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| The Defining and Historic 2008 US Presidential Elections of Barack Obama and the American People Connections: A Footnote to History
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies." (Those are the words of satirist and serial complainer Pietro Aretino, who annoyed the great and not so good of the 16th Century with a flurry of public correspondence to the editors of his age.)
An exchange of emails between President Barack Obama and me on the issue of Health Care Reform, 2009
July 29, 2009 Dear Mr. President: I highly appreciate your efforts to extend health care at reasonable cost to all American regardless of age, gender, and occupation. However, there is a poll which recently came out and about forty percent of those who already have a health insurance are not very supportive of your health care plan. This is basically due to the fact that in your health care plan, there is no clear information as to how this will be paid for down the road. Those 40 years old plus, who already have a health care plan suspect that they will be taxed in order to pay for your proposed health care plan. Please, clarify this issue for the sake of your worthwhile and needed health care plan for all American. Respectfully yours. Former School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University, and former IMF Senior Staff member
Washington DC. Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A reply from President Barack Obama: Monday August 10, 2009 Dear Naranhkiri Tith:
Thank you for taking the time to share your views. I appreciate hearing from you and value your input.
My Administration is working to address the serious challenges our Nation faces. Some say we are moving forward on too many issues too quickly, but given our unprecedented circumstances, swift, deliberate action is needed. I am committed to taking immediate steps that generate job creation and economic recovery, and I am determined to make investments that lay a new foundation for real and lasting progress.
To build this new foundation, I have called for health care reform--this year--that reduces costs, protects health care choices, and assures quality, affordable care for all Americans. I am committed to building a clean energy economy that creates millions of jobs, helps to achieve energy independence, and reduces pollution as we tackle the effects of global warming. To prepare our children to thrive in the global economy, we must guarantee every child a complete and competitive education. We need to secure our homeland against threats by preventing terrorist attacks while planning for and responding soundly to emergencies. We also have an obligation to rein in our budget deficit by cutting wasteful spending and ineffective programs. We can do all this, and change the way business is done in Washington, by building the most open, transparent, and accountable government in our history.
Ultimately, the only way to solve the problems of our time is to involve all Americans in shaping the policies that affect our lives. Thank you again for writing. I encourage you to explore www.WhiteHouse.gov, which is regularly updated and more interactive than ever before.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
To be a part of our agenda for change, join us at www.WhiteHouse.gov
President Barack the recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize (Congratulations Mr. President for this great honor of the 2009 Peace Prize that the Norwegian Nobel committee has bestowed you. We are all excited and humbled by this great decision. We wish you and your family good health and many thanks for helping, not only this nation but the whole world, to be a more decent place to live in. Mr. President, you are the right person, at the right time, and at the right place to rescue the world from potential major disaster. Please, also read President Obama' s letter to me and Michael Moree' s email, pasted just below. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. October 9, 2009) -------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement: The Norwegian Nobel Committee The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened. Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population. For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges." Oslo, October 9, 2009
Naranhkiri --
This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.
That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.
This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.
So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
From: "Michael Moore" <maillist@michaelmoore.com>
To: PatTithGlobal@att.net
Subject: Congratulations President Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize -- Now Please Earn it!
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:34:42 +0000 Congratulations President Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize -- Now Please Earn it! Friday, October 9th, 2009 Dear President Obama, How outstanding that you've been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements -- you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you've eliminated that useless term "The War on Terror," you've put an end to torture -- these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years. In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction. But... The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of our War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush's Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That's what a true man of peace would do. There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do -- capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TANKS AND TROOPS. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse. The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve -- just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free -- they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else's Humvee. You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don't, you'll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo. Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com P.S. Your opposition has spent the morning attacking you for bringing such good will to this country. Why do they hate America so much? I get the feeling that if you found the cure for cancer this afternoon they'd be denouncing you for destroying free enterprise because cancer centers would have to close. There are those who say you've done nothing yet to deserve this award. As far as I'm concerned, the very fact that you've offered to walk into the minefield of hate and try to undo the irreparable damage the last president did is not only appreciated by me and millions of others, it is also an act of true bravery. That's why you got the prize. The whole world is depending on the U.S. -- and you -- to literally save this planet. Let's not let them down.
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Main Reasons Why I Decided to Choose to Support Senator Barack Obama for the Candidate to the Presidency of the United States of America I strongly believe that Asian-Americans have a unique chance to be involved in the American political process by engaging themselves in the 2008 presidential election. This involvement can benefit a great deal, not only the American people, but also the rest of the world, and especially Asian-Americans. Barack Obama has a vision and a compassion for the all people in the world. He also has the intellectual brilliance and a strong moral grounding to guide this nation in the right direction in order to extricate this great country from the chaos that the Bush and Cheney administration had created. The United States of America can still provide the much needed moral and political leadership to move the world out of this great divide and chaos under the Bush/cheny/Neocons's control. These main reasons for my support of Senator Barack Obama/Joe Biden are spelled out in an essay posted below. I also posted this essay in Senator Barack Obama's web site, under the group name of 'Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama'. Just remember that if you don't vote, you cannot expect any favor, because, politically you do not exist. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. January 30, 2008.
Dear Asian-Americans and Pacific Islander Friends: Please, click the link pasted below, to see an important video on an interview by Christ Matthews of MSNBC of republican Congressman Michele Bachmann, from Minnesota in which she uttered the most ugly, incendiary, racist, and frightening words about those who are not white and not republicans, and she praised those who are supporting Mc Cain/Palin ticket, known as 'Joe-Six-Packs' or "Joe-the-Plumber,' who, unfortunately, still represent a sizable number in the Republican Party, now under the leadership of John McCain and Sarah Palin. This is why, the election of Senators Barak Obama and Joe Biden to the presidency and vice presidency of the United States of America, is absolutely a must, if this country and the world are to get out of the abyss in which it is now, thanks to the policies of Bush and Cheney disastrous regime under the NeoCons' control (Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearl) , during the past eight years, and will surely be during the next four years, if McCain is going to be elected the next president of the USA. (http://www.dccc.org/page/content/bachmannvideo1/) Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. Washington DC. October 19, 2008
Obama spurs reform hopes Written by Sebastian Strangio And Neth Pheaktra The Phnom Penh Post: Tuesday, 20 January 2009 (Comments: although, this article is addressing an important issue, has missed the main point on how Obama as president of the United States can impact positively the future of the Cambodian people's destiny. Cambodians should not expect that Obama will put Cambodia on his list of priority. However, the Cambodian people should be able to expect that Obama would be firmer, more sincere and open in his approach to fighting autocratic and corrupt regimes (such as the Vietnamese communist regime and Hun Sen's corrupt and repressive regime under Vietnam's firm control); because unlike G W. Bush, who gave his total support to Vietnam and Hun Sen (in order to contain China's rising power), Obama sincerely believes in promoting democracy and the respect for human rights, all over the world. It is in this context, that the Cambodian people should feel more encouraging about Mr. Obama as president of the United States of America. This noble sentiment which, will be the policy framework for the Obama's administration is well captured in today's inaugural address by President Barack H. Obama, when I proclaimed that: "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." (To read the rest of Obama's address, please see the whole Obama's inaugural address posted just below). However, the Cambodian people should not expect that America under Mr. Obama presidency to come and fight for them. However, they can reasonably expect that Mr. Obama will stand firm by them, if they are ready to, peacefully, carry out the burden of fighting against the dictatorship of Hun Sen and his CPP. This is not easy as Cambodians do not have really honest, courageous, and capable leaders to carry out this difficult task based on non-violence as the fundamental philosophy for this struggle for the survival of the Cambodian people and culture. At the same time, Cambodians should abandon the disastrous "culture of dependency", once and for all. They should only count on themsleves (not foreigners, as in the past) to fight for their freedom, honor, and dignity. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. January 20, 2009) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barack Obama's impending inauguration has stoked expectations of change in Cambodia, but analysts say familiar aims are likely to head the US agenda. Photo by: Eleanor Ainge Roy An American Obama supporter cheers news of his election at Phnom Penh's FCC during last November's presidential election. AS America's first black president-elect prepares to take office in Washington, DC, embassy sources and local analysts say US policy towards Cambodia will remain constant, despite local hopes that it will take on a more activist orientation. In a January 12 speech, US Charge d'Affairs Piper Campbell said the inauguration of Barack Obama would likely have little effect on US-Cambodia relations, saying that many of the issues that Cambodia faces - such as poverty and the weak rule of law - required stable, long-term solutions. She said Washington's aims were to see Cambodia become a country that is "domestically stable", where government is "democratic and just", and where "a healthy economy raises more people out of poverty and provides an opportunity for business". But like the American electorate, many of whom have projected their hopes of political change on Obama, some Cambodians hope the US will help push Cambodia's government in a more accountable direction. "Cambodian people believe that the United States of America will become a guarantor of security, peace and democratic development throughout the world," said Sourn Sereyratha of the US-based Cambodian Action Committee for Justice and Equity, in a Saturday letter to the president-elect. "We urge [you] to take all means to... defend Cambodian people against the extreme human rights abuses by its own leaders." Sam Rainsy Party Deputy Secretary General Mu Sochua was more sanguine, saying that US-Cambodia relations were unlikely to change radically, but that Obama's foreign policy team, headed by Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton, would usher in positive changes. "We don't want to have unrealistic expectations about the Obama team," she said, but added that a hoped-for increase in US aid and foreign investment would contribute to the development of the country's democracy and human rights. "If Obama understands that change starts with the promotion of human rights, I am confident [he] will realise this properly in Cambodia." Wayne Weightman of Democrats Abroad Cambodia, the local wing of the Democratic Party, said he could not comment on Obama's likely policy towards Cambodia, but said that the new president's investiture likely would lead to positive changes across the globe. "We think that the incoming administration's foreign policy will be a significant improvement on [the Bush administration]," he said. Political constraints There are limits, however, to how far the new administration will be able pressure Phnom Penh on human rights issues, given that it requires the Royal Government's cooperation on high-profile American initiatives in areas such as counter-terrorism and human trafficking. China's increasingly prominent investments in the Kingdom may also discourage Washington from taking a harder line on human rights, given Beijing rarely - if ever - attaches human rights clauses to its own aid and loan packages. Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said that he looked forward to a fruitful relationship with the new US administration, saying that "the US-Cambodian relationship had been improving a lot, and we hope that the trend will continue for the benefit of both countries". He added that the government hoped the US administration would "restore its image as a peacemaker and [establish] good relationships with the outside world". Chea Vannath, an independent analyst, said that Cambodia's stability - in contrast to the upheavals of the past - would continue to promote a cautious US policy towards Cambodia. "It doesn't matter who is in the White House," said Chea Vannath. "Cambodia is not Zimbabwe. Cambodia is not on the list of countries for which the US has any special attention." She added that American agencies such as USAID, which were not directly funded through the executive branch, would not come under the personal attention of the new president, whatever his intentions. "The world has so many troubles, and Cambodia looks quiet and stable from the White House's point of view. I don't see any change," she said. Obama will be sworn in as president tonight at midnight, Cambodian time. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Text of Obama's Inaugural Address By The Associated Press, AP Posted: 3 HOURS 2 MINUTES AGOcomments: 0PrintShareText SizeAAA(Jan. 20) - Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as prepared for delivery and released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. OBAMA: 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 forebears, 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, and 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 shortcuts 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 the 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 — and that 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 our 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 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 today, 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 — hard work and honesty, 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. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2009-01-20 12:09:47 ____________________________________________________________________________________
Please, click this link to watch President Obama's addreess to the nation and the world on his inauguration day, January 20, 2009, in Washington DC. This speech sets the policy framework and direction of his administration for the next four years. Let's hope that President Obama will succeed in attaining most if not all the monumental goals that he stated in this defining speech. My congratulations Obama on this historic and defining day in America and in the world! Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washiungton DC. Janaury 20, 2009) President Obama adddress at his inauguration on Capital Hill: Other TV reportings on the inauguration day:
A Thank-You-Note from President-Elect and Michelle Obama November 21, 2008
Please, click the link pasted below, to watch an amazing collection of Historic Photos of President-Elect Barack Obama since his childhood.
Please, click this link pasted below to listen to the first post-election interview given by President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, to CBS Steve Croft of "^) Minutes." In this interview elaborated the fundamental problems facing the American economy and society, and how he intends to fix them. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. November 17, 2008
From Barack Obama, the newly-elected president of the United States of America November 5, 2008 Naranhkiri --
I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.
