I have a new hero. It’s not Wolverine, the new Captain Kirk or even the old Captain Kirk. This hero is handsome, highly intelligent, articulate, ambitious, powerful and noble. He’s half Kenyan, half white American, an accomplished writer, a brilliant lawyer, a committed Christian and President of the United States.
Yes it’s Barack Hussein Obama II – born August 4, 1961 – America’s 44th President and first ever African American leader. Just being elected, with his name and his colour weighing so heavily against him, was a historic achievement. The fact that he’s shaping up to be one of the most inspiring, eloquent and visionary Presidents ever, is icing on the cake.
I must confess I hadn’t heard of him before the elections but I became hooked on his epic battle with Hilary Clinton, then his race with war veteran John McCain. It didn’t end there. I’ve been following his progress closely in the Washington Post and the New York Times – who kindly email me free headline stories every day. I know how Michelle Obama is wearing her hair and that their daughters are failing – like most youngsters – to walk the new dog.
I’ve been listening to all his great speeches and I’ve been deeply moved. Yes, I know that the speeches are written by clever writers, but Obama is thoroughly involved, setting the direction, calling the shots and delivering them magnificently. It’s also apparent that he could manage well without speech writers unlike his predecessor. Every time George Bush strayed from the script he provided another delightfully dumb sound bite for the internet.
Obama would be outstanding at any time but following Bush makes him look extraordinarily good. Leaving an appalling mess when he was governor of Texas, Bush went on to mess up the whole USA. Almost all his legislation favored the powerful rich to the cost of the disregarded poor. Using false information he led the States into a 2 trillion dollar war with Iraq which, along with his deregulation of the finance industry, has severely damaged the US economy.
Granted Bush was probably a puppet for more able and alarming manipulators but he was a willing puppet and did a lot of harm in his “Chucky does the White House” presidency. It’s interesting to note that he has quickly dropped out of sight whereas Dick Cheney – foremost among the puppeteers – is challenging Obama at every turn. Cheney exemplifies the “end justifies the means” expedient, cynical approach to power. Even a villain like Cheney should realize that the best of ends will be corrupted by evil means. Why defend your country at all costs when you’re betraying the very freedoms and principals that make your country worth defending?
But let’s leave the dark side and return to the bright light of Obama.
He’s only been in power for half a year but has moved rapidly on many fronts. With his high calibre team he has put forward measures to curb the excesses of the finance industry including the credit card companies. He’s addressing national health and environmental issues. He’s showing a willingness to listen, to be fair and reasonable. He mostly chooses people on merit rather than just appointing his cronies. Witness his appointment of several experienced Republicans to top jobs.
His recent nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court judge typifies his inclusive approach. If elected – Sotomayor will be the first Latino on the Supreme Court and only the third woman. She will also be one of the most experienced and capable appointees ever, well earthed and in touch with the needs of ordinary people.
On the international front Obama’s openness, his willingness to extend a hand of friendship is going a long way to restoring the tarnished reputation of the US worldwide. A real Christian, Obama welcomes good relations with Muslims, Jews and people of all religions. His commitment to conciliation rather than confrontation builds bridges rather than walls and has a far better chance of creating peace and justice than an unscrupulous war against terror.
However we do have to be a little cautious at this early stage. There are limits to what any President can achieve. Obama has been handed the US in a horrible financial mess, deeply in debt and recession. No one can turn that around over night.
He has inherited at least two wars – Iraq and Afghanistan – and extricating the US from these lethal bogs is extremely difficult. Even the most idealistic president still has to play the patriotic game, wave the flag and appear somewhat pragmatic. If any US leader said “OK guys we’re going stop fighting, stop spending hundreds of billions on weapons, stop spying, stop being the biggest bully on the block” his presidency would be extremely short.
You would think that shutting down Guantanamo Bay concentration camp would clearly be the right thing to do. It’s become a symbol of US injustice and torture worldwide. The existence of Guantanamo undoubtedly incites more terrorism than it deters. But Obama’s attempt to shut down this embarrassment are being vigorously opposed even by members of his own party.
In the Middle East Obama has to attempt an impossible balancing act. On the one hand he wants to see justice done for the Palestinians and is now telling the Israelis they have to cease steadily encroaching with settlements on Palestinian land but on the other hand he cannot afford to alienate the hugely powerful Jewish block in the USA.
Obama is far from universally popular. Even in the States, particularly the southern states, there is bitter opposition to this “Muslim terrorist nigger who has stolen the White House”. I’m old enough to remember the shock and grief we felt when John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jnr. were assassinated. It could happen again. There are plenty of neo fascist fanatics in the States with “Nobama” bumper stickers and personal arsenals who would consider murdering Obama to be a supreme service to their country.
I also remember being thoroughly disappointed and disillusioned when Bill Clinton – another president I admired – lied blatantly about his tawdry little affair.
Obama is a fallible male who could mess up as easily as the rest of us.
Only after his (hopefully) two terms in office will we be able to judge whether Obama has fulfilled his tremendous potential – whether he has been able or allowed to achieve what he is setting out to do. He has made a superb start and please God, will continue to forge ahead.
In the highly unlikely event of this blog ever being seen by the man himself may I say “Mr. President thank you for giving us hope and inspiration. I will pray daily for your safety and success. God bless you and through you, our whole world.”
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