N. Korean Missile Reportedly In Place

North Korea positions rocket for April liftoff

North Korea uses poverty, myth to keep nation ready for war

It seems that some rules can be broken–even if they are self imposed rules.  I urge the president to refrain from further breaking of campaign promises.  We must keep in mind that the president is, after all, a politician.  However, his supporters will only tolerate so much.  Personally, I liked the former Senate majority leader, but he made a huge error and should have been cut off much sooner.  Tim Geithner, recently confirmed Treasury secretary, had similar tax problems but he passed because he was seen as the only one who can fix the current economic problem we face.  I’m sure someone else will be able to take Daschle’s place and solve our health care problems too.

Editorial - The Travails of Tom Daschle

Daschle Ends Bid for Post; Obama Concedes Mistake

Fulfilling his campaign promise, President Obama is trying to regain America’s moral high ground that was lost over the last eight years.  Besides being a violation of international law and several international treaties, the use of torture is often detrimental to prisoners of war who are in turn treated poorly in retaliation of said abuses.  During the Bush administration, America’s standing in the world suffered greatly whether it was the invasion of Iraq, Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, waterboarding, and so on.  Reversing policies of the previous administration, the Obama administration is now trying to mend bridges and rejoin the international community.

Obama says U.S. ‘will not torture’

Obama’s Gitmo orders prompt terror debate

Below is the transcript of Obama’s address taken from msnbc.com.
My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honest and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world… that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive… that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it.”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

-President Barack H. Obama, January 20, 2009

Caitlin Frost is a Journalist at Elixir Interactive. She received a 2008 Hearst Journalism Award from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and earned her journalism degree from the University of Oregon in 2007.

Change: the political platform touted by both presidential candidates on the 2008 campaign trail. With differing objectives, Barack Obama and John McCain promise dramatic shifts in government policies upon entering office, but the transformation that has already materialized is the remarkable increase in voter engagement — a social movement brought about by the Internet. The social web has been utilized by the candidates for spreading political news and philosophy, tracking voter interest, generating awareness and organizing communities. Voters also use the media tool to their advantage, voicing their opinions and creating political content on a national stage. The Internet has fostered a vocal, involved citizenry in the current election. Change isn’t on the horizon; it’s already risen.

Democrats More Active in Search
From gathering election news to watching political videos, the proportion of Americans accessing the Internet for content and information has dramatically increased since the 2004 race. 40 percent of all Americans received news and information about the primary campaigns from the web, according to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project developed in June. The study also found that younger voters and Democrats make more use of online media for political consumption and sharing.

Both politicians are highly invested in SEO as a mechanism for growth in their online strategies. AdGooRoo released a recent study analyzing the high stakes search campaigns of both candidates, finding that Obama-related sites receive more than five times the amount of traffic than McCain-related – 22 million versus 3.5 million visitors. Pro-Obama websites are 57 percent more popular than pro-McCain, but the Republican nominee receives 11 percent more traffic from websites not affiliated with his campaign. In terms of search marketing, the candidates employ similar levels of sophistication. McCain has a slight advantage in keyword selection, but Obama wins in targeting topical keywords, such as “lipstick” and “Paulson”. The Obama site clearly wins in natural search rankings: McCain is seen on Google’s front page for 67 keywords, while Obama ranks for 117.

Social Sites Build Voter Communities
Especially influential during the election has been social networking sites. The Pew survey found that two-thirds of Internet users under 30 have a social networking profile, half of which use these sites to gather or share information about the election. Social networks have streamed politically-related entertainment, data and interactive content throughout the web in massive quantities.

“New media offers candidates with an alternative or complement to their traditional media spending,” says Gary Drenik, President of BIGresearch. “By actually listening to potential voters and using all media, not just traditional, candidates can build an ad strategy that is more likely to influence votes.” The White House hopefuls have accessed the benefits of using alternative media forms, like social networks, to reach an audience often neglected in the presidential race. Presently on Facebook, Obama has about 2,250,000 supporters and McCain has 579,000; On Twitter, Obama has over 100,000 followers (a social site for which he himself, apparently, actively participates) and McCain has a little over 3,000.

