Tag Archives: Barack Obama

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The following are posts written by Delaware Liberal contributors reflecting on the Presidency of Barack Obama. Please feel free to add your thoughts about the last eight years and Obama as well.

jason330

The Obama family had too much class for this shitty mean-spirited country.  The Obamas and Bidens, they are of another time. When your one big problem with a man is that he has too much dignity, too much goodness in him…is that an indictment of the man or of yourself?

That I didn’t like Obama for much of his term was clearly a fault in my wiring, not his.  I said that he wasn’t a fighter.  I think I spent the Bush years getting too angry and allowing myself to be dragged down into the angry, petty shithole that Republicans imagine America to be.  Barrack Obama had a different perspective.  He saw how far we’d come as a country over the past 60 years, so he knew (knows?) how much farther we can still go.  He fought every day for a vision of a dignified America that Republicans seem to hate so much.

On this, his last day, I see that now.  The way out is up.  I hope America recovers from the madness that currently grips it.  If it does it has the example of Barack Obama thank.

El Somnambulo

The date was January 30, 2008.  Michelle Obama spoke before a packed house at the Grand Opera House.  I had been vaguely an Obama supporter, but up until then, I had been disappointed in his campaign. Then Michelle came to Delaware:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?203879-1/michelle-obama-speech-wilmington-de

Michelle starts about 10 minutes in.  It is every bit as inspiring now as it was then.

After she was done, nobody really wanted to leave the Grand.  I bumped into one of my kids’ teachers from school. She told me that it would only get better–that Barack was coming the next week. I said something like ‘To Delaware? No way’.  Little did I know that Lear Pfeiffer, elementary school teacher, was the mother of Dan Pfeiffer, who went on to have a huge role in the election and administration of Barack Obama. She knew.

And so it was that on a gorgeous Feb. 3, Barack Obama came to Rodney Square.  I’ll never forget that day.  BTW, this is only a snippet of his speech. I couldn’t find the whole thing in one place. If you can, please share.

As much as I remember the speech, him taking the stage to ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’, and the raw energy, I most remember how it inspired my kids.  Like everybody else, we sort-of wove through the streets of Wilmington, passing friends, classmates, people I hadn’t seen in 20 years or more, to eventually arrive at the entrance.  I was blown away by the grassroots brilliance of the campaign–each person who entered was given a postcard with the name and phone number of one registered Democratic voter. We were asked to make that one call, mention that we were at the rally, and ask if we could count on the voter supporting Barack.  My voter said ‘yes’.  We then turned the cards into the volunteers.  Something like 10,000 campaign calls within an hour or so.  That’s when I first got that shiver of excitement that he really could win.

My kids had brought their cameras, but my youngest couldn’t get high enough to take any pictures. No problem. Someone in the crowd (who was taller than us, which was not unusual) hoisted her on their shoulders and she was able to record the event.  I’ve been to scores of political rallies in my time, but nothing surpasses the palpable enthusiasm we all felt that day. Plus, talk about a sense of community!

My kids were only two of scores and scores of people who were galvanized into action by Barack Obama.  While his presidency had its challenges, that commitment to community action that he created continues unabated. I see it in my kids’ involvement in issues ranging from LGBT rights to challenging gentrification.  I see it in their friends, and I see it in movements sweeping across the country.  And, yes, it has reinvigorated me and my wife when it comes to making our voices heard.

Barack Obama gave voice to that.  He demonstrated that ‘community organizers’ are to be celebrated and supported, not denigrated.  And you know what? He has helped to create a whole new generation of future community leaders.

Thank you, President Obama. Your legacy will not end with the conclusion of your term.  In fact, I think it’s just beginning.

Evey’s “The Lovesong of B. Hussein Obama”

“So let us go then, you and I…” Specifically, let us go on a literary and historical journey together. I know, I know, this first paragraph has waaaay less swear words than my typical lead, and I’m asking you to stop flinging upset fowl or raiding forts or breaking sweets for a minute, and view President Obama’s time in office as well as the last fuckery-filled election cycle through the lens of a major 20th century poet—a Brit no less—but trust me, it will be worth it and there will be plenty of swearing later.

