Obama to host first-ever Seder in the White House! Very cool. The only downside is that it's adding fuel to the fire for all the Obama-is-not-a-Christian conspiracy theorists (check out the comments at the end of article...granted it is Fox News, but still). Read the details here.
Read More......
Showing posts with label barack obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barack obama. Show all posts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
After Watching The Inauguration
I watched history today. That much is clear. What is perhaps more interesting is how today may define the future.
I spent the majority of the morning watching the inauguration on via CNN's live video stream and listening on NPR when the CNN stream clogged up. Apparently, the inauguration was the LARGEST INTERNET STREAMING EVENT IN HISTORY.
The numbers are astounding(Via Mashable):
Facebook just reported that over 1 million users updated their statuses to reflect the inauguration.
Not only that, but the new whitehouse.gov is already up and uses the same format as the change.gov site that laid out the transition team's updates. That means that the Whitehouse will disseminate information directly to the people, much like FDR did in his fireside radio chats.
I have to admit, I really enjoyed watching the inauguration. I hope we can execute President Barack H. Obama's vision.
But tonight, we celebrate!
Read More......
I spent the majority of the morning watching the inauguration on via CNN's live video stream and listening on NPR when the CNN stream clogged up. Apparently, the inauguration was the LARGEST INTERNET STREAMING EVENT IN HISTORY.
The numbers are astounding(Via Mashable):
The stats released, as of noon ET:
1. There were 200,000+ status updates through the Facebook integration on CNN.com
2. at that time, 3,000 people commented on the Facebook CNN feed per minute
3. Obama’s Facebook Fan Page has more than 4 million fans and in excess of 500,000 wall posts
As of 11.45am, CNN:
-had served 13.9 million live video streams globally since 6am
-had broken its all time total daily streaming record (from Election Day) of 5.3 million live streams.
Facebook just reported that over 1 million users updated their statuses to reflect the inauguration.
Not only that, but the new whitehouse.gov is already up and uses the same format as the change.gov site that laid out the transition team's updates. That means that the Whitehouse will disseminate information directly to the people, much like FDR did in his fireside radio chats.
I have to admit, I really enjoyed watching the inauguration. I hope we can execute President Barack H. Obama's vision.
But tonight, we celebrate!
Read More......
Monday, January 19, 2009
Reflections On The Inauguration Of The First Non-White President
There have been, and will continue to be voluminous amounts of articles and opinion pieces written about the significance of Barack Obama's inauguration, speculation as to his efficacy as a leader, and on and on. This piece is all of that.
I wanted to write a really brilliant article pointing out that Obama is a brilliant politician, professor, and person who happens to have a Kenyan father and African-American wife, as opposed to being a 'Black' President.
The truth, though, is that so many people in this country still see him as a Black President. Now, I don't want to take anything away from the barrier that will be broken by his inauguration, but the fact that we have to celebrate this victory to the extent that we are belies the great distance we have left towards reaching Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Dream".
Simply put, when we are truly at the point that we can judge a person by the content of their character, we won't have to celebrate the victory as a victory for Black folks, but as a victory for a better qualified candidate with a better message.
In many ways, I think White people see this as a victory too. It shows that, even when no one is looking and the vote is on the line, White people voted for someone with brown skin and a foreign name.
As a man of many hats I see this occasion through a few different lenses.
As a person under 25, I see the election as a generational shift in terms of ideas, language, and media. Obama is not only young, as presidents go, he is youthful, playing basketball, savvy when it comes to technology, and carries with him an openness to new ideas that characterizes youth.
As a Yid, I appreciate his intellect and compassion, his nuanced approach to situations, and it sure doesn't hurt that he has a few Jewish friends.
As a friend of many teachers, several single parents, and a few social workers, I appreciate the importance of seeing a beautiful, loving, intelligent, and successful African-American family in the White House for creating sense of self-worth, possibility, and dare-I-say....hope.
Read More......
I wanted to write a really brilliant article pointing out that Obama is a brilliant politician, professor, and person who happens to have a Kenyan father and African-American wife, as opposed to being a 'Black' President.
The truth, though, is that so many people in this country still see him as a Black President. Now, I don't want to take anything away from the barrier that will be broken by his inauguration, but the fact that we have to celebrate this victory to the extent that we are belies the great distance we have left towards reaching Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Dream".
Simply put, when we are truly at the point that we can judge a person by the content of their character, we won't have to celebrate the victory as a victory for Black folks, but as a victory for a better qualified candidate with a better message.
In many ways, I think White people see this as a victory too. It shows that, even when no one is looking and the vote is on the line, White people voted for someone with brown skin and a foreign name.
As a man of many hats I see this occasion through a few different lenses.