Expanding outside the established networks, both candidates have created their own social forums for addressing current issues and fostering supporter interaction. Channeling the popularity of social sites, Obama hired Facebook founder Chris Hughes for his campaign team and developed My.BarackObama.com — an attractive, user-friendly network created by the stealthy digital team Blue State. The site is an instrument of organization for Obama; its 850,000+ members have already planned 50,000+ events with the help of the site’s innovative tools (not campaign officials) and contributed to his record-breaking $600 million in fund-raising. My.BarakObama.com is an excellent example of the power of social media to incite participation on and off the web. An iPhone application and in-game ads are also part of Obama’s interactive media repertoire.

McCain’s approach to social networking hasn’t been as successful. McCainSpace.com is also aimed at young voters, but hasn’t reached the level of user participation as Obama’s site. To step things up, in June WhereIsTheRed.com was launched — a blog following three college students as they travel the red states and broadcast the widespread appeal of the Republican Party. But the lagging presence of McCain in the social media sphere sends the message that he’s out-of-touch with the demographic and out-dated when it comes to technology.

Online Videos See Record Viewers
Video streaming has been a massively popular toy in the election/social media playground. On the official Obama site, video streaming increased 155 percent from July to August, according to Nielsen Online, reaching 1.3 million views. The site also saw a 173 percent increase in unique video viewers in the same time frame. The same metrics for the McCain site shows increases by merely 16 and 5 percent, respectively. Although Obama is leading on the video front, McCain did make strides in August by attracting more women viewers to his site, clearly due to his choice for running mate.

YouTube has been a major platform for user-generated spoofs and memorable campaign moments. The celebritized Obama effort “Yes We Can” and the “Obama Girl” music videos each drew 10 million views. And, of course, there is the content phenomenon that is Sarah Palin (and all her various interpretations). The Republican Vice Presidential candidate’s network news interviews and SNL skits permeate the web. More than half who watched the recent SNL satires featuring Tina Fey viewed the skits on the web, according to a Solutions Research Group survey, with 11.7 million views on YouTube alone. Without a doubt, content sites and political videos have mobilized the campaign effort. Hosted by YouTube are YouChoose’08 and VideoYourVote – election channels that measure candidate support by user participation. Not surprisingly, Obama-related content exceeds in the total number of views and subscribers.

Online Presence at the Polls
The pervasiveness of social media has been leveraged by both candidates to reach a widespread audience. The obvious winner of the web is Barack Obama. He took voter outreach to another level, reshaping the landscape of election campaigns by investing in social media programs that heightened Obama activism in the real world. But the race isn’t over just yet. As noted by Jon Gibs, vice president of media analytics for Nielsen Online: “The question that remains for both candidates is whether web visitors and online video viewers will translate into votes in the general election.”

Whatever the final result may be, it is evident that social media has emerged as a principal transmitter of citizen opinion and a space for political participation — an aid in bridging the gap between disconnected policy-makers and the American public. On November 4th, in the moments before the next president is elected, the Blogosphere will echo with silent anticipation, and the ultimate test for ROI in search and social media campaigns will be revealed.

Politics

Buck Says presents Obama Needs a Tip O?Neil posted at Buck Says.

U.S. Common Sense presents Blagojevich and Democrats on Collision Course posted at U.S. Common Sense. Before Obama takes office, he is already facing a problem in his own back yard. Blagojevich has named Burris to fill Obama’s vacant Senate seat, but the Senate Democrats are planning to block him. Who will win out?

Greg Laden presents The natural basis for gender inequality posted at Greg Laden’s Blog.

sensico presents Pictures: Obama Family in Hawaii « Sensico posted at Sensico.

Jon presents Over the Top Inauguration Hotel Packages posted at The DC Traveler – Washington DC travel & tourism information, saying, “Here’s a few of the over-the-top inauguration packages available in Washington, DC for the inauguration.”

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Celebratory Limerick posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of barack obama carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: barack obama carnival, blog carnival.

Another former Clintonite and former deputy attorney general Eric Holder received the nod to become the Obama attorney general.  It is worth noting that Holder will become the first African-American attorney general.  Holder is somewhat controversial as he was acting attorney general during the twilight of President Clinton’s term where many pardons were issued including the pardon of Marc Rich who fled prosecution for tax evasion and illegal oil deals.

