November 4, 2008

I will never forget where I was the night Obama was elected President. It seemed like the day would never come, after almost two full years of intense campaigning. In that week leading up to the election, it was inconceivable that this whole ordeal would be coming to an end in a few short days. At the same time, however, the campaign felt like it was at it's end. No new points were being made. The candidates were making their closing arguments. The election was in the hands of the voters.

Everyone at Guilford College was optimistic. People were saying things like "when he wins..." I was more cautious. Having seen the 2004 Ohio election where Kerry lost the election, I wasn't as confident that Obama could do it.

After what seemed like an deathly long day, election night finally arrived. I worked in the Library until 6:00 so my night could be free. I joined a packed common room filled with students and faculty alike. Tonight, everyone was waiting. Waiting for history.

The room got focused as the election results began to come in. Every time a state went to Obama, the crowd erupted. When McCain won a state, the room was largely silent. I was impressed with the surprising politeness of the crowd. They weren't being negative towards McCain, it was pro-Obama.

When McCain lost Pennsylvania, I became overjoyed. McCain needed to win Pennsylvania. He was banking on it. But he lost big, which meant that in swing states, maybe undecideds weren't McCain supporters faking it after all. When Obama won Ohio, I went nuts. At that point, it was impossible for McCain to win. He wouldn't win California, Oregon, and Washington. Yet at the same time, it was hard to believe. Was the United States REALLY about to elect a man, a black man named Barack Hussein Obama no less, to the highest office in the land? It was so wonderful, so utterly monumental that some part of me refused to believe it.

The Crowd counted down until the West Coast states closed. 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2...1. They cheered, laughing becuause it was like New Years. When CNN projected that Obama was the next President, the crowd erupted. Jubilation filled the air as the room deafened as people screamed. We were hugging, crying. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The sheer joy of everyone, white, black, young, old was such a powerful testament to the power of our country.

After hugging everyone there (I was shaking at this point), I joined an impromptu crowd that was quickly gathering at the President's House. The crowd became a mob, and we began to go through the campus. We traveled to Bryan, where we congregated in the courtyard. The crowd quickly grew as people came out onto their balconies, and joined the crowd. I brought my American flag, and people began grabbing on. It was a beautiful movement. People were proud of their country, proud to hold the Stars and Stripes.

The crowd grew in size as we left Bryan and marched down the campus towards the entrance. I remember people screaming, cheering, all so happy at the results of the election. Photographers for The Guilfordian were taking pictures of my flag, and the surrounding faces. By the time we crossed West Friendly Ave. the crowd had grown to over 300 in size. We marched through the Hess station and down Guilford College Rd. People were honking and cheering out of their windows. Try as they might, people couldn't be kept out of the street.

We headed towards Harris Teeter. I think people wanted to celebrate with everyone possible. There was no destructive feeling to the crowd, although we did knock down an old wooden fence. When we got to Harris Teeter, some people tried to march through, but the vast majority of the crowd turned back towards Friendly Avenue. The crowd re-congregated at the Guilford Sign on the corner. An impromptu rally was held there. People got on top of the sign and started cheering. I handed my flag up to them, and they waved it around. There was so much pride for the nation, for the restored faith in the electoral process, and how people's voices counted.

After the rally at the sign started to break up, we towards the Old Apartments, via Miner. We paused in Milner to hear Barack Obama give his acceptance speech. Tears welled up in my eyes as I heard him speak. After so long, we had accomplished our goal. The crowd in Grant Park was electric. It was a victory speech not only for Obama and the Democratic Party, but also for equality. Obama was only the fifth African-American Senator ever elected. In four short years, he had been elected to the highest office in the country.