As a person under 25, I see the election as a generational shift in terms of ideas, language, and media. Obama is not only young, as presidents go, he is youthful, playing basketball, savvy when it comes to technology, and carries with him an openness to new ideas that characterizes youth.
As a Yid, I appreciate his intellect and compassion, his nuanced approach to situations, and it sure doesn't hurt that he has a few Jewish friends.
As a friend of many teachers, several single parents, and a few social workers, I appreciate the importance of seeing a beautiful, loving, intelligent, and successful African-American family in the White House for creating sense of self-worth, possibility, and dare-I-say....hope.
Read More......
Inauguration Celebration!
All jazzed up with no place to go to celebrate the inauguration tomorrow? Let us suggest the Royale, Rep. Jake Zimmerman's choice spot in South City and renowned St. Louis political junkie hangout.
With drink specials all day long like the Hot Hope Toddy, the US Mint, the Bailout and the Stimulus, what's not to love? And if you come by after work, you might even catch some of your favorite St. Lou Jews there too!
Click here for full details
Editor's Note--
--Y? Read More......
With drink specials all day long like the Hot Hope Toddy, the US Mint, the Bailout and the Stimulus, what's not to love? And if you come by after work, you might even catch some of your favorite St. Lou Jews there too!
Click here for full details
Editor's Note--
Come on out to The Gramophone on Inauguration night to celebrate the beginning of new era for America with St. Louis’ favorite DJ Crucial on the turntables! Crucial will be spinning a mix of soul, 80s, old school and new school hip hop to keep the party going all night. This FREE event starts at 8 pm. Come out and see the RiverfrontTimes “Best New Bar” for 2008 and celebrate the beginning of the Change We Need!
--Y? Read More......
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Exhuberance: Obama is thy name
Yesterday, I received possibly the best birthday present ever, the election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States of America.
I witnessed John McCain, seemingly returning to his previous centrist self, give the best speech of his bid for election, which ironically came in the form of concession.
Immediately, I headed to the Chase Park Plaza for the victory celebration, and the change that was promised was more immediate than I had anticipated. On one of St. Louis' hip hop stations, the DJ was freestyling about Obama.
"WE GOT A BLACK PRESIDENT!" was the first thing we heard, followed by, "McCain didn't even break 200 (electoral college votes)."
Never have heard so much excitement about an election on a rap radio station. In fact, the only mention I've ever heard of rap and politics in the mainstream is the good old 'Buck Fush'.
We arrived at the Chase Park Plaza jumping up and down with excitement. The place was packed with all sorts of people, from students to the elderly, all shades and creeds of people, hugging each other, dancing, crying...it was as if we had just won a war and in some ways, we had.
As Obama gave his acceptance speech, it was clear, just by the feeling that swept the room, that something had fundamentally changed. Suddenly, this mishmash of peoples with very ostensibly very little in common were sharing a deep bond of hope, a sense of belonging, community, and feeling of enfranchisement as citizens, as Americans.
In a very big way, the victory of Barack Obama represents a major victory in the philosophical war between an older generation fueled by fear, and a younger generation, mobilized by hope.
Zuz mentioned that no one believed Obama would actually get college kids and African Americans to vote.
Obama succeeded in this endeavor because behind a bold message of hope, reconciliation, and pragmatism there was a disciplined organization that lived the values it embodied.
Everyone that I spoke with who canvassed or made phone calls remarked on how amazing it was to go out and meet and engage their neighbors in the political process.
There is a name for this type of organizational work, it's called community organizing. Yes, the same community organizing that Palin tried to insult.
This community organizing and community building is what set Obama apart, and has the potential to be truly transformational.
Here lies the difference between socialism and capitalism within a socially minded populace. In socialism, the populace is forced to redistribute wealth and power.
Capitalism within a socially minded populace is where people take care of their neighbors because they know their neighbors and see them as fellow citizens.
Is this not the America we so desire, in which we feel connected to our fellow citizens? Where we happily make coffee, tea, and baked goods for those waiting hours in line to vote, as Maya Escobar did on the Loop in University City. Where we congratulate each other for a truly collaborative effort in electing the first non-Caucasian leader of a majority Caucasian nation EVER.
Perhaps these symbolic victories won't bring the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 6000 points overnight. Neither will they ease up the credit market. But what if this victory inspires students to aspire to greater heights? What if those who hold ambivalence (at best) towards us begin to feel that we will deal justly with them, and hold ourselves to the standards to which we have long held them.
The significance of these symbolic victories is not lost on me.
Read More......
I witnessed John McCain, seemingly returning to his previous centrist self, give the best speech of his bid for election, which ironically came in the form of concession.
Immediately, I headed to the Chase Park Plaza for the victory celebration, and the change that was promised was more immediate than I had anticipated. On one of St. Louis' hip hop stations, the DJ was freestyling about Obama.
