Category: US election

Colin Powell

Colin Powell steps down as US Secretary of State. He’s a man I’ve always admired. Critics say he lost influence in the Bush administration and failed to win key battles with the hawks. He was certainly a voice of moderation.

He’s a former National Security Adviser and served 35 years in the US Army, rising to the rank of Four-Star General and serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Take a look at his farewell address to staff at the U.S. Department of State. He sees real achievements in developing relations with Russia and China and acknowledges NATO expansion as a trans-Atlantic milestone. He also champions America’s diplomatic response 9-11 and pays tribute to the elections in Afghanistan and Iraq.

George W. Bush’s inauguration speech

George W Bush Inauguration Just watched George W. Bush’s inauguration speech. Overloaded with lofty rhetoric, conviction politics and a hefty serving of ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’.

It’s high idealism and compares to JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you” inauguration address of 1961 and Woodrow Wilson’s inauguaration speech of 1917.

It was a conservative speech with plenty of references to God and biblical mythology. Above all, it was a call to leadership. Bush seemed to be saying, follow me to the promised land of liberty and freedom.

There was virtually no mention of Iraq, bin laden, Afghanistan or the War on Terror.

Priorities, George. Priorities !

Jib Jab’s ‘Second Term’

jibjab.jpgIt’s inauguration day.

In just a few hours George W. Bush will stand on the steps of the US Capitol, put his hand on a Bible and repeat the oath to uphold the US Constitution. 44 years to the day since John F Kennedy gave his historic, “Ask not what your country can do for you” inauguration address.

Bush will then give his inauguration speech which will focus on the spread of freedom at home and abroad.

“The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands”.

No inauguration address would be complete without a satirical jibe from animation masters JibJab. They brought us the catchy ‘This Land’ during the US election campaign. Now JibJab have cooked up a witty and sardonic political animation to mark George W. Bush’s ‘Second Term’.

Enjoy……

The Mirror…

The Daily MirrorAhhh, The Daily Mirror, such a wise and well balanced paper. Not. What a totally stupid front page.

Sure, we’re all on a post election downer and can’t believe that Bush has got back in. But, that headline is just offensive.

Bush won. We may not like it, but it’s a fact and we gotta get used to it. The people of America have made their decision and the majority want 4 more years of Bush. That’s their prerogative.

Imagine if an American supermarket tabloid had a similar front page after a British election. We would be incensed and the Mirror would be beside itself with self-righteous indignation.

Tabloids, the best place for ’em is the bin.

went to the gym...

Kerry Concedes….

John KerryKerry has conceded. It’s official, Bush gets The White House.

As I went to bed last night the exit polls were suggesting a Kerry win. When the radio alarm clicked on this morning, Florida had fallen to Bush and he was ahead. For a few hours it all hung on the provisionals in Ohio, but it was a long shot and all hope for Kerry was fading.

I certainly feel a sense of shock and hopelessness. The expectation and promise of a Kerry win are dead. The Right are back in power. It seems as if reason’s been turned over by faith based instinct politics. To me it doesn’t make sense. How could America, a mature and wealthy nation, choose such a nonsensical path. But they did, and we have to accept it.

This evening I watched Kerry’s speech at Faneuil Hall in Boston. He was gracious, dignified and positive, calling for unity and faith. He looked choked and tired.

A few hours later, I watched Bush and Cheney’s victory speech at the Reagan Center in Washington. Bush was careful to send a unifying message to America, “A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one constitution, and one future that binds us“. The test will be what he does, not what he says. Will he make real gestures to unify the country and heal, or will he press on with his divisive right-wing agenda ? We’ve got 4 years to find out.

The fascinating thing is how divided America is. They’re split right down the middle. The two sides are polarised like never before. America’s long running cultural civil war may well reach a climax in the next few years. Add the revitalisation of American grass-roots politics and you get a fascinating combination of politics and conviction that will certainly test American democracy and institutions. Definitely one to watch.

Through secular European eyes the US election seemed alien. I simply don’t understand how Americans can take their religion so literally. In Europe the evolution vs Genesis debate was concluded well over a century ago and no serious politican would consider it for a moment. It amazes me that abortion is such a wedge issue. America’s attitude towards guns seem strange and dangerous. It worries me that God and Government look to be converging in modern America. Much of Europe’s history has been devoted to keeping them apart for very good reasons.

To adapt a famous phrase, America is a foreign country and they do things differently there… !

Bush wins ?

Gutted. Looks like Bush has won. Speechless really. The optimism and hope of a Kerry Presidency has turned to dark pessimism.

4 more years of Bush, the neo-cons and the religious right in power is a truly frightening prospect.