Hope in a Darkening Age...
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"THE END OF ALL INTELLIGENT ANALYSIS IS TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR SYNTHESIS."--H.G. Wells. "It's always a leap into the unknown future to write anything."--Margaret Atwood "Be kind, be useful, be fearless."--President Barack Obama.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
He's Back
The headline was that President Barack Obama officially endorsed Joe Biden for President in 2020. But this 12 minute video is much more. It begins with the kind of message on the covid crisis that a President provides. At last. It continues with a personal summary about why Joe Biden would make the best President. But then it goes on to a succinct indictment of the Republican presidency, within a progressive program for the immediate and farther future. Plus a generous shout-out to Bernie Sanders.
In response to the covid crisis, President Obama called for "leadership that's guided by knowledge and experience; honesty and humility; empathy and grace." And that leadership should extend beyond "our state capitals and mayors offices. It belongs in the White House."
So the voice we've been missing for almost four years is heard again. He left the presidency as the most admired man in America, and guess what, he still is. His silence was partly in service to uniting the Democratic party behind its nominee, and a New York Times article (for one) details how he did so successfully. Now he's free to speak his mind, and he's not messing around. We've needed this, particularly now. He's back.
Update: Washington Post gives the video itself a thumbs up review.
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Manifesto
..."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."--Barack Obama Nov. 4, 2008
"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." Barack Obama January 20, 2009
"If you turn away now – if you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn’t possible…well, change will not happen. If you give up on the idea that your voice can make a difference, then other voices will fill the void: lobbyists and special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election and those who are making it harder for you to vote; Washington politicians who want to decide who you can marry, or control health care choices that women should make for themselves. Only you can make sure that doesn't happen. Only you have the power to move us forward.--President Obama on Sept. 6, 2012
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