We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- President-elect Barack Obama’s victory acceptance speech: The are my words to characterize that acceptance speech: historic, encompassing, defining, Forward-looking, hopeful, decent, elegant, eloquent, realistic, honest, moving and straightforward Please, click on the link, pasted below, to watch a video clip on the acceptance victory speech by President-elected Barack Obama, at Grand Park, in Chicago, on the night of November 4, 2008 http://news.aol.com/elections/article/obamas-victory-speech-in-chicago/238195?icid=100214839x1212830982x1200821627
Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama-as prepared for delivery Election Night Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 Chicago, Illinois If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America. It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America. I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead. I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure. To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done. But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory. I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there. There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand. What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people. Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too. And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope. For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin. And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can. At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can. When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can. When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can. She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can. A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can. America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. Yahoo News Room; November 4th, 2008
A thank-you-note from Senator Barack Obama for my recent contribution to his campaign finance, November 3, 2008 
Some deep thoughts that Senator Barack Obama should be considering regarding how to frame his foreign policy, should he become the next president of the United States of America. In 1990, “Foreign Policy” first analyzed “soft power.” Here, Joseph S. Nye, Jr., author of the original article, returns to correct notions that have since become associated with soft power. The concept, he asserts, is the power of “attraction,” as opposed to the power of “coercion” or “payment.” Soft power is not exclusively cultural power, yet exporting cultural goods that hold attraction for other countries can communicate values and influence those societies. Economic strength, on the other hand, is usually not soft power. Responding to an economic incentive or sanction is not the same as aligning politically with a cause that is admired or respected. Likewise, soft power is not necessarily humane: The soft-power activism of Gandhi and Martin Luther King revealed a triumphant humanity, but reviled leaders like Hitler and Stalin also relied on “twisting minds.” Nye analyzes the potential use of soft power for some of today’s most pressing issues, and suggests that the strategy has taken on a greater prominence during President Bush’s second term. Soft power alone will not resolve nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea, Nye admits, but it can convince other nations to isolate those countries. Soft power will also help win the war on terror, as extremist and moderate Muslims compete for the support of ordinary people, Military maneuvers in the Middle East can’t succeed without a soft-power policy that convinces Muslims to reject radical groups who encourage violence. For these reasons, “Soft power is more relevant than ever,” and Nye recommends that political leaders understand its nuances. – YaleGlobal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Think Again: Soft Power Joseph S. Nye Jr.
Foreign Policy, 1 March 2006
“Soft Power Is Cultural Power” Partly. Power is the ability to alter the behavior of others to get what you want. There are basically three ways to do that: coercion (sticks), payments (carrots), and attraction (soft power). British historian Niall Ferguson described soft power as “non-traditional forces such as cultural and commercial goods”—and then promptly dismissed it on the grounds that “it’s, well, soft.” Of course, the fact that a foreigner drinks Coca-Cola or wears a Michael Jordan T-shirt does not in itself mean that America has power over him. This view confuses resources with behavior. Whether power resources produce a favorable outcome depends upon the context. This reality is not unique to soft-power resources: Having a larger tank army may produce military victory if a battle is fought in the desert, but not if it is fought in swampy jungles such as Vietnam. A country’s soft power can come from three resources: its culture (in places where it is attractive to others), its political values (when it lives up to them at home and abroad), and its foreign policies (when they are seen as legitimate and having moral authority). Consider Iran. Western music and videos are anathema to the ruling mullahs, but attractive to many of the younger generation to whom they transmit ideas of freedom and choice. American culture produces soft power among some Iranians, but not others. “Economic Strength Is Soft Power" No. In a recent article on options for dealing with Iran, Peter Brookes of the Heritage Foundation refers to “soft power options such as economic sanctions.” But there is nothing soft about sanctions if you are on the receiving end. They are clearly intended to coerce and are thus a form of hard power. Economic strength can be converted into hard or soft power: You can coerce countries with sanctions or woo them with wealth. As Walter Russell Mead has argued, “economic power is sticky power; it seduces as much as it compels.” There’s no doubt that a successful economy is an important source of attraction. Sometimes in real-world situations, it is difficult to distinguish what part of an economic relationship is comprised of hard and soft power. European leaders describe other countries’ desire to accede to the European Union (EU) as a sign of Europe’s soft power. Turkey today is making changes in its human rights policies and domestic law to adjust to EU standards. How much of this change is driven by the economic inducement of market access, and how much by the attractiveness of Europe’s successful economic and political system? It’s clear that some Turks are replying more to the hard power of inducement, whereas others are attracted to the European model of human rights and economic freedom. “Soft Power Is More Humane Than Hard Power” Not necessarily. Because soft power has been hyped as an alternative to raw power politics, it is often embraced by ethically minded scholars and policymakers. But soft power is a description, not an ethical prescription. Like any form of power, it can be wielded for good or ill. Hitler, Stalin, and Mao, after all, possessed a great deal of soft power in the eyes of their acolytes. It is not necessarily better to twist minds than to twist arms. If I want to steal your money, I can threaten you with a gun, or I can swindle you with a get-rich-quick scheme in which you invest, or I can persuade you to hand over your estate as part of a spiritual journey. The third way is through soft power, but the result is still theft. Although soft power in the wrong hands can have horrible consequences, it can in some cases offer morally superior means to certain goals. Contrast the consequences of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.’s choice of soft power with Yasir Arafat’s choice of the gun. Gandhi and King were able to attract moderate majorities over time, and the consequences were impressive both in effectiveness and in ethical terms. Arafat’s strategy of hard power, by contrast, killed innocent Israelis and drove Israeli moderates into the arms of the hard right. "Hard power Can Be measured, and Soft Power Cannot" False. Washington Post columnist Jim Hoagland has complained that soft power, like globalization, is too “elastic” a concept to be useful. Like others, he fails to understand the difference between power resources and behavior. In fact, it’s quite possible to quantify sources of soft power. One can, for example, measure and compare the cultural, communications, and diplomatic resources that might produce soft power for a country. Public opinion polls can quantify changes in a country’s attractiveness over time. Nor is hard power as easy to quantify as Hoagland seems to believe. The apparent precision of the measurement of hard power resources is often spurious and might be called “the concrete fallacy”—the notion that the only important resources are those that can be dropped on your foot (or on a city). That’s a mistake. The United States had far more measurable military resources than North Vietnam, but it nonetheless lost the Vietnam War. Whether soft power produces behavior that we want will depend on the context and the skills with which the resources are converted into outcomes. “Europe Counts Too Much on Soft Power and the United States Too Much on Hard Power” True. Robert Kagan’s clever phrase that Americans are from Mars and Europeans are from Venus is an overstatement, but it contains a core of truth. Europe has successfully used the attraction of its successful political and economic integration to obtain outcomes it wants, and the United States has often acted as though its military preeminence can solve all problems. But it is a mistake to rely on hard or soft power alone. The ability to combine them effectively might be termed “smart power.” During the Cold War, the West used hard power to deter Soviet aggression, while it also used soft power to erode faith in Communism behind the iron curtain. That was smart power. To be smart today, Europe should invest more in its hard-power resources, and the United States should pay more attention to its soft power. “The Bush Administration Neglects America’s Soft Power” More true in the first term than the second. When Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was asked about soft power in 2003, he replied “I don’t know what it means.” The administration and the country paid a high price for that ignorance. Fortunately, in Bush’s second term, with Condoleezza Rice and Karen Hughes at the State Department and Rumsfeld’s reputation dented by the kind of failures the private sector would never tolerate, the second term team has shown an increased concern about America’s soft power. The president has stressed values in foreign policy and has increased the budget for public diplomacy. “Some Goals Can Only Be Achieved by Hard Power” No Doubt. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il’s penchant for Hollywood movies is unlikely to affect his decision on developing nuclear weapons. Hard power just might dissuade him, particularly if China agreed to economic sanctions. Nor will soft power be sufficient to stop the Iranian nuclear program, though the legitimacy of the administration’s current multilateral approach may help to recruit other countries to a coalition that isolates Iran. And soft power got nowhere in luring the Taliban away from al Qaeda in the 1990s. It took American military might to do that. But other goals, such as the promotion of democracy and human rights are better achieved by soft power. Coercive democratization has its limits—as the United States has (re)discovered in Iraq. “Military Resources Produce Only Hard Power” No. The mention of hard power immediately conjures up images of tanks, fighters, and missiles. But military prowess and competence can sometimes create soft power. Dictators such as Hitler and Stalin cultivated myths of invincibility and inevitability to structure expectations and attract others to join their cause. As Osama bin Laden has said, people are attracted to a strong horse rather than a weak horse. A well-run military can be a source of admiration. The impressive job of the U.S. military in providing humanitarian relief after the Indian Ocean tsunami and the South Asian earthquake in 2005 helped restore the attractiveness of the United States. Military-to-military cooperation and training programs, for example, can establish transnational networks that enhance a country’s soft power. Of course, misuse of military resources can also undercut soft power. The Soviets had a great deal of soft power in the years after World War II, but they destroyed it by the way they used their hard power against Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Brutality and indifference to just war principles of discrimination and proportionality can also destroy legitimacy. The efficiency of the initial U.S. military invasion of Iraq in 2003 created admiration in the eyes of some foreigners, but that soft power was undercut by the subsequent inefficiency of the occupation and the scenes of mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. “Soft Power Is Difficult to Use.” Partly true. Governments can control and change foreign policies. They can spend money on public diplomacy, broadcasting, and exchange programs. They can promote, but not control popular culture. In that sense, one of the key resources that produce soft power is largely independent of government control. That is why the Council on Foreign Relations recently suggested the formation of a Corporation for Public Diplomacy—modeled on the U.S. Corporation for Public Broadcasting—to engage wider participation among private groups and individuals (who are often unwilling to be part of official government productions). “Soft Power Is Irrelevant to the Current Terrorist Threat” False. There is a small likelihood that the West will ever attract such people as Mohammed Atta or Osama bin Laden. We need hard power to deal with people like them. But the current terrorist threat is not Samuel Huntington’s clash of civilizations. It is a civil war within Islam between a majority of moderates and a small minority who want to coerce others into an extremist and oversimplified version of their religion. The United States cannot win unless the moderates win. We cannot win unless the number of people the extremists are recruiting is lower than the number we are killing and deterring. Rumsfeld himself asked in a 2003 memo: “Are we capturing, killing, or deterring and dissuading more terrorists every day than the madrasas and the radical clerics are recruiting, training, and deploying against us?” That equation will be very hard to balance without a strategy to win hearts and minds. Soft power is more relevant than ever.
Joseph S. Nye Jr. is distinguished service professor at Harvard University and author, most recently, of “The Power Game: A Washington Novel” (New York: PublicAffairs, 2004).
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Barack Obama; the Personal Connection Our special and historic relationship with Senator Barack Obama's father during our university days: as preceived by some of his friends
Barak Obama (center) and friends at a party given by Arnie and Suzie Nachmanoff, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the early 1960's From left to right: Arnie Nachmanoff, (Former Under Secretary of the Treasury, and host), Suzie Nachmanoff (host), Barak Obama (Kenya), Bob Ruenitz (Fromer Senior State Department official, USA), and Dorothy (USA) 
Barak Obama and his friends at a party hosted by Arnie and Suzie Nachmanoff, in the early 1960's, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Lower Photo; Taken in Hawaii in 1961 at Arnie and Suzie Nachmanoff's house (Pearl Harbor): from left to right: Kiri Tith (then Cambodia), Kitaichi (Japan), Marda (USA), Ichiro (Japan), Suzie Nachmanoff (Host, USA), Dave (USA), Kunio (Japan), Bob (USA), Rajapakse (Sri Lanka), Barak Obama senior (Kenya), Anne (USA)
Some testimonies by some old friends on Barak Obama when we were in Honolulu, Hawaii
Remembering my friend Barak Obama I met Barak, for the first time in the courses in economics that we took together at the University of Hawaii, in the early 1960’s. It was not difficult to spot Barak, as he was a rare African student on the Campus at the University of Hawaii, in Manoa Valley, Honolulu. His easy-going manner, especially his infectious smile, and his proud bearing struck me the most. He was always very inquisitive and active in class discussions and after classes as well. Although he was not an East-West Center grantee, he was always with us, especially at a Guest House owned and operated by the Asia foundation, situated on the top of road leading to Manoa valley. Atherton House was a place where most East-West Center grantees gathered for a drink or a chat. Barak and I were a part of a small group of foreign students who participated in group discussions in various places (Churches, sinagogues, junior colleges) around the campus and in town. Those discussions centered on the role and impact of former Soviet Union and China had in the developing countries. Barak, was more hopeful than I was about the role and the influence of these two major Communist countries in the developing nations in the world, because I had the opportunity to study in Europe, and in France, especially, I was more aware of the nature of communism than Barak was. In these debates, Barak was always very eloquent, and enthusiastic. We often were not on the same side, when discussing Communism in the developing countries. In our disagreement, Barak was always very gracious and fair. He was a very good listener which helped a great deal in making those discussions more constructive and pleasant Finally, by chance when I was a staff member of the IMF, one day, a colleague of mine who led an IMF mission to Kenya in the early 1980's, told me that he had met a government official named Barak Obama who said he was a classmate of mine in Hawaii. I knew it was the same Barak who was my classmate at the University of Hawaii. Needless to say that I was very happy to finally be able to be in contact again with Barak, after more than ten year of silence. My IMF colleague had given me Barak’s telephone number and I immediately called him in Nairobi. We had a long conversation and we were able to talk to each other a few more times until one day, when I called him and his secretary told me over the phone that he had passed away of an accident. I was shocked and sad to hear the bad news. That was the time I had talked to Barak, in the early 1980’s. Barak was indeed a very special human being, with a lot of dignity and character. He was a very engaging, gracious, warm, and smart person. That is how I remember my friend Barak Obama. Washington DC. January 2006 Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D.