“Like a patient etherized upon a table,” I was a 12th grader blessed with a teacher who was obsessed with making her students fall in love with T.S. Eliot by forcing us to read his poetry. You know, the typical commie liberal teacher trying to make us expand our horizons and appreciate the way that language can alter your brain, change your perceptions, and capture your soul if you’re brave enough to surrender to it. We read “The Wasteland,” which was a major downer and then “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock” which was a total mind-fuck. My English teacher was “quirky” to put it politely—like she had binge-watched Dead Poets Society for the last decade. She would get really close to my face and say “It does you no service to read a poem. You must FEEL it!!” Then she would twirl—yes twirl—away. Then, I didn’t connect with the poem, but now, we are all going to get a chance to personally connect with “Lovesong.”

“Do I dare? Time to turn back and descend the stair.” On November 9, 2016 not only did the United States descend the stair, but also in a single moment of despair, anger, and self-pity, we totally Prufrocked our country, our democracy, and our perhaps our lives. In high school, I didn’t understand why everyone pitied Prufrock. I hated him. I didn’t understand how a man could stand at the precipice of his own destiny and time and time again fucking blow it. How he could be so cowardly that he would purposefully and with intent destroy his own life. But on November 9, 2016, I finally understood “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock,” 18 years after we were introduced with a clarity I wish I could erase. You see the United States is Prufrock, and Obama, the poet who struggled to create a story of greatness for us all, but instead is forced to write a poem bereft with sorrow as we chose Prufrockian self-destruction.

“In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.” For eight years, I had been blessed with a president who was poised, dignified, smart, articulate, and compassionate, but I had fallen asleep. I was quick to complain and even quicker to criticize. I often lamented that the only thing of W’s that I wish Obama had, were his balls. I wanted him to be more confrontational. I wanted him to tell the Republicans to go fuck themselves. I wanted him to be the flag bearer for the progressive movement. I was aghast when he sought compromise. But I was wrong.

“The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes” clouded the reality of what was really there. For eight years I missed what was right in front of me. A man who challenged perceptions and changed hearts simply by being a man of honor and character when it would have been easier to be an asshole. I would have been. I missed a man standing before me who believed truly in democracy and coalition-building because I too was guilty of the very same rhetoric that inspired rage when the Republican Congress engaged in it. Obama never wavered. His was a story of quiet calm, and his vision for this nation was poetry.

“And indeed there will be time,”or so I thought. In his eight years, he didn’t take away guns to the ire of Democrats, but did give 30 million Americans more time on this planet by providing insurance. And I was too busy bitching to appreciate how revolutionary this was. I thought we’d have more time with another Democrat to make Obamacare even better. But I forgot to praise the fact that being a woman was no longer a pre-existing condition. Finally, my vagina was not a disability that disqualified me from being insured or automatically increased the price tag. There were no longer life-time caps so that children with childhood cancer could still receive benefits as teens and adults, because you know, sometimes grownups get sick even if they used all their sick days as babies. Students (takers) could stay healthier by staying on their parents’ policy.

“For I have known them all already, known them all”—all those amazing things that were possible with Obama (and Papa Joe). The United States finally codified that LGBT+ citizens who wanted to get married weren’t asking for “extra” rights, they just wanted equal rights. With Obama some of our soldiers finally got to come home. We captured and killed Osama Bin Laden. We saw some (awesome) states legalize weed. We saw a commitment to science. We saw a commitment to women. We enacted Dodd-Frank. We said bye Felicia to “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We stopped publicly praising torture. We expanded Pell Grants and spent money on education. We signed a new START treaty. We protected national parks. We pursued alternative energy. We talked about school nutrition and childhood obesity. We expanded stem cell research. We saw our economy recover—even if it wasn’t as fast as we wanted, it was still progress, and like my teacher would shout as she twirled away whimsically, “PROGRESS!!! That is what we must seek. NOT PERFECTION.”

