.......President Obama's first 100 days...............

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Okay - I hear you - why is an Aussie living in NZ interested in an American President.

Two reasons - One .. I am part American - and Two... my partner is American - oh..... and considering he is the leader of the only true superpower out there - you really should take notice too.



I did not like Senator Barack Obama as a candidate - not at all. He came across as arrogant, pretentious, and,at times, disrespectful to his fellow Democratic candidates. Many said that his in-experience being a first time Senator resulted in a very human reaction of over-compensation which resulted in the above personality traits. That's one that could be argued long and loud - but suffice to say I was a Senator Hillary supporter - now Madame Secretary of State and a rather kick-arse one at that.

However, I like President Obama very much.

He has clearly learnt from his time on the campaign trail and has surrounded himself with good people who are clearly ten times more informed and more intelligent than the advisers of the previous administration. Most importantly - President Obama appears to listen to them - which is extremely comforting.

Indeed - I believe President Obama to be the change that America and the World desperately needed. Why? ....... he is human.

"Duh, Damien - we're all human ya know!!" - Actually we aren't.

I'm not talking simple chains of deoxyribonucleic acid here folks... I'm talking about a personal morality and integrity.

I never liked Bush Jr, and it wasn't because he was a Republican - it was because he had no humanity. None. And no - his response to 9/11 had nothing to do with humanity and everything to do with shooting first and asking questions later. I have NO idea how I would have reacted as President - but the words "You are either with us or your against us" will be President Bushes legacy - long after the other mistakes of his presidency are forgotten. By the way, as a member of a country who has been a long term ally of the USA... even with the tears still in my eyes from the devastation of 9/11 - I was deeply offended by this statement.

President Obama on the other hand is reaching out to the world - all corners of it. Even those people who aren't very nice. Why? It's called diplomacy people. You don't just kill your enemies - you reach out to them with your own ideology and passionately engage with them about how it could be THEIR ideology as well. You won't always win - but in most cases - and a republican President by the name of Reagan demonstrated this all too eloquently - you might actually get them to the middle of the road.

He has also shown that he can lead by example. He and his family have planted a kitchen garden at the White House, the first since First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Why should we care - because it's a good thing. It promotes gardening - which in turn promotes carbon capture. It shows how even the smallest action can help the environment and guess what happened - kitchen gardens are popping up all over the US.


He has also spoken publicly about his battle to quit smoking. He spoke of his wife's desire to have her husband be a role model in action not just words. Has he fallen off the wagon a few times? - he has freely admitted it and by doing so has shown the power of nicotine addiction and why it is so hard for people to quit, and so important that young people don't start.

President Obama has also led the charge for the perception of the Office of the President and the White House to be updated to reflect modern times. Now this is more than just a redesigned web site, this action says that here is a President who wants not just the Office to grow, but his country to grow as well. This could not be more vital in this day and age of rapidly changing global politics, economics and sociologies.

He has even demonstrated that he is a President of considered action. When an American citizen was recently held hostage by Somali pirates, he sought the input of his advisers, but then made the decision to act quickly - knowing the buck stopped with him and the President is the one responsible. As such, he sent a fatal message to those who would harm or extort the lives of American citizens. Do I have any compassion for the dead pirates - none - why? - do you think they had any compassion for their victims? How would you feel if it was your husband / father / brother being held at gunpoint with a more than 50/50 certainty of being shot anyway?


The critics of President Obama appear to be running around in circles screaming "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" - Only because they have nothing to truly get this guy on - which is the favourite past time of critics everywhere. Don't try to work with someone - just criticise and/or scandalise them. Why be part of the process of change when you can simply derail it and thus make everyone elses life worse? Because it is all they know.

I've seen conservative rallies where placards read "Impeach the Kenyan" - "Where do I start" (and yes the dude forgot correct pronunciation and left out the question mark - oy vey) - and "Obama Leading US to Evil" (this one in response to President Obama meeting with those countries not thought of well in the USA).

I'm happy to make a generalisation here and say that these people are the ones that would not change their underwear if they didn't have to. These vocal but ill-informed protesters belong to the "good old days" - when only men worked, women wore taffeta and high heels at home whilst the black maid cleaned, and every second son had the word "Junior" tacked on. In other words - these people cling to the past whilst sitting in dark corners regurgitating the "good ol days" like mouthfuls of stale vomit whilst bemoaning the approaching storm of gay marriage. Again... oy vey.

President Obama bowed to Saudi Arabian King Abdullah. Conservatives went absolutely crazy that he would do this. But why? He should bow - because it's the customary sign of respect of the land. Just like she should bow when meeting Queen Elizabeth II. If nothing else, it shows the class of the man respecting other cultures and the involved protocol of meeting other heads of state.

Thomas Lifson at the American Thinker blog ( http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/04/obama_doubles_down_on_the_bow.html ) called the bow an insult to American sovereignty. Firstly, America does not reign over Saudi Arabia - even tho he and others may wish it did. Secondly, to even try to couch a diplomatic RIGHT as a diplomatic WRONG is the sign of an individual for whom all rounds are spent - he has nothing left to shoot. Thirdly, to comment without exploring the WHY of an action or word demonstrates an intentional ignorance that seems to be common to conservative pundits. THIS is an observation and not a crit. In reading many of the conservative blogs and media there is a common thread of WHY being consciously overlooked. Intentional Ignorance was also the providence of the Nazis - it's how they defined themselves. I caution conservatives against this tact.

In no way did the bow diminish his standing or the standing of America internationally - it actually raised it. Because here is a President willing to meet other leaders as an equal - like he should. It doesn't matter whether it's a small nation with no firepower - or a country like the UK, the leader of a nation SHOULD show respect to others - because that results in respect being shown to him AND his country. It says 'Let me work WITH you rather than AGAINST you".

President Obama is even facing criticism from the mainstream black community - because there are those who say he is too "white". I simply do not understand this. Sincerely do not understand as I do not have any cultural reference to explore this. Perhaps it is because President Obama treats his community just as fairly as all communities that may be the problem. Because he is not making it all about being black, the hard line community voices believe he has forsaken them. As I said, I really do not know so I'll move on.

The future 100 days for the President will be difficult. He has not only a national economy in recession, but a global economic recession that he must assist with. He has auto companies who think nothing about spending a hundred thousand dollars on a private jet flight to Congress but have no clue how to properly manage their industry. He has conservative pundits pulling out shot after shot of meaningless attacks that do nothing but clog a news cycle with the journalistic equivalent of sewerage outfall. And, he has to do all this whilst attempting to heal the national and international wounds of Bush Jnr's fractured legacy.

I wish him well. And I look forward to seeing how this truly inspirational President does in the near future.

I didn't like him as a candidate - but he is an exceptional President.

G-d Bless President Obama - and may G-d bless the United States of America and all countries.

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