At the same time, I feel as though I can't possibly describe the true magnitude of the election. Although I've lived my whole life in a racially diverse area, I'm white. I can't comprehend the trouble that African-American's went through. In addition, my generation has grown up in a society that for the most part treats everyone equally. My generation has never known a time when people couldn't vote simply because of who they are or what color skin they have. This, however, could be an explanation for why the young vote was so vocal for Obama. We saw a leader who had that unique American optimism even in times of trouble. We didn't see the color of his skin, the "non-traditional" name. We all have unique backgrounds, and Obama's didn't seem so outrageous.


To reflect on the election, I hope that Obama fulfills his promises. More than any other candidate in history, he's earned the trust and respect of many people, significantly the future of America. The expectations will be higher than ever before. Obama will have to be honest with the American people, even if it's not good news (and based on the Economy and the War, it probably won't be). But if you ask me, I think he'll handle it correctly. He'll be honest, yet understanding. I hope that he leads the country with the grace and maturity that propelled him to the Presidency.

Congratulations, Sen. Obama. Congratulations, America. We've cleared a hurdle many thought they would never see in their lifetimes. We have a ways to go. But to quote the Obama campaign, "Yes we can." With that optimism and a new outlook on the world, I would bet that America is on it's way to new heights. We're on our way to a society that will lead the world not with an iron fist but with a helping hand.

The Bully in Fiji- My Holiday with McCain

By ANASUYA DUBEY

It was just before John McCain's last run at the presidential nomination in 2000 that my husband and I vacationed in Turtle Island in Fiji with John McCain, Cindy, and their children, including Bridget (their adopted Bangladeshi child). It was not our intention, but it was our misfortune to be in close quarters with John McCain for almost a week since Turtle Island has a small number of bungalows and their focus on communal meals force all vacationers who are there at the same time to get to know each other intimately. He arrived at our first group meal and started reading quotes from a pile of William Faulkner books with a forest of Post-Its sticking out of them. As an English Literature major myself, my first thought was "if he likes this so much, why hasn't he memorized any of this yet?" I soon realized that McCain actually thought we had come on vacation to be a volunteer audience for his "readings" which then became a regular part of each meal. Out of politeness, none of the vacationers initially protested at this intrusion into their blissful holiday, but people's buttons definitely got pushed as the readings continued day after day.

Unfortunately this was not his only contribution to our mealtime entertainment. He waxed on during one meal about how Indo-Chinese women had the best figures and that our American corn-fed women just couldn't meet up to this standard. He also made it a point that all of us should stop Cindy from having dessert as her weight was too high and made a few comments to Amy, the 25 year old wife of the honeymooning couple from Nebraska that she should eat less as she needed to lose weight.

McCain's appreciation of the beauty of Asian women was so great that David the American economist had to move his Thai wife to the other side of the table from McCain as McCain kept aggressively flirting with and touching her.

Needless to say I was irritated at his large ego, and his rude behavior towards his wife and other women, but decided he must have some redeeming qualities as he had adopted a handicapped child from Bangladesh. I asked him about this one day and his response was shocking. "Oh, that was Cindy's idea - I didn't have anything to do with it. She just went and adopted this thing without even asking me. You can't imagine how people stare when I wheel this ugly, black thing around in a shopping cart in Arizona. No, it wasn't my idea at all."

I actively avoided McCain after that, but unfortunately one day he engaged me in a political discussion which soon got us on the topic of the active US bombing of Iraq at that time. I was shocked when he said "if I was in charge, I would nuke Iraq to teach them a lesson". Given McCain's personal experience with the horrors of war I had expected a more balanced point of view.

I commented on the tragic consequences of the nuclear attacks on Japan during WWII - but no, he was not to be dissuaded. He went on to say that if it was up to him he would have dropped many more nuclear bombs on Japan. I rapidly extricated myself from this conversation as I could tell that his experience being tortured as a POW didn't seem to have mellowed out his perspective but rather had made him more aggressive, and vengeful towards the world.

