A certain unexplainable guilty glee has come upon me this inaugural day, knowing that George W. Bush’s presidency is on its inevitable death bed, that it will die a long-awaited death followed by an immediate funeral. Perhaps the departing helicopter ought to be outfitted with a symbolic hearse. Eight years of torment will finally come to an end, but the consequences of Bush’s misappropriated, misguided, mismanaged and miserable leadership will last well into the future. It has left the world that is less safe, an economy that is less reliable and a monetary system that is less credible. So good night! And good riddance!
UNITED NATIONS – Alone among major Western nations, the United States has refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality.In all, 66 of the U.N.'s 192 member countries signed the nonbinding declaration — which backers called a historic step to push the General Assembly to deal more forthrightly with any-gay discrimination. More than 70 U.N. members outlaw homosexuality, and in several of them homosexual acts can be punished by execution.Co-sponsored by France and the Netherlands, the declaration was signed by all 27 European Union members, as well as Japan, Australia, Mexico and three dozen other countries. There was broad opposition from Muslim nations, and the United States refused to sign.See http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_re_us/un_gay_rights
UNITED NATIONS – Alone among major Western nations, the United States has refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality.
In all, 66 of the U.N.'s 192 member countries signed the nonbinding declaration — which backers called a historic step to push the General Assembly to deal more forthrightly with any-gay discrimination. More than 70 U.N. members outlaw homosexuality, and in several of them homosexual acts can be punished by execution.
Co-sponsored by France and the Netherlands, the declaration was signed by all 27 European Union members, as well as Japan, Australia, Mexico and three dozen other countries. There was broad opposition from Muslim nations, and the United States refused to sign.
See http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_re_us/un_gay_rights
Finally, there is common ground: gay sex! And I was predicting the coming of Armageddon. It's huge blow to my ego, to be sure.
Moving from one war zone to another, Bush flew secretly from Baghdad to Kabul, landing under cover of darkness for talks with Karzai and meetings with U.S. troops spearheading the fight against a resurgent Taliban. See http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081215/pl_nm/us_bush_afghanistan
What's the matter? Afraid for your own life when so many soldiers on the front lines had fought and died for your personal war with Saddam Hussein? Pathetic.
As the next Secretary of State, will Hillary be able to carry Barack's message around the world or will she set her own agenda, using words that could undermine the underlying wishes of the President-elect?
I am fairly certain that Barack Obama knows better than to give his trusted messenger unbridled freedom to set foreign polices at will. The question is whether his checks and balances would fulfill his idealistic expectations.
Hillary is an excellent choice for Secretary of State for a hawkish administration, one that will not hesitate to annihilate Iran or start a new arms race with Russia, in much the same way that GW Bush or Senator McCain would like to have it. Unless I have misunderstood the President-elect, I think he is determined to employ diplomacy to its fullest extent before considering any armed conflict. This seems to be in direct conflict with Hillary's military goals which looks awfully similar to GW Bush's. After all, she voted to allow Bush to invade Iraq.
That is in the past. Now is the time to look forward toward a new and improved future. Thankfully, Barack Obama at is at the helm. And we still have Hillary. In many ways, I like Hillary.
If Hillary substitutes her sometimes hawkish attitude with an appropriate degree of humility, something I believe that she is able and willing to do, then she could be the most effective and influential Secretary of State in United States history, helping Barack Obama shape his foreign policies which, hopefully, would usher in a just and peaceful world.
