Zim Update 1.27.09

Deal or No Deal? With the exception of Botswana, which continues to be a model for the rest of Southern African countries, the member countries of SADC continue have their noses firmly up the @$$ of Robert Mugabe. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced today (again without Botswana) that ZANU-PF and MDC had come to an agreement about forming a national unity government. There's only one problem: they didn't bother to ask MDC if they agreed. They don't. It appears that SADC (minus Botswana) have just decided they are tired of dealing with this issue and so have decided to declare the impasse at an end, despite the fact that it is not. MDC currently has not accepted any deal and they will meet over the weekend to discuss the situation. Some Good News (unsurprisingly involving President Obama) According to the London Times, the Obama administration is preparing a diplomatic offensive to topple the Mugabe regime. The plan is to take a set of "'strong' sanctions including a ban on arms sales and foreign investment." This has been tried before only to be blocked in the Security Council; however, the sanctions will be coupled with a diplomatic effort to convince China and Russia to not veto any anti-Mugabe resolutions. "Last July, after Mr Mugabe was accused of rigging the elections to stay in power, China and Russia, who have significant financial interests in Zimbabwe, vetoed moves to impose UN sanctions. Mr Obama and his aides believe that, with the growing international outcry over conditions there and the devastating loss of life from the cholera outbreak, Beijing and Moscow can now be persuaded at the very least to abstain when the issue of sanctions comes to another vote." Another positive note: newly confirmed US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, is a Zimbabwe expert and plans to work this issue. The article also makes it clear that the Obama administration is hoping that MDC does not agree to any power-sharing deal at this point. They would rather the deal fail so that there is no ambiguity when they take the matter to the Security Council. Cholera Epidemic Continues unabated: 2,971 dead; 56,123 infected. To help, please donate to Save the Children's Zimbabwe Children in Crisis Fund.

President-Elect Obama's Weekly Address: December 6

President-Elect Obama's Weekly Address: November 22

President-Elect Obama on 60 Minutes

Watch CBS Videos Online

First Weekly Online Address By President-Elect Obama

Obama Officially Wins Omaha!

Rock.

Webb Says "No" to V.P.

Suck. Oh, well. Go Biden, I guess.

NYT Op-Ed: Obama Can't Win the South (Except Virginia)

I really do like Virginia even more when I read things like this: "Virginia, however, is the one Southern state that Mr. Obama has a reasonable chance of winning. And it’s precisely because the home of Robert E. Lee, as NBC News’s political director, Chuck Todd, has suggested, is seceding from the Confederacy." And it only took 140 years!

Hagel Won't Back McCain

Ouch. He would serve in an Obama administration, however.

Jim Webb on Point for Obama and the Dems

This article in the Wall Street Journal today paints a detailed and compelling picture of our favorite Senator. The most amazing thing about the article (and Senator Webb) and probably the reason he WON'T be picked for Vice President, is that it paints a picture of a politician who is...a real person (gasp)! Check it out if you want to read a profile of a man who will be a major player with positive effects on America for years to come.

Man, I'm Tired of Being Right

Almost five months ago (my God, really?) I laid out my reasons for supporting Barack Obama for President and one of them was: "3. President Barack Obama's name and face on TV screens across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia will fundamentally reshape the way American is viewed abroad. They will see that, for once, America elected a more diverse leader. One who for many, will seem much more similar to them than anything they have ever seen from an American president. This will all happen at a time when much of the population of developing countries (especially Arab and African countries, not to mention Iran) are under the age of 25 and vastly more impressionable than they will be in 8 more years. I don't think it is an exaggeration to say the best thing we can do to win hearts and minds in the War on Terror would be to have Barack Obama as President. We have a singular opportunity for this right now that will pass away in a short time." Yesterday's column by Tom Friedman seems to back me up: "Egyptians are amazed, excited and agog that America might elect a black man whose father’s family was of Muslim heritage. They don’t really understand Obama’s family tree, but what they do know is that if America — despite being attacked by Muslim militants on 9/11 — were to elect as its president some guy with the middle name 'Hussein,' it would mark a sea change in America-Muslim world relations...'Could something like this ever happen in Egypt?' And the answer from everyone at the table was, of course, 'no.' It couldn’t happen anywhere in this region. Could a Copt become president of Egypt? Not a chance. Could a Shiite become the leader of Saudi Arabia? Not in a hundred years. A Bahai president of Iran? In your dreams. Here, the past always buries the future, not the other way around." That's great. (Now nobody tell the red states.)