Lois Dougan and Dan Tretiak wrote:
Beijing, PRC, At 02:09 AM 06/11/2008 Hi all,
I am writing because I reckon that, as the world salutes this new special President Obama, you and I are smiling with a feeling of special connectedness with him. We all converged on Honolulu a month after he was born there (no, not in a manger!) and knew—well or in passing—his father, though most of us then had no idea there was a baby. I wanted to write to all of you simply to say how thrilling a moment this is and how for us it's not Chicago or Jakarta that the new President brings to mind but Honolulu, where—for all of us in this email—so much began.
I'm sure we are all thinking about people we wish were here: my sister Nita and I think especially of Daddy, two uncles and an old family friend who would so much enjoy this election. All of us in this email will think of departed friends such as Ojha, Teramura, Kitaichi, Salome Kim, and Lorraine Yuan who would deeply appreciate this moment.
Dan and I in Beijing have managed to stay on top of this endless campaign (though obviously we didn't have the full array of info that those of you in the US did)—and, thanks to CNN, we were caught up in Election Night results, though for us they came on Wednesday morning.
Before long, we'll be as hard-headed and steely-eyed in our judgment of President Obama as we've been of all US presidents but, for this moment, let's toast him and America and Barack the Elder—and that bit of Honolulu that resides in all of us.
All the best,
Lois
Barack Obama: the Mainstream American Connection Celebration at Pat and Kiri Tith's home with our best friends to watch this historic 2008 US Presidential election developments and finally the triumph of Barack Obama on the night of November 4, 2008. You are invited to watch Corinne's photo album of that: Election Night 2008; produced by our niece Corinne Damlamian (To see more photos, please, click on the title Election Night 2008.  
From left to righ:(1) facing the camera; Patricia Chabrier (Former Chief Interpreter, IMF), Peggy Breer, Paul Chabrier (Former Director, IMF Middle East Department), Bill Breer (former high official, US State Department), Pat Tith, Hal Flemming (former Director of USAID in Ivory Coast, Morroco), Kiri Tith; (2) from the back; Robin Barrington (Former high official, US State Department), Sandy Roy, Stape Roy (Former US Ambassador to China, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand), and Arlene Flemming (Official World Bank and US State Department).
Please, click on the link posted below to listen to a seminal and historic speech by Senator Barack Obama on Race raltions in America that he made in Philadelhia, on Tuesday March 18, 2008. This speech profoundly defines his philosophy and his persona as a public and private person. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7302938.stm)
Barack Obama; and the Asian-American Connection A Appeal to Asian-Americans: An Appeal to all Cambodian-Americans and to other Americans as well, to join us, Cambodian-Americans, in our efforts to support Senator Barack Obama in his quest for the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. Please, vote for Senator Barack Obama on February 5, 2008 for his nomination as the democratic candidate for the presidency of the USA,; then, next November, for the presidency of the USA against the republ;ican nominee. Please, take a look at the instructions posted below on how to join our group in this unique and historic event in American history.
==== Please forward the message below to others ======== Dear family members, fellow Cambodian-Americans, and Friends: We are appealing to you for your support of Senator Barack Obama in his quest for Presidency of the United States in this 2008 election. We urge you to use your political right as U.S. citizens, to cast your votes for Senator Obama at the primary election or caucuses in your respective states where you are now residing, and to also do again during the General Election in November 4th, 2008 if wins the democratic presidential nomination. We have created a group named Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama (CABO) on BarackObama.com site in order to have our voice heard and be recognized as a group of concerned citizens (i.e. Cambodian-Americans) who care about the future of this country, and the rest of world peace, including Cambodia. We sincerely believe that Senator Obama with his clear vision of the world, can provide at this crucial juncture of world history, the badly needed new leadership to take America in the right direction and restore the credibility, prosperity and compassion to the deteriorating environment that this country and the world are now facing. We can also affect positive change in the world by earning the respect, trust, and cooperation from other nations through a more comprehensive and balanced foreign policy that we believe only Barack Obama would be able to provide and implement. Senator Obama is the first generation American-born African-American with various and solid experiences that would enable him to become President the United States of America at this delicate and dangerous moment of world hsitory . Furthermore, he is an individual of high caliber with high moral principles , open-mindedness, fairness, and compassion which are necessary to conceive, comprehend and address the many challenges and needs of the American people and those in the rest of the world. I am sure that you have already aware of Senator Obama's main positions on different main issues facing America and the world at large, by watching the multitude of presidential candidates' debates covered in multiple media. This is a concerted effort to support Senator Obama in the 2008 presidential election, so as, he often said, can bring real "change that we can believe" to this country. Furthermore, we believe that he would be able to influence America's foreign policy toward our beloved country of birth--Cambodia. Please make your financial contribution, however modest this may, to this campaign. But more importantly, we need your voting power to choose the best leader for this country in the 2008 election. Please, do Vote for Barack Obama. To join Cambodian-Americans group and support Barack Obama: Step 1. Click here to My.BarackObama.com to create a supporter account for Barack Obama. Step 2. Join Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama group. Step 3. Register to vote in the General Election (thru DMV, local Post Office, or via this site). For the rights to vote in the primary election in your state, please contact your local democratic party office for information. Step 4. Vote for Barack Obama in the primary election in your state when the time comes. Check the dates at http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/path.presidency/ . Most states vote on Feb 5th, the "Super Tuesday". The final candidate is most likely be determined at this point. Step 5. Vote for Barack Obama in the General Election on November 4th, 2008. (If he wins the democratic presidential candidacy). Note: Our group strategy is to be one of the 10-top largest group in the site and be recognized as Cambodian-Americans supporters. Please join the group.Thanks. To donate money to this campaign in association with the Cambodian-Americans group: Step 1. Find and click to Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama group page. (You will see our group fundraising thermometer). Step 2. Click the "Donate" button right below our group thermometer--not the "Donate Now" button you'd see elsewhere. (Make sure you see the sentence: "This contribution will be credited to Cambodian-American Group Fundraising Goal"). Step 3. Follow the donation process to complete the task. Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama group.
The Asian-American team in Philadelphia for Barack Obama at recent appearance of Senator Barack Obama in the city of brotherly love. March, 2008 
 
Obama at a public rally in Philadelphia 2008
Cambodian-Americans for Barack Obama in Oregon Our dear friends Kal Man and his wife Seng Huon from Beaverton, Oregon have been very active in the Obama's field office in Beaverton, Oregon. Here are some of the photos testifying their constant and hard work on behalf of Barack Obama in Oregon. These pictures speak louder than words of how Cambodian-Americans, like those in Phyladelpha, have the courage and the commitment to choose to have the honor of paying back to America what they have been receiving from this generous and great cointry, as refugees from the scourge of the Pol Pot and Vietnamese/Hun Sen oppression and genocide. Thank you with all my heart for what you have done in this unique political, (the residentital election in 2008), event in the American history. Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. Washington DC. April 25, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Barack Obama addressing the large crowd at a recent public appearance in Portland, Oregon, March 2008
 Kal Man and his wife Seng Huon, at the Obama's headquarter in Beaverton, Oregon, April, 2008
 Kal Man working with a colleague at the registration of voters in Beaverton field office, Oregon
Senghuon with her colleagues at the computer desk helping to register new voters in Oregon
Kal Man and Seng Huon with their friends and colleagues at the field office of Barack Obama in Beaverton, Oregon, April, 2008
Senghuon and author/historian Max (Matthew Maxwell Taylor) Kennedy and a son of robert F. Kennedy Max Kennedy Bio Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy (born January 11, 1965), also known as Max Kennedy, is an American author. He was born in New York, New York. He is the ninth child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy. Maxwell Kennedy was baptized by Monsignor William McCormack in Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral, in front of a crowd of 200 people. He is named after General Maxwell Taylor, who was then in Saigon serving as the American Ambassador to VietNam, and did not attend the baptism.[1] General Taylor was a WWII hero who commanded the 101st Airborne Division, and developed the deterrence policy known as flexible response.[2] He graduated with honors from Harvard University and majored in American history. He married Victoria Anne Strauss[3] (born February 10, 1964)[4] on July 13, 1991 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both he and his wife graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992. They have three children: Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, Jr., born September 18, 1993, Caroline Summer Rose Kennedy, born December 29, 1994, and Noah Isabella Rose Kennedy, born July 9, 1998 in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
Max just completed Danger's Hour: The Story of the USS Bunker Hill and the Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her, which was released by Simon & Schuster on Veteran's Day (November 11, 2008).[5] The filmmaker Ken Burns said about Danger's Hour: "This is a riveting, thought-provoking, superbly written history that unfolds and surprises like a novel. What we are permitted to participate in is nothing short of hell: a glimpse into the most asymmetrical warfare we Americans have ever faced-the Kamikaze pilot." You can learn more about the book by visiting the Danger's Hour website. He is also writing, producing, and directing a documentary on the use of suicide as a weapon of war with Harvard documentary filmmaker Randolph Bell. His articles have appeared in DoubleTake Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, and Escape. He began his law career in July 1992 by serving for three years as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia. He co-founded the Urban Ecology Institute at Boston College, where he taught in the Biology and English Departments, to force change through community action and education. He believes the key to repairing our nations cities is to educate residents of all ages about their urban environment as a complex ecosystem. With that knowledge, as well as access to resources, people can meaningfully participate in building the neighborhoods that they want to live in. He feels that the key to understanding complex ecosystems is a strong science education. Since its founding, UEI has developed an array of programs that fall within its Education Division which engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based science learning, especially at the middle school and high school levels.[6] In response to the considerable ecological and economic challenges in the city of Boston, the Urban Ecology Institute studies the emerging field of urban ecology to help residents understand the natural resources in their communities and take action to protect them.[7]
Mr.Kennedy, an avid civil rights and environmental rights advocate spoke at the Loyola Marymount University Bellarmine Forum in 2006 about the importance of urban ecology. Kennedy claimed that the Jesuit colleges should be more involved in their local communities, and that scientists, educators and attorneys must work with middle and high school youth to improve science and civic education, and to protect and transform natural resources before they are lost forever.[8]
Mr. Kennedy is working with the Pearl Coalition to build a museum of remembrance and recognition of the greatest African American Slave escape in American History. Max Kennedy managed Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s re-election campaign in 2000, and has volunteered on a number of other campaigns, including the presidential campaigns of Edward M. Kennedy in 1980, Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry in 2004 and as a surrogate for Barack Obama in 2008. Max Kennedy briefly considered running for the house seat vacated by Democrat Joe Moakley in 2001[9], but he bowed out before declaring his candidacy. This exploratory period was covered covered by Boston[10] and New York media.[11] Kennedy campaigned for Senator Obama throughout 2008 at approximately 200 events in crucial swing states, including Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He campaigned across Texas from Austin to Dallas and Fort Worth through San Antonio.[12] Kennedy introduced Senator Obama at a dinner at Hickory Hill.[13] A nice video produced by the Obama campaign shows Max and his mother Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy campaigning in Southwest Virginia.
His wife Vicki was a Cabot Fellow and taught for several years as a Fellow at Harvard College. Vicki is now an educational consultant at Loyola Marymount. She is devoted to being a parent within a political family.[14]
He wrote the national best-selling book called Make Gentle the Life of This World : The Vision of Robert F. Kennedy and the Words That Inspired Him. Mr. Kennedy's father still looms large in his life.[15]
Mr. Kennedy has served as a Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, where he led human rights missions to Haiti, South Africa, and Kenya.
Max Kennedy is passionate about the relationship between the United States and Latin America. At Georgetown University, he concentrated on Latin-American history, and has made dozens of trips through Central and Latin America, and has spent time in nearly every country in South America. He has made close to a dozen trips to Colombia and Venezuela. He joined a Venezuelan mapping team to attempt to create the first detailed maps of the upper reaches of the Rio Caroni. He co-led in an expedition to locate the sunken French fleet of Admiral D`Estress in Las Aves Archipelago and participated in the subsequent filming of the BBC/Discovery Channel Documentary about the lost fleet. Max Kennedy helped to finance and produce two Venezuelan historical long featured films about Manuela Saenz in 2000 (Lover of Simon Bolivar and Coronel of the Venezuelan Independence Army) and Francisco de Miranda in 2005 (Leader of the Venezuelan Independence). His name appears on the credits of both films and other Venezuelan films to which he has contributed. Mr Kennedy has toured the Venezuelan Barrios, and was successfully involved in the fundraising of donations from the U.S. to the homeless children’s shelter run by Fundacion Atenea in Caracas. Mr Kennedy has had extensive meetings with the Leopoldo Lopez, Mayor of Chacao, one of the only elected opposition figures in Caracas, and with Henrique Capriles, Mayor of Baruta and now the opposition candidate for Governor of the State of Miranda. He has been a personal friend for more than 15 years of Maria Corina Machado, the head of SUMATE, a Venezuelan NGO that promotes clean elections and who has been indicted by the Government under several criminal charges for that reason. While studying law at the University of Virginia, Mr. Kennedy was elected President of the Student Legal Forum.
