Obama; A Canadian perspective

[canadian_is_cold]

To tell the truth, until recently, I have never given a rats ass who was running for president. The only thing I really knew about American politics is that for some reason George Bush Jr. was ‘ruling’ America. I have often wondered why someone so incompetent, so obviously disinterested with the wishes, and the wellbeing of the people he was chosen to represent, has been allowed by the people of a democracy to be in power for so long. But that was all.

I have, in my lifetime never seen an American politician who appeared to me as anything more that a right or left wing windbag, full of nothing but empty promises and dirty tricks. I had truly began to think America was not a democracy after all, but a corrupt system, completely controlled by corporate interests, that leaders were not actually elected in America, but chosen by the corporations, and the media they controlled. It scared me, it probably scares a lot of Canadians, after all what America does, or does not do, and what the world thinks of America, affects us. We live right next door. We are associated, we are connected, even if sometimes, we don’t want to admit it.

In 2004 I saw something I had never seen before. A politician on CNN that made me stop what I was doing and pay attention. He strode out onto the stage, a skinny fellow, with big ears an easy smile and an unfortunate sounding name. He began to speak, and I was transfixed. Who was this man? Was he even a politician? He didn’t sound like one, he sounded genuine, he sounded like he truly believed what he was saying. He was making sense. You know I don’t even remember the exact words he spoke, all I can recall is what his speech evoked in me, HOPE. For the first time in my life I was engaged, I was actually interested in politics. I felt inspired. Of course the cynic in me quickly took over, I turned to my husband and said, that is the kind of man America needs as president, not Kerry, not Bush, A man like that could inspire the world. He could encourage change. But it would never happen, they will probably end up with Bush again. He would never even get close to being president.

Well I was right about Bush, but I was wrong about Obama, it is happening, he is getting close, and it is amazing. I have never been so excited about an election in my life. (Politics are usually boring after all;) Maybe it is because I feel like I am watching history being made. For me, it has nothing to do with black or white, female or male. It is more about nervous anticipation, will America choose hope and possibility for all, a chance to once again be admired, and respected throughout the world. Will America choose to move their country in a brand new direction? Taking a leap of faith with a charismatic ‘hope-monger’. Will America pursue change? Or will America choose business as usual.

As you can tell by the tone of my rant, this Canadian hopes the nominee ends up being that skinny guy with the funny name, but whomever you end up choosing as the democratic candidate, please, unite behind them, stop fighting among yourselves. Do anything you can to prevent another war hungry, corporate stooge from becoming your President, god help us all if John McCain gets his hands on the reigns of power.

Thank you DU for listening.

[ClayZ]

1. K and R

[terrya]

2. I'll say this.

I hope that the next President...be it Obama or Clinton...fosters a more friendly, cooperative relationship between the United States and Canada. I know that our relationship has had some problems the last 8 years...but I'm hoping that under a new Democratic administration our countries will be better friends again. And perhaps you might have a new government before the year is out. :-)

[LaurenG]

6. I totally agree with you on this.

Whoever wins, this will be a huge huge accomplishment, they'll have tons of work to do and much mending of fences but a democrat can and will do it.

[cali]

3. nice piece except for this

"I have, in my lifetime never seen an American politician who appeared to me as anything more that a right or left wing windbag, full of nothing but empty promises and dirty tricks."

Let me introduce you to my Congressional delegation: Pat Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch. I assure you that they are all far more than "windbags full of nothing but empty promises and dirty tricks". And they're hardly alone. Perhaps you need to educate yourself on the subject. Not all American politicians are "empty windbags"- though we certainly have our share of those, as do you. Mr. Harper would be a case in point.

[canadian_is_cold]

5. Believe me, I am well aware we have slim political pickins here ;)

What I would not give for an Obama of our own :)

[Liberalboy]

16. As a fromer American and a New Canadian

I am incredibly blessed to now live in a country with so many choices and different parties. Looking past Dion, what about Kennedy, or Bob Rae? What about the Greens? For me however, Jack Layton is who I wish could run as Prime Minister...