"WE GOT A BLACK PRESIDENT!" was the first thing we heard, followed by, "McCain didn't even break 200 (electoral college votes)."
Never have heard so much excitement about an election on a rap radio station. In fact, the only mention I've ever heard of rap and politics in the mainstream is the good old 'Buck Fush'.
We arrived at the Chase Park Plaza jumping up and down with excitement. The place was packed with all sorts of people, from students to the elderly, all shades and creeds of people, hugging each other, dancing, crying...it was as if we had just won a war and in some ways, we had.
As Obama gave his acceptance speech, it was clear, just by the feeling that swept the room, that something had fundamentally changed. Suddenly, this mishmash of peoples with very ostensibly very little in common were sharing a deep bond of hope, a sense of belonging, community, and feeling of enfranchisement as citizens, as Americans.
In a very big way, the victory of Barack Obama represents a major victory in the philosophical war between an older generation fueled by fear, and a younger generation, mobilized by hope.
Zuz mentioned that no one believed Obama would actually get college kids and African Americans to vote.
Obama succeeded in this endeavor because behind a bold message of hope, reconciliation, and pragmatism there was a disciplined organization that lived the values it embodied.
Everyone that I spoke with who canvassed or made phone calls remarked on how amazing it was to go out and meet and engage their neighbors in the political process.
There is a name for this type of organizational work, it's called community organizing. Yes, the same community organizing that Palin tried to insult.
This community organizing and community building is what set Obama apart, and has the potential to be truly transformational.
Here lies the difference between socialism and capitalism within a socially minded populace. In socialism, the populace is forced to redistribute wealth and power.
Capitalism within a socially minded populace is where people take care of their neighbors because they know their neighbors and see them as fellow citizens.
Is this not the America we so desire, in which we feel connected to our fellow citizens? Where we happily make coffee, tea, and baked goods for those waiting hours in line to vote, as Maya Escobar did on the Loop in University City. Where we congratulate each other for a truly collaborative effort in electing the first non-Caucasian leader of a majority Caucasian nation EVER.
Perhaps these symbolic victories won't bring the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 6000 points overnight. Neither will they ease up the credit market. But what if this victory inspires students to aspire to greater heights? What if those who hold ambivalence (at best) towards us begin to feel that we will deal justly with them, and hold ourselves to the standards to which we have long held them.
The significance of these symbolic victories is not lost on me.
Read More......
Friday, October 31, 2008
EPIC FAIL, the best stories from around the web
Its ok, sometimes people are busy, they don't have time for the frivolous pursuit of FAIL. Luckily, we here at the St. Lou Jew have done some of the leg work for you. Read on for FAILARITY. . .
For those who don't know, FAIL is an internet meme based on things going wrong, irony, or just plain stupidity. The 'Mission Accomplished' sign on the aircraft carrier is a perfect example of this.
Another great example comes in the form of a group of Christians who recently prayed at the Morgan Stanley Golden Bull to ask god for a return to a bull (growing) market.
Perhaps they don't know that a calf and a bull share some pretty interesting commonalities known as species. Perhaps they haven't heard of this little thing called the golden calf... or perhaps (in the case of Catholics) the line between depictions of god and idols have become somewhat obscured. In either case, there is a really interesting article about it that may have you asking for a pair of tablets just so that you can throw them to the ground. Talk about worshiping the almighty dollar!
To stay on the whole prophetic tip, comes a story from the Onion, making fun of the meteoric rise of 'Joe the Plumber' who was turned from a caricature into a living caricature by John McCain. The interesting thing about this article is that it was written 15 years ago and still has incredible relevance today.
Joe the Plumber gets the FAIL award for being unable to articulate a reason for his 15 minutes of fame or defend a single position. If these are the people McCain wants to showcase, he is probably further in the can than any of us imagined.
Finally, after reading both of those, and coming incredibly close to losing all faith in humanity, more people watched Barack Obama's 30 minutes of primetime television than watched the World Series. Granted, the WS was only on one channel, while Obama was on 7, but never-the-less, for that many people to be taking an interest in something as relevant and important as Obama, and pushing America's past-time into second place.. well, I guess that means that Obama is more American than baseball!
The only FAIL here is baseball, whose yearly salary pay outs are probably far higher that the bailout package.
/Please excuse the ADD nature of the above post, supplies of generic D-amphetamine have fallen faster than gas prices and stock portfolios.
Read More......
For those who don't know, FAIL is an internet meme based on things going wrong, irony, or just plain stupidity. The 'Mission Accomplished' sign on the aircraft carrier is a perfect example of this.
Another great example comes in the form of a group of Christians who recently prayed at the Morgan Stanley Golden Bull to ask god for a return to a bull (growing) market.