So thanks Obama—but not in the shitty way people always say it. Genuinely—thank you for crafting our chance to stand on our own precipice of greatness only to realize we are all Profrocks, so of course we all just shit on your lovesong. Thank you for being the first memory my children will have of a president. Thank you for showing them what a leader could look like. Thank you for shattering another glass ceiling that we often ignore when it comes to people of color. Thank you for honoring your nation even when they did not honor you. Thank you for inviting conversation knowing it would lead to a fight. Thank you for rising above birther movements, and racists, and Sean fucking Hannity. And when my boys pretend to be president, I hope they are imagining being like you. When they think about how a president should conduct themselves, I hope they first think of Barack Hussein Obama who could “have been a pair of ragged claws” but chose instead a path of peace, grace, and humanity “till human voices w[o]ke us, and we drown[ed].”

nemski

I know this is the time I a suppose to reflect on the Obama presidency. But for me, it is the future he has left for us. Sure, we have the orange speed bump immediately in front of us, but we are in a better place to confront Trump than would have been say after Clinton or one of the Bushes. A good example of how we are already starting to organize and fight is the Women’s March tomorrow which my wife and I will be participating. And we have already seen politicians in DC have become emboldened, though in Delaware not so much. That said, we have seen in First State Eugene Young’s candidacy as well as the election of Matt Meyers. So there is some hope.

But for me personally, I see Obama’s presidency through my son’s eyes. Though my son is aware of George W. Bush’s presidency, it is Obama that has made the most impact on his consciousness. He has decided he wants to pursue a career in public service. For him to decide that he wants to serve the public good because of the example set by Obama makes me proud of both Obama and my son. There is hope.

Obama Drops the Mic at the Correspondents Dinner

One thing Obama could do when he is out of office is go on tour — he’s hilarious: “There’s one area where Donald’s experience could be invaluable, and that’s closing Guantanamo. Because Trump knows a thing or two about running waterfront properties into the ground.” The Shade is fierce with this one.

This is President Obama’s entire speech at the WH Correspondents’ Dinner, approx. 33 minutes and worth every one of them.

The Hateful Ten

Six Nine Ten governors have declared NO SYRIANS ALLOWED. Not because they are tending to their own needy and are thus unable provide food, clothing, or shelter for them. Or that their states are strained for space for even their own citizens. But because the refugees are Syrian and brown and how can they possibly know if any of them are terrorists??  You may have already read their remarks explaining why they steadfastly refuse to help victims of war, but if not I want you to read them all now:

Robert Bentley, Alabama: Stated he would “not place Alabamians at even the slightest possible risk of an attack on our people. Please continue to join me in praying for those who have suffered loss and those who will never allow freedom to fade at the hands of the terrorists.

Greg Abbot, Texas: Said to President Obama: “Neither you nor any federal official can guarantee that Syrian refugees will not be part of any terroristic activity. As such, opening our door to them irresponsibly exposes our fellow Americans to unacceptable peril.”

Mike Pence, Indiana: “[Indiana] has a long tradition of opening our arms and homes from around the world but, as governor, my first responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of all Hoosiers. Unless and until the state of Indiana receives assurances that proper security measures are in place, this policy will remain in full force and effect.”

Bobby Jindal, Louisiana: “I just signed an executive order instructing state agencies to take all available steps to stop the relocation of Syrian refugees to LA.”

Rick Snyder, Michigan: “Michigan is a welcoming state and we are proud of our rich history of immigration, but our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents.”

Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas: “This is not the right strategy for the United States to become a permanent place for relocation.”

Charlie Baker, Massachusetts: “No, I’m not interested in accepting refugees from Syria…My view on this is the safety and security of the people of the Commonwealth of Mass[achusetts] is my highest priority.”

Pence and Snyder seem to be suffering from some sort of multiple personality disorder. Both of their statements reduce to “We’re proud of our history of welcoming those in need.” followed by “We aren’t welcoming those in need.” Up until Monday, Michigan was actively working to attract Syrian refugees but Snyder shut that right down.

