but I also believe after a certain point the fetus/baby has a right to life. Abortion should only be used in the event of rape or Extenuating circumstances.
RACIAL RHETORIC
John “That One” McCain and Sarah “That Winker” Palin have a fundamental moral and leadership responsibility to denounce the violent rhetoric that has pervaded their recent political rallies instead of screaming along encouraging hatred. When rally attendees shout out such attacks as 'terrorist' or 'kill him' about Senator Barack Obama, when they are cheered on by crowds incited by McCain-Palin rhetoric -- it is chilling that McCain and Palin do nothing to object but show their own agression instead. I must have incorrectly heard him say “whip his …you know what? Or he really meant it. America do you really want this man to be your president? Everyone should say I don’t because his anger is going to put you back into unwanted war again.
Why isn't McCain doing anything about his supporters shouting disgracefully at his rallies? You could see him jerk when someone shouted out terrorist at one of his rallies, but he has said nothing about it. This is not an honorable man running an honorable campaign. This is a desperate man “say anything, do anything” racing against time and trying to energize his base and losing it. He just called his followers his fellow prisoners at a rally.
McCain called on rally supporters, "Friends, we've got them just where we want them," he said. "What America needs in this hour is a fighter”. He sounded like George Bush. McCain has already stirred the pots of hatred that he's brewed. Backing off now doesn't mean much, because his message has already been delivered by his messenger Barbie doll, Palin. She is definitely a pit-bull in lipstick; someone needs to put her back in the kennel.

Barack Obama and John McCain traded jibes at a black-tie charity dinner in New York. McCain at the end of his night’s jokes said, “Today, it’s a world away from the crude and prideful bigotry of that time, and good riddance. I can’t wish my opponent luck — but I do wish him well.” I find some of his jokes were venomous and full of bigotry and I saw a lot of people laughing to tears including Hillary Clinton. McCain seemed like on full last minute campaign again he may be “did not get it” this was supposed to be a light hearted charity dinner.
Then it was barrack Obama’s turn telling jokes about the housing crisis, saying it had hit McCain and his multiple homes heavier than most. “Contrary to the rumors, I was not born in a manger,” he said, also winning laughs for returning to the “that one” comment from McCain and delivering a one-liner about his middle name, Hussein. Obama’s jokes were crisp and jovial, none evasive.
“Many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is that Barack is actually Swahili for ‘that one’,” he said, referring to his Kenyan father. “And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn’t think I’d ever run for president,” Obama said. “But to name my greatest strength I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness, it’s possible that I’m a little too awesome.”

In a world where unspeakable violence is too often promulgated by extremists, it is no small or trivial matter to call someone a terrorist or to incite potentially dangerous individuals toward violence. John McCain and Sarah Palin are walking a very thin line in pretending not to hear the hateful invectives spewed at their rallies. McCain should end this line of attack in the strongest possible terms. Anything less puts McCain in the same camp as the racists and extremists of the bygone era and those who are bringing their angry rhetoric to his campaign events.
“I know there are some people who won’t vote for me because I’m black, and that’s ok,” said Democratic candidate Barack Obama.Even as the economy seems to be in freefall, as Americans grapple with whether to vote for Obama, the first African American presidential nominee, or his Republican opponent, John McCain, it’s a decision unavoidably colored by race whether they like it or not.
Barack Obama, the son of a white American mother and a black father from Kenya, says his race is not an issue for him. “I self-identify as African American. That’s how I’m treated and that’s how I’m viewed, and I’m proud of it.”But, unquestionably, his race is an issue for some Americans. If in any case, God forbid some how, Obama loses this election, it has to be written again in American history that America still don’t accept blacks in any higher positions than them and they implicitly continue to show their racist attitudes. However, if Obama wins this election, he won it because of his formidable campaigning strategy and intelligent management skills that he has shown us throughout his campaign. Joe Trippi, was a former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley’s deputy campaign manager, a Democratic political consultant and an analyst for CBS News, says that Obama is running to be America’s president, “not African-American’s president or White-American’s president, but everybody’s president”.
In fact, race is a political hot potato that burns anyone who gets close. When Hillary Clinton said she more than Obama appealed to “hard-working Americans, white Americans,” she was accused of exploiting the racial divide.
When Sarah Palin tells her crowds Obama doesn’t see America like they do, she says she means he’s an elitist. Others see that as a racial issue.