My final encounter with McCain was on the morning that he was leaving Turtle Island. Amy and I were happily eating pancakes when McCain arrived and told Amy that she shouldn't be having pancakes because she needed to lose weight. Amy burst into tears at this abusive comment. I felt fiercely protective of Amy and immediately turned to McCain and told him to leave her alone. He became very angry and abusive towards me and said "don't you know who I am" and I looked him in the face and said "yes, you are the biggest asshole I have ever met" and headed back to my cabin. I am happy to say that later that day when I arrived at lunch I was given a standing ovation by all the guests for having stood up to McCain's bullying.

Although I have shared my McCain story informally with friends, this is the first time I am making this public. I almost did so in 2000, when McCain first announced his bid for the Republican nomination but it soon became apparent that George Bush was the shoo-in candidate and so I did not act then. However, now that there is a very real possibility that McCain could be elected as our next president, I feel it is my duty as an American citizen to share this story.

I can't imagine a more scary outcome for America than that this abusive, aggressive man should lead our nation. I have observed him in intimate surroundings as he really is, not how the media portrays him to be. If his attitudes toward women, and his treatment of his own family are even a small indicator of his real personality, then I shudder to think what will happen to America were he to be elected as our President.



Anasuya Dubey is a clinical psychologist in California.

2 Videos...

Sarah Palin speaks to Katie Couric on the relationship between Alaska and Russia..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhjxZGdr06I

...And to Charlie Gibson about the Bush Doctrine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75QSExE0jU

Remember, she is ONE HEARTBEAT away if she becomes Vice President

Alaska lawmakers: McCain campaign interfering in Palin probe

from www.cnn.com

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Lawmakers investigating Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner accused the McCain-Palin campaign on Thursday of stonewalling the probe by helping witnesses refuse to comply with subpoenas.

A state Senate committee subpoenaed Palin's husband, several top aides and other advisers earlier this month, but none of those served with demands for testimony appeared before the panel when it met last week.

The panel is scheduled to meet again Friday. A member of the committee said Thursday that he expects more no-shows.

In court filings, lawyers for Hollis French, the Democratic state senator overseeing the probe, and Stephen Branchflower, the attorney hired to conduct it, say Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign has moved "on many fronts" to kill the investigation since Palin became the Republican vice presidential nominee.

"Indeed, recent events demonstrate that witnesses or participants who want to stonewall Mr. Branchflower's fact-finding inquiry can count on plenty of assistance from lawyers and McCain campaign operatives," the filings state.

The filings came in response to lawsuits that Palin's allies filed last week seeking to stop the probe. The suits name as defendants the Alaska Legislative Council, the Republican-dominated committee that authorized the investigation in July, and its chairman, Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton.

The response calls the suits "clearly meritless" and "political, not legal" documents.

The McCain campaign has said that Palin will cooperate with a state Personnel Board investigation instead of the legislative probe, which the campaign has described as being "tainted" with partisan politics.

"Since Gov. Palin was named the Republican [vice] presidential nominee, it comes as little surprise that the Obama supporters leading the legislative investigation would attempt to use the proceedings to the political advantage of their candidate," said Taylor Griffin, a McCain-Palin campaign spokesman.

"All Gov. Palin is asking for is a fair and impartial review of the facts outside of the taint of partisan politics," Griffin said. "That's why she's cooperating with the Personnel Board."

Earlier this week, Democratic state Rep. Les Gara asked the state police to investigate whether state laws against witness tampering have been violated. Gara did not level allegations against a specific person, but said Republican operatives had been sent to Alaska to undermine the legislative probe.

"I think probably the McCain folks think this was just politics," Gara said Thursday. But he added, "All we know is they want to stop the investigation and suddenly the witnesses aren't talking. That's indisputable."

Ex-Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan says he was sacked in July after he refused to fire the governor's ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper who was involved in an acrimonious divorce from Palin's sister.

Palin has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that Monegan was fired for insubordination after he continued to press for funding for projects the governor opposed.

Palin initially agreed to cooperate with the legislative probe and have her staff testify. But since she became McCain's running mate, she and her advisers have argued that the state Personnel Board is the proper agency to investigate.

