Castro Speaks

The Maximum Leader comments on the election of Barack "He whose middle name may not be uttered" Obama:

BRRRRRAAAAAAAIIIIINNNNNNNSSSSS!!!!

The Race Race

I've been following the political news for the past couple of days and after an American election that lasted 94,286 years I have encountered something that I didn't think possible: I was surprised.

It wasn't the sycophancy of the news media basking in its sucess in putting Barrack "he whose middle name may not be uttered" Obama into the White House at the cost of their own credibility. That was to be expected. What I didn't anticipate was that after so much finger wagging and scolding about how the "race card" was aboslutely forbidden and the campaign had not a jot to do with Obama's melinin content, I now see miles of news sheet and hogsheads of ink being disgorged on how the single most important thing in this election is that Obama is America's first black president.

Some of it I understand, though deplore. The news media has always had a taste for the sensational and superficial and I should have half-expected all the oil poured over the "historic" elevation of Obama. Not being American, I can't see the novelty of a black head of state myself, but reporters are a parochial breed. What really surprised me was story after story, interview after interview with supposedly intelligent people who were not only over the moon about a black US persident, but had voted for him for that very reason.

During Obama's acceptance speech he used the rhetorical device of punctuating his remarks with his campaign slogan "Yes, we can". That's a perfectly good bit of public speaking and very effective. But then, about the second or third time, the audience started chanting along as if they were a congreagation reading the responses out of the book of prayer. That, to me, was unnerving as a man whose seen his share of personality cults and their unwholesome fruits, but it was as nothing to finding out that huge blocs of voters, apparently millions of people, chose Obama to become the most powerful man on Earth on the grounds of him being relatively more difficult to pick out in a dark room.

If this is true, then it speaks very poorly for democracy.

I understand that America has a legacy of very nasty and violent race relations that have resulted in everything up to and including one of the bloodiest wars in history, but after months, if not years of being assured time and again that this was about choosing the most competent person for office, I am now, with a perfectly straight face, being told that it is about "fulfilling Martin Luther King's dream" or "healing the divide" or giving black Americans a massive ego boost. In other words, it was a great symbolic gesture of racial reconcilation that everyone can wallow in.

Fine. Good. Wonderful. I'm all atingle. Thing is, the office of President of the United States is not a figurehead position. It is not that of a head of state with no real powers. The President is a man who can rain radioactive death upon half the planet with a single order and governs a country whose every economic stumble can put the rest of the world flat on its back. That's a bit much to waste on a bit of race relations theatre.

Still, now that the point has been made and everyone has had a heartfelt Kumbaya moment, can Mr. Obama please resign so the Americans can get on with actually picking a president (skin colour irrelevant) instead of a prop for a historic tableau?

I thought not.

Update: Now the media is going stark, raving bonkers with articles clamoring for a black prime minister, a black Doctor Who, a black James Bond, and a black Pope.

Next up: When will the Queen be black?

Obama Wins

Barrack "He whose middle name may not be uttered" Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States. Congratulations to the Democrats and have fun at the victory party.

So what happens next? That's a good question and I wish I had an answer, but the fact of the matter is that it depends entirely who President Obama is and for the first time in thirty years I am faced with an international figure of whom I haven't the slightest inkling. From what I have seen, Obama may be one of several unpleasant alternatives:

• A paper messiah who can't possibly make good on his promises.
• An empty suit; a political Zelig thrown by circumstances far out of his depth.
• A Socialist Trojan horse who will shock those who didn't understand what "change" meant.
  
• An unprincipled cynic who is for no one but himself.
  

Or maybe none of these. The most honest thing that I hope and pray for is that I am completely wrong about him otherwise we face a mixture of Tony Blair and Jimmy Carter who will inevitably back the world into a major war not seen since the Korean conflict, wrecking his own nation in the process, and then blaming his countrymen for his failings.

Fingers crossed.

Election Day

It's election day in the United States and we here at EI urge our American readers to carry out there duties as citizens and go to the polls.

I haven't talked much about the American elections here. That's mainly because without the staggering pomposity of John Kerry it just isn't as fun this time around. Also, tensions have run so high in 2008 that any attempt to breach the topic would have required long discussions about everything from spin doctors to media bias to God knows what and I haven't the time, patience or interest to go so in-depth when there are dozens of political bloggers who can do a much better job of it.

Also, the Time Lords get annoyed if I get involved too much in local affairs.

But I will say this, if you are voting today, bear in mind that the United States, like is or not, is the key player in world affairs and you don't have the option of leaving the game. We are still engaged in a deadly war with the Jihadists–one that only our grandchildren may see the end of. Added to that, there is an economic crisis that could go from merely unnerving to global hardship that could last a decade if it isn't met squarely and without illusion about what needs to be done. If you don't think your choice will help win against these foes, (and I mean win, not walk away from or come to an accommodation with), then I would suggest that second thoughts are in order.