The race issue forced Obama to tackle race in America head-on, in a speech last March in Philadelphia where he said,” I have asserted a firm conviction - a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people - that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.”

University of Washington social psychologist Anthony Greenwald says, “Implicit bias,” or unconscious attitudes don’t control behavior but they lurk in all of us. When it comes to Americans’ attitudes on race, he found a widespread preference for whites.

This is also a wakeup call to world news media manipulation including that of UK and Australian media hype to play an equitable game when reporting or writing about Obama or other high status blacks around the world.
Media too often play bigotry by portraying deep-seated jealousy, inferiority complex and so often the truth will suffer for such ridiculous arrogance. It should not only be limited to their misfortune and tumbling but their achievement as well. I have seen very limited news of Barack Obama but a lot of news on his opponents in the Australian news media. We do not see and hear much about, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, all the efforts she is making around the world trying to bring peace and stability. But we have seen and read almost everyday about the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright when she was making the same effort. These are just tip of the iceberg without going into details of argy-bargy because you all know what’s being said here. Time to move on! Time for change! Read...... www.simenehmakonnen.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-is-it-racism-sexism-or-everything.html

David Sears from UCLA calls it, racial resentment - the belief of some whites that blacks complain too much, or don’t try hard enough - attitudes they take into the voting booth.
Undoubtedly race matters. When Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley ran for governor in 1982, it appeared he was certain to become California’s first black chief executive when the last polls had him up 10 points. Yet, he lost. Joe Trippi says, “It was probably the most crushing defeat I’ve been part of.” “It gave us the term “the Bradley Effect” - the assumption that when it comes to black candidates, polls or rather people who talk to pollsters lie, fearing they’ll be seen as bigots.

One would ask what about Obama? I hope it will not happen this time.Trippi thinks the country has come a long way and race may not be an issue but he warns that the fire is not gone out yet and others believe that the Bradley effect is an artifact of the 80s and does not apply to today’s society.
Others comment about high-ranking blacks in the Bush White House have gotten Americans used to blacks in positions of authority. Even pop culture has helped Americans entertain the idea of a black commander-in-chief. Strong, successful black presidents in movies like Morgan Freeman in “Deep Impact” and TV shows like Dennis Haysbert in “24″ may have set the stage.

UCLA sociology professor Darnell Hunt says, “The media are pretty good at normalizing things, and if people see it enough in the media, suddenly it seems like something that, yeah, this can happen.” But this is the real world, with the real world issues: two foreign wars, and an economy in deep crisis. America had the first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State, General Colin Luther Powell (picture), but never had black Commander in Chief or President before.

A long time Republican Colin Powell crossed his party lines to join Democrats and endorse Barack Obama for president. He specifically cites, “And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance. He has both style and substance. He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming in to the world, on to the world stage, on to the American stage. And for that reason, I’ll be voting for Senator Barack Obama”.
Wow! That says it all. That is a huge order from the General!

Perhaps the long awaited ‘Roots’, now, have grown and fully ripe and I hope that America will get over the past injustices and choose Senator Barack Obama who is the best candidate to transform the predicament of American Values with a renewed Spirit.

In good spirits,
Simeneh

BARACK OBAMA SHOWS PROFESSORIAL DISCIPLINE

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:46:10 EDT

In the presidential matchup debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, it was one of Barack Obama’s possibly best performance of the campaign and I thought it had a lot to do with the format. All along we’ve heard how John McCain excels in town hall settings.

But tonight he seemed old, cranky, and downright tired as he trooped around the stage. His movements were stiff and jerky–surely a product of his brutal treatment in Vietnam, but nonetheless pitiless to watch. My hunch is that McCain has benefited from having the stage to himself in past town hall meetings. Sharing the spotlight with a much younger, more vigorous and agile Obama really highlighted his physical liabilities in a way that hadn’t previously been apparent.
By contrast, Obama really benefited from his years as a law professor. He was fluent and very much at ease walking and talking at the same time. He had a professor’s ability for making eye contact and maintaining it while he walked a questioner through a multi-step response. And his answers were much more concrete and intuitive than I’d ever heard them.