Senghuon and Congressman David Wu (D-Oregon) Congressman David Wu Biography Congressman David Wu (D-OR) was sworn in to a fifth term as a Member of the 110th Congress on January 3, 2007. Congressman Wu represents Oregon's First Congressional District, which stretches from Portland to the Oregon Coast, encompassing all of Washington, Yamhill, Columbia, and Clatsop counties, and part of Multnomah County. Congressman Wu's priorities include: improving our nation's public education system and making college more affordable; growing Oregon's economy by encouraging new business investment and supporting high tech research; improving our nation's healthcare system and the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and meeting our obligation to future generations by preserving Social Security and protecting our natural environment. In the House of Representatives, Congressman Wu serves on the Education and Labor Committee, which has sole jurisdiction over education policy. He serves on the Science Committee, which has jurisdiction over research and technology policy and NASA. He is Chair of the Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. Given Congressman Wu's knowledge and interest in international policy, he was asked to serve on a third committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee. The 110th Congress is the first Congress in which Congressman Wu will serve on this committee. Congressman David Wu has lived the American dream. In October of 1961, at six years of age, he moved with his family to the United States after President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order updating unfair immigration quotas. He was educated in public schools, earned a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University in 1977, attended Harvard Medical School, and received a law degree from Yale University in 1982. Congressman Wu's distinguished legal career included a clerkship with a Federal judge in Portland. In 1988, he co-founded the law firm of Cohen & Wu. For a decade, the firm successfully served the high technology industry and numerous small businesses across Northwest Oregon. Congressman Wu counts among his proudest accomplishments his work to help build scores of new businesses that have thrived and provided well-paying jobs for Oregonians. His fifteen years of experience in the Portland business and high technology communities make him uniquely qualified to represent the "Silicon Forest" district in Congress. Congressman Wu is the first and only Chinese-American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently is a member of the Executive Board for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and served as Chair from January 2001 to January 2004. Congressman Wu is also a member of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), a group of moderate Democrats in the House. Congressman Wu and his wife Michelle have two children: a ten-year-old son named Matthew and an eight-year-old daughter named Sarah.
Soft Power in Asia Executive Summary Introduction In their new report, Soft Power in Asia, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the East Asia Institute (EAI) provide an eye-opening look at how just months before China is set to take the world’s center stage during the 2008 Summer Olympics to showcase its many economic advances, it still ranks below the United States as a multifaceted power in the opinion of its Asian neighbors. The report, which is based on public opinion surveys in five East and Southeast Asian countries and the United States, reveals that perceptions of China’s “soft power” – the ability to wield influence by indirect, non-military means – generally trail those of the United States and Japan. These perceptions persist despite China’s strong economic relationships in Asia and around the world, and concerted efforts by Beijing to leverage the Olympic Games to bolster its public image. But, at the same time, sizeable majorities in all the countries surveyed agreed that hosting the Olympic Games will ultimately increase China’s prestige. The report also reveals that contrary to other polls taken since the U.S. invaded Iraq which reflected negative views of the United States, majorities of Asians in the surveyed countries still admire the U.S. on many fronts, including economic, diplomatic, cultural and educational. They also view the U.S. military presence in Asia as a stabilizing force, notably preventing an arms race between China and Japan. In an era in which Asia has turned swords into ploughshares (and silicon chips), public diplomacy and other forms of soft power are increasingly important. Another unexpected finding of the report focuses on the complex relationship between the U.S. and China, one of the most important bilateral relationships of the 21st century. American feelings towards China have deteriorated since similar surveys were taken by The Chicago Council in 2004 and 2006 and a significant number of those questioned expressed general unease about the future of the relationship. In contrast, Chinese perceptions of the United States have grown noticeably warmer compared to the 2006 survey and Chinese demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards U.S. influence in Asia. The Chicago Council and EAI conducted more than 6,000 interviews in China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the United States in January and February 2008, before the unrest in Tibet and the Sichuan earthquake placed a spotlight on events inside China. The survey asked between 40 and 60 questions in each country designed to gauge how citizens of these major Asian powers and the United States view each country’s popular culture, commercial prowess and brands, intellectual influence and appeal, universities, diplomatic reputations, different political systems, and more. The results were organized to produce indexes of the pillars of soft power: economic, cultural, human capital, diplomatic and political. The five indexes were averaged to produce an overall Soft Power Index. Change was measured on a few key questions that were also asked in a 2006 Chicago Council survey. Key Findings of the Report
Overall poorer than expected perceptions of China’s soft power indicate China has a long way to go to claim full recognition as a multifaceted power. • Majorities or pluralities in every country1 are at least “somewhat worried” that China could become a military threat to their country in the future. • China trails the United States in perceptions of its diplomatic, political, and human capital power in Asia, though perceptions are more positive in Southeast Asia than East Asia. China is also seen as less effective than the United States in promoting its policies to people in Asia by all surveyed publics. • On the question as to whether China builds trust and cooperation among Asian countries, it receives low ratings on a 0-10 scale from Americans (3.5), Japanese (4.6) and South Koreans (4.9), ranking China third or fourth among the group. • But when asked whether China will increase its prestige by hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics all countries surveyed --- U.S. (49%), China (86%), Japan (56%), South Korea (82%), Indonesia (65%) and Vietnam (85%) --- agree that it would. • On human rights and the rule of law, with the exception of Indonesians (6.8), China receives low ratings from Americans (2.7), Japanese (3.9), and South Koreans (4.5). U.S. influence in the region extends well beyond the policy realm, with the survey finding that it also informs the thinking of Asians on economic, cultural and even human capital matters. • The U.S. ranks at or near the top of every category in the Soft Power Index. • Pluralities or majorities in China (44%), Japan (47%), South Korea (42%) and Indonesia (58%) all agree that U.S. influence in Asia has increased over the last 10 years. Majorities in China, Japan, Vietnam and South Korea see U.S. influence in Asia as positive. • The United States is given the highest mean score for importance as a trade and investment partner by South Koreans (8.5 on a 0-10 scale), Japanese (8.0) and Vietnamese (8.0). Chinese give both the United States and the EU the same score (7.6), significantly ahead of Japan (6.7) and South Korea (6.8). Popular culture, one of the biggest U.S. exports, remains influential in Asia even amid signs of strong regional identity, the survey finds. Respondents give the influence of American movies, music, clothing and cuisine average ratings of 6.4 to 7.9, putting the U.S. first in the eyes of all countries except Vietnam and China (where it narrowly trails South Korea). Chinese views of the United States are much more positive than American feelings towards China, which have steadily declined since 2004. • Americans have very cool feelings toward China in both absolute and relative terms. On a 0-100 feeling scale, Americans give China a very low average rating of 35, down from 40 in 2006 and 44 in 2004. • Chinese give the United States an average rating of 61 on the 0-100 scale of feelings, which is significantly warmer than the rating of 51 which it received in 2006. Like Americans, Chinese people believe that economic relations (trade and investment) with the U.S. are extremely important to their country’s economy (7.6). • Americans do not think they share a way of life with the Chinese – 68% say they shared “no” or “little” values in common with Chinese, and 63% think it’s only “slightly” or “not at all important” for their children to study Chinese. • Forty-four percent of Chinese would pick the U.S. as first choice for their children’s higher education; 82% believed it is “very important” for their children to learn English in order to succeed in the future, and on a 0-10 scale they express across-the-board admiration for the quality of American science and technology (8.8), the appeal of its popular culture (7.5), the American entrepreneurial spirit (7.9), and a political system that serves the needs of its people (7.4). 1 The question was not asked in Vietnam
This is what I wrote in Senator barack Obama's web site entitled; 'Why Cambodian-Americans should be involved in the American Political Process' Location: Washington, DC
Why I support Barack Obama: I support Senator Barack Obama because I think he is the only candidate among all the presidential candidates, republicans or democrats who can and will offer real changes in all facets of life in America and in the world. Being a member of the academic community for over twenty years, teaching at a major university and working in a well-known international financial Institution known as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), I have a view, interest, and understanding of what world's peoples think and view of America, both good and bad. During the tenure of G. W. Bush/D. Cheney, I have seen America's image being tarnished almost beyond repair. I have seen our country becoming a country of lies, and deceits, without any accountability from those who have transgressed the laws of this great country, especially by Bush and Cheney. Another reason that I support Senator Obama is the fact that, unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, he does not use any means or any tricks to reach his personal or political end. I think Senator Obama is a much-needed unifying force at this juncture of the history of our country, and a man of great talent and dignity, along with an impeccable moral and intellectual integrity. Finally, I was privileged to have known and to be a classmate of his late father, in Hawaii, in the early 1960s. A group of friends of his father including myself, had sent a few photos and our reminiscences of him to Senator Barack Obama,, and he was very kind to have sent us a thank-you hand-written letter. (Please, see that letters and photos posted below). Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Former professor in International Economics, and Country risks Analysis, at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the Johns Hopkins University, and a former senior staff member of the IMF. Birth Date: July 2nd. Issues of my interest: equality / civil rights; civil liberties / privacy; peace & social justice; foreign policy / security; economic fairness / security; environment / conservation; good government / ethics; electoral reform; affordable health care; education Registered to Vote: Yes My favorite quote: Albert Einstein (1879-1955) (Nobel Laureate, Philosopher, Physicist, Mathematician, and Humanist) "Doing the same things over and over again, and expect different results is insanity"
Congratulations to all Cambodian-Americans and other Asian-Americans for their substantial contribution to Senator Barack Obama's victory in the race for the nomination as the democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. Please, enjoy this historic moment in the history of the USA and the world, as Senator Obama gave his inspiring and triumphant speech at the sport arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the evening of June 3, 2008, by clicking the link pasted below. Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. Washington DC. June 4, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7434753.stm.