Obama or Clinton for that matter, my friend, is no more ideologically different then Mr. Harper and that should scare you

[canadian_is_cold]

23. It seems like you have misunderstood my point.

In regard to this particular comment, I am not talking about political ideals here, it is Obama's ability to excite and motivate the electorate that I find appealing. The last leader who excited us, who aroused passionate reactions from Canadians was Trudeau.

We are fortunate in the cast of our political theater, Our politicians on a whole are competent leaders. But I have not seen one in a long time that makes me want to stand up and take notice. I think the very fact that Canadians like us are taking so much interest in the American elections is an example of how disinterested we are in our own politics. I know when I talk politics with my friends here, it is not very often Harper, or Layton (even though I am a member of the NDP) or any other Canadian we discuss, it is what is going on with election/08 that seems to dominate.

[Liberalboy]

43. My apologies

I didn't mean to insinuate anything. The problem is I once went through a cycle of hope with Bill Clinton (I was 18 in 1992 and he was the first president I voted for) and had them dashed. I want to believe the same way in Obama....but I just think America is too broken

[I Vote In Pittsburgh]

25. Congressma Rush Holt is also not a windbag

In fact, he is a rocket scientist :). He was my congressman, and I met him, when I lived in NJ.

[wpelb]

30. Hold on a sec

Let me introduce you to my Congressional delegation: Pat Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch. I assure you that they are all far more than "windbags full of nothing but empty promises and dirty tricks".

From time to time surveys are taken of two things: (a) how Americans feel about Congress in general; and (b) how Americans feel about their own Congressional representatives. Usually, Americans have a generally negative impression of Congress (though not as negative as it is now); OTOH, we think our own reps are doing a pretty good job. Now, there may be isolated cases where these opposite impressions are justified; but on the whole, they don't make sense. If everyone thinks his or her Congressperson is good, but that most of the rest are doing a lousy job, then there must be a fair number of people who don't realize what a lousy job their Senators and Representatives are really doing. Either that, or they don't realize what everyone else's Congresspeople are really doing.

[Guava Jelly]

4. Hey I'm trying :o)

Thank you for this.
I thought Al Sharpton gave a nice speech as well it brought tears to my eyes.
I can't find audio or video for it but the text is below

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1629908

snip- "Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously, is our right to vote wasn't gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of good men (inaudible) soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us.

This vote can't be bargained away.

This vote can't be given away.

Mr. President, in all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips: Our vote is not for sale.-end snip

It was magical..Less than 20 minutes after that speech CNN's Candy Crowley interviewed him and asked him (I paraphrase)
"And what was that all about?"
The media reported that he came off as angry basically they wrote it off as a rant...It still angers me today.
I loathe Candy Crowley

[Window]

12. I agree. Sharpton's speech was on the money.

Peace:thumbsup:

[Guava Jelly]

18. I FOUND IT

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/alsharpton2004dnc.htm
Rev Al Sharpton at the 2004 DNC

[canadian_is_cold]

45. That's a great one :) n/t

[barbtries]

7. if the democrats don't win the WH

i think i may be moving to your country. i have a son who's almost 16 years old which means that another republican administration will soon be trying to kill him! and i just can't take that.

thank you for writing this. i think you've nailed what american politics is and has been all about. i tend to believe that clinton would do the best job as president, but i will passionately support either for president. let's just hope that the machine that stole the last two elections will fail under the weight of millions upon millions of votes, way too many to suppress. i don't see a way in hell for the republicans to win it fairly, and i don't think they will win it at all.

[Vinca]

9. Book a spot for me on the bus.

If we end up with a President McCain, I'm a Canadian. Seriously.

[IDemo]

15. I would head north to Alberta

but it appears I don't quite pass the qualifications. :-(

[wolfgangmo]

28. Speaking as a Canadian ...

... I am not sure we want you. What will you contribute to the country and community besides your correct hatred of the right wing, corporate owned clowns you call representative? Will you be investing money, bringing skills? If not then why would we want you.



If another election is stolen then maybe we need to build a fence to keep you "yank-backs" out. After all, it is not our fault that you have a corrupt political system. Maybe you should stay home and fix things.

