The Shock of the New: Obama in Iowa
Last night we saw it, the American Dream -- shared, not deferred, at least for a moment. Barack Obama soared. A stunning win. His glorious speech was cause for pride, for tears of joy, and yes, for even more hope. When was the last time you could say that?
Something lifted: the national anhedonia that has descended on so many despairing Americans under Bush has ever so slightly lessened this morning. And one noticed the despair all the more because of how novel it feels to have hope. The gray and weighed cloud of shame and disappointment in our leadership lifted. Just a bit. And the quiet, deeply scarring, utterly exhausting seven-year burden of being disgusted by a ruinous and corrupt administration quieted briefly last night in Iowa. Because one man, Barack Obama, dared to presume that he had could change the country. And told us that there was nothing we could not do. And so many people agreed.
Maybe this is a little like 1968. The war has finally dragged our youth back into politics. About time. And watching those exhilarated supporters at the inscrutable bit of political theater that is the Iowa caucuses, watching the crowd gathered behind Obama when he spoke, one could sense the unmistakable emergence of a people awakening from a dream. To a dream. A dream that insists on change.
It is very early. But I think there is an exhaustion with the Clinton premise, and indeed, even the Clinton promise. Her negativity felt stale and out of joint, out of sync with what was going on in our hearts and minds. She still may be the Democratic candidate, she still may be the president, but deep down, what she offers feels familiar, dynastic, stale, and so very hard to trust. Last night, many people agreed with that assessment, and said "Not so fast. Not yet. Not you. Not now. Barack Obama. Maybe it is his time."
And as for me -- after my joy and shock had quieted down -- all I could think of was that the rest of the world was watching this moment too, amazed and surprised just like us. In Paris and London, Berlin and Rio, and Montreal. Let alone in Africa, Aisa, and in the Middle East. Were they, like me, also remembering how very much they used to admire about this country and all that it stands for? Were they watching, and feeling the wild, romantic populist streak that -- shock of shocks - still lives on here in this almost ruined nation? I think so.
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The speech was even better than the win. It makes me proud to support Senator Obama, proud of Iowa and proud to be an American..
I feel a small corner of my heart thawing.
For the first time in many years, I have a bit of Faith in Humanity.
Maybe Tony Rezco will be able to get a Presidential pardon after all.
You know, I truly hope this is a trend, that Americans can start to see through the candidates and judge for themselves rather than listen to some talking head MSM type extoll the virtues of the candidates.
But, as a realist, I also know how powerful the real powers, such as those in the CFR and Tri-Lateral Commission are. They have been hand-picking our candidates for years, now. They win, we lose. Bet on it.
In my conversations I have recognized that the people have been awake for over a year or two. The political leaders have been asleep as they astoundingly raveled in the wealth poured into their personal and campaign coffers. And the controlled press reenforced the view of emerging aristocracy as the best of all possible worlds. Fraud and corruption were swept under the rug by bought media membership.
President Clinton collected over 50 million dollars in the past 7 years as he disgraced our august Executive Office. He personifies the conventional perceptions of politicans of both parties; he never saw the building anger and fear of the ordinary citizen. His vision was clouded by bundles of unearned dollars paid him for his enlightened policies for the few.
Now the Republic is saddled with unbearable debt, lost assets and competence and unemployed workers of every skill and knowledge. And the future shows nothing but a destitute, broken organization. Today, the President of unwilling followers assures the distraught public that the economy is strong: all is well.
We are and will be paying dearly for timid, dishonest and corrupt leadership decisions for years and decades to come. Somehow and somewhere there must be an accounting, reprimand and redirecting of leadership performance towards the Preamble and Constitution. Otherwise all toil and sacrifice of our ancestors will have been squandered and lost. And there will be nothing left but to weep, pray and toil under the yoke of tyranny.
Even here in Lisbon we are happy for you.
I found your political system a little bit archaic and confuse but what really matters is the final result and I truly hope that in next November the winner will be a Democrat.
In here the political commentators talk more positively about John Edwards, but you should know better.
Anyway, the truth is that we should never stop dreaming about a better world, and a world without Bushes and others of their kind would be, with no doubt, a better place. But there are so many issues you have to deal with (war, death penalty, global warming, a positive constitutional recognition that we are all different but equals, etc.).
I would like to express myself in a more intellectual english, but this is what my academic english level allows me!
Congratulations!!!
Obama might make a fine prez but his supporters are completely deluded that one man can change Washington. What is he, the Messiah? Many others have tried and failed, including the Clintons. I remember the euphoria back in '92 when Bill was elected, only to see his lofty promises of gays in the military, universal health care and other promises get pummeled by Congress, the media, government red-tape, the military and the rest of American who didn't vote for him. That's why I don't want Obama. "Dreams" are great but they're just that--dreams. Maybe that sounds rough but this is the real world, children. Anyone can talk a good game and feed you rainbows and sugarplums, but in the end you still gotta get down to work and I don't think Obama has any idea how to do that.
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Watching the speeches from Obama, Clinton and Huckabee there is no question in my mind Clinton vs Huckabee would put that Chriatian nut case in the White House. Obama vs Huckabee would send that rube back to his backwater church.
What really happened in Iowa? 1) republicans changed party affiliation inorder to vote agianst Hillary. 2) Independents, of which 3/4 tend to vote either republican or Democrat 90% of time cast a vote. 3) 17-29, the group that tends to not vote in national elections voted for Obama. In the end, Obama got 16 delegates, Hillary 15 and Ewards 14. The real winner, the Democratic party for the huge turnout. We need to make sure we show up when it really counts and continue to show up at every election. Lets make sure we NEVER let the repukes gain power again.
What a speech it was!! It had a cadence similar to some of MLK's speeches, and some style too. Aside from that, it had meaning.
It may be time for America to forge its way into the future.
A dream? Get your head out of the clouds.It'
First things first, we need to impeach Bush and Cheney. Then those other countries you spoke of will take notice. Then I'll shed some tears of joy.
See wexlerwant
Stunning.. Obama got most of the under 35 vote.
Obama is the future... Hillary is finished..
CONGRATULATIONS TO IOWA AGAIN!
America should congratulate Iowans for doing their duty again, that is, picking the worst possible Democratic candidate, as they have done frequently including John Kerry in 2004. Part of the problem is the crazy Iowa caucus system, but the biggest factor is allowing Republicans to help pick the Democrat who they think is easiest to defeat. Someday, just maybe, America will have a primary system where the real swing states (right now FLORIDA and OHIO) decide who the candidate is? Of course, that would be logical, meaningful and ridiculous. Now instead, we get the government we deserve!
Friends from around the world are telling me there is a buzz. It is slight, but it is there. Iowa took the globe by storm yesterday. That'll do, Iowa. That'll do.
Of course, what remains to be seen is whether any of this even matters. Obama did have crap-load of money. We saw the evangelicals are still a threat--not that anyone suspected they weren't. We just need to keep that in mind at all times. Had Iowa really wanted to go progressive, Edwards would have won. Maybe the most conservative parts of America are just not ready to elect a woman to the presidency. Not that I'm complaining about Obama's win because I'm not. I'm just saying there are some underlying consistencies here that may add up to elections as usual in the end.
Why did you have hope? I understand that Obama does not support gays rights. Not everyone is happy. I want more than a great speech and lofty words. What has he done besides sidle up to Liebermann since he has been in the Senate. If he is the Democrat nominee, I am not voting.
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