Campaign aides have repeatedly attacked French for a September 2 interview in which he said the investigation could lead to an "October surprise" for the GOP ticket. The aides have called the probe "a politicized kangaroo court."

French's committee issued the subpoenas September 12. State Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said none of the seven people ordered to testify since last week have filed requests to quash the subpoenas with a state court -- but he did not expect them to show for Friday's hearing.

"They should all be there, or they're breaking the law," Wielechowski, a Democrat, said.

The full Senate would have to vote on any sanctions against witnesses who refuse to appear. It does not convene again until January.

Palin's husband, Todd, was among the people who refused to appear last week. The couple's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, filed papers arguing the Legislature had no authority to investigate Monegan's firing, and that state law prevents ethics investigations of candidates for state office. The vice presidency is a federal office, however.

The legislative inquiry is scheduled to be completed by October 10. There is no deadline for the investigator hired by the Personnel Board to look into Monegan's firing.

On Tuesday, a Palin spokeswoman said the Personnel Board's investigator has requested confidentiality. The spokeswoman indicated the campaign would no longer answer questions about the probe.

Monegan has vehemently denied charges of insubordination and has told CNN he was a "team player" who never did anything without approval.

FREE SARAH PALIN

Campbell Brown
(c) www.cnn.com

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Frankly I have had it, and I know a lot of other women out there who are with me on this. I have had enough of the sexist treatment of Sarah Palin. It has to end.

She was in New York on Tuesday meeting with world leaders at the U.N. And what did the McCain campaign do?

They tried to ban reporters from covering those meetings. And they did ban reporters from asking Gov. Palin any questions.

I call upon the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment.

This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong, she is tough, she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff.

Allow her to face down those pesky reporters just like Barack Obama did today, just like John McCain did today. Just like Joe Biden has done on numerous occasions. Let her have a real news conference with real questions.
"No bias, no bull"

By treating Sarah Palin differently from other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves.

Free Sarah Palin.

Free her from the chauvinistic chains you are binding her with.

Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do.

So let her act like one.

A Serious Foreign Policy Gaffe

A Serious Foreign Policy Gaffe
9/18/08
(http://www.nsnetwork.org)

John McCain last night refused to say whether he would invite Spain’s Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to the White House. The interview - conducted in English and translated into Spanish – was with the Florida affiliate of Spain’s Union Radio. In the interview McCain appeared to have no idea who Prime Minister Zapatero was, apparently assuming he was a Latin American leader who might or might not be a friend of the United States. This confusion occurred despite the reporter explicitly saying “I’m talking about Spain.” Ironically, just before McCain was asked about Prime Minister Zapatero, he asserted “I know the issues, I know the leaders.” McCain’s confusion puts that statement in serious doubt. Spain is an important NATO ally, plays an extremely influential role in Latin America, was brutally attacked by Al Qaeda terrorists in 2004, has nearly 1000 troops in Afghanistan, has lost more than 20 soldiers in Afghanistan, and has the eighth largest economy in the world. Senator McCain has campaigned for President on his foreign policy experience. Such confusion over the leader of a very important ally raises serious doubts about John McCain’s foreign policy competence.

John McCain displays confusion over U.S. relations with Spain, a NATO ally. In an interview with a Spanish news outlet, John McCain “made a series of bizarre responses to a question regarding that country's prime minister.” The exchange comes at a sensitive time for the U.S.-Spanish relationship. In spite of Spain’s decision to withdraw troops from Iraq, the US has sought, starting last year, according to Secretary of State Rice, to look forward “to areas on which we can cooperate and work together.” The transcript follows:

Reporter: Let’s talk about Spain, if you are elected President would you be willing to invite Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to the White House to meet with you?

McCain: I would be willing to meet with those leaders who are friends and want to work with us in a cooperative fashion. And by the way President Calderon of Mexico is fighting a very very tough fight against the drug cartels... I attend to move forward with relations and invite as many of them as I can, of those leaders, to the White House.