[superkia]

31. Just wait until we are all a part of the North American Union, our...

corrupt politicians will see to it that Canada is just as corrupt.

[canadian_is_cold]

33. Let's try not to turn this into a Canada against America pile of crap.

Please.

[CHIMO]

35. As A Canadian

You don't speak very canadian.

[barbtries]

38. of course you want me

i'm wonderful! :) who wouldn't want me?
i don't know if i have the power to "fix" things. more to the point i am fairly convinced that i do not have the power to "fix" things. i'm one person. i've marched, written letters, blogged, and made phone calls. nothing seems to get "fixed." been going on eight years now, eight years that i have actually been aware of how fucked up things are and much more fucked up they keep getting. i honestly don't know how i can "fix" things for this country. i am a single mother making a living - most of my time i spend working - and as things stand i do have skills and there is even a possibility that i could have a job before i enter canada, because my company is planning to start a canadian office.
i don't "want" to move to canada. i "need" to keep my son alive. it's real personal. discussing it at this point it seems very farfetched. but it is possible. i was certain that i would live out my entire life in california where i was born and lived for 52 years. but after my rent was raised $200/month last summer it became untenable. i took my son and we moved across the country to north carolina. it's been a good move for us; we are so much better off here. i got a great job, rent is only one-half of what it was in CA.
but this is the thing. i am a peacemonger. the war the US is engaged in is so wrong and so unnecessary it sickens me. i am a mother, one who has lost one child to homicide already. it cannot happen again. just can't. my remark was IF a republican steals the WH again. barring that all too possible scenario, i'll be staying in the land of my birth and i'll be trying in my small way to "fix" what i can. i don't recognize my "country tis of thee" anymore, but i am still an american citizen as fully engaged as it is possible for me to be.

[Kahuna]

8. Wow! XOXOXO

Thanks for a great post.

[Darth_Kitten]

10. This Canadian has been following politics for over a quarter century....

and hopes the BEST candidate wins.

[canadian_is_cold]

11. Following for over a quarter century? Wow! Thats great :)

[Darth_Kitten]

14. Since I was a kid! :)

:hi:

[paranoid floyd]

34. This Canadian

was actually scared when Reagan was elected - thought Carter was very good, a humble man who tried very hard despite the circumstances of his time.

This Canadian thought that the Clinton years were very good for America, which was very good for the world, especially Canada. I remember watching Clinton's reelection win and thinking, "there is hope". When Bush allegedly beat Gore I was dumbfounded. How could this happen? I thought that maybe Bush wasn't a complete jackass and things wouldn't be so bad. Then 9/11 happened. Who could hate so much to do something so terrible? I stood with my brother at our place of work and observed a sad moment of silence in honour of those who died, including a few Canadians. We were all one.

Then it got worse, and worse. The war in Iraq was a lie, the American people were so obviously lied too, no one will stand for it. I remember watching a very honourable Kerry say that he was "reporting for duty". This is what we as a world community needed - respect for America and respect for all that is right in the world. I knew it would be a tough election, but come on... a war hero facing off against a war avoider. Surely it can't happen again. America was at war and who better to steer her through these troubled times then someone who has seen war first hand. Again I was punched in the stomach and felt that same dread I felt when Reagan was elected. How? Why? Why is this so horribly wrong? Torture, rendition, Walter Reed... it goes on and on.

As a Canadian we know how the game is played. We are a proud country, independent, strong, resourceful. But the reality is our neighbour is a very big presence on the world stage. Honestly, we like living next door. There's a certain piece of mind that the biggest, bad-ass mofos live next door, and that our relationship is so good that if someone screws with us, our friends, our neighbours will help out. We owe that to each other and I wouldn't have it any other way.

But I'm getting that same feeling again. My country's politics will do what it does and Harper is an idiot, following in Bush's footsteps. He will be punted if he treads too close to being Bush-lite. But I'm scared for my neighbours down south. Please, please do what you can to stop this nightmare. I like Obama. I like Clinton. I want it to end. I've been so caught up in your world that I think I can't take another Reagan/Bush and/or McCain.

Change the course of history. Make this shit end and bring about a day when we can all say, as a global community that things will change. I believe that both Democratic candidates will make a difference, whoever wins. Just do it. I can't take it.