Governor Abbot feels it is irresponsible to open our doors to Syrian refugees because President Obama is not clairvoyant and is unable to foresee future terrorist acts on US soil and who will be committing them. Pop quiz. Name the ethnicities and religions of the perpetrators who committed the overwhelming majority of the terrorist acts on US soil in the last decade?

Baker seems to not have closed the door entirely. But he’s a Republican, so he has to at least appear to have shut the door and hope no one notices he left it unlocked.

Then there’s Bobby Jindal.

But my favorite quote comes from Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. “This is not the right strategy for the United States to become a permanent place for relocation.” That’s right. The US is NOT a place for permanent relocation. I apologize for using the following cliché: Someone really should have let the Native Americans know.

I understand the concern of allowing wave upon wave of refugees into any nation without a plan for how to house, feed, and care for them but the alternative here is to condemn them to death by leaving them stuck in the middle of a war-zone, one side of which who uses the slaughter of innocent men, women, and children as a measure of success. Possessing the means and ability to help people and refusing not to out of fear isn’t American. It’s cowardice.

It’s not just politicians either. On social media there’s relentless fear mongering regarding Paris, terrorists, and refugees. Blaming Muslim President Obama for aiding the terrorists and criticizing those visibly standing in solidarity with the French simultaneously welcoming refugees as if one precludes the other. Whining that we need a REAL leader to stand up for the American people. Perhaps most insultingly, demanding we keep all Syrian refugees out while at the same time expressing sympathetic and empathetic tendencies to all those whose lives have been destroyed by terrorism.  There are no prefixes needed there. Endorsing genocide and xenophobia is just pathetic.  Neither are traits that should be found in a leader.

As I was about to hit publish on this post, I read an article that says Ted Cruz is calling for admission of Christian refugees only into the US. No Muslims allowed. I literally can’t even.

I am not afraid to care too much. All humans should be humanitarians. All of us should strive to face the challenges we see our neighbors facing and give them a hand when they trip or fall along the way. We live in a big world, with billions of people, we’re separated by oceans, by valleys, by mountains, but what separates us from each other the most are our own prejudices and fears. How sad that it is not the tens of thousands of miles from coast to coast [that separate us] but rather our own ignorance and selfishness. -Christy Mannering

For all the disagreements I’ve had with President Obama over the last 7 years, I can say he is a leader and an adult and acting like both:

“We also have to remember that many of these refugees are the victims of terrorism themselves. That’s why they’re fleeing. Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values. Our nations can welcome refugees who are desperately seeking safety and ensure our own security. We can and must do both.”

“We don’t have religious tests to our compassion.” – President Barack Obama.

Uninspiring GOP candidates drive the party into statewide obscurity

Here’s my cartoon for Newsworks about this years uninspiring crop of candidates the Delaware GOP threw up on Election Night. State GOP chairman John Sigler laughably told my colleague Mark Eichmann, “We have a lot of work to do but we’ve accomplished an awful lot.” What exactly did they accomplish, and how long before they win back the trust of big donors in the party still miffed about Christine O’Donnell?

Read the rest of my column about Delaware’s election results here.

I was a busy cartoonist on election night. I drew cartoons live during Election Day for Digital First Media (owners of the Denver Post, Boulder Camera and a slew of newspapers across the country). If you’re interested, check out my blog post here about the experience. I drew 10 cartoons total on Election Night, including this one about Obama’s victory:

Here’s a cool video we put together on Election Night:

It’s Not a Flip-Flop If You Get It Right

Cross-posted from Newsworks

What is the definition of a flip-flopper?

It’s interesting to explore the origin of the term. Famed New York Times columnist William Safire wrote about a U.S. politician in the late 19th century who was refereed to as “the Florida flopper” by an opponent. Safire noted that the “fl” sound appearing twice is an indication of ridicule, which is why “flip-flop” rolls off politicians’ tongues so nicely.

Safire also noted that the doubling of the sound worked well in other two-word phrases used to disparage someone, including “wishy-washy” and “higgledy-piggledy”.