For many around the world, there is not much to be thankful for this year when people have lost their businesses, jobs, homes or a chance at an education, when retirement savings of the working class and the accumulated wealth of the well-to-do have dwindled, when terrorists have struck again at the center of a free civilization.Leaders around the world have roundly condemned the killings in Mumbai, India, yet none of them have condemned the gun manufacturers who have profited from selling firearms to these terrorists.And who exactly are these terrorists? Are they like the Joker in Batman who enjoys killing, unmotivated by greed or ideology, or do they exist merely as the “bad cops” to lend purpose to the “good cops”? Or do they have a simple agenda? To have a voice in their existence, to have their own “thanksgiving” with their families and friends and to have hope for a better future for their children?I am not a sympathizer of terrorists. They have no right to take the lives of others, to cause others injury, to bring fear to those who only wish to go about their lives peaceably. They should be condemned for their action, and so should GW Bush be condemned for waging war in Iraq.This deterioration we face, from the environment to the economy, from our safety to our freedoms, is a result of our individual action or indifference and cannot be reversed by military might, as many in power might want to believe. When the resources of this earth are used and trashed for our immediate gratification and convenience, when we kill each other, our civilization is headed for extinction. Finding another planet to “start over” is a waste of time and pride, for we are unable to divorce our shortcomings from ourselves even though we are capable of removing ourselves from one planet to perhaps exist in another.Civilization cannot be perfected by a change of venue. Evil is in the hearts and minds of most. Those who are “well meaning” and whose extreme ideologies lie on opposite sides and bring them into conflict with each other. Both sides are evil, evil that is in shades of gray and not easily defined, evil that is often cloaked in self-righteousness. In the words of Justice Louis Brandeis: “The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning [unto themselves] but without understanding.”Understanding is not difficult to master but difficult to accept. It is the only means for compromise since understanding is rooted in reason rather than passion. Reason ought to give those who were born with talents and abilities the responsibilities to inspire and help those who were born without. Yet, as simple as this concept maybe, it is one that has not been internalized by many of the best and the brightest or many who are in positions of power, for their minds have been poisoned by the notion that survival is for the fittest. They forget, however, that they are hypocrites, for they are not subscribers to such a notion. They, of all people, are likely the first ones to clamor for medical help when they are ill and the last ones to put at risk their own lives to advance their agendas or accept death even when they are at their weakest.In this group are supposedly “the capitalists,” who are the most vocal proponents of capitalism (the type that is reserved only for the poor and the working class) and the most shameless benefactors of socialism (the type that covers only the rich and the powerful) when they are themselves victims of a free market. So do “the warmongers” and “the terrorists” who are opposite sides of the same coin belong here, for they are willing to go engage in battles and sacrifice the lives of others in vain attempts to compensate for their personal defects or to give themselves worth based on their war-making abilities. People in both these groups can be ruthlessly self-serving. For them, giving thanks to those less capable, less powerful or generally “lesser” than they, or to those under their dictates, seems like an empty gesture when their satisfaction and successes depend upon the expense of others.
Thanksgiving is an American tradition, but the spirit of giving thanks is universal. It ought to stem from an appreciation of life, of this planet and universe, of logic and reason, and end with enjoying and being thankful for the company of one another. From the beginning until the end, in that brief period during our brief simultaneous physical existence relative to time, we ought to learn about and appreciate the differences that make us unique, and be in awe of the similarities that connect us to the flow of humanity.
Timothy F. Geithner:
Mr. Geithner graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in government and Asian studies in 1983 and from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a master’s in International Economics and East Asian Studies in 1985. He has studied Japanese and Chinese and has lived in East Africa, India, Thailand, China, and Japan. http://www.ny.frb.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/geithner.html
While I am sticking to my first and second choices for Secretary of State, Fareed Zakaria and Colin Powell respectively, I find Barack Obama’s naming of Hillary Clinton to the post politically deft.
Firstly, since either John Kerry and Bill Richardson can claim credit for contributing to Barack Obama’s success (Kerry naming Obama the keynote speaker in 2004 and an early supporter of his run for presidency, and Richardson bringing the Latino vote), Hillary’s appointment silences them both since she got 18 million votes during the primary and unites the division within the democratic party.
Secondly, Hillary will provide a necessary counterbalance to Vice-president Elect Joe Biden whose knowledge of foreign policy made him the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That way, Barack Obama can play one against the other so that neither one of them can become overbearing.
Thirdly, Hillary has substance: intellect, articulacy and poise. All she needs is a scintilla of humility and she would be nearly perfect.
Fourthly, the goodwill that Bill Clinton has been generating with his organization, the Clinton Global Initiative, cannot be overlooked or minimized. Hillary will automatically bring all that goodwill with her wherever she goes.
Lastly, politics aside, I think Barack and Hillary genuinely like each other.
Together, they have all the ingredients to make an amazing team. I can’t wait to see how quickly and effectively they can unscramble Bush’s mess and restore respect around the world.
