Monday, May 7, 2012 By
Monday, May 7, 2012 By
I love the Clintons and Obama. So I was sad when Hillary Clinton said it’s time for her to leave politics. “It’s time for me to step off the high wire,” she said after a woman in the audience said she had wanted Hillary to be elected president in 2008 and Barkha Dutt added Hillary could run again in 2016. “Oh dear, you will get me into trouble,” Hillary said with a laugh before adding she wanted to retire from politics.
Hillary was speaking at La Martiniere for Girls school in Kolkata today. The event was livestreamed on Facebook by NDTV and hosted by the NDTV anchor, Barkha Dutt.
Had a great time moderating Hillary Clinton’s Kolkata TownHall. Found her candid, firm, focused, funny and easy going all at once.
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) May 7, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012 By
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 By
Either the Star newspaper in Malaysia doesn't follow the news or it's weak in geography.
It reported yesterday:
(Malaysian PM) Najib is among more than 40 world leaders attending the summit but only one of two Asian leaders granted a face-to-face meeting with Obama. The other leader is Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Oops, it goofed.
President Obama also met the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani the previous day.
Didn't the Malaysian newspaper know that or did it forget India and Pakistan are in Asia too?
Maybe it thinks Asia ends somewhere near Johor Baru.
Both look so imposing. They are so tall they can look each other in the eye. Maybe there was no need for a tete-a-tete.
Monday, March 22, 2010 By
This is what change looks like — President Barack Obama speaking after the historic healthcare reform bill was passed:
Tonight, after nearly 100 years of talk and frustration, after decades of trying, and a year of sustained effort and debate, the United States Congress finally declared that America’s workers and America's families and America's small businesses deserve the security of knowing that here, in this country, neither illness nor accident should endanger the dreams they’ve worked a lifetime to achieve. ( Full text here posted by the White House.)
Eloquent as ever, Obama has now achieved what he set out to do — bringing universal health care to America, one year, two months and one day after being sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
Here is a flashback to that day, January 20, 2009: Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen singing This Land Is Your Land at Obama's inauguration — and Obama smiling during his swearing-in ceremony when Chief Justice John Roberts was the first to say: "Congratulations, Mr President!"
Friday, November 14, 2008 By
Senator Hillary Clinton emerged as a candidate to be U.S. secretary of state for Barack Obama, reports Reuters. I am so glad! She is absolutely electric and would make a great Secretary of State.
Putting her in the position could help heal whatever lingering divisions remain in the Democratic Party after her bitter battle with Obama for the presidential nomination, Reuters adds.
The Washington Post reports:
There's increasing chatter in political circles that the Obama camp is not overly happy with the usual suspects for secretary of state these days and that the field may be expanding beyond Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and perhaps former senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.)…
Clinton has long been known for her work on international women's issues and human rights. The former first lady also could enhance Obama's efforts to restore U.S. standing among allies worldwide.
And Obama could put her in his speed-dial for a 3 a.m. phone call each morning.
Heh heh! That's a dig at that campaign ad!
Sunday, April 27, 2008 By
My opinion of Barack Obama did not go up when he backed away from Hillary Clinton's challenge to have another debate with her. His argument that they had already debated 21 times and he wanted to talk to the voters seemed specious: a televised debate would attract a much bigger audience than a campaign rally. More likely he doesn't want a repeat of their last debate, before the Pennsylvania primary, which he lost big-time.
But while Hillary is the better debater, Obama is eloquent. It's just that he is at his best when he is sharing the stage with no one else — in Wordsworth's words:
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.
This is no backhanded compliment, or I would not have quoted from one of Wordsworth's touching Lucy poems.
The fact is Obama moves and inspires not when he is taking questions from others but when he is speaking directly to the people.
He is just as eloquent as a writer.
I was just reading the 2004 preface of Dreams from My Father. It's so good I can't even decide which passage to quote.
But these past 15 months of campaigning have taken their toll. And, in David Brooks' memorable words, "Obama fell to earth".
I prefer Hillary when it comes to politics because she is more experienced and more resilient.
But Obama almost revolutionised politics by attracting the young and the liberals with speeches and slogans that prompted one BBC commentator to ask whether it was "clever marketing" or "transformational politics".
Whatever it is, it takes a certain genius, which Obama has.
He has so many qualities.
And yet I admire Hillary.