Reporter: Would that invitation be extended to the Zapatero government, to the President, itself.

McCain: Uhh.. I honestly have to look at the relations and the situations and the priorities but I can assure you I will establish closer relations with our friends and I will stand up to those who want to do harm to the United States of America. I know how to do both.

Reporter: So you have to wait and see if he’s willing to meet with you…will you be able to do it in the White House?

McCain: All I can tell you is that I have a clear record of working with leaders in the Hemisphere that are friends with us and standing up to those who are not and that’s judged on the basis of the importance of our relationship with Latin America and the entire region.

Reporter: Okay what about Eur… I am talking about the President of Spain.

McCain: What about me what?

Reporter: Are you willing to meet with him if you are elected President?

McCain: I am willing to meet with any leader who is dedicated to the same principles and philosophy that we are for human rights democracy and freedom and I will stand up to those that do not.

[Huffington Post, 9/18/08. Interview with Condoleezza Rice, 6/01/07. Radio Caracol Miami, 9/17/08]

The weakened state of U.S. global relationships must be addressed, but John McCain has a poor history of working with our allies. Only 30 percent of Germans now have a positive view of the United States, down from 78 percent before President Bush took office in January 2001. In Turkey, a Muslim democracy and NATO ally, only 9 percent now have a favorable view, down from 52 percent in late 2001. Most alarming is that just 51 percent of Britons - our partner in Iraq and our most reliable ally - now hold favorable views of the United States, down from 75 percent before the invasion of Iraq. Though Senator McCain has called for re-invigorating U.S. standing in the world, his history shows him to be reckless and abrasive, even with regard to our most historic partnerships. “Speaking at an international security conference in Germany a month before the war, a frustrated McCain lashed out at our European allies, calling them ‘vacuous and posturing.’ Later that year, in an interview, he referred to the French and Germans as ‘our adversaries.’” [NSN, 3/26/08. IHT, 6/27/07. Pew Global Attitudes Project, 6/27/07. NY Times, 2/07/08. The New Republic, 5/07/08]

The many challenges facing the U.S. require that it work more effectively with allies, but McCain’s foreign policy leaves little room for cooperation. On several critical foreign policy issues, John McCain has taken a confrontational, unilateral position, most recently with Russia, where he responded to the recent crisis between Russia and Georgia by warning of a “dramatically different relationship.” But an effective approach toward Russia requires developing a common strategy with our European allies. McCain’s calls for NATO membership with Georgia and his statement that “we are all Georgians” created fears in Europe of new Cold War. Additionally, several former Secretaries of State, said such a confrontational approach toward Russia would dramatically limit U.S. capacity to confront its most pressing dilemmas. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recently told a panel that “the United States needs ‘Russia for resolution of the Iranian problem. We may need Russia if Pakistan evolves in some of the directions that it might.’” [US News and World Report, 8/14/08. Jamie Rubin, Huffington Post Op-ed, 9/18/08. CNN, 9/16/08]

The Spin...

THE SPIN:

Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'

If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American
story.'

Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'

If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the
individual you're 'reckless.' A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a
'maverick.'

If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from
a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter registration
drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a
Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State
Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman
of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly
4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13
million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are
woefully inexperienced.

If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town
with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state
with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on
either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are
well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because
your state is the closest state to Russia.

If you are a Democratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people
you are an 'arrogant celebrity'. If you are a popular Republican female
candidate you are 'energizing the base'.

If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own
decisions you are 'presumptuous'. if you are an older male candidate who
makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the
hip' maverick.

If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of
touch' with the real America. if you are a legacy (dad and granddad were
admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you
are a hero.

If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty
suit'.If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an
'experienced executive'.

If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe global warming is man made,
you are 'strongly principled'.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are
raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.

If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water
breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent,
endangering the life of your unborn child.

But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.