Ironically, those are all words I would have used to describe President Obama’s over-calculated and highly-political stand on Gay Marriage prior to this week. Obama, who once came out in support of gay marriage before deciding to run for the U.S. Senate, had let politics get in the way of his personal beliefs, even as society’s acceptance of same-sex unions has changed drastically.

Continue reading…

The ‘Lessons’ We Never Learned From 9/11

It’s hard to take the slogan “never forget” seriously when, as a country, we never learned the true lessons of 9/11 in the first place.

I know it probably makes you angry to read this. After all, it’s a solemn occasion, and as an American, I have a duty to cast aside everything, wrap myself in an American flag and blindly remember the terrible day our nation experienced 10 years ago.

But it makes me angry we are so willfully ignorant of the reasons behind an event that not only claimed 3,000 innocent victims, but due to our “War on Terror” has cost the lives of over 6,000 of our service people, as well as caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Wait, I need to be more politically correct… not civilian deaths, “collateral damage.”

Continue Reading on Newsworks.org >>>

A Low Point In American Politics

Today we have reached a low point in American politics. After a huge frenzy of a non-traversy, enabled by a lazy media, Barack Obama released the Holy Grail of birth certificates, the long form birth certificate. It proved what we’ve known all along, Obama was born in Hawai’i.

He also gave a press conference where he expressed puzzlement at the issue, but wanted to move on. He also said the controversy was the work of “carnival barkers.” My twitter stream is divided between people who think Obama’s move was madness or genius. What do you think?

The most nauseating thing is media coverage of Trump taking credit for “ending” the non-troversy and then demanding Obama’s college grades. We all know what’s next – RWNJs “proving” that the certificate is fake, saying he doesn’t deserve his Harvard degree and discussing whether Obama has had brain surgery. It never ends.

Tornoe’s Toon: Chris Christie – GOP Rock Star

Cross-posted at Punchline

When Barack Obama campaigned for Jon Corzine, New Jerseyans laughed at the president’s relative “star power” when upstart Republican Chris Christie won the election.

Those same folks have been silent about Christie’s endorsement for fellow moderate Republican Mike Castle, and his subsequent loss to Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell.

Chris Christie Mike Castle Christine O'Donnell

With Christie embarking on a month-long endorsement tour for the GOP heading into the mid-term election, it’ll be interesting to see how bright his GOP star shines after November.

—–

Follow Rob on Twitter @robtornoe.

Ask Dr. Liberal: Good Deal!

Dear Dr. Liberal,

Should I buy a used car from Barack Obama?  It is a 2005 Mazda Protege with 65,000 miles on it.  He is asking $3,000 for it.  What do you think?

Signed,
Car Shopping in DC

Dear Shopping,

Kelly Blue Book tells me that the car you describe is probably worth around $3,500.  So in the immortal words of Maya Angelou – oh hell yes.  Buy the car, but be sure to offer Barack Obama only $160 dollars for it.   When Barack Obama hems and haws at the $160 say that you were only kidding and would really only pay $60 for it.  When he says, “Okay $60 it is.”  Say, “Not so fast. I see a dent in the fender which is going to cost me $200 bucks to fix, so give me the car plus $140 and we’ll call it even.

When he hands over the $140 and the keys be sure to give him tons of attitude and act like you were thoroughly abused.

Yours truly,

Dr. Liberal

Allow Dr. Liberal to apply a poultice to your karmic sores.  Write to me in care of liberalgeek@delawareliberal.com.

The Doctor is out!

Obama Will Speak To Students On September 8th (Psst… I added a Visual)

At 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), September 8, 2009, President Barack Obama will deliver a national address to the students of America. (Please note that this is a change from the originally scheduled time.) During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.

Seems pretty benign to me, but, then again, I’m an Obama supporter so I’m biased.  That said, I’m all for anyone challenging “students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.”  I also support politicians speaking directly to students, instead of about them.  It’s for the kids, what about the children, and children are our future are the normal, meaningless phrases bandied about by adults to sway other adults into doing what they want.  These phrases usually have nothing to do with children… and the kids know it.

