Obama The New President

As far as I'm concerned he is not black, or mixed race; he is an American, a 47yr old man, a father of two etc etc. Obama seems to have given that message, his campaign never really defined by his race but by his idealogy.

If Obama makes his race a non-issue by the time he is re-elected that will be his greatest acheivement. It would do no harm if everybody stopped rattling on about his race once the immediate impact and significance of his election is absorbed.

The media coverage this morning is all about that significance. It has not mentioned his plans or policies.

Bruce

Personally I couldn't whether he is white, pink, blue or green. Congratulations to him for winning the Presidency.

The proof of the pudding however is in what he does in the position.

Oh dear. It was a choice of evils I suppose. They have elected a self-promoting socialist on an historic life-long ego trip to lead the free world. While we're facing a global economic crisis.

The future is bleak.

EW

Edited for a typo

Dear Earwicker,

I take that is Socialist as in

Tony Blair

Kevin Rudd here in Aus

as in multi millionaire successful well educated well connected upper middle class.

As in Champagne Socialism and not the Socialism of the 1970's and the anarchy in the UK led by the Unions.

regards a Tory, Liberal (Aus), Republican with a beleif in Philanthropy and not charity.

David

quote:

As far as I'm concerned he is not black, or mixed race; he is an American, a 47yr old man, a father of two etc etc

But that's exactly the problem Bruce.

You see, you have inadvertently picked on "ageism" (47 year old), "sexism" (man), and "family status" (father of two) as identifiiers. YOU don't see these as a problems (neither do I BTW, nor any of the other signifiers in this thread so far). However, it is others who will pick out identifiers and at best lampoon him or at worst, try to do what Dave has suggested. There are plenty of nut-cases out there in addition to GWB and Putin.

Lets face it, even with a majority, and serious problems to address, you can't rely on the whole nation getting behind you in support - just ask Tony Blair! (he couldn't even rely on his own wife to keep her mouth shut!)

Cheers

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
The future is bleak.

Apparently, the majority thought that the future is bleaker with McCain/Palin.

Well, you can all gather in a corner and predict doom and the end of the world, and everything is bleak, and the devil has taken over the world...blah blah blah for all you like.

Me? I'm happy. Very very happy
And I feel confident that Obama will be a good pres and we'll look back and feel proud that today happened in our lifetimes.
Try a little positive outlook just for once in your lives.

Earwicker, you total tosser. The capitalist fundamentalists destroyed themselves. Obama is not going to create Russia in the West, he'll try to sort out the shambles.

I'm most pleased that the USA has found it possible to have hope in the future. But I do think they should sort themselves out long before trying to sort out the world.

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
...life-long ego trip to lead the free world...

Hmmmm, just like W and his daddy, McCain and the Pit Bull then!

Personally, I'm relieved that the world's self-proclaimed 'leading democracy' is now going to be led by someone who doesn't think that 'all the world's a stage Western Movie, and And all the men and women merely players cowboys and injuns, with the US as John Wayne and the 7th Cavalry'.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Atkinson:

quote:

As far as I'm concerned he is not black, or mixed race; he is an American, a 47yr old man, a father of two etc etc

But that's exactly the problem Bruce.

You see, you have inadvertently picked on "ageism" (47 year old), "sexism" (man), and "family status" (father of two) as identifiiers. YOU don't see these as a problems (neither do I BTW, nor any of the other signifiers in this thread so far). However, it is others who will pick out identifiers and at best lampoon him or at worst, try to do what Dave has suggested. There are plenty of nut-cases out there in addition to GWB and Putin.

Lets face it, even with a majority, and serious problems to address, you can't rely on the whole nation getting behind you in support - just ask Tony Blair! (he couldn't even rely on his own wife to keep her mouth shut!)

Cheers

Don

...er, no. I was pointing out that Obama is an individual. Not from a specific category. He is indeed male, married but note the 'etc, etc' he is defined by a million atttributes.

Bruce

I think there is no escaping the mere fact that Obama is non-white yet has been elected president of the United States makes this a historic day. It also signals, just as importantly IMO, the end of 8 long dark Bush years of dogmatic right-wing rule which can now be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Obama has got a lot on his plate to deal with on the economic front alone. It would be too much to expect, I think, for him to get things right all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:
Oh dear, an Aussie who can't even be bothered to correctly spell the name of the new President of the USA.

Sorted. (both)

quote:

Originally posted by Ewan Aye:
Well, you can all gather in a corner and predict doom and the end of the world, and everything is bleak, and the devil has taken over the world...blah blah blah for all you like.

Me? I'm happy. Very very happy
And I feel confident that Obama will be a good pres and we'll look back and feel proud that today happened in our lifetimes.
Try a little positive outlook just for once in your lives.