Jim Webb Counters McCain

Jim Webb introduced Obama at a rally in Virginia today. Yesterday he was interviewed by The Huffington Post and again proved why he is an awesome Senator and would be an awesome running mate for Obama. For example, here is his response to the flap McCain is trying to instigate about Obama traveling to Iraq to talk to Gen. Petreus: "If you know who to listen to, if you know how to make judgments, if you know how evaluate information, you can do that. I don't think Franklin Roosevelt was ever at the front in France during WWII in order to help end the war." That's his polite way of saying, "Suck it, McCain!" Obama/Webb '08

Clinton to Quit and Endorse Obama on Friday

Again, about damn time. She, of course, needed some convincing. Good for the Democrats for having some sense for once. Maybe they won't blow it this time. [Unless they decide to force Clinton on the ticket that is.]

I Can't Wait for the Debates

McCain really is a poor public speaker, which I just don't understand because he's so much better on The Daily Show and SNL. Apparently, he needs to be doing schtick to be comfortable. His speech writers kind of suck, too. In his speech tonight, he kept repeating, "That's not change we can believe in." [Almost as brilliant as the Clinton campaign's "Yes we will!" So sad.] The audience was a little slow to catch on to that being an applause line - but then so was McCain. I kept waiting for him to say "That's not change we can believe in; that's change you can Xerox." [Thanks again, Senator Clinton.] Also, the forced smile was really creeping me out. A little Monty Burns. Obama breaking into the speech by winning the nomination was fantastic! When Obama and McCain get on the stage together in the debates (hopefully, in HD), that'll pretty much sink McCain. The contrast between the future and the past will be obvious. I appreciate the history of this moment in terms of the racial turmoil we've had in this country; however, this is merely a "nice" moment unless he wins in the fall. That's what I'm going to focus on. I'll enjoy the history of this (and by extension, how far we've come as a nation) once Barack Obama is the 44th President of the Unites States of America.

Game Over (For Clinton)

Barack Obama will (finally) wrap up the Democratic nomination for President tonight. [Yay!] Fortunately, Clinton is being magnanimous by offering to be Obama's VP. Thanks, but no thanks. For all the talk about Clinton bringing "her" voters to Obama (as if any Democrat would lose California or New York, or win West Virginia), everything positive she may bring to the ticket is at least offset by the negative things that she brings as well. The fact that conservative voters hate her like poison and she would help energize a dispirited Republican party notwithstanding, how many times do we want to see this from McCain, et al. over the next five months?: Oh, and who in their right mind would have a Vice President who intimated that he might be assassinated?: No. She burned that bridge long ago. I'm willing to let all the bull$#!# go (mostly) as soon as she gets out of the way and falls in line behind Obama. But, I must say to Senator Clinton (hopefully, for the last time), cut the $#!#.

It Will (Finally) Be Over Tomorrow

Nothing much to add to that. Just "Thank God." Hopefully, in a couple of days we can get on with trying to win the actual election.

So, How Selfish Is Clinton?

The DNC rules committee has ruled on the statuses of the disputed Florida and Michigan primaries. Unsurprisingly, after much time (and disruptions by Clinton supporters), they decided to seat their delegates pretty much as anticipated - apportioning the delegates basically by the vote totals and them giving each delegate a half vote. This was not what the Clinton people wanted. Apparently, in keeping with their firm grip on reality, they were hoping Hillary would be coronated as the nominee right then and there. Actually, they want no resolution so they can continue on with her quixotic campaign holding up the banner of the abused Michigan and Florida delegations as justification for going on. [Despite the fact that before she found out she needed them, she didn't give a damn about "counting all the votes".] [Aside: If voters in Michigan and Florida think they have been mistreated in this process, they should vote out every Democratic official that supported moving up their primaries. They are the ones who broke the rules and they should be the ones who pay - not the rest of America with a McCain presidency.] The new magic number is 2,118 and Obama's about 65 delegates away. Clinton and Obama are expected to roughly split the remaining 86 elected delegates, which would put him about 20-25 superdelegates from the nomination and the word is that they are expecting up to a few dozen supers to announce their support for him as soon as Tuesday. The Clinton's are apparently convinced that Obama can't win in November and they seem determined to make it so. It reminds me of the kind of the self-fulfilling prophecies of the Republicans who say government doesn't work and then when they are in charge, they prove it. So, with Clinton proxy Harold Ickes threatening to push on to the convention, despite the fact that they have a 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% chance of winning at this point, the question is: How Selfish Is Clinton? We all know the answer: very. However, if Clinton is still in the race one week from today (in an attempt to make Obama lose in November and set herself up for 2012) the Democratic Party, led by Pelosi, Reid, and Dean for starters, will abandon her. So, the Clintons will be essentially destroying any clout they have with the Dems going forward. For what? So she can run in 2012? If she loses the election for the Dems this time, there will be 0% chance that she will get nominated in 2012. It is over. It has been over for some time. Somebody needs to wake the Clintons up to that fact. On Tuesday, Obama unquestionably wins the nomination and on Wednesday the general election starts. It's about damn time.