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Dunia SENDWEEmail : dunia@sendwe.beBlog : cdfafrique.afrikblog.comFaceBook : Dunia SENDWE
I am hoping for:
1. TRANSPARENCY -- a transparent government that focuses on long-term advancements rather than short-term political gains, airs high-level cabinet meetings on C-span, encourages broad participation and keeps democracy vibrant;
2. SOLAR AND NUCLEAR ENERGY -- an energy policy that concentrates primarily on solar and nuclear power and minimally on wind, "clean" coal, bio or fossil fuels;
3. NO HAWKISH FOREIGN POLICY -- a foreign policy that de-escalates tensions in the Middle East via a non-traditional, multi-dimensional type diplomacy (religious, economic, social, cultural, medical, educational and environmental), nullifies Bush’s missile shield agreements and halts the march towards Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD);
4. COVERT OPERATIONS -- a military strategy that emphasizes undercover operations over large scale invasions, eliminates non-emergent pre-emptive strikes and torture, and curtails wasteful, special-interest driven military spending;
5. NAME CHANGE -- a name change from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of National Safety;
6. COMMUNITY WATCH -- a Department of National Safety that builds on effective neighborhood watch programs and community organizations, examines 50% or more of imported items and is conscientiously and constantly vigilant;
7. IMMIGRATION -- an immigration policy that ends illegal entry and identifies quickly and monitors closely legal non-immigrants who overstay their visas;
8. DRUG USE -- a drug policy that punishes those who deal in as well as those who use illegal substances;
9. ECONOMIC REGULATIONS -- an economic policy that regulates the proper valuation of assets, imposes fines and lifetime imprisonment on those who perpetrate fraud, breach fiduciary duties or betray the public trust in a significant way, measured quantitatively or qualitatively;
10. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY -- a fiscal policy that balances tax revenues against aggregate spending (military and non-military);
11. TAX REVENUE ALLOCATION -- a tax form that allows each taxpayer to allocate his/her share of taxes to different departments within the government, the results of the prior year’s allocations to be published every January so that taxpayers can choose to re-allocate their tax dollars in the current tax year (non-individual and fiscal year taxpayers exempted);
12. MONETARY POLICY AND DEVALUATION REVERSALS -- a Federal Reserve chairman who is concerned not only with liquidity needs, mortgage rates, inflationary pressures and economic expansions or contractions but also with the value of the dollar against other currencies;
13. INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL, WATER PRESERVATION AND A NEW WATER GRID -- an economic expansion program that rebuilds the nation’s existing infrastructure, constructs new and tamper-proof "backyard" reservoirs on every block to collect snow fall and rain water and installs a water grid allowing the flow of such water, or freshly desalinated water, from a wet to a drought area;
14. PREVENTION HEALTH-CARE -- a health-care system that encourages prevention, exercise and a proper diet, discourages excess food consumption, smoking and drug use and rewards conscientious and dedicated health-care workers;
15. BASIC EDUCATION -- a return to excellence in education, teaching teachers and students grammar, the evolution of language, the gradual extinction of the adverb and the correct pronunciation of the word, "nuclear;"
16. VIOLENCE AND EXCESSES -- a national philosophy that rebukes violence in entertainment, excesses in indulgence and desires for instant gratification;
17. LIMITS AND TEMPTATIONS OF POWER -- an administration, from top to bottom, that is always mindful of a) the differences between totalitarianism and democracy, b) the limits of power, particularly powers that are in the presidential "twilight zone," and those below it that are subtle, self-serving and seemingly innocuous in isolation, but carry grave and lasting consequences when compounded and c) the omnipresent temptations that are all too often and too easily overlooked or rationalized; and
18. A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE -- an American understanding and acceptance that we live in a diverse world, that enlightenment can come only from learning about each other’s differences and being in awe of the similarities, that in order to build a peaceful future, everyone must have a stake, a common purpose guided by reason that leads steadfastly toward the ideal, that provincialism, ideology, arrogance or prejudice will only deter, if not destroy, the refinement of civilization.
Please, NOT John Kerry. First choices: A) FAREED ZAKARIA; B) COLIN POWELL; C) CHRIS DODD
4thchoice: ANGELINA JOLIE AND BRAD PITT; 5th choice: BOBBY JINDAL
6th choice: JERRY BROWN, JR.
