The last five days, the news has been racked with a big story: Senator Hillary Clinton, former presidential candidate and political powerhouse, as a possible secretary of state. Leaks about vetting and a secret meeting have fueled speculation that President-Elect Obama is seriously considering Clinton for the role of top diplomat. International correspondents claim that her appointment would be wildly well received in the international community, and like Obama's election and upcoming inauguration, will have an immediate impact on the image of the United States around the world. I have no objections to this move, as long as Obama can keep the Clinton's in check. They have mighty large egos of their own, and he needs to make sure (as it has been pointed out) that her appointment and subsequent actions don't present the picture of a co-presidency.
If Clinton is appointed to Obama's cabinet and accepts, thus resigning her senate seat, it would be up to our governor, David Patterson, to appoint her successor. The name that has been floated? Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. I honesty don't know much about Mr. Cuomo, other that what I hear in the news about his legal actions, but he seems like a very driven person trying his best to look out for the well-being of New Yorkers.
On a completely hypothetical topic, I had a conversation yesterday with some people over the possibility of Rudy Giuliani being given a position in Obama's cabinet. Barack Obama has stated that there will be at least one Republican in his cabinet, and since Giuliani's only focus is national security, the idea of secretary of homeland security was floated in our discussion. An interesting thought, but I have my doubts. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Yes, but Giuliani said some pretty insulting, petty things about Barack Obama at this year's Republican National Convention, and I'm not sure Obama would be willing to jump in bed with him after that. It would get Giuliani out of Obama's way in terms of 2012, but I honestly don't think a 2012 Giuliani presidential campaign would be any more successful than his 2008 turn. Furthermore, I'm afraid that Giuliani would be an empty shirt, as was evidenced very earlier on during this year's primaries.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
What's Next?
President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama: the complete antithesis of President George W. Bush. It's a beautiful thing, and still quite surreal that he actually pulled it off. There were a number of expletives coming out of my mouth at 11PM Tuesday night when CNN called the race, and I will remember where I was for the rest of my life. Truly amazing.
It really is quite stunning that only 4 years after choosing to vote for President Bush, the American voters chose to vote for President-Elect Obama this year. You wouldn't think that this country -- or any country, really -- would be capable of such a massive swing, but alas, there it is.
Looking back at the 2-year campaign, it was like nothing this country has ever seen. The massive battle in the Democratic Party between Sens. Clinton and Obama -- the presumptive nominee and the underdog -- for the nomination was seen as the beginning of the party's destruction, but in the end it only served to strengthen it. Sen. McCain's shipwreck of a campaign was a sight to see, never staying on course and coming dangerously close to crashing before the race was over (with Sarah Palin hanging off the side, dragging them down). The negative ads. The slanderous remarks. The rallies. The excitement. And now its over.
And though it all ended up in a electoral college landslide (and a hefty popular vote majority for Obama), one is still left with questions:
Why wasn't poverty discussed more in the campaign?
Or education?
What happened to the John McCain that we saw recently at the Al Smith Dinner and giving his concession speech on Tuesday night? If he had shown up for the entire campaign, I guarantee that the election, while it may not have gone the other way, would have been a lot closer.
What was the McCain campaign really thinking when they picked Gov. Sarah Palin at the VP nominee? And if Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska wins reelection only to be voted out by his Senate colleagues, will she run in the special election to replace him, thus allowing her to go to Washington to beef up her resume for 2012?
Three of those questions we may never know, and the last will come in time. But I do know that now is when it gets really exciting. I have no plausible memory of the Clinton-Bush transition of 2001, so I am extremely excited for the next 74 days (though I wish January 20 came much sooner than that), and the 4 (8?) years that will follow. And although I didn't volunteer or donate money, more than any time in my life I feel like the next president will be my president, leading my generation, and my causes. I'm excited for what the future will bring under President Obama, and I'm eager to do my part and to get involved.
It really is quite stunning that only 4 years after choosing to vote for President Bush, the American voters chose to vote for President-Elect Obama this year. You wouldn't think that this country -- or any country, really -- would be capable of such a massive swing, but alas, there it is.
Looking back at the 2-year campaign, it was like nothing this country has ever seen. The massive battle in the Democratic Party between Sens. Clinton and Obama -- the presumptive nominee and the underdog -- for the nomination was seen as the beginning of the party's destruction, but in the end it only served to strengthen it. Sen. McCain's shipwreck of a campaign was a sight to see, never staying on course and coming dangerously close to crashing before the race was over (with Sarah Palin hanging off the side, dragging them down). The negative ads. The slanderous remarks. The rallies. The excitement. And now its over.
And though it all ended up in a electoral college landslide (and a hefty popular vote majority for Obama), one is still left with questions:
Why wasn't poverty discussed more in the campaign?
Or education?
What happened to the John McCain that we saw recently at the Al Smith Dinner and giving his concession speech on Tuesday night? If he had shown up for the entire campaign, I guarantee that the election, while it may not have gone the other way, would have been a lot closer.
