From Naïve to Nobel

What a trip! Now that a few days have passed since Obama became a Nobel laureate, thoughts and opinions have settled in: the right wing kookoonuts are in their groove, proving themselves once again to truly be unpatriotic and anti-Obama-American, lambasting the Nobel committee's choice as mindless and degrading; the Progressives are congratulatory with the caveat to, “Now become a real Peace President.” I couldn’t agree more, and I hope Obama lives up to the Nobel’s aspirations of his diplomatic policies.

Remember, during one of the debates, when Hillary called Obama "naïve" for wanting to sit down to talks with Iran? Wonder what she's thinking now? I watched that debate with my group of dear fellow grassroots volunteers - we call ourselves Obamawood - and we watched every debate, primary, speech and big news event together, bonding and gathering energy to keep on working for the election of someone we thought, no, we believed, would change the way business was done in the White House. That moment when Hillary called Obama "naïve"...I remember our outrage and disbelief. How dare she? She was the one who was naïve we shouted, not Obama, who finally expressed the way we believed diplomacy should be conducted. Hillary, in that moment, made us feel that nothing would change if she were elected, that America would continue to estrange our former allies with her isolating and strong arm diplomatic tactics. It just re-enforced the belief that a President Obama would reclaim America’s moral compass and reputation in the world. And, we were right as the Nobel committee cited Obama’s “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. THIS is what the grassroots movement saw in Obama, among other things, and it is wonderful to have those efforts validated, in this way, for the people who worked so incredibly hard to elect him. BUT.

Neurotic Nation

This symbol, the yin and the yang, represents everything about Barack Obama, from his mixed heritage to his being a President at war(s) and yet being honored with a peace prize, to always trying to find the ultimately unpopular middle road, to stirring yin and yang feelings in his supporters that revere him while being mad and frustrated with him. We are in a constant state of neurosis over him: “He’s not moving fast enough, but wait, he’s only been in office 8 ½ months and we need to give him a chance.” “He was elected to take bold steps and has a majority, so why isn’t he making any bold moves?” “He said, when he was a State Senator in 2003 that he was for single payer, so why did he make a deal with Big PhRMA over drug prices (and more) and is wavering on a public option when the majority of people, including doctors and nurses, are for it?” “Why is he staying in Afghanistan? Iraq? Where’s the responsible exit strategy?” And so on. Where’s the courage to take the audacious positions that will really effect change? Yeah, I know…back off, give him space, give him time. Even Michael Moore wrote to get off Obama’s back. Sorry. No. Now is the time to keep the pressure on, now is the time to let this President know that he cannot, and should not, try and please everyone, for as it's been said, you end up pleasing no one. Please Mr. President, you have transcended so many mores, so many obstacles, that I reiterate my earlier post to govern like you’re a one term President.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/13/internal-memo-confirms-bi_n_258285.htmlover drug prices and is wavering on a public option when the majority of people, including doctors and nurses, are for it?” “Why is he staying in Afghanistan? Iraq? Where’s the responsible exit strategy?” And so on. Where’s the courage to take the audacious positions that will really effect change? Yeah, I know…back off, give him space, give him time. Even Michael Moore wrote to get off Obama’s back. Sorry. No. Now is the time to keep the pressure on, now is the time to let this President know that he cannot, and should not, try and please everyone, for as it's been said, you end up pleasing no one. Please Mr. President, you have transcended so many mores, so many obstacles, that I reiterate my earlier post to govern like you’re a one term President.

Back to Hillary

I just want to go back to Hillary for a moment because she announced that she will not run for President after Obama’s term. Interesting timing. She can’t be thinking that she was 'passed over' for the Nobel, but the thought must have occurred to her that, she - the woman who has put in years and years of political toil, blood, sweat and tears - has to watch, once again, as Barack Obama, upstart and President, with merely 8 ½ months in office, manages to clinch the esteemed and noble Nobel Peace prize, without even trying. Poor Hillary. She has won lots of awards, like, she was inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame and is the 36th most powerful woman in the world according to Forbes. But this must rankle in some way. Barack Obama, the Mohammed Ali of Presidents, just seems to float like a butterfly and this must sting like a bee. I can’t imagine what morning coffee must have been like with Bill (if he was in town) because he hasn't won either…the Clintons, the ultimate power couple, being passed over for the new, hot kid in town.

And so it goes, the never ending merry-go-round of distortions, contortions, money and politics. Soooo much money being spent buying our Congress. How can it be that the people who elect those frauds and criminals have so little influence with regard to policy? The grassroots is weary, and the powers that be count on activists falling away from exhaustion, but now more than ever, we must stay energized and continue to make our power work for us. I certainly hope I can take my own advice.