Please, watch some of the most important ansd special moments in the Campaign of Senator Barack Obama for the US presidency in 2008 captured in video feeds. After the endorsement vote on Friday, we saw this video. It really says a lot about why people are moved by Obama. Please pass it on if it moves you, too. If everyone sends it to friends and family, it could become the top video on YouTube. Here's the link: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3372&id=12033-3166477-9dYCSw&t=589 Also, please, listen to a precautious Cambodian-American video message of support for Senator Barack Obama. He is a son of one of the founding members of the group named 'Cambodian-American for Barack Obama'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoOCMjCpxgo --------------------------------- Please, click the link posted below to see a web site of Asian-Americans for Barack Obama from Philadelphia, http://www.asianamericansforobama.com/ --------------------------------
Barack Obama’s public appearance at the waterfront in Portland Oregon May 19, 2008 This gathering by Senator Obama was judged by all media sources to be the largest crowd in any public political gathering in the American history. Higly recommended!!!!! Pleaase, click on the link posted below to see: (1) A Video feed from Obama web site http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/portlandrallyvideo (2) A Video feed from Senghuon Man http://www.kgw.com/video/video-index.html?nvid=246496&she=1 Obama Releases Comprehensive Plan for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Obama's "Blueprint" is the Most Comprehensive Proposal for AAPIs from a Presidential Candidate Chicago, IL– Senator Barack Obama today released his "Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders." The document identifies the issues affecting the AAPI community and describes Senator Obama's plans to address the issues and his record on addressing those issues. The Blueprint also is the most comprehensive planning document for the AAPI community from a presidential campaign. In the Blueprint, Senator Obama said "By reaching out directly to the AAPI communities, we can ensure that AAPIs are well represented in this national conversation about our future and the movement to write our destiny. The story of the AAPI communities is quintessential the American story about drawing strength from our diversity to achieve extraordinary things. I will be a president who remembers that our separate struggles are really one. I will never walk away from the tough battles or the difficult work of bringing people together." The Blueprint addresses a wide range of issues, including economic opportunity, education, immigration, health care, home ownership, seniors, women, civil rights, foreign policy, veterans and faith. "I urge you to read this blueprint so that you will be able to understand Senator Obama's long standing commitment to the AAPI community. His plans are exactly what we need to address the diverse needs of the AAPI community," stated Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The complete Blueprint is available at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiblueprint ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, October 9, 2008 |Contact: Obama Press Office, (312) 819-2423 Sid Salvi Obama Florida AAPI Vote Director (630) 815-5570 sidsalvi@gmail.com www.voteforchange.com http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aapihome Vote Early and Vote Democratic, Winnie Tang 305-753-8791 c Florida Co-chair, AAPI for Obama Member, Miami-Dade County Democratic Executive Committee Member, Florida Democratic Party - Affirmative Action Committee (2006-2008)
What He Overcame By Eugene Robinson Friday, June 6, 2008; Page A19 (Comments: This article by Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, clearly shows how much Senator Barack Obama has already brought America to a higher level of openness and more integrated society both in gender and race terms. This is not a miraculous achievement in view of the fact that he was an unknown quantity and a non-white American with a African-born (Kenya) father. This achievement is the more striking as he was fighting against an establishment and household name like the Clintons. Win or loose, Senator Barack Obama has already made history in this country and in the world. However, this does not mean that all the racial and gender prejudices will fade away overnight. On the contrary, Senator Obama will have a lot to do yet, before the necessary real changes will set in. First, let's hope that he will be elected to the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. And let's hope that he will be able to carry out all the necessary changes in order to bring this country to a higher moral, and material levels in order to become again the leader of the democratic world, which, in turn, will benefit the world at large. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. June 8, 2008) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There will be plenty of time to chart Barack Obama's attempt to navigate a course between the exigencies of the old politics and the promise of the new, between yesterday and tomorrow, youth and experience, black and white. For now, take a moment to consider the mind-bending improbability of what just happened. A young, black, first-term senator -- a man whose father was from Kenya, whose mother was from Kansas and whose name sounds as if it might have come from the roster of Guantanamo detainees -- has won a marathon of primaries and caucuses to become the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. To reach this point, he had to do more than outduel the party's most powerful and resourceful political machine. He also had to defy, and ultimately defeat, 389 years of history. It was in 1619 that the first Africans were brought in chains to these shores, landing in Jamestown. That first shipment of "servants" did not include any of Obama's ancestors; it's impossible to say whether some distant progenitor of his wife, Michelle, might have been present at that moment of original sin. Ever since -- through the War of Independence, the abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the great migration to Northern cities and the civil rights struggle -- race has been one of the great themes running through our nation's history. I'm old enough to remember when Americans with skin the color of mine and Obama's had to fight -- and die -- for the right to participate as equals in the life of the nation we helped build. Watching Obama give his speech Tuesday night marking the end of the primary season and the beginning of the general election campaign, I thought back to a time when brave men and women, both black and white, put their lives on the line to ensure that African Americans had the right to vote, let alone run for office -- a time when Democrats in my home state of South Carolina were Dixiecrats, and when the notion that the Democratic Party would someday nominate a black man for president was utterly unimaginable. Tiresome, isn't it? All this recounting of unpleasant history, I mean. Wouldn't it be great if we could all just move on? Bear with me, though, because this is how we get to the point where, as Obama's young supporters like to chant, "race doesn't matter." No one will be happier than I when we reach that promised land, and we've come so far that at times we can see it, just over the next hill. But we aren't there yet. This is a passage from an e-mail I received in April from an Obama volunteer in Pennsylvania: "We've been called 'N-lovers,' Obama's been called the 'Anti-Christ,' our signs have been burned in the streets during a parade, our volunteers have been harassed physically, or with racial slurs -- it's been unreal." Yet the amazing thing isn't that there were instances of overt, old-style racism during this campaign, it's that there were so few. The amazing thing is that so many Americans have been willing to accept -- or, indeed, reject -- Obama based on his qualifications and his ideas, not on his race. I'll never forget visiting Iowa in December and witnessing all-white crowds file into high school gymnasiums to take the measure of a black man -- and, ultimately, decide that he was someone who expressed their hopes and dreams. When historians and political scientists write books about this extraordinary campaign season, surely they will seek to assess what impact Obama's race had on his prospects. But they will also devote volumes to exploring how he put together a fundraising apparatus that generated undreamed-of amounts of cash, and how his organization drew so many new voters into the process, and how his young supporters made use of social-networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and how his delegate-counting team managed to consistently outthink and outhustle everyone else. It will be written that Obama's nomination victory owes as much to adroit management as it does to stirring inspiration. Will Americans take the final step and elect Obama as president? Should they? Is this first-term senator up to the job? We'll find out soon enough. At the moment, to tell the truth, I don't care. Whether Obama wins or loses, history has been made this year. Maybe there's more to come, maybe not; but already -- after 389 long years -- it's safe to say that this nation will never be the same. eugenerobinson@washpost.com
Obama Seizes Superdelegate Lead AOL Wire Services Posted: 2008-05-09 22:49:51 Filed Under: Elections News, Barack Obama WASHINGTON (May 9) -- Barack Obama outstripped rival Hillary Clinton in the count of superdelegates on Friday, the first time ever that the Illinois senator has done so in the protracted duel for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, U.S. media reported. The New York Times's tally shows Obama with 266 superdelegates --party leaders and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination -- against 263 for Clinton, a New York senator. ABC News and Politico.com also have him ahead, though a few other news organizations had him trailing Clinton by a slim margin. Little more than four months ago, on the eve of the primary season, she held a lead of 169-63. Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter, according to the Associated Press. In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the federal and Washington, D.C., governments. Obama, who won a convincing victory in the North Carolina primary and lost Indiana narrowly on Tuesday, has been steadily gaining strength in the days since. "I'm gratified that we've got some superdelegates who are coming our way. And I think we've got a strong case to make that I will be a nominee that can pull the party together and take on John McCain. Our focus has always been on the pledged delegates and just getting the American people to vote for us. And we think that ultimately that should be the strongest measure of who's the nominee," Obama told reporters in Woodburn, Ore. Clinton also gained a superdelegate. Check here to comment or read other Straw Poll voters' thoughts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an interview with National Public Radio, former candidate John Edwards said Clinton has made a compelling case for her candidacy, but "I think it's very hard for her now to make a compelling case for the math. I mean, I think that's the reality of what she's faced with. She knows that. ... It's just very hard to see how the math works." In addition to Payne, Reps. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, two members of the Democratic National Committee from California and a party official in South Carolina announced they were supporting Obama. Superdelegates from New Mexico and Virginia also joined the migration. So, too, John Gage, president of the AFGE. View All" Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign," he said in a statement. "The election is over, everybody knows that. Obama has won," said Vernon Watkins, one of the two Californians. "After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs," said Payne, who in a statement said that Clinton is a good friend and he still holds her in high regard. Payne is one of at least 10 superdelegates who have switched allegiances from Clinton to Obama. None have publicly switched the other way. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads with 1,859.5 delegates, to 1,697 for Clinton. Obama is just 165.5 delegates short of the 2,025 delegates needed to win it. Clinton's new supporter was Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa. His congressional district voted overwhelmingly for the former first lady in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Both Obama and Clinton have courted superdelegates in recent days in private meetings at party headquarters not far from the Capitol. Despite Watkins' assessment, Clinton has shown no signs she is ready to quit the race. She is heavily favored to win Tuesday's primary in West Virginia, and is in the midst of a two-day swing through several other states with upcoming elections. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2008-05-09 12:23:24
Soft Power in Asia Executive Summary Introduction In their new report, Soft Power in Asia, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the East Asia Institute (EAI) provide an eye-opening look at how just months before China is set to take the world’s center stage during the 2008 Summer Olympics to showcase its many economic advances, it still ranks below the United States as a multifaceted power in the opinion of its Asian neighbors. The report, which is based on public opinion surveys in five East and Southeast Asian countries and the United States, reveals that perceptions of China’s “soft power” – the ability to wield influence by indirect, non-military means – generally trail those of the United States and Japan. These perceptions persist despite China’s strong economic relationships in Asia and around the world, and concerted efforts by Beijing to leverage the Olympic Games to bolster its public image. But, at the same time, sizeable majorities in all the countries surveyed agreed that hosting the Olympic Games will ultimately increase China’s prestige. The report also reveals that contrary to other polls taken since the U.S. invaded Iraq which reflected negative views of the United States, majorities of Asians in the surveyed countries still admire the U.S. on many fronts, including economic, diplomatic, cultural and educational. They also view the U.S. military presence in Asia as a stabilizing force, notably preventing an arms race between China and Japan. In an era in which Asia has turned swords into ploughshares (and silicon chips), public diplomacy and other forms of soft power are increasingly important. Another unexpected finding of the report focuses on the complex relationship between the U.S. and China, one of the most important bilateral relationships of the 21st century. American feelings towards China have deteriorated since similar surveys were taken by The Chicago Council in 2004 and 2006 and a significant number of those questioned expressed general unease about the future of the relationship. In contrast, Chinese perceptions of the United States have grown noticeably warmer compared to the 2006 survey and Chinese demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards U.S. influence in Asia. The Chicago Council and EAI conducted more than 6,000 interviews in China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the United States in January and February 2008, before the unrest in Tibet and the Sichuan earthquake placed a spotlight on events inside China. The survey asked between 40 and 60 questions in each country designed to gauge how citizens of these major Asian powers and the United States view each country’s popular culture, commercial prowess and brands, intellectual influence and appeal, universities, diplomatic reputations, different political systems, and more. The results were organized to produce indexes of the pillars of soft power: economic, cultural, human capital, diplomatic and political. The five indexes were averaged to produce an overall Soft Power Index. Change was measured on a few key questions that were also asked in a 2006 Chicago Council survey. Key Findings of the Report
Overall poorer than expected perceptions of China’s soft power indicate China has a long way to go to claim full recognition as a multifaceted power. • Majorities or pluralities in every country1 are at least “somewhat worried” that China could become a military threat to their country in the future. • China trails the United States in perceptions of its diplomatic, political, and human capital power in Asia, though perceptions are more positive in Southeast Asia than East Asia. China is also seen as less effective than the United States in promoting its policies to people in Asia by all surveyed publics. • On the question as to whether China builds trust and cooperation among Asian countries, it receives low ratings on a 0-10 scale from Americans (3.5), Japanese (4.6) and South Koreans (4.9), ranking China third or fourth among the group. • But when asked whether China will increase its prestige by hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics all countries surveyed --- U.S. (49%), China (86%), Japan (56%), South Korea (82%), Indonesia (65%) and Vietnam (85%) --- agree that it would. • On human rights and the rule of law, with the exception of Indonesians (6.8), China receives low ratings from Americans (2.7), Japanese (3.9), and South Koreans (4.5). U.S. influence in the region extends well beyond the policy realm, with the survey finding that it also informs the thinking of Asians on economic, cultural and even human capital matters. • The U.S. ranks at or near the top of every category in the Soft Power Index. • Pluralities or majorities in China (44%), Japan (47%), South Korea (42%) and Indonesia (58%) all agree that U.S. influence in Asia has increased over the last 10 years. Majorities in China, Japan, Vietnam and South Korea see U.S. influence in Asia as positive. • The United States is given the highest mean score for importance as a trade and investment partner by South Koreans (8.5 on a 0-10 scale), Japanese (8.0) and Vietnamese (8.0). Chinese give both the United States and the EU the same score (7.6), significantly ahead of Japan (6.7) and South Korea (6.8). Popular culture, one of the biggest U.S. exports, remains influential in Asia even amid signs of strong regional identity, the survey finds. Respondents give the influence of American movies, music, clothing and cuisine average ratings of 6.4 to 7.9, putting the U.S. first in the eyes of all countries except Vietnam and China (where it narrowly trails South Korea). Chinese views of the United States are much more positive than American feelings towards China, which have steadily declined since 2004. • Americans have very cool feelings toward China in both absolute and relative terms. On a 0-100 feeling scale, Americans give China a very low average rating of 35, down from 40 in 2006 and 44 in 2004. • Chinese give the United States an average rating of 61 on the 0-100 scale of feelings, which is significantly warmer than the rating of 51 which it received in 2006. Like Americans, Chinese people believe that economic relations (trade and investment) with the U.S. are extremely important to their country’s economy (7.6). • Americans do not think they share a way of life with the Chinese – 68% say they shared “no” or “little” values in common with Chinese, and 63% think it’s only “slightly” or “not at all important” for their children to study Chinese. • Forty-four percent of Chinese would pick the U.S. as first choice for their children’s higher education; 82% believed it is “very important” for their children to learn English in order to succeed in the future, and on a 0-10 scale they express across-the-board admiration for the quality of American science and technology (8.8), the appeal of its popular culture (7.5), the American entrepreneurial spirit (7.9), and a political system that serves the needs of its people (7.4). 1 The question was not asked in Vietnam
This is what I wrote in Senator barack Obama's web site entitled; 'Why Cambodian-Americans should be involved in the American Political Process' Location: Washington, DC
Why I support Barack Obama: I support Senator Barack Obama because I think he is the only candidate among all the presidential candidates, republicans or democrats who can and will offer real changes in all facets of life in America and in the world. Being a member of the academic community for over twenty years, teaching at a major university and working in a well-known international financial Institution known as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), I have a view, interest, and understanding of what world's peoples think and view of America, both good and bad. During the tenure of G. W. Bush/D. Cheney, I have seen America's image being tarnished almost beyond repair. I have seen our country becoming a country of lies, and deceits, without any accountability from those who have transgressed the laws of this great country, especially by Bush and Cheney. Another reason that I support Senator Obama is the fact that, unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, he does not use any means or any tricks to reach his personal or political end. I think Senator Obama is a much-needed unifying force at this juncture of the history of our country, and a man of great talent and dignity, along with an impeccable moral and intellectual integrity. Finally, I was privileged to have known and to be a classmate of his late father, in Hawaii, in the early 1960s. A group of friends of his father including myself, had sent a few photos and our reminiscences of him to Senator Barack Obama,, and he was very kind to have sent us a thank-you hand-written letter. (Please, see that letters and photos posted below). Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Former professor in International Economics, and Country risks Analysis, at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the Johns Hopkins University, and a former senior staff member of the IMF. Birth Date: July 2nd. Issues of my interest: equality / civil rights; civil liberties / privacy; peace & social justice; foreign policy / security; economic fairness / security; environment / conservation; good government / ethics; electoral reform; affordable health care; education Registered to Vote: Yes My favorite quote: Albert Einstein (1879-1955) (Nobel Laureate, Philosopher, Physicist, Mathematician, and Humanist) "Doing the same things over and over again, and expect different results is insanity"
Congratulations to all Cambodian-Americans and other Asian-Americans for their substantial contribution to Senator Barack Obama's victory in the race for the nomination as the democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. Please, enjoy this historic moment in the history of the USA and the world, as Senator Obama gave his inspiring and triumphant speech at the sport arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the evening of June 3, 2008, by clicking the link pasted below. Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. Washington DC. June 4, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7434753.stm.