I am a proud Canadian who understands that any hope for any lasting peace and tranquility requires that the United States of America to be the beacon of hope that it once was. Restore your place in the world as a symbol for all to follow. Folks may make the claim that America has too much influence in the world. Well, wake the hell up. As America goes, so does the world. So go with peace, go with hope, and lead us all out of this nightmare. Be who the world wants you to be.

I'm a proud Canadian, and I approve this message.

[barbtries]

39. that's a beautifully worded message,

and as an american, i thank you for it.
i grew up next door to a family of republicans. my best friend for all of my 52 years called me last night because her father had a health scare. she's in MO, i'm in NC. her parents are still in CA in the home they've lived in for over 50 years. she has never voted. i begged her to register and vote this election. she said for who? and i said the democrat! just vote for the democrat joyce. i told her that she must vote because the landslide is going to have to be huge in order to overcome all the fixes the republicans have already put in.
she also told me that her parents who have never voted for anyone but a republican are completely disgusted by and fed up with gw. they've had it with this jerk. i'm reading on DU almost daily stories from others telling how republican neighbors, family members, and friends are turning. so there is hope. sad, sad, that it has come to this.
the nightmare is not over. but it may eventually end. i have hope, slim as it is, i'll take it.
peace.

[Window]

13. Thanks for caring and sharing.

Peace:thumbsup:

[mzmolly]

17. It's fabulous to learn that Canadians are paying attention.

:toast: for a great post.

Welcome!

[Bucky]

19. Thank you, Cold. Obama warms me up too.

I don't think he's the ONLY nonwindbag we've had in office. But he is clearly reaching people who've felt beyond the reach of politics before. Renewal is always a good thing.

[_Wayne_]

20. Nice post, but let me remind you, the Conservatives took over Canada last year.

[Liberalboy]

21. The Conservatives in Canada

...would be Democrats in the States

[wolfgangmo]

29. And the conservatives in the US ...

... would be locked up and medicated here. We expect most of our citizens to have at least a tenuous grasp of reality.

[ironflange]

36. ive been saying something similar for many years

i e

what we call a right wing nut here in canada would be considered a moderate democrat in the states

so i guess a canadian ndper or even a liberal could almost expect to see villagers with torches surrounding his house
if he moved down south

i dont know why it worked out this way
but thats the way it is
and we find a lot of humour in it

[Liberalboy]

44. LOL

I was called a "communist" for leaving the US and making Canada my home....

[VolcanoJen]

22. Now, *that's* what I'm talkin' about.

Excellent post. Thank you, Canada! :-)

[quantass]

24. Hello fellow Canadian!! -- Great post!! ...nt

[ElsewheresDaughter]

26. wow they have cicadas in Canada too eh?

[sueragingroz]

27. This Canadian hasn't bought into the hope or the change

This Canadian is a bit more of a pragmatist...

[donheld]

32. Kick and Recommend

Mr Obama gives a lot of us a new sense of hope.

[blue neen]

37. Thank you for the heartfelt words,

and for still caring about our country after what the Bush administration has done to screw up the entire world.

[StrictlyRockers]

40. Great post! I feel this way about Obama, too.

I am going to campaign hard for him. If Clinton wins, I will campaign for her. I will be happy if Clinton wins. I will be ecstatic if Obama wins. My mom just loves Hillary to death. I like her. I think Obama is more progressive, and I like his vision more.

I like Hillary, alot. My enthusiasm is tempered by being aware of her foibles over the past 15 years, and by how many here at DU like to point them out. Honestly, if the choice comes down to the first woman as president or the first black man as president, I will be very, very happy - as long as one of them wins. I'd prefer Obama, very much, but they are both great, and I won't be that disapointed to see Clinton win or maybe on the ticket as VP. I think it could happen. (It's at least possible if not probable. I will be proud to campaign for either.

SR

[crud76]

41. I agree

that the skinny guy with big ears and the "funny name" should be President - I've admired Dennis Kucinich for a long time.

[K Gardner]

42. Thank you for writing ! Good to hear from our neighbors to the North :-) K&R