Barack Obama’s first speech as President Elect on November 5, 2008, in the Land of Lincoln, was not celebratory. It was somber, with a tinge of hope supported by an unbreakable will to make this world a better place.
No wonder there was hardly any applause lines and no fireworks display. Barack Obama had just landed a responsibility so great that even if one were to realize its immensity, not many would not be able to comprehend its complexity or deal with it effectively.
GW Bush, with his limited knowledge, wisdom and intellect, ruled only by his whim, who understood nothing and muddled through an assignment, the Presidency of the United States, that was way over his head.
The facts are clear: Corporate earnings are dropping, layoffs are rising, and recession is deepening. While this Pandora’s mess is going on, Russia decided yesterday to respond to GW Bush’s maniacal paranoia and the Bush plan to place a missile defense shield in Poland by announcing that it will target Poland with its missiles. Vladimir Putin had also stated earlier that it would not hesitate in making a pre-emptive strike before Bush’s missile shield is in place.
The verdict has come in: The economy and prospects for peace that are in shambles.
Bush will pass to Obama not a baton, because he was not conducting the affairs of the country. He only has a shovel, that he and Cheney used to dig this nation into a hole economically and politically. Obama will inherit from Bush the burden and disgrace he originated.
Then there is the expectation, created by Obama's uplifting and inspirational speeches, now owned by those voted for and especially those voted against him, and everyone else around the world, that from these days forward, will come a tomorrow that will bring peace and prosperity, a tomorrow so soon that patience will be tested time and time again, and pushed yet again beyond its last revised boundary.
To fulfill this expectation, he will reason with us and will deploy his wisdom in judgment. On a day to day basis, he will need us and our cooperation. And in those very difficult moments, he will need our prayers.
Cliquer sur l'image pour voir la vidéo
Par Barack Obama, président élu des Etats Unis. "Si jamais quelqu'un doute encore que l'Amérique est un endroit où tout est possible, qui se demande si le rêve de nos pères fondateurs est encore vivant, qui doute encore du pouvoir de notre démocratie, la réponse lui est donnée ce soir.
C'est la réponse dictée par les files d'attente devant les écoles et les églises, d'une ampleur que le pays n'a jamais connue, par les personnes qui ont attendu trois à quatre heures, la plupart pour la première fois de leur vie, parce qu'elles croyaient que ce moment devait être différent, et que leur voix pouvait être cette différence.
C'est la réponse que donnent jeunes et vieux, riches et pauvres, démocrates et républicains, Noirs, Blancs, Latinos, Asiatiques, Indiens, gays, hétéros, handicapés et non handicapés– des Américains qui ont signifié au monde que nous n'avons jamais été un assemblage d'Etats rouges et bleus, mais que nous serons toujours les Etats-Unis d'Amérique.
Cette réponse conduit ceux qui ont été décrits comme des personnes pétries de cynisme, qui craignaient et qui doutaient de ce que nous pouvions faire, à diriger le cours de l'histoire vers l'espoir de jours meilleurs. Il a fallu longtemps. Mais ce soir, grâce à ce que nous avons accompli aujourd'hui et pendant cette élection, en ce moment historique, le changement est arrivé en Amérique.
Je viens juste de recevoir un appel courtois du Sénateur McCain. Il a mené une dure et longue bataille, d'autant plus dure et longue qu'il adore ce pays. Il a enduré des sacrifices pour l'Amérique que la plupart d'entre nous ne peut même pas imaginer. Nos vies ont été améliorées grâce aux services rendus par ce dirigeant courageux et désintéressé . Je le félicite lui et le Gouverneur Palin pour ce qu'ils ont accompli, et je suis impatient de travailler avec eux pour renouveler ce pays dans les mois à venir.
Je voudrais remercier mon partenaire dans ce voyage, un homme qui a fait campagne avec son coeur et qui a parlé pour les hommes et les femmes avec qui il a grandi dans les rues de Scranton, et avec qui il a pris le train pour rentrer dans le Delaware, le Vice-président des Etats-Unis, Joe Biden.