Please, watch some of the most important ansd special moments in the Campaign of Senator Barack Obama for the US presidency in 2008 captured in video feeds. After the endorsement vote on Friday, we saw this video. It really says a lot about why people are moved by Obama. Please pass it on if it moves you, too. If everyone sends it to friends and family, it could become the top video on YouTube. Here's the link: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3372&id=12033-3166477-9dYCSw&t=589 Also, please, listen to a precautious Cambodian-American video message of support for Senator Barack Obama. He is a son of one of the founding members of the group named 'Cambodian-American for Barack Obama'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoOCMjCpxgo --------------------------------- Please, click the link posted below to see a web site of Asian-Americans for Barack Obama from Philadelphia, http://www.asianamericansforobama.com/ --------------------------------
Barack Obama’s public appearance at the waterfront in Portland Oregon May 19, 2008 This gathering by Senator Obama was judged by all media sources to be the largest crowd in any public political gathering in the American history. Higly recommended!!!!! Pleaase, click on the link posted below to see: (1) A Video feed from Obama web site http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/portlandrallyvideo (2) A Video feed from Senghuon Man http://www.kgw.com/video/video-index.html?nvid=246496&she=1 Obama Releases Comprehensive Plan for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Obama's "Blueprint" is the Most Comprehensive Proposal for AAPIs from a Presidential Candidate Chicago, IL– Senator Barack Obama today released his "Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders." The document identifies the issues affecting the AAPI community and describes Senator Obama's plans to address the issues and his record on addressing those issues. The Blueprint also is the most comprehensive planning document for the AAPI community from a presidential campaign. In the Blueprint, Senator Obama said "By reaching out directly to the AAPI communities, we can ensure that AAPIs are well represented in this national conversation about our future and the movement to write our destiny. The story of the AAPI communities is quintessential the American story about drawing strength from our diversity to achieve extraordinary things. I will be a president who remembers that our separate struggles are really one. I will never walk away from the tough battles or the difficult work of bringing people together." The Blueprint addresses a wide range of issues, including economic opportunity, education, immigration, health care, home ownership, seniors, women, civil rights, foreign policy, veterans and faith. "I urge you to read this blueprint so that you will be able to understand Senator Obama's long standing commitment to the AAPI community. His plans are exactly what we need to address the diverse needs of the AAPI community," stated Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The complete Blueprint is available at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiblueprint ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, October 9, 2008 |Contact: Obama Press Office, (312) 819-2423 Sid Salvi Obama Florida AAPI Vote Director (630) 815-5570 sidsalvi@gmail.com www.voteforchange.com http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aapihome Vote Early and Vote Democratic, Winnie Tang 305-753-8791 c Florida Co-chair, AAPI for Obama Member, Miami-Dade County Democratic Executive Committee Member, Florida Democratic Party - Affirmative Action Committee (2006-2008)
What He Overcame By Eugene Robinson Friday, June 6, 2008; Page A19 (Comments: This article by Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, clearly shows how much Senator Barack Obama has already brought America to a higher level of openness and more integrated society both in gender and race terms. This is not a miraculous achievement in view of the fact that he was an unknown quantity and a non-white American with a African-born (Kenya) father. This achievement is the more striking as he was fighting against an establishment and household name like the Clintons. Win or loose, Senator Barack Obama has already made history in this country and in the world. However, this does not mean that all the racial and gender prejudices will fade away overnight. On the contrary, Senator Obama will have a lot to do yet, before the necessary real changes will set in. First, let's hope that he will be elected to the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. And let's hope that he will be able to carry out all the necessary changes in order to bring this country to a higher moral, and material levels in order to become again the leader of the democratic world, which, in turn, will benefit the world at large. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. June 8, 2008) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There will be plenty of time to chart Barack Obama's attempt to navigate a course between the exigencies of the old politics and the promise of the new, between yesterday and tomorrow, youth and experience, black and white. For now, take a moment to consider the mind-bending improbability of what just happened. A young, black, first-term senator -- a man whose father was from Kenya, whose mother was from Kansas and whose name sounds as if it might have come from the roster of Guantanamo detainees -- has won a marathon of primaries and caucuses to become the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. To reach this point, he had to do more than outduel the party's most powerful and resourceful political machine. He also had to defy, and ultimately defeat, 389 years of history. It was in 1619 that the first Africans were brought in chains to these shores, landing in Jamestown. That first shipment of "servants" did not include any of Obama's ancestors; it's impossible to say whether some distant progenitor of his wife, Michelle, might have been present at that moment of original sin. Ever since -- through the War of Independence, the abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the great migration to Northern cities and the civil rights struggle -- race has been one of the great themes running through our nation's history. I'm old enough to remember when Americans with skin the color of mine and Obama's had to fight -- and die -- for the right to participate as equals in the life of the nation we helped build. Watching Obama give his speech Tuesday night marking the end of the primary season and the beginning of the general election campaign, I thought back to a time when brave men and women, both black and white, put their lives on the line to ensure that African Americans had the right to vote, let alone run for office -- a time when Democrats in my home state of South Carolina were Dixiecrats, and when the notion that the Democratic Party would someday nominate a black man for president was utterly unimaginable. Tiresome, isn't it? All this recounting of unpleasant history, I mean. Wouldn't it be great if we could all just move on? Bear with me, though, because this is how we get to the point where, as Obama's young supporters like to chant, "race doesn't matter." No one will be happier than I when we reach that promised land, and we've come so far that at times we can see it, just over the next hill. But we aren't there yet. This is a passage from an e-mail I received in April from an Obama volunteer in Pennsylvania: "We've been called 'N-lovers,' Obama's been called the 'Anti-Christ,' our signs have been burned in the streets during a parade, our volunteers have been harassed physically, or with racial slurs -- it's been unreal." Yet the amazing thing isn't that there were instances of overt, old-style racism during this campaign, it's that there were so few. The amazing thing is that so many Americans have been willing to accept -- or, indeed, reject -- Obama based on his qualifications and his ideas, not on his race. I'll never forget visiting Iowa in December and witnessing all-white crowds file into high school gymnasiums to take the measure of a black man -- and, ultimately, decide that he was someone who expressed their hopes and dreams. When historians and political scientists write books about this extraordinary campaign season, surely they will seek to assess what impact Obama's race had on his prospects. But they will also devote volumes to exploring how he put together a fundraising apparatus that generated undreamed-of amounts of cash, and how his organization drew so many new voters into the process, and how his young supporters made use of social-networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and how his delegate-counting team managed to consistently outthink and outhustle everyone else. It will be written that Obama's nomination victory owes as much to adroit management as it does to stirring inspiration. Will Americans take the final step and elect Obama as president? Should they? Is this first-term senator up to the job? We'll find out soon enough. At the moment, to tell the truth, I don't care. Whether Obama wins or loses, history has been made this year. Maybe there's more to come, maybe not; but already -- after 389 long years -- it's safe to say that this nation will never be the same. eugenerobinson@washpost.com
Obama Seizes Superdelegate Lead AOL Wire Services Posted: 2008-05-09 22:49:51 Filed Under: Elections News, Barack Obama WASHINGTON (May 9) -- Barack Obama outstripped rival Hillary Clinton in the count of superdelegates on Friday, the first time ever that the Illinois senator has done so in the protracted duel for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, U.S. media reported. The New York Times's tally shows Obama with 266 superdelegates --party leaders and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination -- against 263 for Clinton, a New York senator. ABC News and Politico.com also have him ahead, though a few other news organizations had him trailing Clinton by a slim margin. Little more than four months ago, on the eve of the primary season, she held a lead of 169-63. Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter, according to the Associated Press. In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the federal and Washington, D.C., governments. Obama, who won a convincing victory in the North Carolina primary and lost Indiana narrowly on Tuesday, has been steadily gaining strength in the days since. "I'm gratified that we've got some superdelegates who are coming our way. And I think we've got a strong case to make that I will be a nominee that can pull the party together and take on John McCain. Our focus has always been on the pledged delegates and just getting the American people to vote for us. And we think that ultimately that should be the strongest measure of who's the nominee," Obama told reporters in Woodburn, Ore. Clinton also gained a superdelegate. Check here to comment or read other Straw Poll voters' thoughts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an interview with National Public Radio, former candidate John Edwards said Clinton has made a compelling case for her candidacy, but "I think it's very hard for her now to make a compelling case for the math. I mean, I think that's the reality of what she's faced with. She knows that. ... It's just very hard to see how the math works." In addition to Payne, Reps. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, two members of the Democratic National Committee from California and a party official in South Carolina announced they were supporting Obama. Superdelegates from New Mexico and Virginia also joined the migration. So, too, John Gage, president of the AFGE. View All" Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign," he said in a statement. "The election is over, everybody knows that. Obama has won," said Vernon Watkins, one of the two Californians. "After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs," said Payne, who in a statement said that Clinton is a good friend and he still holds her in high regard. Payne is one of at least 10 superdelegates who have switched allegiances from Clinton to Obama. None have publicly switched the other way. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads with 1,859.5 delegates, to 1,697 for Clinton. Obama is just 165.5 delegates short of the 2,025 delegates needed to win it. Clinton's new supporter was Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa. His congressional district voted overwhelmingly for the former first lady in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Both Obama and Clinton have courted superdelegates in recent days in private meetings at party headquarters not far from the Capitol. Despite Watkins' assessment, Clinton has shown no signs she is ready to quit the race. She is heavily favored to win Tuesday's primary in West Virginia, and is in the midst of a two-day swing through several other states with upcoming elections. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2008-05-09 12:23:24
Soft Power in Asia Executive Summary Introduction In their new report, Soft Power in Asia, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the East Asia Institute (EAI) provide an eye-opening look at how just months before China is set to take the world’s center stage during the 2008 Summer Olympics to showcase its many economic advances, it still ranks below the United States as a multifaceted power in the opinion of its Asian neighbors. The report, which is based on public opinion surveys in five East and Southeast Asian countries and the United States, reveals that perceptions of China’s “soft power” – the ability to wield influence by indirect, non-military means – generally trail those of the United States and Japan. These perceptions persist despite China’s strong economic relationships in Asia and around the world, and concerted efforts by Beijing to leverage the Olympic Games to bolster its public image. But, at the same time, sizeable majorities in all the countries surveyed agreed that hosting the Olympic Games will ultimately increase China’s prestige. The report also reveals that contrary to other polls taken since the U.S. invaded Iraq which reflected negative views of the United States, majorities of Asians in the surveyed countries still admire the U.S. on many fronts, including economic, diplomatic, cultural and educational. They also view the U.S. military presence in Asia as a stabilizing force, notably preventing an arms race between China and Japan. In an era in which Asia has turned swords into ploughshares (and silicon chips), public diplomacy and other forms of soft power are increasingly important. Another unexpected finding of the report focuses on the complex relationship between the U.S. and China, one of the most important bilateral relationships of the 21st century. American feelings towards China have deteriorated since similar surveys were taken by The Chicago Council in 2004 and 2006 and a significant number of those questioned expressed general unease about the future of the relationship. In contrast, Chinese perceptions of the United States have grown noticeably warmer compared to the 2006 survey and Chinese demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards U.S. influence in Asia. The Chicago Council and EAI conducted more than 6,000 interviews in China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the United States in January and February 2008, before the unrest in Tibet and the Sichuan earthquake placed a spotlight on events inside China. The survey asked between 40 and 60 questions in each country designed to gauge how citizens of these major Asian powers and the United States view each country’s popular culture, commercial prowess and brands, intellectual influence and appeal, universities, diplomatic reputations, different political systems, and more. The results were organized to produce indexes of the pillars of soft power: economic, cultural, human capital, diplomatic and political. The five indexes were averaged to produce an overall Soft Power Index. Change was measured on a few key questions that were also asked in a 2006 Chicago Council survey. Key Findings of the Report
Overall poorer than expected perceptions of China’s soft power indicate China has a long way to go to claim full recognition as a multifaceted power. • Majorities or pluralities in every country1 are at least “somewhat worried” that China could become a military threat to their country in the future. • China trails the United States in perceptions of its diplomatic, political, and human capital power in Asia, though perceptions are more positive in Southeast Asia than East Asia. China is also seen as less effective than the United States in promoting its policies to people in Asia by all surveyed publics. • On the question as to whether China builds trust and cooperation among Asian countries, it receives low ratings on a 0-10 scale from Americans (3.5), Japanese (4.6) and South Koreans (4.9), ranking China third or fourth among the group. • But when asked whether China will increase its prestige by hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics all countries surveyed --- U.S. (49%), China (86%), Japan (56%), South Korea (82%), Indonesia (65%) and Vietnam (85%) --- agree that it would. • On human rights and the rule of law, with the exception of Indonesians (6.8), China receives low ratings from Americans (2.7), Japanese (3.9), and South Koreans (4.5). U.S. influence in the region extends well beyond the policy realm, with the survey finding that it also informs the thinking of Asians on economic, cultural and even human capital matters. • The U.S. ranks at or near the top of every category in the Soft Power Index. • Pluralities or majorities in China (44%), Japan (47%), South Korea (42%) and Indonesia (58%) all agree that U.S. influence in Asia has increased over the last 10 years. Majorities in China, Japan, Vietnam and South Korea see U.S. influence in Asia as positive. • The United States is given the highest mean score for importance as a trade and investment partner by South Koreans (8.5 on a 0-10 scale), Japanese (8.0) and Vietnamese (8.0). Chinese give both the United States and the EU the same score (7.6), significantly ahead of Japan (6.7) and South Korea (6.8). Popular culture, one of the biggest U.S. exports, remains influential in Asia even amid signs of strong regional identity, the survey finds. Respondents give the influence of American movies, music, clothing and cuisine average ratings of 6.4 to 7.9, putting the U.S. first in the eyes of all countries except Vietnam and China (where it narrowly trails South Korea). Chinese views of the United States are much more positive than American feelings towards China, which have steadily declined since 2004. • Americans have very cool feelings toward China in both absolute and relative terms. On a 0-100 feeling scale, Americans give China a very low average rating of 35, down from 40 in 2006 and 44 in 2004. • Chinese give the United States an average rating of 61 on the 0-100 scale of feelings, which is significantly warmer than the rating of 51 which it received in 2006. Like Americans, Chinese people believe that economic relations (trade and investment) with the U.S. are extremely important to their country’s economy (7.6). • Americans do not think they share a way of life with the Chinese – 68% say they shared “no” or “little” values in common with Chinese, and 63% think it’s only “slightly” or “not at all important” for their children to study Chinese. • Forty-four percent of Chinese would pick the U.S. as first choice for their children’s higher education; 82% believed it is “very important” for their children to learn English in order to succeed in the future, and on a 0-10 scale they express across-the-board admiration for the quality of American science and technology (8.8), the appeal of its popular culture (7.5), the American entrepreneurial spirit (7.9), and a political system that serves the needs of its people (7.4). 1 The question was not asked in Vietnam
