Check it Out Here First! Barack Obama's "Presidential To-Do List"!

My friend, whom I will call "Sneaky" for our purposes here, who is a high level insider in the Obama campaign, leaked to me (how cool am I?) Barack's as yet unrevealed two term "Presidential To-Do List" in the wake of his strong Super Tuesday showing. Hey all you Super Delegates! This ought to put a little gas in your tank!

• Immediately declare war on hopelessness.
• Create a Department of Hope.
• Add Secretary of Hope to the cabinet.
• Bring home the troops then hope Iraq doesn't fall apart.
• Push for a UN resolution declaring that the UN has hope for all mankind.
• Fund research into finding a way to build hope into all future weapons systems.
• Strengthen Anti- Have No Hope laws.
• Stock the Justice Department with hopeful lawyers.
• Give Federal judges wider leeway in defining hopelessness.
• Encourage judges with no hope to retire.
• Appoint judges with hope to the Supreme Court.
• Amend the Constitution to include hope as an inalienable right of all people, including those who are here illegally.
• Create the Hope Corps to spread the concept of hope to hopeless nations around the world.
• Require all schools receiving federal monies to include hope in their curriculum.


• Require Federal programs such as Head Start to have hope.
• Require all Federal employees to have hope. Promote those with hope faster than those who are hopeless.




• Establish a "Hope Tax" to help people with no hope. The more hope you have, the more hope you owe.
• Give hope tax breaks to married couples who have hope.
• Give hope tax breaks to businesses that create hope.
• Crack down on Big Businesses with no hope.
• Remove tariffs on imported hope.
• Ask God to give us a source of cheap, inexhaustible, clean energy by 2016 so nobody has to get angry at each other any more and we can all just relax for once.
• Identify and encourage all people who have no hope by no later than 2018.
• Make all poopy stuff go away by finding a new way to digest food by 2022.
• Eliminate hopelessness worldwide by 2025!!!

I don't know about you, but I got a chill up my spine!

YES WE CAN!!! YES WE CAN!!! YES WE CAN!!!

Comments

[Democrab]

Should Obama win, he'll soon find out how little he'll get done by bucking the congress and whining about the establishment.

By the middle of his first term he'll be playing ball with the "Washington insiders."

A good way to promote his own agenda would be to campaign for other senators and congresspeople so they get elected in his wake.

Then there will be some loyalty.

[timeforachangenow]

I sincerely "Hope" it IS

TimeforachangeNOW

I sincerely "Believe"

It IS Time for Hillary to be elected!

[Beregond]

Adolescent snarkiness is out, Bill. Even Letterman has given it up. Cheap cynicism is over. You might want to consider actually looking at the candidates ideas and positions, rather than hiding behind a practiced pose of smug superiority, which only reveals your intellectual bankruptcy and emotional immaturity.

[neworleanslady68]

A-ha. I almost laughed, but then I decided, nope, not worth the effort.

[covington]

As a disgruntled Republican who is tired of the Rupblican party being hijacked by the religious wrong. I can't wait for my states primaries to vote for Obama. I know several people in the Red state of Ohio that are crossing over as I am if Obama wins the nomination. They are voting in the primaries for him also. He has gotten a lot of support and none of us feel that McCain is any different. I mean come on any party that believes in "Intelligent Design" thinks the Flinstones was documentary and not a cartoon.

[Didi47]

To covington: You say: "As a disgruntled Republican who is tired of the Rup...

Sure you are.

[Herrington]

I was at the Washington caucus today. A neighbor brought her 15 year old daughter, who spoke very clearly and concisely why Obama was her choice. Relax, 15 year olds don"t vote in Washington. On the other side of the generation scale, I spoke to a veteran of Korea who just wanted to stop the same crap from happening to today"s young people as happened to him, now grizzled and wiry and still smoking Camel unfiltered, and for Obama.

The dam busting malfeasance of the Bush administration has reached into the very marrow of our land, our people, and made nonsense of political alignments. The tragedies of loss of life and limb, livelihood and prospects have surpassed anything that business as usual politics can repair. This no longer an argument about small versus large government. This is a time when the very core character of America is in question and at test. From what I saw today, more so of America than any other land, in our core character is to solve problems, not make them.

Are we a people that can put aside ideologies, cast in tablets handed down from the past, to achieve a new philosophy? Or shall we waste two more centuries debating issues between fundamentalist faiths and science, and so fail to realize that no one can win the contest between the rich and poor? We live togehter or perish.