What was the McCain campaign really thinking when they picked Gov. Sarah Palin at the VP nominee? And if Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska wins reelection only to be voted out by his Senate colleagues, will she run in the special election to replace him, thus allowing her to go to Washington to beef up her resume for 2012?
Three of those questions we may never know, and the last will come in time. But I do know that now is when it gets really exciting. I have no plausible memory of the Clinton-Bush transition of 2001, so I am extremely excited for the next 74 days (though I wish January 20 came much sooner than that), and the 4 (8?) years that will follow. And although I didn't volunteer or donate money, more than any time in my life I feel like the next president will be my president, leading my generation, and my causes. I'm excited for what the future will bring under President Obama, and I'm eager to do my part and to get involved.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Why I'm Voting For Barack Obama
1. Intellect. Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny that Barack Obama is an intellectual giant, and experience does not trump intellect. After all, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul Wolfowitz are some of the most experienced public servants, and look where that's gotten us.
2. Ice Cold. Barack Obama is one cool character, especially when he's confronting an attack. He doesn't lose his temper. As a former Emergency Medical Technician, I would that in any kind of emergency situation, the last thing you want to do is lose your composure. And I don't want John McCain's famous temper sitting in the White House Situation Room.
3. Philosophy. Barack Obama's political and foreign policy philosophies are much closer to mine than those of John McCain -- working for healthcare for all, redistributing the tax burden, tough direct diplomacy (even with our enemies), etc.
4. The War in Iraq. John McCain argues over and over that the Iraq surge is working and that we're now winning the war. But to make this argument, in my opinion, is to completely miss the point. Of course the United States military is going to take care of business, but we shouldn't be there in the first place. The Bush administration closed it's eyes to thousands of years of history in the region and decided that they could solve all the woes of the country, only to get a rude awakening. And now John McCain argues that he will never retreat in defeat, and will only leave Iraq when we have won with honor. The problem is, the war in Iraq has been going on since March 2003, and I still don't know what "winning" is, or how our military is supposed to accomplish these goals.
5. The Smooth Campaign. Barack Obama's campaign has been impressive. An underdog, long-shot candidate who navigated his campaign to beat Hillary Clinton, who was the shoe-in favorite. And sure, there have been bumps and mistakes along the way, but overall the campaign has been impressively run, and I think this will translate, at least somewhat, into an Obama administration.
6. Hope And Inspiration. I know it sounds hokey, but it's true. Barack Obama inspires people, enough for him to draw 100,000+ people to a rally. Ronald Reagan's optimism was infectious, and aside from how I may disagree with his policies, I think that his personality did a lot of good for the country. Barack Obama makes me want to get involved in my government. He makes me want to ask, "What can I do to help? What sacrifices do you need me to make?" John McCain does not inspire me to get involved. On the contrary, he makes me ask, "Can I change the channel, yet?"
2. Ice Cold. Barack Obama is one cool character, especially when he's confronting an attack. He doesn't lose his temper. As a former Emergency Medical Technician, I would that in any kind of emergency situation, the last thing you want to do is lose your composure. And I don't want John McCain's famous temper sitting in the White House Situation Room.
3. Philosophy. Barack Obama's political and foreign policy philosophies are much closer to mine than those of John McCain -- working for healthcare for all, redistributing the tax burden, tough direct diplomacy (even with our enemies), etc.
4. The War in Iraq. John McCain argues over and over that the Iraq surge is working and that we're now winning the war. But to make this argument, in my opinion, is to completely miss the point. Of course the United States military is going to take care of business, but we shouldn't be there in the first place. The Bush administration closed it's eyes to thousands of years of history in the region and decided that they could solve all the woes of the country, only to get a rude awakening. And now John McCain argues that he will never retreat in defeat, and will only leave Iraq when we have won with honor. The problem is, the war in Iraq has been going on since March 2003, and I still don't know what "winning" is, or how our military is supposed to accomplish these goals.
5. The Smooth Campaign. Barack Obama's campaign has been impressive. An underdog, long-shot candidate who navigated his campaign to beat Hillary Clinton, who was the shoe-in favorite. And sure, there have been bumps and mistakes along the way, but overall the campaign has been impressively run, and I think this will translate, at least somewhat, into an Obama administration.
6. Hope And Inspiration. I know it sounds hokey, but it's true. Barack Obama inspires people, enough for him to draw 100,000+ people to a rally. Ronald Reagan's optimism was infectious, and aside from how I may disagree with his policies, I think that his personality did a lot of good for the country. Barack Obama makes me want to get involved in my government. He makes me want to ask, "What can I do to help? What sacrifices do you need me to make?" John McCain does not inspire me to get involved. On the contrary, he makes me ask, "Can I change the channel, yet?"
Why I'm Not Voting For John McCain
1. The John McCain of 2008 is not the John McCain of 2000. I liked the John McCain of 2000, and I remember around the 2004 election thinking how much I would be extremely tempted to vote for John McCain if he were the Republican presidential nominee. Times have changed. John McCain has since turned into everything that he once spoke out against. From accepting "agents of intolerance" to suddenly deciding that tax cuts during wartime is smart policy and beyond, John McCain has chosen to re-mold himself into the shape of those from which he once stood so strongly apart.