Je ne serais jamais là ce soir sans le soutien indéfectible de celle qui est ma meilleure amie depuis les seize dernières années, le pilier de notre famille et l'amour de ma vie, la prochaine Première dame de notre nation : Michelle Obama. Sasha et Malia, je vous aime et vous avez gagné un nouveau chiot qui viendra avec nous à la Maison Blanche. Et même si elle n'est plus avec nous, je sais que ma grand-mère est présente, tout comme la famille qui a fait de moi ce que je suis. Ils me manquent ce soir et je sais que ma dette envers eux est incommensurable.
A mon directeur de campagne David Plouffe, à mon conseiller en stratégie David Axelrod, et à la meilleure équipe jamais réunie dans l'histoire de la politique – vous avez fait en sorte que cela arrive et je vous suis redevable pour toujours des sacrifices que vous avez concédés pour y arriver.
Mais avant tout, je n'oublierai jamais que cette victoire vous appartient. Je n'étais pas le candidat le plus évident pour ce poste. Nous n'avons pas commencé avec beaucoup d'argent ni avec beaucoup d'appuis. Notre campagne n'a pas éclos dans les halls de Washington – elle a commencé dans les arrière-cours de DesMoines, dans les salons de Concorde et sur les porches de Charleston.
Cette campagne a été menée par des travailleurs et des travailleuses qui ont pioché dans le peu d'économies qu'ils avaient pour donner cinq, dix, vingt dollars pour cette cause. Elle a gagné en force grâce aux jeunes qui ont rejeté le mythe de l'apathie de leur génération, qui ont quitté leurs maisons et leurs familles pour des emplois qui leur offraient peu d'argent et peu de sommeil, grâce aux personnes pas si jeunes qui ont défié le froid et la chaleur pour frapper aux portes de parfaits inconnus, grâce aux millions d'Américains volontaires qui se sont organisés et qui ont prouvé que plus de deux siècles plus tard , le gouvernement pour le peuple et par le peuple n'a pas péri. C'est votre victoire.
Je sais que vous ne l'avez pas fait juste pour gagner une élection.
Vous l'avez fait car vous comprenez l'immensité de la tâche qui nous attend. Parce qu'à l'heure où nous célébrons la victoire ce soir, nous savons que les défis de demain sont les plus importants de notre existence - deux guerres, une planète en péril, la plus grave crise financière depuis un siècle. En ce moment même, nous savons qu'il y a de courageux Américains qui se réveillent dans les déserts d' Irak et dans les montagnes d'Afghanistan pour risquer leurs vies pour nous. Il y a des pères et des mères qui passent des nuits blanches après avoir couché leurs enfants et qui se demandent comment ils pourront payer leur emprunt, les honoraires du médecin, ou comment ils pourront économiser assez pour les études. Il y a une nouvelle énergie à exploiter et de nouveaux emplois à créer, de nouvelles écoles à construire, de nouvelles menaces auxquelles il faudra faire face et des alliances à reconstruire.
La route sera longue. Le chemin sera escarpé. Nous n'atteindrons peut-être pas notre but en un an ou même en un mandat, mais il n'y a jamais eu autant d'espoir que ce soir, et le peuple américain y arrivera. Il y aura des revers et des faux départs. Nombreux sont ceux qui ne seront pas d'accord avec chaque décision que je prendrai en tant que président et nous savons que le gouvernement ne peut résoudre tous les problèmes. Mais je serai toujours honnête avec vous quant aux défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés. Je vous écouterai, particulièrement lorsque nous serons en désaccord. Et par-dessus tout, je vous demanderai de me rejoindre pour reconstruire cette nation de la seule manière possible en Amérique depuis 221 ans : bloc par bloc, brique par brique, avec nos mains calleuses.
Ce qui a commencé il y a 21 mois dans les profondeurs de l'hiver ne doit pas s'achever durant cette nuit d'automne. Cette seule victoire n'est pas ce que nous cherchons – c'est notre seule opportunité pour créer ce changement. Et cela ne peut pas arriver si nous retournons en arrière. Cela ne pourra pas arriver sans vous.
Alors faisons appel à un nouvel esprit de patriotisme, de service et de responsabilité où chacun d'entre nous s'attèlera à travailler dur et à s'occuper non seulement de sa personne, mais aussi des autres. Rappelons nous que si cette crise financière nous a bien appris une chose, c'est que Wall Street ne peux pas s'enrichir pendant que d'autres souffrent – dans ce pays, nous nous élevons et nous tombons comme une seule nation, comme un seul peuple.
