THIS DAY 4 YEARS AGO...

PREPARING FOR TOMORROW...
[First posted 03/11/2008]




Barring an extraordinary shock, Barack Obama will win more than 270 electoral votes on Tuesday, giving him the White House. Hours before voting starts, John McCain has no clear path to reaching that goal. In fact, interviews with political strategists in both parties and election analysts and advisers to both presidential campaigns — including a detailed look at public and private polling data — indicate that an Obama victory with well over 300 electoral votes is a more likely outcome than a McCain victory.

[Keep reading here]

In the two years since Sen. Barack Obama announced his bid for the presidency, black Americans have been on an emotional roller coaster. Only recently have many of us allowed ourselves to envision what once seemed impossible: A U.S. president who is a person of color. With Obama leading in national pre-election polls, the suspense has become nearly unbearable.
Even deeper at the center of our current anxiety are at least two questions that carry all the complexity of black Americans' history in this country: What will it mean personally to us if he wins? And how will it affect the future of African Americans?
Win or lose, how will we cope?

[Keep reading here]

My thanks to BRE for calling my attention to these.

A Change Is Gonna Come - Otis Redding

PREPARING FOR TOMORROW...
[First posted 03/11/2008]




Barring an extraordinary shock, Barack Obama will win more than 270 electoral votes on Tuesday, giving him the White House. Hours before voting starts, John McCain has no clear path to reaching that goal. In fact, interviews with political strategists in both parties and election analysts and advisers to both presidential campaigns — including a detailed look at public and private polling data — indicate that an Obama victory with well over 300 electoral votes is a more likely outcome than a McCain victory.

[Keep reading here]

In the two years since Sen. Barack Obama announced his bid for the presidency, black Americans have been on an emotional roller coaster. Only recently have many of us allowed ourselves to envision what once seemed impossible: A U.S. president who is a person of color. With Obama leading in national pre-election polls, the suspense has become nearly unbearable.
Even deeper at the center of our current anxiety are at least two questions that carry all the complexity of black Americans' history in this country: What will it mean personally to us if he wins? And how will it affect the future of African Americans?
Win or lose, how will we cope?

[Keep reading here]

My thanks to BRE for calling my attention to these.

A Change Is Gonna Come - Otis Redding

POWELL, THE REPUBLICAN, ENDORSES OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT

JOE, THE TUMBLER

DEPOIS DO ULTIMO DEBATE...

... Pouco ha' a dizer, senao que Obama o ganhou com uma margem ainda maior do que os anteriores e que, embora a campanha nao tenha ainda terminado, parece que ela ja' esta' ganha.

O que da' espaco e tempo para um pouco de 'trivia': i. descobri durante o debate de ontem que os dois sao canhotos; ii. por qualquer razao que nao exactamente essa, fiquei com a sensacao de que esses dois ate' davam um bom par trabalhando juntos...

... Pouco ha' a dizer, senao que Obama o ganhou com uma margem ainda maior do que os anteriores e que, embora a campanha nao tenha ainda terminado, parece que ela ja' esta' ganha.

O que da' espaco e tempo para um pouco de 'trivia': i. descobri durante o debate de ontem que os dois sao canhotos; ii. por qualquer razao que nao exactamente essa, fiquei com a sensacao de que esses dois ate' davam um bom par trabalhando juntos...

LET'S POLL?

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

QUEM ESPERA/DESEJA QUE GANHE A ELEICAO PRESIDENCIAL AMERICANA?

You can place your vote at this blog's 'polling station'.

Podera' depositar o seu voto na 'polling station' deste blog.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

QUEM ESPERA/DESEJA QUE GANHE A ELEICAO PRESIDENCIAL AMERICANA?

You can place your vote at this blog's 'polling station'.

Podera' depositar o seu voto na 'polling station' deste blog.

"IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!"

O leitor menos familiarizado com essa frase podera’ encontrar a sua explicacao aqui.

Quanto a mim, ela incorpora tudo o que tornou Obama, de acordo com varias sondagens logo apos o debate de ontem, no mais provavel vencedor da actual corrida a Casa Branca.

Num momento em que a economia esta’ como esta’ (i.e., muito pior do que estava em 1992, quando Bill Clinton celebrizou aquele "it's the economy, stupid", vindo a ganhar a campanha presidencial naquele ano), tudo indica que, quaisquer que sejam as vantagens relativas de McCain (e.g., experiencia militar e em politica externa, o élan de Sarah Palin e as recentes “revelacoes” que esta tem feito sobre o passado de Obama…), os pontos feitos ontem por Obama no debate sobre a actual crise financeira e como resolve-la, consolidaram a tendencial vantagem comparativa que o estado da economia vem ultimamente facultando a campanha democrata. Tal vantagem traduz-se, depois do debate de ontem, numa diferenca de 11 pontos percentuais a seu favor nas percepcoes publicas sobre qual dos candidatos pareceu ser “o lider mais forte”.

Ou seja, pela primeira vez nesta campanha, Obama aparece clara e firmemente na lideranca. Isto e’, nao sera’ a experiencia militar ou legislativa (nas quais, questoes ideologicas a parte, McCain tende a ganhar sobre Obama aos pontos) que ira’ ditar o desfecho desta campanha, tao pouco o “atirar lama para o adversario” em que Palin se parece vir especializando ultimamente, ou o tratamento paternalista com que McCain invariavelmente trata Obama (“that one”, como a ele se referiu ontem…):

it’s the economy, stupid!