2. Sarah Palin. Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska is not ready to be president of the United States of America. I would refer you to my September 15, 2008, post, but suffice to say that John McCain vice-presidential pick shows a blatant disrespect for the breadth and importance of the office of president of the United States. President of the United States takes a certain...gravitas, and you know it when you see it. Sarah Palin doesn't have it, at least not yet. And as for the argument that she's the "hockey mom," and that she stands up for "Joe Six-Pack," I, for one, do not want "Joe Six-Pack" in charge of my country.
3. William Ayers/"Paling around with terrorists"/Rashid Khalidi. This is the classic Republican tactic of trying to divide the country, and now if Obama wins, half of the nation will actually believe that Obama is a terrorist (as evidenced by occurances at McCain rallies). From the stump to the robocalls, the McCain campaign and many Republicans continue to throw around these througholy debunked lies. If this weren't professional politics, it would be called "slander." In fact, I hope that if Obama wins, he sues the McCain campaign. Just once, I would like the winner who had been the victim of such vicious lies to sue the opponent who spread those lies. It might seem like adding insult to injury to the loser, but I also think that it would send such a clear message that that style of politics is not going to be tolerated anymore. I'll keep dreaming.
4. Joe the Plumber. Please, stop talking to me like I am a kindergartener. Joe the Plumber. Joe Six-Pack. Rob the Teacher. Obama the redistributor. I am an adult, so please speak to me that way. And now the McCain campaign is choosing to use the real Joe as one of it's public surrogates, allowing him to officially particiapte at campaign events. Joe is also giving his advice and views on a range of issues, such as the United States' foreign policy toward Israel. Oh, give me a break. The McCain campaign has turned into a joke.
5. The Haphazard Campaign. The McCain/Palin campaign has been extremely poorly run. Everyday it's trying something new, with no consistency. All of the pundits talk about how the campaign is all tactics and no strategy, and it's true. There is no wide-angle lens with the McCain campaign. And that whole campaign suspension episode was a complete debacle. So my point is this: if McCain wins, who do you think will have high-profile, influencial positions in the new administration? Exactly -- the same campaign workers, organizers, and advisors, and I'm positive that they would run a McCain administration just as smoothly.
6. The Third Debate. John McCain was incredibly disrepectful to Barack Obama in the third presidential debate -- sighing, rolling his eyes, staring in disbelief. Is this the way that he would act while meeting with a foreign leader that he disagrees with? I'm sure that will do wonders for America's image.
7. Maverick. Oh, get over yourself.
2. Sarah Palin. Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska is not ready to be president of the United States of America. I would refer you to my September 15, 2008, post, but suffice to say that John McCain vice-presidential pick shows a blatant disrespect for the breadth and importance of the office of president of the United States. President of the United States takes a certain...gravitas, and you know it when you see it. Sarah Palin doesn't have it, at least not yet. And as for the argument that she's the "hockey mom," and that she stands up for "Joe Six-Pack," I, for one, do not want "Joe Six-Pack" in charge of my country.
3. William Ayers/"Paling around with terrorists"/Rashid Khalidi. This is the classic Republican tactic of trying to divide the country, and now if Obama wins, half of the nation will actually believe that Obama is a terrorist (as evidenced by occurances at McCain rallies). From the stump to the robocalls, the McCain campaign and many Republicans continue to throw around these througholy debunked lies. If this weren't professional politics, it would be called "slander." In fact, I hope that if Obama wins, he sues the McCain campaign. Just once, I would like the winner who had been the victim of such vicious lies to sue the opponent who spread those lies. It might seem like adding insult to injury to the loser, but I also think that it would send such a clear message that that style of politics is not going to be tolerated anymore. I'll keep dreaming.
4. Joe the Plumber. Please, stop talking to me like I am a kindergartener. Joe the Plumber. Joe Six-Pack. Rob the Teacher. Obama the redistributor. I am an adult, so please speak to me that way. And now the McCain campaign is choosing to use the real Joe as one of it's public surrogates, allowing him to officially particiapte at campaign events. Joe is also giving his advice and views on a range of issues, such as the United States' foreign policy toward Israel. Oh, give me a break. The McCain campaign has turned into a joke.
5. The Haphazard Campaign. The McCain/Palin campaign has been extremely poorly run. Everyday it's trying something new, with no consistency. All of the pundits talk about how the campaign is all tactics and no strategy, and it's true. There is no wide-angle lens with the McCain campaign. And that whole campaign suspension episode was a complete debacle. So my point is this: if McCain wins, who do you think will have high-profile, influencial positions in the new administration? Exactly -- the same campaign workers, organizers, and advisors, and I'm positive that they would run a McCain administration just as smoothly.
6. The Third Debate. John McCain was incredibly disrepectful to Barack Obama in the third presidential debate -- sighing, rolling his eyes, staring in disbelief. Is this the way that he would act while meeting with a foreign leader that he disagrees with? I'm sure that will do wonders for America's image.
7. Maverick. Oh, get over yourself.
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