Friday, March 14, 2008 By
I support Hillary Clinton though every time I see or hear Barack Obama on a videoclip or television, I am deeply impressed. But if I were to vote for him, it would be for his mother, or what I read about her in the International Herald Tribune. What a remarkable woman. Obama seems far more conventional than his mother.
This is such a wonderful picture of them together. (Photo International Herald Tribune)
Of course, he couldn’t have it easy being the child of such an idealistic woman. Living in different cultures, finding his own identity, there were issues he faced that might have never surfaced if he were born into a more conventional family. It’s revealing he has not followed in his mother’s footsteps, sparing his children the same experience.
I admire Obama, so I hope his supporters won’t mind this. But I am surprised Hillary had to apologise for what her supporter Geraldine Ferraro said: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Isn’t that true? Won’t Obama make history if he becomes the first African American president? Won’t he make history just by winning the Democratic nomination? Isn’t part of his appeal his multiracial heritage?
There is no other leader in the news who can make the same claim. It is one of the things that makes him exceptional. It has galvanised the African Americans and attracted so many others that he is the frontrunner in the Democratic race. And when somebody points that out, apologies are called for? Strange.
Even calling him "lucky" doesn’t detract him from his powerful appeal for he is fortunate indeed to possess such charisma. It’s a gift which can’t be earned by hard work.
I just wish this skirmishing ended and Hillary and Obama became running mates for the November election.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 By
Hillary has hinted that she might run for president with Obama as her running
mate. They would make a dream team, as I wrote before reading the report in the
The Guardian reported:
Asked on CBS’ The Early Show whether she and Obama should be on the same
ticket, Clinton said: "That may be where this is headed, but of course we have
to decide who is on the top of ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly
said that it should be me."
CBS News reported Hillary was responding to the Early Show
co-anchor Harry Smith who said:
"We talked to a lot of people in Ohio who said there really isn’t that
significant a difference between you two, and they’d like to see you both on the
Now the ball’s in Obama’s court.
The Democratic leaders have made it clear they don’t want the contest to drag
on and divide the party when it should be united against the Republicans. Now
here’s a way out. Obama has nothing to lose by sitting down with Hillary. He has
the upper hand as the frontrunner.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 By
Clinton (photo CNN) wins in Texas too! This was the news I was waiting for. The suspense was really killing me after she wrapped up Ohio and Rhode Island. Hurrah for Hillary! No offence to Barack Obama. He is inspiring too. But, as Jimi Hendrix sang, "Are You Experienced"? Hurrah for Hillary! Now, let’s sing My Generation!
Jokes aside, she was outspent, criticised by the media, urged by party leaders in not so many words to quit the race, and yet look where she is now. Full credit to her and her volunteers who, despite being outnumbered by the opposition, conquered three states, all in a day.
The media used to talk of the Clinton machine. Isn’t it time they talked of the Obama machine as well? But, no, that’s called a movement while the Clinton supporters are nothing more than a machine.
Hillary and Obama
Hillary demonstrated today when it comes to the crunch, she has got what it takes to bounce back and win, even when the odds are against her. And that’s what a commander in chief needs, this strength and resilience, as she has been saying all along.
Obama has shown vision, inspiring people and starting a grassroots — okay, let’s give it to him — "movement" that transcended race and class. But the movement has morphed into a machine bigger and richer than his rival’s.
And the idealism too is showing a bit of wear and tear. The controversy over what his chief economic adviser said or did not say about his attitude towards NAFTA at a meeting with Canadian consular officials in Chicago would have been unimaginable a few days ago. And Obama himself has been seen hemming and hawing about whether he will accept public financing for his campaign,as he pledged to do.
Obama is no doubt an idealist and a visionary, but he is also a politician. That’s why we hear him talking about the political arithmetic that, when it comes to delegates for the convention, he has the numbers on his side.
Hillary, of course, is seen as a politician. People and commentators are less likely to talk about her vision and idealism even though she has gone out on a limb before fighting for healthcare reform. She wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t feel deeply about it.
But, never mind what critics say, let’s agree both Hillary and Obama want to be president. The question is, who remains undaunted by adversity and emerges with head held high?
Those are the qualities a US president needs in a changing world seething with challenges. Of course, he or she will have to be an idealist and a visionary and a conciliator as well.
The Democrats have two remarkable candidates. Instead of urging one of them to drop out of the race so the Democrats can close their ranks against the Republicans, why don’t the party leaders persuade Hillary and Obama to run on the same ticket? They would be a dream team.