On the question of health care, for example, Obama was effective at defusing McCain’s cheap anti-government rhetoric with tangible evidence at every step of the way. He explained why healthcare should be a right by describing his mother’s fight with insurers during the final months of her life.

He explained that the reason he mandates coverage for children is that they’re “relatively cheap to insure and we don’t want them going to the emergency room for treatable illnesses like asthma.” And he exposed the shallowness of arguments about government intrusion by pointing out that, without regulators, insurers don’t always deliver on what you pay them for. The answer was so clear that it was professorial in the best sense.
The best example of Obama’s explanation came when the debate turned to Pakistan. The questioner seemed hostile to Obama’s approach: “Should the United States respect Pakistani sovereignty and not pursue al Qaeda terrorists who maintain bases there, or should we ignore their borders and pursue our enemies like we did in Cambodia during the Vietnam War?”
In response to the question, Obama did a number of important things. First, he provided some critical background: We wouldn’t even be having this discussion had Bush destroyed al Qaeda before invading Iraq. Instead, Bush allowed al Qaeda to escape to Pakistan, from which they’re sniping at our troops and destabilizing the region. Next, Obama explained that we’d first exhaust other options–giving the Pakistanis an incentive to do the job themselves–before launching a strike. Only at that point, he said, and only “if we have Osama bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to take them out,” would he give the go-ahead. It was about as far from gratuitously belligerent as you could get–and all thanks to Obama’s soothing, professorial wrap up.

John McCain’s crankiness starting to show similarities with Australia’s war hero and a dogmatic racial creepy-crawly, Bruce Ruxtorn, whom I met once in the ABC TV studio full of audience discussing immigration issues. For that matter, both men resemble in the way they act, interact and spit bad languages of racial intolerance.

For his part, McCain mangled his explanations and stepped on his own canned punchlines. His diction was bizarrely geriatrician at times, culminating with his inexplicable reference to Obama as “that one”–language befitting a grandchild who refuses to eat his broccoli. McCain criticized his Democratic rival for supporting the 2007 Bush-Cheney energy bill, "It wa s an energy bill on the floor of the Senate, loaded down with goodies, billions for oil companies, and it was sponsored by Bush and Cheney. ... You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one," he said, gesturing toward Obama. "You know who voted against it? Me." To McCain’s demise, Obama recently said, "I can take four more weeks of John McCain's attacks, but America can't take four more years of John McCain's Bush policies." Though McCain has traditionally been deft at larding his responses with anecdotes, tonight was mostly argument by cranky assertion. I counted over a dozen times when McCain began a sentence or clause with the phrase “I know”–as in “I know how to get America working again” and “I know how to fix this economy.” Great, but a lot of voters don’t know and believe you. How about an example or two next time?

McCain faced a tough choice coming into this debate. He looked as if he wishes he wasn’t there. Tonight McCain managed to pull off an impressive achievement. He managed to do nothing particularly dramatic, yet still give the impression that he’s old and unsteady. I see very little for him to build on after tonight’s debate. Sorry, the game is over for John McCain.

Bush or McCain not AcGain!

Read more: www.simenehmakonnen.blogspot.com

IS SARAH PALIN A GOOD WINKER OR THINKER?

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:28:52 EDT

Vice-presidential nominee Alaskan Governor and former beauty contestant Sarah Palin started her debate winking at the audience and her opponent Democratic vice-presidential nominee Senator Joseph Biden. Her debate performance was pretty much what expected of her, rambling everywhere by avoiding to answer the real question when confronted by the moderator. She has been ridiculed so many times on recent interview stumbles, and some conservatives are questioning McCain’s wisdom in selecting her. He only chose her to play the old game of politics on Senator Obama but didn’t know if his vice-nominee is qualified to do the task of executing responsibilities without repeating the same mistakes like that of George Bush’s. She is at risk of becoming presidential Barbie doll. She reminds me of Pauline Hanson of Australia. Check it out http://simenehmakonnen.blogspot.com/2008/09/obama-is-creating-good-karma.html Being quick study, has become the problem as the McCain campaign has overloaded her with more information she can muster. The US economic crisis has skidded and knocked the wind out of both candidates McCain and Palin and they are struggling to regain grip. Don’t be hoodwinked by McCain and Palin’s reckless last minute gasping campaign of condescending, blaming, smear tactics and prepared to do anything against formidable opponents, Obama and Biden, and obviously racing against time and the change they have never experienced before. On the contrary, Senator Biden gave strong and detailed analysis of every question he’s been asked during the debate. Furthermore, Governor Palin while making accusations on Senator Obama has never ever called him Senator, not even once. How arrogant is that? That’s why she acts, talks, looks, stumbles and so on like Australian Pauline Hanson. Sarah Palin was not chosen for her foreign policy expertise or intellectual might either, no amount of coaching can reverse that. Therefore, she returned to the very traits that made her an attractive, winker political upstart and held her own against a much more experienced, opponent, candidate, Senator Biden. In the process she may have helped shore up some nervous voters who initially warmed to her winking smile but were in danger of skidding away. Sarah can wink, charm and smile but she can’t fool the whole America like George Bush did with his wicked smile.