CNN: Obama and Clinton Teams Talking about VP

On CNN this morning, Suzanne Malveaux reported that the two camps were discussing an exit strategy for Clinton. [My exit strategy for her involves pointing her toward the exit and telling her not to let the door hit her where the Good Lord split her. Since she's apparently a "hard-working white person", i.e., "hillbilly", I'm sure she's heard that before.] One option included Obama publicly offering her the VP slot and her turning it down. How exactly will that strengthen Obama and help him win the actual election? [The thing that Democrats seem to care less about than their stupid primary.] Making him look weak by offering her VP when everyone knows he doesn't want her and then look even weaker by turning him down won't exactly pump him up. Also, there is no guarantee that once that public offer is made that she won't turn around and accept it. (Trust the Clintons? That would just make him look stupid.) Allow me to summarize my position on an Obama/Clinton "dream" ticket: No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No. [PS: Only the Democrats would consider taking an almost sure fire winning candidate and saddling him with a lead weight that does nothing but reduce his electability, and consider that a "dream". This is exhibit A of why I am an independent.]

McCain No Maverick on Cuba, Iran

John McCain took the brave step yesterday of reversing yet another of his formerly principled positions in favor of the popular Republican general-election position. He said the United States should continue the embargo against Cuba until democracy breaks out. [He had previously said that we should move to normalize relations with Cuba ala Vietnam.] This policy has served both the U.S. and the Cuban citizenry well over the last almost 50 years it has been in place - you can tell by all the democracy and freedom that has blossomed in Cuba during that time. As if to underscore his political bravery, McCain made this bold affirmation of the status quo in Miami where he was sure to face whithering criticism for his visionary position. [Now that's sarcasm.] Seriously, though; this is his plan? Do the same old nothing? I've said it before and I'll say it again, drown the island with dollars and see what happens. What could Cubans do if they could actually afford some of those cell phones and computers that they are now being allowed to buy? They would be better able to organize and fund an opposition - a grassroots opposition formed from the ground up and without the taint (in the eyes of many Cubans) of being directly funded by the U.S. government. Would it be so horrible to talk to a Castro? We talk to Muammar Qaddafi, Kim Jong Il - hell, Hosni Mubarak and the House of Saud are considered friends! Any policy that isn't the same old presidential politics pandering to the hard-line Cuban voting bloc in Florida will be an improvement. The Cuban people (both in Cuba and here in America) have been the victims of this failed policy and anyone who has the guts to challenge it deserves credit. Barack Obama has the guts. McCain, ironically, thinks it makes sense to have normal relations with Vietnam, a country we fought a long and bloody war with and who kept him as a POW, but not Cuba. Both countries have similar (terrible) human rights records. I hate to reduce someone with as distinguished a record of service to our country as Senator McCain toa stupid nickname, but "John McSame" really does seem to sum him up nowadays. [The fact that Bush is going to give a speech on Cuba today to back up McCain puts another nail in that coffin.] [And, oh BTW, it also seems that McCain doesn't really know much about Iran - other than that we should attack it. Once again, Bush agrees. In fact, apparently he agrees so much that he may beat McCain to the punch and leave the next occupant of the White House with THREE wars as a housewarming gift.]

That Was Fast

I got this about 30 seconds after CNN said that Obama has won the majority of pledged delegates: Robb -- [He knows my name!] The polls are closed in Kentucky and votes are being counted in Oregon, and it's clear that tonight we have reached a major milestone on this journey. We have won an absolute majority of all the delegates chosen by the people in this Democratic primary process. From the beginning, this journey wasn't about me or the other candidates. It was about a simple choice -- will we continue down the same road with the same leadership that has failed us for so long, or will we take a different path? Too many of us have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. We've seen promises broken and good ideas drowned in a sea of influence, point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington. Yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment -- or perhaps because of it -- people have stood for change. Unfortunately, our opponents in the other party continue to embrace yesterday's policies and they will continue to employ yesterday's tactics -- they will try to change the subject, and they will play on fears and divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future. But those tactics will not work in this election. They won't work because you won't let them. Not this time. Not this year. We still have work to do to in the remaining states, where we will compete for every delegate available. But tonight, I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far -- farther than anyone predicted, expected, or even believed possible. And I want to remind you that you will make all the difference in the epic challenge ahead. Thank you, Barack Obama