[SharonWantsToTalk]

Amen, Herrinton

[BetterAmerica]

The sad fact is that pretty much all politicians are corrupt in some way. The Rezko deal means that Obama is part of the crowd. HRC may have done unsavory things in the past-but so have all politicians. We have to look at the lesser of evils. I'm sure Obama is a great guy and obviously a great speaker. But we have to think about what the Repub's will do when it's Obama vs. McCain. How long will the happy happy joy joy act continue to garner votes? Eventually the Repubs will erode away at his image, experience and pretty speeches. They will have terror alerts every week. They'll do what they do best and scare the American public into thinking only a Repub can keep them safe. Let's ask ourselves...why has Obama been getting such sweet treatment by the press and EVERYONE? The only negative comment I've heard about him in the press is that he missed votes... And they hammer on Hillary 24 hrs a day. I want a Dem in the WH and I think Hillary can take the heat. Obviously many people hate her-but if she gets a chance she can prove she's better than McCain-who is Bush to the 10th power. If people could stop being sexist and falling in love with the "New JFK" they might see that she has the qualifications to get our Dem views to the WH-we might have a chance.

[Didi47]

BetterAmerica:

The sad fact is that so many people are swayed by mass hysteria hype, and have no problem with being played.

[altohone]

You assume sexism and a cult of personality... and blame the media...


... when oh when will a single Hillary supporter acknowledge that her votes for the Bush agenda is the reason she lacks the support of more Democrats?

"Our Dem views" indeed... as if we all thought a war of choice was the right thing to do.

BTW, there isn't any indication of corruption on Obama's part in his dealing with Resko... your assertion notwithstanding, I'll rely on facts thank you very much.

[Beaux510]

Amen altohone.

I can't understand how so many of her supporters that comment here ignore her blatant disregard and on some points, antipathy for their beliefs.

I actually think she'd make a great vice-president if Obama won the nomination. She could be his Cheney. The "hammer", if you will.

[exxman]

Relying on facts. What a novel idea these days. Beware of being labeled a dangerous radical.

[VespaGirl]

Bill, I adore your brother and will be CRUSHED if I find out that he's a hard-bitten cynic like you. I only hope that you're the black sheep of the family!

Shame on you for making fun of hope. Hope is what propels people to action. Humanity would be in an even sadder state of affairs without it.

[research]

The country will be crushed if Obama does not deliver.

[SharonWantsToTalk]

Obama has REPEATEDLY said that the changes he wants to bring will NOT be immediate and will NOT be able without the participation of everyone. He is not offering false hope. He is offering a change that begins with him and carried out by the rest of us.

[Didi47]

research: You wrote: The country will be crushed if Obama does not deliver.

That's for sure. But by that time, the Republicans will have achieved their goal. Run Obama against McCain. They've taken over the media and doing just that.

[TheAlchemist]

Oopsie!

It"s possible I may not be cynical enough for the HoPo base, what do ya reckon?

[LaBohemian]

Hope? I don't believe in hope. Hope is for people who are too lazy to get off their couch and actually do something about a problem. Young people are inspired by empty rhetoric because they are lazy.

[MysticInd]

H aving
O ptimism
P ermanently
E ngrained

Doesn't mean you are lazy... It means you are smart as this is the only way things are going to change...

What have you done the last 8 years to make a difference? Do you plan on voting?

[Herrington]

Ever play organized sports of consequence La? The oldest coaching saw of all is that you have to have desire. Desire.

It is left amorphous. You have to find out what it means. First you learn to show up. Then you learn how to take part. Then you either make the team or not. Then you have a chance to excel. The message remains, desire.

Hope is the vehicle of desire. You desire to be a baseball player. You first have to show up. You hope to make the team. You have to learn skills and practice. On and on.

If you desire change. Hoping to achieve it is the first step for young people.

We are at an historic juncture. We have the perfect storm of Republican malfeasance combined with a candidate that reaches young people. No matter what you think of the candidate"s prospects for actually achieving progressive goals, it would be a serious strategic mistake for the party to turn their backs on the hopes of a brand new generation of voters that are filled with the desire to be citizens. If Clinton is the nominee, they will not have been given the chance of a tryout for the team. They will walk away, from the party and from the belief that they can be citizens.

Obama could save participatory democracy the way Ali resurrected boxing. And when Ali beat Liston for the heavyweight title in 1964, Ali was a 7 to 1 underdog. Talk about desire.

[alchemymom]

"No matter what you think of the candidate"s prospects for actually achieving progressive goals, it would be a serious strategic mistake for the party to turn their backs on the hopes of a brand new generation of voters that are filled with the desire to be citizens. If Clinton is the nominee, they will not have been given the chance of a tryout for the team. They will walk away, from the party and from the belief that they can be citizens."