This is what I wrote in Senator barack Obama's web site entitled; 'Why Cambodian-Americans should be involved in the American Political Process' Location: Washington, DC
Why I support Barack Obama: I support Senator Barack Obama because I think he is the only candidate among all the presidential candidates, republicans or democrats who can and will offer real changes in all facets of life in America and in the world. Being a member of the academic community for over twenty years, teaching at a major university and working in a well-known international financial Institution known as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), I have a view, interest, and understanding of what world's peoples think and view of America, both good and bad. During the tenure of G. W. Bush/D. Cheney, I have seen America's image being tarnished almost beyond repair. I have seen our country becoming a country of lies, and deceits, without any accountability from those who have transgressed the laws of this great country, especially by Bush and Cheney. Another reason that I support Senator Obama is the fact that, unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, he does not use any means or any tricks to reach his personal or political end. I think Senator Obama is a much-needed unifying force at this juncture of the history of our country, and a man of great talent and dignity, along with an impeccable moral and intellectual integrity. Finally, I was privileged to have known and to be a classmate of his late father, in Hawaii, in the early 1960s. A group of friends of his father including myself, had sent a few photos and our reminiscences of him to Senator Barack Obama,, and he was very kind to have sent us a thank-you hand-written letter. (Please, see that letters and photos posted below). Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Former professor in International Economics, and Country risks Analysis, at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the Johns Hopkins University, and a former senior staff member of the IMF. Birth Date: July 2nd. Issues of my interest: equality / civil rights; civil liberties / privacy; peace & social justice; foreign policy / security; economic fairness / security; environment / conservation; good government / ethics; electoral reform; affordable health care; education Registered to Vote: Yes My favorite quote: Albert Einstein (1879-1955) (Nobel Laureate, Philosopher, Physicist, Mathematician, and Humanist) "Doing the same things over and over again, and expect different results is insanity"
Congratulations to all Cambodian-Americans and other Asian-Americans for their substantial contribution to Senator Barack Obama's victory in the race for the nomination as the democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. Please, enjoy this historic moment in the history of the USA and the world, as Senator Obama gave his inspiring and triumphant speech at the sport arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the evening of June 3, 2008, by clicking the link pasted below. Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D. Washington DC. June 4, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7434753.stm.
Please, watch some of the most important ansd special moments in the Campaign of Senator Barack Obama for the US presidency in 2008 captured in video feeds. After the endorsement vote on Friday, we saw this video. It really says a lot about why people are moved by Obama. Please pass it on if it moves you, too. If everyone sends it to friends and family, it could become the top video on YouTube. Here's the link: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3372&id=12033-3166477-9dYCSw&t=589 Also, please, listen to a precautious Cambodian-American video message of support for Senator Barack Obama. He is a son of one of the founding members of the group named 'Cambodian-American for Barack Obama'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoOCMjCpxgo --------------------------------- Please, click the link posted below to see a web site of Asian-Americans for Barack Obama from Philadelphia, http://www.asianamericansforobama.com/ --------------------------------
Barack Obama’s public appearance at the waterfront in Portland Oregon May 19, 2008 This gathering by Senator Obama was judged by all media sources to be the largest crowd in any public political gathering in the American history. Higly recommended!!!!! Pleaase, click on the link posted below to see: (1) A Video feed from Obama web site http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/portlandrallyvideo (2) A Video feed from Senghuon Man http://www.kgw.com/video/video-index.html?nvid=246496&she=1 Obama Releases Comprehensive Plan for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Obama's "Blueprint" is the Most Comprehensive Proposal for AAPIs from a Presidential Candidate Chicago, IL– Senator Barack Obama today released his "Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders." The document identifies the issues affecting the AAPI community and describes Senator Obama's plans to address the issues and his record on addressing those issues. The Blueprint also is the most comprehensive planning document for the AAPI community from a presidential campaign. In the Blueprint, Senator Obama said "By reaching out directly to the AAPI communities, we can ensure that AAPIs are well represented in this national conversation about our future and the movement to write our destiny. The story of the AAPI communities is quintessential the American story about drawing strength from our diversity to achieve extraordinary things. I will be a president who remembers that our separate struggles are really one. I will never walk away from the tough battles or the difficult work of bringing people together." The Blueprint addresses a wide range of issues, including economic opportunity, education, immigration, health care, home ownership, seniors, women, civil rights, foreign policy, veterans and faith. "I urge you to read this blueprint so that you will be able to understand Senator Obama's long standing commitment to the AAPI community. His plans are exactly what we need to address the diverse needs of the AAPI community," stated Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The complete Blueprint is available at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiblueprint ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, October 9, 2008 |Contact: Obama Press Office, (312) 819-2423 Sid Salvi Obama Florida AAPI Vote Director (630) 815-5570 sidsalvi@gmail.com www.voteforchange.com http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/aapihome Vote Early and Vote Democratic, Winnie Tang 305-753-8791 c Florida Co-chair, AAPI for Obama Member, Miami-Dade County Democratic Executive Committee Member, Florida Democratic Party - Affirmative Action Committee (2006-2008)
What He Overcame By Eugene Robinson Friday, June 6, 2008; Page A19 (Comments: This article by Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, clearly shows how much Senator Barack Obama has already brought America to a higher level of openness and more integrated society both in gender and race terms. This is not a miraculous achievement in view of the fact that he was an unknown quantity and a non-white American with a African-born (Kenya) father. This achievement is the more striking as he was fighting against an establishment and household name like the Clintons. Win or loose, Senator Barack Obama has already made history in this country and in the world. However, this does not mean that all the racial and gender prejudices will fade away overnight. On the contrary, Senator Obama will have a lot to do yet, before the necessary real changes will set in. First, let's hope that he will be elected to the presidency of the United States of America in 2008. And let's hope that he will be able to carry out all the necessary changes in order to bring this country to a higher moral, and material levels in order to become again the leader of the democratic world, which, in turn, will benefit the world at large. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. June 8, 2008) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There will be plenty of time to chart Barack Obama's attempt to navigate a course between the exigencies of the old politics and the promise of the new, between yesterday and tomorrow, youth and experience, black and white. For now, take a moment to consider the mind-bending improbability of what just happened. A young, black, first-term senator -- a man whose father was from Kenya, whose mother was from Kansas and whose name sounds as if it might have come from the roster of Guantanamo detainees -- has won a marathon of primaries and caucuses to become the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. To reach this point, he had to do more than outduel the party's most powerful and resourceful political machine. He also had to defy, and ultimately defeat, 389 years of history. It was in 1619 that the first Africans were brought in chains to these shores, landing in Jamestown. That first shipment of "servants" did not include any of Obama's ancestors; it's impossible to say whether some distant progenitor of his wife, Michelle, might have been present at that moment of original sin. Ever since -- through the War of Independence, the abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the great migration to Northern cities and the civil rights struggle -- race has been one of the great themes running through our nation's history. I'm old enough to remember when Americans with skin the color of mine and Obama's had to fight -- and die -- for the right to participate as equals in the life of the nation we helped build. Watching Obama give his speech Tuesday night marking the end of the primary season and the beginning of the general election campaign, I thought back to a time when brave men and women, both black and white, put their lives on the line to ensure that African Americans had the right to vote, let alone run for office -- a time when Democrats in my home state of South Carolina were Dixiecrats, and when the notion that the Democratic Party would someday nominate a black man for president was utterly unimaginable. Tiresome, isn't it? All this recounting of unpleasant history, I mean. Wouldn't it be great if we could all just move on? Bear with me, though, because this is how we get to the point where, as Obama's young supporters like to chant, "race doesn't matter." No one will be happier than I when we reach that promised land, and we've come so far that at times we can see it, just over the next hill. But we aren't there yet. This is a passage from an e-mail I received in April from an Obama volunteer in Pennsylvania: "We've been called 'N-lovers,' Obama's been called the 'Anti-Christ,' our signs have been burned in the streets during a parade, our volunteers have been harassed physically, or with racial slurs -- it's been unreal." Yet the amazing thing isn't that there were instances of overt, old-style racism during this campaign, it's that there were so few. The amazing thing is that so many Americans have been willing to accept -- or, indeed, reject -- Obama based on his qualifications and his ideas, not on his race. I'll never forget visiting Iowa in December and witnessing all-white crowds file into high school gymnasiums to take the measure of a black man -- and, ultimately, decide that he was someone who expressed their hopes and dreams. When historians and political scientists write books about this extraordinary campaign season, surely they will seek to assess what impact Obama's race had on his prospects. But they will also devote volumes to exploring how he put together a fundraising apparatus that generated undreamed-of amounts of cash, and how his organization drew so many new voters into the process, and how his young supporters made use of social-networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and how his delegate-counting team managed to consistently outthink and outhustle everyone else. It will be written that Obama's nomination victory owes as much to adroit management as it does to stirring inspiration. Will Americans take the final step and elect Obama as president? Should they? Is this first-term senator up to the job? We'll find out soon enough. At the moment, to tell the truth, I don't care. Whether Obama wins or loses, history has been made this year. Maybe there's more to come, maybe not; but already -- after 389 long years -- it's safe to say that this nation will never be the same. eugenerobinson@washpost.com
Obama Seizes Superdelegate Lead AOL Wire Services Posted: 2008-05-09 22:49:51 Filed Under: Elections News, Barack Obama WASHINGTON (May 9) -- Barack Obama outstripped rival Hillary Clinton in the count of superdelegates on Friday, the first time ever that the Illinois senator has done so in the protracted duel for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, U.S. media reported. The New York Times's tally shows Obama with 266 superdelegates --party leaders and elected officials who will ultimately decide the nomination -- against 263 for Clinton, a New York senator. ABC News and Politico.com also have him ahead, though a few other news organizations had him trailing Clinton by a slim margin. Little more than four months ago, on the eve of the primary season, she held a lead of 169-63. Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter, according to the Associated Press. In addition, the American Federation of Government Employees announced its support for Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the federal and Washington, D.C., governments. Obama, who won a convincing victory in the North Carolina primary and lost Indiana narrowly on Tuesday, has been steadily gaining strength in the days since. "I'm gratified that we've got some superdelegates who are coming our way. And I think we've got a strong case to make that I will be a nominee that can pull the party together and take on John McCain. Our focus has always been on the pledged delegates and just getting the American people to vote for us. And we think that ultimately that should be the strongest measure of who's the nominee," Obama told reporters in Woodburn, Ore. Clinton also gained a superdelegate. Check here to comment or read other Straw Poll voters' thoughts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an interview with National Public Radio, former candidate John Edwards said Clinton has made a compelling case for her candidacy, but "I think it's very hard for her now to make a compelling case for the math. I mean, I think that's the reality of what she's faced with. She knows that. ... It's just very hard to see how the math works." In addition to Payne, Reps. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, two members of the Democratic National Committee from California and a party official in South Carolina announced they were supporting Obama. Superdelegates from New Mexico and Virginia also joined the migration. So, too, John Gage, president of the AFGE. View All" Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign," he said in a statement. "The election is over, everybody knows that. Obama has won," said Vernon Watkins, one of the two Californians. "After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs," said Payne, who in a statement said that Clinton is a good friend and he still holds her in high regard. Payne is one of at least 10 superdelegates who have switched allegiances from Clinton to Obama. None have publicly switched the other way. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads with 1,859.5 delegates, to 1,697 for Clinton. Obama is just 165.5 delegates short of the 2,025 delegates needed to win it. Clinton's new supporter was Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa. His congressional district voted overwhelmingly for the former first lady in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Both Obama and Clinton have courted superdelegates in recent days in private meetings at party headquarters not far from the Capitol. Despite Watkins' assessment, Clinton has shown no signs she is ready to quit the race. She is heavily favored to win Tuesday's primary in West Virginia, and is in the midst of a two-day swing through several other states with upcoming elections. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2008-05-09 12:23:24
The Obama family Connection A link to a photo souvenir album (150 photos) of Senator Barack Obama during his 2008 Campaign for the presidency of the United States of America (When the first photo appears on the screen, click the 'menu' to see the photos in thumbnails (http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/obamas-grandmother-blazed- trail/20080408133009990001)
Obama’s Family Tree January 25th, 2008· Posted by Velvet Hammer Obama. His life. His family ties. What a long strange trip it’s been.