Arctic Iron Lady

Governor Sarah Palin is "Alaska's Margaret Thatcher".

It's meant as a compliment, I'm sure, but I've always found Lady Thatcher a bit too left-wing for my tastes.

Real or What?

I haven't found much that really peaks my interest in this American election, though I am amused by the cult of personality that has grown up around Barrack Obama–especially as it's manifest in the MSM as parodied in this piece in The Times:

And so it was, in the fullness of time, before the harvest month of the appointed year, the Child ventured forth - for the first time - to bring the light unto all the world.

He travelled fleet of foot and light of camel, with a small retinue that consisted only of his loyal disciples from the tribe of the Media. He ventured first to the land of the Hindu Kush, where the

Taleban had harboured the viper of al-Qaeda in their bosom, raining terror on all the world.

And the Child spake and the tribes of Nato immediately loosed the Caveats that had previously bound them. And in the great battle that ensued the forces of the light were triumphant. For as long as the Child stood with his arms raised aloft, the enemy suffered great blows and the threat of terror was no more.

Or, if this German reporter's account of meeting Obama in a gym is sincere, maybe parody isn't that far off (emphasis in the original):

He goes and picks up a pair of 16 kilo weights and starts curling them with his left and right arms, 30 repetitions on each side. Then, amazingly, he picks up the 32 kilo weights! Very slowly he lifts them, first 10 curls with his right, then 10 with his left. He breathes deeply in and out and takes a sip of water from his 0,5 litre Evian bottle.

Shortly before five o’clock Obama comes over and sits directly next to my cross-trainer on the mat. First he does 10 sit-ups, then stretches. Then he looks at his watch and says to his bodyguard: “It’s time, let’s go.” Quickly I ask: “Mr. Obama, could I take a photo?”. “Of course!” he answers, before asking my name and coming over to stand next to me.

“My name’s Judith” I reply. "I’m Barack Obama, nice to meet you!” he says, and puts his arm across my shoulder. I put my arm around his hip – wow, he didn’t even sweat! WHAT A MAN!

Good Lord.

Poll Postion

According to a recent Rassmussen poll, 49% of American voters believe that the press is biased in favour of Barrack Obama, 14% are insane and 21% have been living down a coal shaft for the past fifty years.

Labour Sinking

Labour has come in fifth in the Henley by-election–behind both the Greens and the BNP.

Anyone who knows the lyrics to "Nearer my God to thee" is requested to ring Labour headquarters.

Crewe Cut

The Conservatives have taken the formerly safe Labour seat of Crewe with a majority of 7,860.

I'm not exactly jumping up and down about this one. While it's great to see New Labour taking one in the eye, it isn't much of a win when it goes to New Conservative, which runs on the manifesto of "we're just like New Labour except we'll do it bit less wretchedly."

Now if they'd won on a promise of (for a start) repealing everything that New Labour has done in the past eleven years, dismantling the Welfare State forthwith, placing a moratorium on immigration, quiting the EU immediately and admitting flatly that we are at war and that it will be prosecuted as such with full vigour and a tripled defence budget with all combat operations funded by emergency spending bills, then you'd get my attention.

Boris Johson Wins

Mr. Gordon Brown's bad day just got worse as voters tell Red Ken not to let the door hit him on the way out.

New Labour Passes Sell-By Date

New Labour has taken their worst election trouncing in 40 years. Worse, they took it from David Cameron.

That's like being beaten to death with a cream puff.

The Reverse Elmer Gantry

"I am shocked, shocked that the Reverend Wright is a paranoid racist."

There is something almost epic about Barack Obama's slide from Democrat Messiah to John F. Kennedy to Jimmy Carter to George McGovern to John Kerry to political hack. Granted, Senator Obama had painted himself into a corner and there was no other way out, but like his links to a self-confessed terrorist and a Chicago racketeer and his wife's unfortunate choices of words, this was something he should have been aware of when it was still a dot on the horizon.

Add five doors and a pair of knickers and you've got a French farce.

Obama-Kerry '08

Yes! Yes! Dear God, yes! At last something to liven things up. John Kerry was the greatest gift to humourists since Clement Atlee and I still have a bag of Kerry jokes left over from '04!

French Election Update

From The Age:

Paris violence mars Sarkozy victory

And they're off!

Sarkozy Wins

The media got a major reality check today as the French elected Nicolas Sarkozy to the presidency despite everyone from Libération to the BBC World Service refusing to believe that Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate and darling of the left-wing Soixantehuitard establishment, wasn't in with a chance.

Mind you, I'm not expecting Sarkozky to pull France away from the brink, but at least he won't drive it enthusastically into the Abyss.

Oh yes, the police are also on riot alert for any reaction from the Jihadists suburban "youths."