BUSH or McCAIN not AcGAIN!

John McCain wants to cut and run from the presidential campaign but keep our troops in Iraq indefinitely.

John McCain didn't know the nation was in a financial crisis and didn't know his campaign manager was defrauding Freddie Mac.

John McCain wasn't aware that his campaign aide was on the bankroll of the Georgian president.

John McCain didn't know Sarah Palin was for all the earmarks he was against. And he didn't know she could stare into Putin's eyes from her balcony.

John McCain didn't know he could still participate in the presidential debate without having to be on the stage in the same city. John McCain also didn't know how to set up an e-mail account.

John McCain didn't know that his attempt to sabotage his campaign by pulling a Palin on his crew, and the White House-led GOP at the last minute without notice, wouldn't get him out of the campaign that easy.

John McCain also didn't know that his latest cowardly efforts to duck and dodge not only jeopardize his "war hero" status, but also lends credence to the notion that he is running from questions about his complicit involvement with Freddie Mac and dodging efforts to prevent any investigative media from asking Sarah Palin legitimate questions that conveniently Fox News forgot to ask (which would be every question in a real reporter's notebook). John McCain realizes that he has made one of his greatest mistakes in his life by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate and, unfortunately, has no option left but stay in a fight or flight situation. Sarah Palin doesn’t think of what the future holds or conveys about the consequences of her actions; messages, remarks, accusations, vague policies and gaffes.

Right now, John McCain and Sarah Palin are trailing because the American people finally realized their rhetoric and the same old gaffes and cheap political tactics that put John McCain in the White House for 26 years in the first place. For McCain and Palin this new wave of technological political change is in their way and find it hard to swallow, especially for John McCain as in the past who used to winning by bickering and throwing stones at his opponent without clarifying his policies to the American people. I recently watched the documentary that shows John McCain’s failed philosophy and poor judgement that led to economic crisis. Watch the video- http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo.

Senator Barack Obama, up until now, has never pointed a finger at McCain and Palin to expose McCain’s past economic misjudgement that put millions of Americans at risk by losing their jobs and homes. Despite all the personal attacks made about him he instead chose to continue talking to the American people about the issues that matter the most. America! You accepted all the advancements in technological changes, why not political changes?

FAWLTY TOWER IN WASHINGTON

Britain’s Ambassador to Washington recently paradoxically admired Barack Obama saying, he is “elegant”, “mesmerizing”, “highly intelligent”, “star quality” and “tough & competitive”. How in the world then a person of all these virtues will “have less of a track record than any recent president”? This is what the Ambassador wrote back to his British Prime Minister Gordon Brown detailing his inappropriate espionage style letter. It seems that signs of discontent starting to emerge as Obama’s resilience is shinning through McCain’s neighborhood. I think all diplomats should learn from Obama’s intelligent and exuberant approaches to interpersonal relations.

Time for change!