(http://conservablogs.com/velvethammer/2008/01/25/obamas-family-tree/)
The not-so-simple story of Barack Obama’s youth
A young Barack Obama is shown with his mother, Ann. (Photo courtesy of Maya Soetoro-Ng / March 23, 2007) More than 40 interviews with former classmates, teachers, friends and neighbors in his childhood homes of Hawaii and Indonesia, as well as a review of public records, show the arc of Obama’s personal journey took him to places and situations far removed from the experience of most Americans. At the same time, several of his oft-recited stories may not have happened in the way he has recounted them. Some seem to make Obama look better in the retelling, others appear to exaggerate his outward struggles over issues of race, or simply skim over some of the most painful, private moments of his life. Obama’s mom: Not just a girl from Kansas
The 1960 high school yearbook photo of Stanley Ann Dunham, Barack Obama’s mother. She attended Mercer Island High School in Washington.
Obama’s mother and a strong-willed, unconventional member of the Mercer Island High School graduating class of 1960. THE DUNHAMS: precocious, self-assured Stanley Ann (left); her impetuous father, who named his only child after himself; her mother, Madelyn, the quiet, firm influence in the home. (Photo courtesy of Maya Soetoro-Ng) Her parents, Stanley and Madelyn Dunham — he was a boisterous, itinerant furniture salesman in downtown Seattle, she worked for a bank and was the quiet yet firm influence at home — moved to Mercer Island in 1956, after one year in a Seattle apartment. The lure was the high school that had just opened and the opportunity it offered for their daughter, who was then 13. In a recent interview, Obama called his mother “the dominant figure in my formative years. . . . The values she taught me continue to be my touchstone when it comes to how I go about the world of politics.” At Mercer High School, two teachers — Val Foubert and Jim Wichterman — generated regular parental thunderstorms by teaching their students to challenge societal norms and question all manner of authority. Foubert, who died recently, taught English. His texts were cutting edge: “Atlas Shrugged,” “The Organization Man,” “The Hidden Persuaders,” “1984″ and the acerbic writings of H.L. Mencken. Wichterman taught philosophy. The hallway between the two classes was known as “anarchy alley,” and students pondered the challenging notions of Wichterman’s teachings, including such philosophers as Sartre and Kierkegaard. He also touched the societal third rail of the 1950s: He questioned the existence of God. And he didn’t stop there. “I had them read ‘The Communist Manifesto,’ and the parents went nuts,” said Wichterman, Stanley Ann began classes at the University of Hawaii in 1960, and shortly after that, Box received a letter saying that her friend had fallen in love with a grad student. He was black, from Kenya and named Obama. 
Barack Obama Sr., a native of Kenya, met his future wife while they were students at the University of Hawaii. (Photo courtesy of Maya Soetoro-Ng / March 23, 2007)
Parental objections didn’t matter. For Stanley Ann, her new relationship with Barack Obama and weekend discussions seemed to be, in part, a logical extension of long coffeehouse sessions in Seattle and the teachings of Wichterman and Foubert. The forum now involved graduate students from the University of Hawaii. They spent weekends listening to jazz, drinking beer and debating politics and world affairs.
At his high school graduation, Barack Obama gets a hug from his grandmother Madelyn as his grandfather Stanley beams. (Photo courtesy of Maya Soetoro-Ng / March 23, 2007)
Sen. Barack Obama & Sarah Hussein Obama, his grandmother.
Obama’s Grandma Keeps Him in Touch With His African Roots Kogelo, Kenya - Sarah Obama is a typical African grandma, still out in her field every day, tilling and hoeing and selling her crops in a nearby market - even at 85-years-old. While appearances show her to be just like everyone else, Sarah is a celebrity in this tiny village in western Kenya, not least because her grandson may become the next US president. Note: Sarah Obama is NOT related to Obama by blood. She is his step-grandmother. 
In this Obama Family photo are: (bottom row, from left) half-sister Auma, her mother Kezia Obama, Obama’s step-grandmother Sarah Hussein Onyango Obama and unknown; (top row, from left) unknown, Barack Obama, half-brother Abongo (Roy) Obama, and three unknowns.
(Courtesy of the Obama Family)
ABONGO (ROY) OBAMA
‘Certainly the older brother’
The way Barack Obama describes his oldest half-brother in his book, Abongo (Roy) Obama inherited their father’s hard-drinking ways but straightened his life out by embracing Islam and his African heritage. An accountant, Abongo Obama also argued that the black man must “liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture,” Obama wrote. “But the magic of his laughter remains, and we can disagree without rancor.”
Secrets of Obama Family Unlocked
At their home in Jakarta, Ann Dunham poses in this undated photo with her second husband, Lolo Soetoro, their daughter, Maya, and Barack Obama. (Photo courtesy of Barack Obama)
She went on to marry Lolo Soetoro, another foreign student, and moved to his native Indonesia with six-year-old Barack in 1967, after the new dictator Suharto summoned the country’s citizens home. Soetoro became a government relations consultant with a big US oil company. “He changed when he came back to Indonesia,” Suryakusuma recalled. “Men can be a certain way when they are in the West and when they come back they are sucked into their own culture.” Obama’s African family is particularly complicated. By his own account, his father never really left Kezia, his first wife, in Kenya. She bore Obama Sr two children, Roy and Auma, who now works in social services in Berkshire. They were separated, Obama’s mother claimed, but “it was a village wedding and there was no document that could suggest a divorce”. His own father and mother’s wedding in Hawaii may not have been properly documented either. “How and when the marriage occurred remains a bit murky, a bill of particulars that I have never quite had the courage to explore,” Obama writes in his memoir. After his father left Ann and two-year-old Barack to study at Harvard, he went to Africa with another American woman, Ruth, who became his third wife. She bore him two sons in Kenya, one of whom died in a motorcycle accident, but Obama Sr continued to see Kezia. “Traditionally, she was still his wife,” a relative explained. Kezia went on to bear two more sons, Abo and Bernard. Although their paternity is disputed by some relatives, Obama Sr regarded them as his own. Later in life, he fathered another son, George, by a young Kenyan woman.
After his parents split up, Obama saw his father only once before learning that he had died in a car crash in Kenya in 1982.
Victory for Barack Obama, at last!
The Recent Clear Victory of President-Elect Barack Obama over John McCain, shows that the World Had Just Witnessed the Triumph of; Reason, Honesty, Decency, Tolerance, intelligence, and Internationalism Over; Bigotry, Racism, Dishonesty, Corruption, intolerance, mediocrity, Narrow-Mindedness, and Isolationism. Our sincere congratulations and our best and warmest wishes to our President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
Patricia and Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC. November 4, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------- You Did It! and I am so excited that it's almost like I did it! Congratulations Mr. President-Elect, Barack Obama! 
A link to Barack Obama's first photos as President-Elect in Washington DC http://news.aol.com/main/obama-presidency/article/obamas-begin-new-life-in-washington/293433
A copy of a letter from President-Elect Barack Obama to thank Kal and Senghoun Man for their hard work in the field office in Portland Oregon, and their contibution to the success of his successful campaign for the presidency of the United States of America 
Finally, Kal and Senghuon Man and their daughter Martina, were able to joyously celebrate the great victory of president elect Barack Obama in Portland Oregon, in the evening of November 4, 2008
A Prominent Republican, a family member of the late president Dwight Eisenhower has endorsed Senator Obama (Comments: the recent endorsement by three members of the Kennedy's family, Senator Ted Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, and Patrick Kennedy (see attached article) had already shown that Senator Obama has the support of one of the most respected and loved political families in America. This Kennedy's endorsement was immediately followed by the endorsement of Senator Obama by Susan Eisenhower, a grand daughter of the late president Dwight Eisenhower, and by Maria Shriver (A relative of the Kennedy), the first Lady of California, and wife of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, showed the special appeal of senator Obama has which cuts across party line, age, creed, race, and gender. This is one of his special strengths that none of the other candidates has. This, in turn, will allow Senator Obama to heal our nation, and to move it forward toward its rightful place, back from its lowest point in the American history, resulting from the corrupt and unaccountable regime of the Bush-Cheney administration under the Neo-Cons' deadly influence, as the leader of the free world, with high moral standing and free of all kinds of prejudice. That is why I have chosen to support Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States of America. Naranhkiri Tith Ph.D. Washington DC February 3, 2008) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A President Like my father By CAROLINE KENNEDY Published: January 27, 2008 OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.
My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals. Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible. We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960. Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual. Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.
I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility. Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.
I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved. I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans. Caroline Kennedy is the author of “A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love.”
Maria Shriver Endorses Obama Another Kennedy, Maria shriver, the wife of California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has endorsed Senator Barack Obama CNN Posted: 2008-02-04 09:35:13 LOS ANGELES, California (Feb. 3) -- California first lady Maria Shriver on Sunday endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for president, becoming the latest member of the Kennedy clan to line up behind the senator from Illinois. Maria Shriver joined other Kennedy family members and endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. Do you know what other famous people have heralded their favorite candidate?
Question: Who is her husband supporting? Shriver, the wife of California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, told supporters at an Obama rally in Los Angeles that the state was "at the epicenter of change." California's primary is the largest of about two dozen contests scheduled for this week's Super Tuesday contest.
"I would ask you to go out, to follow your heart, to be proud that you're doing that, and remember that so goes California, so goes the nation," she said.
Shriver is the niece of Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and President Kennedy. Both his daughter, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, and the Massachusetts senator have endorsed Obama in the past week. During Sunday's event, Schlossberg appeared with Shriver, Obama's wife, Michelle, and talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.
"I'm proud to be standing here not just with these women, but with all of you -- different races, different age groups I'm sure, Democrats and independents alike -- because you believe," she said. "You believe in each and every one of yourselves, most importantly. And you believe that you have found someone who believes in you."
Members of the Kennedy clan are split in the race between Obama and Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady who leads published polls in California.
Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the daughter of Robert Kennedy, and her brother Bobby and sister Kerry are backing Clinton.
Why I am backing Obama By Susan Eisenhower A member of a prominent Republican party has endorsed Barack Obama Saturday, February 2, 2008 Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades. In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term "military-industrial complex," and he offered advice that is still relevant today. "As we peer into society's future," he said, we "must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow." Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Today we are engaged in a debate about these very issues. Deep in America's heart, I believe, is the nagging fear that our best years as a nation may be over. We are disliked overseas and feel insecure at home. We watch as our federal budget hemorrhages red ink and our civil liberties are eroded. Crises in energy, health care and education threaten our way of life and our ability to compete internationally. There are also the issues of a costly, unpopular war; a long-neglected infrastructure; and an aging and increasingly needy population. I am not alone in worrying that my generation will fail to do what my grandfather's did so well: Leave America a better, stronger place than the one it found. Given the magnitude of these issues and the cost of addressing them, our next president must be able to bring about a sense of national unity and change. As we no longer have the financial resources to address all these problems comprehensively and simultaneously, setting priorities will be essential. With hard work, much can be done. The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry, noisy extremists. I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation's impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded. No measures to avert the serious, looming consequences can be taken without this sense of renewal. Uncommon political courage will be required. Yet this courage can be summoned only if something profoundly different transpires. Putting America first -- ahead of our own selfish interests -- must be our national priority if we are to retain our capacity to lead. The last time the United States had an open election was 1952. My grandfather was pursued by both political parties and eventually became the Republican nominee. Despite being a charismatic war hero, he did not have an easy ride to the nomination. He went on to win the presidency -- with the indispensable help of a "Democrats for Eisenhower" movement. These crossover voters were attracted by his pledge to bring change to Washington and by the prospect that he would unify the nation. It is in this great tradition of crossover voters that I support Barack Obama's candidacy for president. If the Democratic Party chooses Obama as its candidate, this lifelong Republican will work to get him elected and encourage him to seek strategic solutions to meet America's greatest challenges. To be successful, our president will need bipartisan help. Given Obama's support among young people, I believe that he will be most invested in defending the interests of these rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of this nation as a whole. Without his leadership, our children and grandchildren are at risk of growing older in a marginalized country that is left to its anger and divisions. Such an outcome would be an unacceptable legacy for any great nation. Susan Eisenhower, a business consultant, is the author of four books, most recently "Partners in Space: US-Russian Cooperation After the Cold War." | |
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