Named as Condoleezza Rice’s successor in the State Department is former presidential candidate and tough Democratic primary opponent Senator Hillary Clinton.  Many questioned this pick as Obama and Clinton’s foreign policy viewpoints are dissimilar especially with regards to Iraq.  During the campaign, Obama proudly stated on many occasions that while an Illinois state senator he opposed the run up to the Iraq War in late 2002 and early 2003.  Senator Clinton, however, voted for military action in Iraq.  This does not surprise me as Obama has named Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals” as a favorite book many times.  The book takes a look at President Lincoln’s cabinet where he appointed political opponents to key posts.  Having advisors who are not complete “yes men”  and have a different view can be useful.  During the Cuban missile crisis, Kennedy listened to multiple viewpoints in how to confront Cuba and the Soviet Union and avoided a nuclear war.

The remaining members of the Obama National Security team include returning Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security, General Jim Jones as National Security Advisor, and foreign policy advisor Susan Rice as Ambassador to the U.N.  The Gates pick is expected as President-elect Obama inherits the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and needs someone who has been in the mix to help his new administration.  Unlike his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary Gates is less of an ideologue and therefore more open to working with a Democratic administration who will see the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 as per the US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement.  Earlier this month, Gates made clear of his willingness to pursue the Obama goals of bringing the war to a quicker end and closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention center.

Governor of a border state, Janet Napolitano is a logical choice to head the Department of Homeland Security as the important issue of illegal immigration, among other things, is on the docket for that department.  Retired Marine Corps General Jim Jones, a former NATO Supreme Commander and Marine commandant, will bring extensive military and security experience to the Obama White House.  Bringing further experience to the Obama cabinet is Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under Clinton, as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.  She will also be the first African-American woman to serve the position.

One of the most important cabinet posts will go to president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Timothy Geithner as the Secretary of Treasury.  Geithner has also been working closely with current Treasury Secretary Paulson on market problems and both believe the department needs more power to use experimental strategies to fix the economic problem.

While the president-elect campaigned under the banner of “change,” Obama still needs some experienced Washington insiders to pump up his administration.  The addition of governors, generals, and Republicans  has helped diversify his cabinet and bring differing points of view to the table.  How much “change” will America see?  Theres still plenty of time before January 20th.

Sources:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/clinton-flying-to-chicago-to-join-obama/?hp

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/12/03/gates_military_looking_at_quicker_iraq_withdrawal/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102811.html?hpid=topnews

How many times have we heard this question both during the election and since?  I will grant you that the question can seem pretty silly when we can see his picture almost everywhere we look.  Beyond the obvious, perhaps there is something to this that could bear a bit of analysis.

If we want to look at technical definitions, the answer is no.  Obama is not Black, he is bi-racial.  We almost never hear this on the news or in the general coverage he has received over the last couple of years.  He has a Caucasian mother and an African father.  He is bi-racial.

Ok, that’s the technical definition.   An historical definition can lead to a different result.  In the US, the “one drop rule” said that a person with any African blood would be considered Black.  By this definition, Obama is Black.  You would think that since this definition is a legacy of slavery and racism, it would have fallen from favor, but oddly enough many in the Black community embrace this definition.  I suppose the thinking is that it increases the number of people considered black and therefore political power.

Let’s look at a possible cultural definition.  With a White mother and a Nigerian father, Obama has no familial or historical ties to the US heritage of slavery.   That is a powerful uniting force among Blacks. When his father abandoned the family, the young Barack was raised by his White mother and White grandparents in a predominately White environment.  The inner-city experience was foreign to the teenage Barry Obama.  From a cultural standpoint, it can be said he is not Black because he didn’t share the Black experience.

There is of course a political definition.  This depends on who has something to gain from the definition.  These are too numerous to address in depth, but it has been obvious that some people want him to be considered Black and some who don’t.  I think we can safely ignore those who insist he a Muslim.

I suppose the President-elect should have something to say about this.  This brings us to his personal definition.  From his writing we know that he struggled with his identity in his youth.  We also know that as an adult he embraced his African heritage and through his choice of church, neighborhood, etc. sought to identify himself as a Black man.

If you have read this far, you are probably wondering why I haven’t used the term African-American.  To me this is a politically-correct term that obscures more than it enlightens.  Case in point, a Black American man was trying to introduce a dignitary from Africa.  He kept referring to the man as an African-American which he clearly wasn’t.  On the other hand, Obama literally is an African American.

With so much emotion associated with race and race relations in this country, I think it only makes sense to be as accurate as possible with racial identity.  Obama is bi-racial.  It would go a long way if we could simply leave those other issues behind and move on.  I don’t really expect this, but I can dream, can’t I?