USA Honored by Nobel Peace Prize

President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Amazing. Yet a lot people in the USA apparently have an issue with that. Also sort of amazing. I think my friend Marc Carlson best points out how some of us could stand to show a little grace:

Many [peace prizes have been awarded for solid achievements], but many have been more symbolic. Peace prizes are not like the other ones which are often given decades after the accomplishment just to verify the significance of the work. Peace prizes have often been assigned for much more obviously political intentions. Does Arafat really deserve his peace prize? And that makes some sense because how do you actually measure a persons contribution to Peace??? This has never been a rocket science. This has always been politics. The Nobel committee is trying to encourage political developments that they see as ones that contribute to peace.

So this is Europe's way of trying to say they appreciate our recent efforts. And all the griping people are doing is embarrassing. I can understand that some people just don't like Obama and are somehow deeply offended that he would be given a prize. Fine. But can you sit down and shut the hell up while your country is honored for one minute? Is it really so terrible that the USA is being shown some appreciation today? When I was a child, I was taught that if someone gave you a big compliment you should always say "thank you". Even if the compliment was premature. Today the Nobel committee has given our nation a huge compliment. We should show at least a little bit of grace.

Obama Plays It Cool

Viral It: The Truth About ACORN

I think we saw the first salvo last night that will become an attempt to delegitimize Obama's upcoming presidency, at least among McCain's unswerving base. So let's get the truth out there and spread it around.

Here's the deal: ACORN is not trying to steal the vote for Obama.

* The only fraud committed was against ACORN itself. ACORN hired 13,000 workers to register a remarkable 1.3 million new voters. And a few of them turned in registration forms with inaccurate and even made-up names to get credit for work they didn't do. ACORN fired them and turned them over to the authorities.
"The Truth About ACORN's Voter Registration Drives,"
http://acorn.org/quickfacts

"Group Answers Charges of Voter Registration Fraud," New York Times, October 14, 2008
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/acorn/

* ACORN reported the fraudulent registration forms. In most states, ACORN is required by law to submit all forms collected whether they appear to be bogus or not—that way election officials, not partisan groups, can make the call. ACORN flags cards that may not be legitimate. And in many places, the charges of fraud only came up because ACORN was the one who flagged the cards!
"Voter Group Admits Mistakes, Defends Work," ABC News, October 14, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=31241&id=14429-6672261-LU6AT3x&t=5

"Is there ACORN fraud in Florida?," Orlando Sentinel, October 15, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=31239&id=14429-6672261-LU6AT3x&t=6

* This won't have any impact on the election. No one is allowed to vote unless they are properly registered. And there is no evidence of false registrations actually leading to organized voting fraud.
"'Fraud' vs. 'Suppression'," Politico, October 14, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=31240&id=14429-6672261-LU6AT3x&t=7

Take a Look

(hat tip to Paul Kemp)

Here is Obama just talking about what's been happening with the big banks lately. Take a look.

Obama Hero Worship

I think our species' instinctual desire to put others upon pedestals is a flaw we'll have to overcome. It is one of the reasons we had to suffer through a second term for George Bush despite all his demonstrated failures to lead the free world in a positive direction. Too many people were unwilling to give up their earlier formed idealized version of Bush.

Though I'm behind Obama, I don't want to fall into the trap of becoming a blind supporter. I don't want to engage in hero worship or fall sway to celebrity. That said, I will offer respect where due.

Anyhow, I just watched this video. It's quite cool, but I urge you to watch it while keeping in mind just how celebrity and hero worship come naturally, perhaps genetically, to us. (Thanks T Heck for passing this video on.)

Obama '08

Need a little mood boost? Watch:

Obama in my old Home State of SD

This video brought a tear to me eye. Watch Ida Fast Wolf introduce Mr. Obama for a rally in Rapid City SD yesterday.

Clinton's Motives

I really hope David Brin's new theory on what's up with Hillary isn't true. I've been thinking it's the stupidity of ego and a sense of "I'm owed this" that's keeping her in the race despite the divide she's creating among the Democrats.

If she had been a gracious, positive campaigner from the start (as Barack has been, other than to point out how Hillary keeps playing dirty pool), the supporters of either candidate would be far more likely to throw in behind the eventual winner.

But it almost seems like she is purposefully creating ill-will. I know I was shocked then saddened to see her jump down into the pig-sty with Gibson and Stephanopoulos during the last debate with rare gusto. Someone with the ability to be a leader might have said, "Really? These are the questions that concern America? I don't have time to pursue silly aspersions concerning my esteemed opponent." But, no. She said something like, "I think these issues [concerning Barack's pastor's speech 7 years ago!?!] need further exploration."

So try Brin's supposition on for size (actually one of his reader's):

“She knows she can't win the nomination this year, so she intends to make sure no Democrat does, leaving herself one more shot in 2012.”

No, it makes no logical sense. But can anyone now picture her actually kissing and making up, now? Or spending 16 hour days rallying her followers back into the fold for November? Like Achilles, she will sulk in her tent... hoping that, like Achilles, she will be begged to come back and lead the dems to victory.

If this is her strategy, I'm afraid it might just be working.

Great. If there is anything this country needs, it is another 4 years of Republican hegemony tied to the corporate teat by a president who thinks the Iraq war is accomplishing something other than the looting of our country's coffers.

Democratic Debate?

I watched Sen. Obama debate Sen. Clinton last night. At least for a while, until I couldn't take it any more. I was shocked to see the debate moderators spend so much time on such insanely mundane topics. Pastors? Elitism? Flag pins? Really? What a load of horse manure.

I've been in many debates--I enjoyed a career of it in high school (my partner and I won our state debate tournament). So I can safely tell you that what I saw was not a debate. It was... I don't know. A side show? Something designed to debase both candidates?

However, I was heartened to see Obama repeatedly but respectfully "scold" the moderators for the manufactured issues they seemed most interested in dwelling on. Obama attempted to wrench the debate back to issues of significance (while Sen. Clinton seemed all to willing to stick with the minutia, to my great and real disappointment).

Even in such a ludicrous format, Obama showed himself to be a leader. Let's get this man elected and move forward saving this country, shall we?

One for the History Books

My mailbox has been flooded the last couple of days with people telling me I've got to see the speech Obama just gave. Well, I admit I didn't immediately drop everything to listen--I figured it wouldn't change my opinion about the guy. I'm already a delegate for him!

But I just took the time to take it in. It turns out his speech is a piece of stunning oratory you don't often see in the modern era.

Give it a listen!

You can watch or read the whole speech here:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3511

If you're busy, here's a highlight from the speech:

"We have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle, as we did in the OJ trial, or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina, or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words.

"We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.

"We can do that.

"But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.

"That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time."