Résistons à la tentation de retomber dans le même esprit partisan, mesquin et immature qui a empoisonné notre vie politique pendant si longtemps. Rappelons-nous qu'il y avait un homme de cet Etat qui a d'abord porté les couleurs du Parti républicain à la Maison Blanche - un parti fondé sur les valeurs d'indépendance, de liberté individuelle, et d'unité nationale. Ce sont des valeurs que nous partageons et tandis que le Parti démocrate a remporté une grande victoire ce soir, nous y sommes parvenus grâce à une bonne dose d'humilité et de détermination pour mettre fin aux divisions qui ont retardé notre progrès. Comme Lincoln le disait à une nation bien plus divisée que la nôtre : "Nous ne sommes pas ennemis, mais amis… La colère a affaibli nos liens d'affection, mais elle ne doit pas les rompre". A tous ces Américains dont je n'ai pas encore le soutien, je n'ai peut-être pas remporté votre vote, mais je vous entends, j'ai besoin de votre aide, et je serai également votre président.
Et à tous ceux qui nous regardent par delà nos côtes, depuis des parlements et des palaces, à ceux qui sont rassemblés autour de radios dans les coins perdus de notre monde – nos histoires sont particulières, mais notre destin est partagé et l'aube d'une nouvelle direction américaine est à portée de main. A ceux qui veulent démolir ce monde : nous vous vaincrons. Et à ceux qui se demandent si le phare de l'Amérique brille toujours, ce soir nous vous prouvons une fois encore que la force de notre nation ne vient pas de la puissance de nos armes ou de l'étendue de notre richesse, mais du pouvoirs de nos idées: la démocratie, la liberté, l'opportunité et l' espoir inflexible. C'est là qu'est le vraie génie de l'Amérique et c'est pour cela que le pays peut changer. Notre Union peut être parfaite. Et ce que nous avons déjà accompli nous donne l'espoir nécessaire pour ce que nous avons à accomplir demain.
Cette élection est faite de plusieurs histoires qui seront racontées durant des générations. Ce soir, je pense à cette femme qui a voté à Atlanta. Elle ressemble beaucoup aux millions d'autres qui ont fait la queue pour faire entendre leur voix dans cette élection à un point près - Ann Nixon Cooper a 106 ans. Elle est d'une génération née juste après l'esclavage. A une époque où quelqu'un comme elle ne pouvait pas voter pour deux raisons : parce que c'était une femme et à cause de la couleur de sa peau. Et ce soir je pense à tout ce qu'elle a vu à travers le siècle aux Etats-Unis – la douleur et l'espoir, la lutte et le progrès, les moments où on nous disait que nous n'y pouvions rien, et les personnes qui ont persévéré avec ce crédo : Oui nous le pouvons.
Un homme a touché la lune, un mur est tombé à Berlin, il y a eu un lien entre la science et l'imagination. Et cette année, lors de cette élection, elle a touché du doigt un écran et a voté, parce qu'après 106 ans en Amérique, après les meilleurs moments et les heures les plus noires, elle sait que l'Amérique peut changer. Oui nous pouvons.
Amérique, nous sommes allés si loin. Nous avons vu tant de choses. Mais il y a encore tant à faire. Alors ce soir demandons-nous – si nos enfants devaient vivre le siècle prochain, si mes filles étaient assez chanceuses pour vivre aussi longtemps qu'Ann Nixon Cooper, quels changements verraient-elles ? Quels progrès aurons nous accompli ?
Nous avons l'opportunité de répondre à cette question. C'est notre moment. Le temps est venu de remettre les personnes au travail et d'ouvrir les portes de l'opportunité pour nos enfants, de rétablir la prospérité et d'encourager la paix, de se réapproprier le rêve américain et de réaffirmer la vérité fondamentale : nous ne sommes qu'un, tandis que nous respirons, nous espérons et quand nous ferons face au cynisme, au doute et à ceux qui nous disent que nous ne pouvons pas, nous répondrons avec ce crédo intemporel qui résume l'esprit du peuple : Oui nous pouvons.
