THE OBAMA PHENOMENON: THE WAR ON TERROR AND THE TERRIBLE

                                     OSAMA MEET OBAMA

I confess: - for years I have felt increasingly dispirited about America. Hardly a day has gone by when there hasn't been news stories about greed, corruption, scandals, insensitivity, twisted logic, abuses of authority, "lying mendacity", cynicism, dirty tricks, torture, hypocrisy, dumbing down, bad taste, capitulating to the lowest common denominators, collective denial, thinly veiled rationalizations for justifying the worst of who and what we are; short sightedness, over simplifications and over generalizations failing to do justice to the obvious complexities facing us; crisis intervention often poorly executed instead of visionary planning and thoughtful discussion of possibilities; mis-appropriations of limited men and treasure; wastefulness; the negative consequences of the combined abuses of the military industrial complex, pharmaceutical cartel, oil industry, medical for profit insurance powerhouses and others,  to name a few decidely and undeniable negative and disheartening facts about living in America in 2008.

 Yes - I get it. So what else is new? And doesn't the rest of the world have their own negative list?

Yes - you are right. But in other times during my life the negatives have been blanaced out with practical idealism, hope, vision, decency, humor, good taste, relative civility, cooperation, bi partisanhip, and the like.

So it is remarkably refreshing to watch - as we speak - the undeniable wave of electric dynamism sweeping this country as the Obama phenomena gains momentum day by day. The Press - both the reporters such as David Brooks, Gail Collins, and Bob Herbert to and common folks alike seem truly shocked in a good way by the power of the political earthquake that has happned in Iowa.

Representative of these comments is: " You'd have to have a heart of stone not to feel moved by this. An African -American man wins a closely fought campaign in a pivotal state. He beats tow strong opponets, including the might Clinton machine. He does it in a system that favors rural voters. He does it by getting young voters to come to the caucuses. THis is a huge moment. It's one of those times when a movement that seemed ethereal and idealistic became a reality and took on political substance." - David Brooks, op ed , NY Times - 1/4/2008.

"...The fact that it is a distinct possibility that a person of color could achieve the presidency is a major historic sea change. We are becoming a better nationand, perhaps, a more inclusive one." - Natalie Rosen - letter to the editor - NY Times, 1/05/2008

 "... Sake hands with tomorrow. It's here. Senator Obama's victory speech was a concise oratorical gem. No candidate in either party can move an audience like he can. He characterized his stunning victory as an affirmation of "the most American of ideas - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it. Mr. Obama has shown, in one appearance after another, a capacity to make people feel good about their country again. HIs supporters want desperately to turn the page on the bitter politics and serial disasters of the past twenty years. THey have gravitated to a black candidate to carry out this task is ... momentous.... However this election turns out, Mr. Obama can be credited with a great achievement. He has drawn tons of people, and especially young people, into the political process. More than anyone else, je has re-energized that process and put some of the fun back into politics. And he's done it by appealing openly and consistently to the best, rather than the worst, in us." Bob Herbert - NY Times, 1/5/2008

Some Additional Thoughts

In reponding to a cynical commentator I wrote:

Dana - Your hysteria aside - you apparently can't see the colorful display of a truly remarkable political, sociological, psychological, historical phenomena unfolding as we speak. There is a mighy wave been let lose that whatever the final outcome is defintiely good for America and the world.

Far from "an empty suit, inexperienced plitical hack" Obama daily demonstrates a synthesized reincarnation of the spirit of Lincoln, John and Robert Kennedy, the early Bill Clinton, Martin Lurther King and many others who have had real heart, authenticity, decency, humor, vision, fight, determination, and above all the character trait - most rare among politicans - integrity.

If the polls are accurate in New Hampshire Obama is already 37% to Ms. Clinton 27%. If this trend continues he will beat her decisively. And then next is South Carolina. Care to make any wagers on who will win there?

P.S. In the fight against terrorism I think America is creating a stealth weapon that is developing right in front of our eyes. The slogan for this weapon might be aptly described as:

An effective weapon to neutralize the propoganda of Osama is to elect Obama.

I can truly say that today I am very proud to be an American citizen.