Entretanto, Obama pergunta: “what did you think?”. Bom, creio ter acabado de responder…

What did you think?

Wednesday, 8 October, 2008 9:45 AM
From:
"Barack Obama"
To:
"Ana Santana"

Ana --

I thought the differences between John McCain and me were pretty clear tonight.
I will fight for the middle class every day, and -- once again -- Senator McCain didn't mention the middle class a single time during the debate.
If you agree that we need to cut taxes for 95% of working families, reduce health care costs, and end the war in Iraq responsibly, then I need your help right now.
And if you heard John McCain push more of the same discredited policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and giant corporations, tax increases on health care, and continuing to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq, then now is the time to act.
Four weeks from tonight, we'll know which of us will be the next president.

Thank you,

Barack

O leitor menos familiarizado com essa frase podera’ encontrar a sua explicacao aqui.

Quanto a mim, ela incorpora tudo o que tornou Obama, de acordo com varias sondagens logo apos o debate de ontem, no mais provavel vencedor da actual corrida a Casa Branca.

Num momento em que a economia esta’ como esta’ (i.e., muito pior do que estava em 1992, quando Bill Clinton celebrizou aquele "it's the economy, stupid", vindo a ganhar a campanha presidencial naquele ano), tudo indica que, quaisquer que sejam as vantagens relativas de McCain (e.g., experiencia militar e em politica externa, o élan de Sarah Palin e as recentes “revelacoes” que esta tem feito sobre o passado de Obama…), os pontos feitos ontem por Obama no debate sobre a actual crise financeira e como resolve-la, consolidaram a tendencial vantagem comparativa que o estado da economia vem ultimamente facultando a campanha democrata. Tal vantagem traduz-se, depois do debate de ontem, numa diferenca de 11 pontos percentuais a seu favor nas percepcoes publicas sobre qual dos candidatos pareceu ser “o lider mais forte”.

Ou seja, pela primeira vez nesta campanha, Obama aparece clara e firmemente na lideranca. Isto e’, nao sera’ a experiencia militar ou legislativa (nas quais, questoes ideologicas a parte, McCain tende a ganhar sobre Obama aos pontos) que ira’ ditar o desfecho desta campanha, tao pouco o “atirar lama para o adversario” em que Palin se parece vir especializando ultimamente, ou o tratamento paternalista com que McCain invariavelmente trata Obama (“that one”, como a ele se referiu ontem…):

it’s the economy, stupid!

Entretanto, Obama pergunta: “what did you think?”. Bom, creio ter acabado de responder…

What did you think?

Wednesday, 8 October, 2008 9:45 AM
From:
"Barack Obama"
To:
"Ana Santana"

Ana --

I thought the differences between John McCain and me were pretty clear tonight.
I will fight for the middle class every day, and -- once again -- Senator McCain didn't mention the middle class a single time during the debate.
If you agree that we need to cut taxes for 95% of working families, reduce health care costs, and end the war in Iraq responsibly, then I need your help right now.
And if you heard John McCain push more of the same discredited policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and giant corporations, tax increases on health care, and continuing to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq, then now is the time to act.
Four weeks from tonight, we'll know which of us will be the next president.

Thank you,

Barack

OBAMA ON THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Ana --

I just finished my first debate with John McCain.

Millions of Americans finally got a chance to see us take on the fundamental choice in this election -- the change we need or more of the same.

I will provide tax cuts for the middle class, affordable health care, and a new energy economy that creates millions of jobs. John McCain wants to keep giving huge tax cuts to corporations, and he offered no solutions for the challenges Americans are facing in their daily lives.

I will end the war in Iraq responsibly, focus on defeating al Qaeda and the Taliban, and restore America's standing in the world after eight years of disastrous policies. John McCain wants an unending commitment in Iraq and fails to recognize the resurgent threat in Afghanistan.

Let's be clear: John McCain is offering nothing but more of the same failed Bush policies at home and abroad that he has supported more than 90% of the time in the Senate.

Americans need change now, and I need your help to get the word out about this movement.

Now's the time to make your voice heard.

Thank you for all that you're doing,

Barack

Ana --

I just finished my first debate with John McCain.

Millions of Americans finally got a chance to see us take on the fundamental choice in this election -- the change we need or more of the same.

I will provide tax cuts for the middle class, affordable health care, and a new energy economy that creates millions of jobs. John McCain wants to keep giving huge tax cuts to corporations, and he offered no solutions for the challenges Americans are facing in their daily lives.

I will end the war in Iraq responsibly, focus on defeating al Qaeda and the Taliban, and restore America's standing in the world after eight years of disastrous policies. John McCain wants an unending commitment in Iraq and fails to recognize the resurgent threat in Afghanistan.

Let's be clear: John McCain is offering nothing but more of the same failed Bush policies at home and abroad that he has supported more than 90% of the time in the Senate.

Americans need change now, and I need your help to get the word out about this movement.

Now's the time to make your voice heard.

Thank you for all that you're doing,

Barack