Friday, February 16, 2007
Obama and the Aussies
I know I'm late on this, but it feels too significant to ignore. Australian Prime Minister John Howard trashed Barack Obama's announcement of a deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. This is how Obama responded: 'I think it's flattering that one of George Bush's allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced. I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops on the ground now, and my understanding is Mr Howard has deployed 1,400, so if he's (ready) to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them to Iraq.' Forget the rights and wrongs here, what is important is the quality of Obama's response. It would appeal both to the right wing exceptionalists who don't trust foreigners and left wingers who just want to get out of Iraq. Furthermore, it is an unusually strong statement at this stage of the game. The right, here and in America, is desperately trying to write Obama off. But the truth is that he has real political class, he is too sharp for Hillary and too smart for the Republicans. This may mean he will fail, of course, but he is, at least, interesting.
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A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
It'll be interesting to see how the staunch right-wing US media outlets handle Obama. That cocaine revalation from the biography has created very little stir and I fear the attack dogs would rather let him carry the nomination first before unleashing the more deadly ammo.
ReplyDeleteI agree. And one of the things I really like about him is that he doesn't go round grinning at people. I don't trust grinning politicians.
ReplyDeleteBut, on more serious matters, how was Gabby?
Don't worry. If he is not part of the agenda, and by some miracle approaches the zenith of power, you can be sure some lone gunman nut will bring him down.
ReplyDeleteThat Andrew being the Andrew we all know and love. Thanks, Neil.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a quandary now. My deep-seated laziness and impatience really does not appreciate the thought of having to add my inconveniently long surname to my posts.
A friend of mine, who describes himself as "left of about everyone I know," went to see Obama at the Philadelphia Library and was so disappointed in him that he simply walked out. Moreover, Obama really isn't running for president in 2008. He's laying the groundwork for a serious run later on. Personally, I think he's all style and no substance. Finally, I'd certainly like to know what the staunch right-media outlets in the US are. Polls indicate that 89 percent of the those in newsrooms vote Democratic. I can assure Liam that my own newsroom is anything but staunchly right-wing.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely love to see Obama become an American president. The only problem I see is that he lacks experience. My ideal running mates (Frank W. will have a heart attack when he reads this) are Hillary Clinton for prez with Barack Obama as vice-prez. I doubt we'll be so lucky, however.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Bryan. He is very impressive indeed. However, I'm sure there is a veritable army of sleuths and shit-stirrers compiling what they hope will be a damning dossier. And, given what we already know about his past there is sure to be more dodgy stuff to dig up. Let's hope that the American voters can look beyond any minor misdemeanours in his past to the man before them today.
ReplyDeleteFrank, you think he is all style and no substance. By no substance do you mean his obvious lack of experience, or something else besides?
ReplyDeleteGabby?
ReplyDeleteWell, if setting an arbitrary date for withdrawing troops is an example of his 'substance', he'd be better off without any.
ReplyDeleteDid you actually appear on the Radio 5 breakfast show Bryan?
ReplyDeleteGabby, of course, is Gabby Logan (nee Yorath), who co-presents with Nicky Campbell.
Just pondering the US political system, and it isn't far off a kind of monarchy, is it? For sake of argument we'll start off with next President:
ReplyDeleteHillary Clinton
Current Pres: George W Bush
Previous: George W Bush
Previous: Bill Clinton
Previous: Bill Clinton
Previous: George Bush
Previous Vice Pres: George Bush
Previous Vice Pres: George Bush
Given Reagan's reputation for not being overly cerebral, it's quite logical to view George Bush as having been the effective President during the Reagan terms. Out of a population of 300 million, we certainly seem to have quite a bloodline thing going here.
No, Gordon, in the West End farce of the BBC studios, R5 suddenly cancelled. I don't blame them. I have been on R5 twice talking about immortality in recent weeks. So Gabby but one Today and two BBC Breakfast TV. Doubtless Gabby is a delight that will come my way or maybe already has. My memory is a blur.
ReplyDeleteI very much hope that voters in the USA will see Obama as their future in 2008. His lack of experience in Washington is as a great advantage - he is relatively untainted. He was always against the Iraq invasion. He simply ooozes charisma, is neither left or fight, will enable the country to unite behind [gasp] a black man, is about as intelligent as it's possible to get, and (see comment above) has those who see themselves as left of everyone walking out on him.
ReplyDeleteFantastic. He is the new energy wrapped up as a political animal who can garner votes bigtime. And for him to step up and say something like that, critical of another country's Govt, is terrific and speaks of class. It's great political daring.
Another comment said he is putting up now to have a better run in another time, later. Well it's likely that the Democrats wll win, whichever of them runs. It's theirs to lose, basically. Obama knows this and is going for it now.
In Australia, Howard is on the way out, and fast. He has to call an election later this year, and the Aussie Labour Party under its energetic new leader is odds on to win. Howard's will be the first of the three white English-speaking pro-Iraq invasion parties to be kicked out of office. Never again.
You know as an American I should be offended at what Howard said.
ReplyDeleteBut I am not. I no longer consider the Democratic party a legitimate American political party but instead the focus of the anti-American movement in the United States.
Before the rule by tradition was that politics ended at our nation's borders but over the last few years many Democrats have broken that tradition and has attacked our President overseas. Once broken they just get to reassert the tradition once their guy gets in.
I feel that our enemy within, which includes the Democrats, are a bigger threat to our society than al Quada. I should be offended at Howard attacking an American Politician even though he is right in what he said. But since the Democrats have not stopped their politicians at our nation's border when they are out of power - nether will I.