Merci, Dieu vous bénisse, Dieu bénisse les Etats-Unis d'Amérique."
Dunia SENDWEemail : dunia@sendwe.beblog : cdfafrique.afrikblog.com
Merci à tous pour votre soutien durant cette très longue campagne
I just want to say thank you. You did it. The American people spoke and decided that they wanted change. No matter what the cinicals said. Barack Obama has been elected 44th President of this great nation.
You have sent a strong message to the World. That the greatest nation on hearth is moving forward and is ready to lead the world again.
The world will change, the world needs to change. And it had to come from the USA the greatest nation.
I am proud to habe been part of this movement and to have believe from the begining that change was coming. Living it live last night with everyone else at Grant Park was just unbelievable.
Barack Obama will be a great President
Thank you America, Thank you Mr President.
Audrey Koumba
The time has come.
The world is waiting
For all Americans
Of every stripe
To exercise the right
To vote away the ignorance
The special interests
A misguided vision
A failed ideology
Political
Economic and
Environmental.
The world cannot afford
Another simpleton
A b-rated actor
An overprivileged son
A war-minded soldier
A provincial-minded beauty queen
It’s time to make history
Today is the day.
Barack Obama has a new supporter in heaven, Barack and Maya’s grandmother.
Madelyn Payne Dunham, the maternal grandmother of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, died Monday at the age of 86 after a battle with cancer, his campaign announced Monday. The Illinois senator has called his grandmother one of the "cornerstones" of his life.In a statement released with his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama called his grandmother "a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96175259&ft=1&f=1021
Madelyn Payne Dunham, the maternal grandmother of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, died Monday at the age of 86 after a battle with cancer, his campaign announced Monday. The Illinois senator has called his grandmother one of the "cornerstones" of his life.
In a statement released with his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama called his grandmother "a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96175259&ft=1&f=1021
My hope that Madelyn Payne Dunham would live to see Barack sworn in as president did not materialize. I am not deterred. I believe that she saw the future, and she was satisfied. Her life's work was done, and she went home. The strength of her spirit and the spirit of Barack's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, is with Barack in these last hours of the campaign, to give him the support he needs.
Palin doesn't understand First Amendment In a radio interview that aired Friday morning, Sarah Palin said Americans' First Amendment rights are in danger. Ironically, it's apparently the press who's threatening those rights."If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin said, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."That is, to be clear, a fundamental misunderstanding of what the First Amendment is about. Let's review the text:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.To put it succinctly: the press can't violate Palin's First Amendment rights. If the government were to criminalize her speech, that would be a violation. But what the press is doing in criticizing Palin is exercising the First Amendment. http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/10/31/palin_first/
In a radio interview that aired Friday morning, Sarah Palin said Americans' First Amendment rights are in danger. Ironically, it's apparently the press who's threatening those rights.
"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin said, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."
That is, to be clear, a fundamental misunderstanding of what the First Amendment is about. Let's review the text:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
To put it succinctly: the press can't violate Palin's First Amendment rights. If the government were to criminalize her speech, that would be a violation. But what the press is doing in criticizing Palin is exercising the First Amendment. http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/10/31/palin_first/
Barack Obama looked a little tired in the Situation Room on CNN today. But he is not slowing down, even though he is leading in the polls four days before Election Day. He returned to Iowa to thank the Iowans who gave him their critical vote of confidence in his presidency during the primary.
Iowans gave Barack Obama the lift he needed when he needed it. I am almost certain that he will return the favor and Iowa will have a special place in his administration.
Watch Senator Obama discuss the challenges during a recessionary economy in his interview with Brian Williams at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#27462301
I cannot imagine how anyone can vote for a 72 year old President who had admitted that he did not understand the economy when the economy is the number one issue, and who had chosen a running mate whose avarice for absolute power is matched by an absence of intellectual curiosity, a lack of plenary knowledge of the world’s economic and political affairs, a reckless disregard for law and reason and the paucity of broad life experiences.
Drawing a parallel, Senator Obama first credited President Bush with digging the country into a hole for the last eight years, then noted that the shovel had been passed to John McCain.
LOL! Bill Clinton laughed too, so did a lot of people.
VOTE NOW.
VOTE EARLY.
VOTE THIS ONE TIME.
VOTE OBAMA!