OBAMA for PEACE

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:45:04 EDT

Barack Obama is not only eloquent, with that ability to speak both to you and to speak for you, he has a quality of thinking and intellectual and incredible emotional honesty that radiates from his presence is extraordinary.Barack Obama clearly has an impeccable academic credentials and longer legislative experience than Hillary Clinton. Obama’s congressional records show that most of the Bills he has written became Laws.Experience is not necessarily a function of age; otherwise John F. Kennedy, formerly a junior senator from Massachusetts, who turned out to be one of the greatest leaders in the world, 44 years old when he entered the White House, would not have become the leader of the United States of America. Senator Barack Obama is the twenty first century God sent Messenger of peace to save the world.His honest preaches and words of wisdom are very much like that of John F. Kennedy. There is a uniqueness and conviction in Barack Obama’s speech delivery. The similarities between John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama symbolises: the youth, the magnetism, the natural grace, the eloquence, the wit, the intelligence and the hope of a new generation. Barack Obama also has tendencies of President Lincoln. Like Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama challenges United States of America to rise up, to do what so many of us long to do, to call upon “the better angels of our nature”.Come on! America this is a genuine wake up call. This is the biggest and best opportunity for you to elect Barack Obama as your President, if you want to live in equality, fraternity and liberty with the rest of the world.

May God Bless America

May God Save Barack Obama

From My Heart

Simeneh Makonnen

Melbourne, Australia

Barack has the Experience and Wisdom

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:32:56 EDT

Barack Obama has all the prerequisite to be the president of the United States of America.Exceptionally, he would make the best modern era extraordinary president and commander-in-chief of the United States.Barack Obama has immeasurable talent and wisdom to govern and lead this great nation. He is not by all means a cowboy or arrogant leader who will use his authority to maintain peace and social stability at home and around the world. Instead, he is a pragmatic, influential and persuasive diplomat who would resolve all matters through a civil communication.So, do not be hoodwinked by Clinton’s reckless campaign of parading to get votes by talking about Barack’s inexperience. One should ask what her experience is. If Clinton wants to be back in the white house, she should tell the American people her own policies and experiences rather than condescending her opponent. Remember, what JFK said, “Think not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. The same goes for Clinton. Stop telling US what Barack Obama can and can’t do for US, but tell what you can do for US.The Clintons want to go back to the white house with their personal problems and old ideas of her husband again telling her what to do. With the foreign policy issues where was Bill Clinton when 200,000 poor people of the African nation of Rwanda died from genocide? Didn’t he use guns not roses to kill more people of the old European Country of Yugoslav, now a divided nation of Bosnia and Kosovo, to settle the dispute? What about the unresolved peace deal in Northern Ireland and the impassable Middle East conflict between Israel and its Neighbours, root of all the problems the world can muster.Come on! The past, old and looking for the gun when the tough gets going experience was, is and will be futile. About time America needs change. New Change they Can Believe in.The one and only person that can undoubtedly bring those changes and lift the American spirit and dream from the brink of downfall is Barack Obama.

I believe Barack Obama practices what he preaches and that is in itself a sign of colossal leadership.

May God Bless America! May God Save Barack Obama!

May God help the world to live in Peace!

With all my heart

Simeneh Makonnen

AN INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW GENERATION

SIMENEH MAKONNEN — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:21:22 EST

Barack Obama is the reborn or the reincarnated Martin Luther King who has inspired all walks of life not only in America, around the World as well. It was a devastating agony that the World lost a charismatic persona that changed the social malfunctions that time for ever.

Today, America and the World are at the highest point of happiness to regain that inspiration 40 years later. But live at the lowest of lowest life creating inequality and animosity at home and around the world. America needs to bring changes that make the world a liveable place without fear, war and spending and building unnecessary arms to destroy each other.

If I say that Barack means equality, liberty and fraternity, I would not be further from the truth. In so the fast changing world we live in, change is so inevitable and only if that change is transparent and accountable to all. I believe the American people would make that judgement with complete care and honesty to vote for the person who would bring those changes to live not only the highest life, the happiest with equality,......

Barack's Personal journey has been so admirable and encouraging overcoming overwhelming living hardships and the loss of his father early on and his mother to sickness and later death is a testimony to his unshakeable strength, determination, compassion, perseverance, honesty, integrity and ability to deal with obstacles, anything and everything, no matter how big, that stands in his way.

Therefore, my fellow American brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, I urge you to vote for Barack Obama who would bring about those changes you and the world need to live with dignity, high spirit and economic prosperity leading all humanity to a common goal-PEACE, LOVE and the Pursuit of HAPPYNESS!

May God Bless America

May God Save Barack Obama.

With all my heart

Simeneh Makonnen