Hallelujah...great post and such a change from the negative and utterly cynical mindset that permeates through much of this forum.

Great day for the US and the world.

Jim

quote:

I was pointing out that Obama is an individual

Yes Bruce, I know. And I happen to agree with your point of view.

But, unfortunately, other people see things differently. And I think that was the point Dave was making.

Cheers

Don

quote:

It would be too much to expect, I think, for him to get things right all the time.

eerrr nope! That is just exactly what we are entitled to expect of any US President. He is, after all, able to appoint one or two advisors!

We have been led to great expectations by both sides. We expect the winner to deliver. I am optomistic.

Cheers

Don

Well he's got to be better than 'Dubya' whatever happens, Don! Even John McCain would have been an improvement! FWIW I suspect McCain's biggest mistake in the campaign was his appointee as running mate...

Congratulations America.
Perhaps you can now build a country the rest of the world can respect and not laugh at or hide from.
I'm sure Obama has flaws,after all he is human and not some sort of robot.

Howard

Be grateful the election is at least over - the saturation coverage we have had to endure is now at an end. They probably picked the lesser of two evils, and let's hope for the sake of the world that the man rises to the occasion. I can't wait to see how he reconciles his promise of withdrawing US troops from Iraq with the practical realities.
But I'm sick and tired of the hyperbole from the (BBC) commentators during the last 24 hours, and now maybe normal life will be resumed. Maybe while the meedja have been looking over the Atlantic, we will find that lots of bad news has been leaked from our own government and overlooked

Cheers
John

PS : I think Bruce is right - he didn't run on the 'race' card, but it's interesting to hear that all the reports are focusing on 'the first black president' and nothing about his policies

Nero

quote:

probably picked the lesser of two evils,

OK, so who would you have picked to have been the next President? Which Senator, Congressman or Governor (or other) would have been better than "the lesser of the two evils" and why? Just wondering.....

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by kuma:

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
The future is bleak.

Apparently, the majority thought that the future is bleaker with McCain/Palin.

Yes, so it seems. But the fact remains...!

I can't believe in a country that size they can't find a decent candidate for president. I can only surmise that talented people have got better things to do. Obama, McCain, Palin, Biden... it'd be funny if it wasn't true.

EW

Hang on guy's we are judging the man before he has even started.

We all agree America needs a change so lets give him and his party a chance before writting him off,

Regards

PB

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:
Nero

quote:

probably picked the lesser of two evils,

OK, so who would you have picked to have been the next President? Which Senator, Congressman or Governor (or other) would have been better than "the lesser of the two evils" and why? Just wondering.....

Jim

Well, perhaps 'evils' was an overstatement, but I was left with the distinct impression that neither candidate was particularly outstanding. I probably would have gone for Obama but I am certainly not qualified to choose an alternative candidate - I have enough difficulty understanding British politics!.
But what concerns me is that he campaigned on the promise of change, but I wonder how much is really within his power to change. In 1997, we had the chance to vote for 'change', and Blair was duly elected. It didn't take long for us to realise it was toujours la même chose. Disappointed? Sure. Let down? Sure. I really hope that's not going to be the same over there, and I wish you luck
Cheers
JOhn

Okay, so now there was no candidate worth electing in the USA so the whole thing is a waste of time and we're all fucked anyway, right?
Tell you what. Instead of celebrating that we have a chance out of the last 8 years of a maniac in the Whitehouse, influencing 8 years of terrorism and war, we'll just write the whole thing off right now before the guy has even got home from the election, shall we? Shall we all just commit mass suicide because there is no hope for any of us. Not based on performance of course, because he hasn't even started yet, but that isn't the point, is it.

You know what? I'm off to celebrate a chance for a new future, and I'll forget about you lot wallowing in your unnecessary misery and cynicism.

Your attitude is exactly that of any terrorist, or potential assassin; you have it all worked out that everything is bad and the facts don't count for anything, even if you gave them a chance, because all you can focus on is negativity.

You're not going to spoil my day. Why not move on and start a new thread moaning about Christmas or firework night or something, anything the kids enjoy maybe, just trash it.
What a bunch of miserable bastards.
Thank God I'm not like you.

BTW. Earwicker, Sarah Palin, politics aside...would you?

quote:

Originally posted by Polarbear:
Hang on guy's we are judging the man before he has even started.

We all agree America needs a change so lets give him and his party a chance before writting him off

Yes, indeed. Change comes in three different flavours, so let's see which one we get...

EW

quote:

Originally posted by Ewan Aye:
BTW. Earwicker, Sarah Palin, politics aside...would you?

Yes, I'd be only too happy...!