In the spirit of full disclosure, if George Bush was going to give a speech to students I would probably roll my eyes and make a joke about his habit to make up or mispronounce words.  Not very grown up of me, but true.  What I wouldn’t do is have a fit, threaten to pull my kids out of school, and scream brain-washing, socialist.  Welcome to the Right’s latest outrage.  (Anyone else having trouble keeping up with what outrages Republicans?  Seems being outraged is their normal state of being.)

Over at Fix Red Clay the outrage is thick on the ground.

Anonymous said… This is America not a third world country. Obama wants to be dictator.

Monica said… Let the brainwashing begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said… Why does he need to disrupt the school day with this unnecessary address? He’s got some ego.

Its for the Kids said… Red Clay should immediately post or phone message parents of their agenda for Tuesday so that parents can decide whether or not to leave the students for the program or pick them up.

And my personal favorite.  (Notice how Christina pretends not to have an agenda while pretending to be civil.)

Christina said… First of all, we all should agree to disagree and stop the insults.

We live in America; the land of the free. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. From what I have learned over looking through the comments on this blog and other blogs, the liberals are not going to change to conservatives and vice versa.

I am not a political person, and I usually base my opinions on politics as issues arise not as a liberal or conservative.

That being said, my children will not be watching Obama on Tuesday if Red Clay decides to show the speech.

I feel that Obama has been sneaky about this speech. I have not been able to find a real agenda about the speech, and I do not appreciate that I have not been informed on whether or not the school will be showing the speech.

I do agree with above that this has a ring of socialism to it.

And I would not compare Obama to the Pope.

If Obama needs to address my children, it will be with me present and with full knowledge of his agenda.

We cannot simply trust an individual with our children because he is the president. He needs to earn our trust, and he is not earning mine by putting us on the road to socialism.

On the road to socialism?  By giving a speech challenging kids to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning?  Luckily, there are a few level heads over at FRC.  But here’s my question:  What exactly do these socialist-fearing commenters think Obama is going to say in his speech?  At best, he may inspire some students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. (I really can’t say that sentence enough.  It could have been ripped straight out of the Republican handbook.)  At worst, kids will be bored.  Either way, I’m not seeing a new world order emerging.

When all’s said and done, I like John Cole’s idea… “If all the wingnuts are pulling their kids out of school because the President is going to speak for fifteen minutes, can we teach evolution the rest of the day?”

Obama_school_WEB

h/t Cassandra for the funny!

What Obama’s Reading on His Summer Vacation

ABC’s got the scoop:

1.  The Way Home by George Pelecanos

2.  Hot, Flat and Crowded by Tom Friedman

3.  Lush Life by Richard Price

4.  Plainsong by Kent Haruf

5.  John Adams by David McCullough

This means that El Somnambulo and Obama have at least one book in common. The Bibliophile Who Slumbers is currently reading Richard Price’s “Lush Life”, a fascinating character study masquerading as a police procedural from NYC’s Lower East Side. ‘Bulo also highly recommends “Clockers” by Price, which focuses on the low-level drug trade and the dances that take place between the dealers and the police. Price writes some of the sharpest dialogue around and, unlike the showy David Mamet, it enriches the story rather than calling attention to its author.

Gotta have some George Pelecanos for some crime-based escapist fiction as well.

‘Bulo’s not too pleased to see the perennially-serious but terminally wrong Thomas Friedman on the list, however. El Somnambulo would substitute “Fiasco” by Thomas Ricks, brilliant reporting on how Murphy’s Law controlled the War in Iraq, but Obama’s probably already read that one. And the John Adams bio just seems too (pre-bankrupt) Reader’s Digesterish for ‘bulo.

Still, by the end of his vacation, Obama will have read more books in his time at Martha’s Vineyard than El Somnambulo has read all year.

Which brings him to this question: What are you reading this summer, and what would you recommend to DL’s readers?

Obama’s Debut Speech

It’s hard to remember a time when we weren’t talking about Barack Obama. But it was only 5 short years ago that a not-yet Senator Barack Obama burst onto the scene with an amazing speech at the Democratic National Convention.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWynt87PaJ0[/youtube]