Please tell me why the Denocratic Party should basically be held hostage to the preferences of young first time voters who, if they don't get their way as herrington suggests, will take their vote and go home, never to participate again. If that is the extent of their commitment to democracy, I say who needs them? What does this say about young people in this country? That if your candidate isn't chosen, you should feel you've been ripped off by "The Man" and you should never participate again?

I am troubled by a candidate who bills himself as a uniter and yet seems to be doing all he can to put the Democratic Party asunder if he isn't selected as it's nominee. I, for one, am tired of the veiled encouragement to his supporters to basically riot in the streets if Obama isn't the nominee. I am appalled by his wife saying she would have to think long and hard and isn't sure she could support the Democratic nominee in November if it's not her husband. Nice message of hope and unification for the young, first-time voters.

Now Barack's basically trying to short-circuit the party process before we get to the convention because he's worried it won't benefit him. I'm tired of his whining. Clinton never played the race card. It was played by the Obama campaign with the willing help of the press. Obama is every bit as calculating as Hillary is accused of being.

Please pass the snake oil.

[TheAlchemist]

OK, Bill, you've made me laugh out loud.

Why?

Because when MoveOn did their survey and asked me why I endorse Obama, I said, in a word:

Hope.

Cheers!

[zull2]

The way I look at this is that it's absolutely hilarious when I see people think that Obama's entire platform is just his slogan. It definitely proves a point that more Democrats out there need to take 15 minutes, go to each candidate's websites, click on the "issues" tab, and learn to differentiate between a freaking slogan and a platform. But it's hilarious when ignorant folks can't tell the difference.

Bonus points for anyone going out to congresspedia and reading up on the candidate's voting records. Double points for anyone who actually takes the time to research the candidate's pre-politics or state legislative days (if they bothered to work their way up).

[MysticInd]

Zull2
Loved that you educated!

I'd rather say they are uninformed or too busy with their life to know life though.

Keep up the good comments. Blessings

[zull2]

However, when I think about it, it's kind of creepy how Bill Clinton ran on slogans as corny as "I come from a place called hope" and "it's the economy, stupid!", and honestly, "hope and change" isn't much different. The same folks that took Clinton's slogans, praised them a whole lot more are the ones that think Obama's is all fluffy and stupid. Interesting to see how that works with some people.

[JakeEasy]

And those who cling to Obama's hopemobile are the ones who hate the man who used those first. Obama is more Bill Clinton than anything else. I voted for hope sixteen years ago. I know that Clinton believed it then. I know that Obama believes it now. Trouble is that hope won't get it done. And there is nothing in this very nice politician's background that indicates he will be able to implement any of the things we want. He will be stymied and blocked and blindsided for 4 years just as Bill was. When I say he lacks experience, that is the experience I mean.

[desmirl]

This was supposed to be funny? How?

[LutherVig]

Thank you!!! There's nothing funny about it because it's true!! What's wrong with you people? The Bush Administration has destroyed the country over the last 8 years and you want to make friends with them? Bring the country together. Sounds like President Ford is Obama's role model. The right wing doesn't want to make friends and play nice! Everyone is always talking about Obama's anti war stance. Well will someone explain to me why he went on a last minute campaign rally for Joe Lieberman in 2006 when it was apparent that Lamont an Iraqi war veteran and the true anti war candidate was going to beat the turncoat incumbent? Is this what you people mean when you say you want to elect a person with good judgment?
Obama is just another politician. I don't think he's a bad man. He's a centrist. A Clinton with a penis. This tragic mass pathology is going to really throw away this once in a lifetime chance to really bring CHANGE to this corrupt government that has been imposed on all of us.

[lwfky]

Thank goodness someone else recognizes that there are issues upon which we cannot compromise! I think Obama is too weak to lead the country at this time. We need a leader that will stand up for the Constitution and tell the Republicans that this country was founded on freedom, including freedom from a national religion. John Edwards was my candidate, but of the two remaining, Hillary is the strongest and will make a stand.

[keir]

Obama has a more liberal voteing record then Hillary.

I used to think it was Republicans that were lazy and just wanted their side to win...but now I see thqat Dems can be just as lazy and narrow minded.

It's been said before...check out the voteing records...and every candidate has a website and policy pages, check them out. Democracy is not a spectator sport, like Obama says...we all have to take part. At least make sure you know the truth.

keir

[altohone]

There's nothing "centrist" about Hillary voting for an illegal war of choice.

You may be confused because Hillary's idea of compromise is capitulation... I can understand why you be hesitant about more compromise.

The thing is, Obama is using the real definition.