Perhaps they don't know that a calf and a bull share some pretty interesting commonalities known as species. Perhaps they haven't heard of this little thing called the golden calf... or perhaps (in the case of Catholics) the line between depictions of god and idols have become somewhat obscured. In either case, there is a really interesting article about it that may have you asking for a pair of tablets just so that you can throw them to the ground. Talk about worshiping the almighty dollar!
To stay on the whole prophetic tip, comes a story from the Onion, making fun of the meteoric rise of 'Joe the Plumber' who was turned from a caricature into a living caricature by John McCain. The interesting thing about this article is that it was written 15 years ago and still has incredible relevance today.
Joe the Plumber gets the FAIL award for being unable to articulate a reason for his 15 minutes of fame or defend a single position. If these are the people McCain wants to showcase, he is probably further in the can than any of us imagined.
Finally, after reading both of those, and coming incredibly close to losing all faith in humanity, more people watched Barack Obama's 30 minutes of primetime television than watched the World Series. Granted, the WS was only on one channel, while Obama was on 7, but never-the-less, for that many people to be taking an interest in something as relevant and important as Obama, and pushing America's past-time into second place.. well, I guess that means that Obama is more American than baseball!
The only FAIL here is baseball, whose yearly salary pay outs are probably far higher that the bailout package.
/Please excuse the ADD nature of the above post, supplies of generic D-amphetamine have fallen faster than gas prices and stock portfolios.
Read More......
Monday, October 13, 2008
What's Wrong with the Republican Camp
We’re a month out, and while you can’t call it yet, things aren’t looking so hot for John McCain. He was neck-and-neck with Barack Obama until the financial crisis hit, and when that kind of event happens, it pretty much guarantees success for the party not in office. You have to give Senator Obama some credit, but he shares it, at best equally, with the McCain campaign’s long list of failures, poor decisions, and terrible strategy. Don’t get too excited though, my list of what’s wrong with the policies of Barack Obama is much longer, and I still cast my vote for John McCain. But this column isn’t about the campaign.
I’ve worked for the Republican Party. I’ve voted for Republican candidates about 85% of the time. And yet this election makes me feel good about not being a registered Republican. In the spirit of Martin Luther, I want to post a list of the serious problems I’ve seen with Republicans. Don’t worry, I’m not going to pull out 99, but I do want to cover the top 8 (in no particular order).
1. They are out of touch with the next generation of Americans. The next generation of Americans is, by-and-large, out of touch with the reality of the world, but Republicans have reverted to the purist conservative judgment that says the status quo is to be defended at all costs. Change is needed, but in our present day political climate politicians lead from the rear, evidenced by decisions being made after polls mirroring the consensus view of those polls. The change that we need is someone that leads from the front. While Senator Obama is not a frontline leader, that’s no excuse for Republicans to not take the drivers seat of changing the status quo, which obviously needs tweaking.
2. They pick the wrong fights. The Republican base has been for the last 14 years Christians, but it is looking like a significant amount of Christians will be voting for Senator Obama. On the surface this makes no sense. Historically the two most important domestic issues for Christian voters have been abortion and gay marriage, yet Senator Obama is very liberal on both. We are seeing a changing of the guard among the Christian voting bloc, yet the Republicans continue to cling to a dated value set. Say what you will about sticking up for what you think is right, but these issues are not addressed by the federal government – they are largely reverted to the states, and the Republican President and Vice President nominees should not waste their efforts on issues they will likely not address when in office.
3. They give the ten word answer. My least favorite thing, when I writing speeches, is writing the second document with the 10 word answers to each of the target issues the speech addresses so that the speaker can cut to the crux. This is an incredibly complex nation and world, and 10 words do not provide a sufficient answer to any of the issues we face. The idea of having 10 words is that you can address every issue any voter might be concerned with. This is far less convincing and far less comforting than the 100 or 1000 word answers for the 10 most important issues.
4. Ignorance and indifference to the concerns and arguments of the opposition. Chanting “drill baby drill” distorts the virtues of drilling off the shores of America. Senator McCain has always said that he supports offshore drilling as a short-term measure to help us bridge the gap from where we are to the alternative energy future we need, but every time CNN shows footage of a John McCain rally with the crowd chanting “drill baby drill” it gives off the entirely wrong impression, and the opposition latches on to it to swing moderate and undecided voters in their direction. Be smart.
5. They vote for the wrong reasons. I’ve never chosen to not vote for a Democrat because he/she is a Democrat. I actually consulted for one Democratic campaign. Most Republicans vote party line because they like Republicans and hate Democrats. The amount of bad Republican politicians competes with the amount of bad Democratic politicians. When I attended a McCain/Palin rally I was encouraged to wear red to symbolize the desire to keep Missouri a red state. Putting aside the fact that I don’t like wearing red and don’t own a single piece of red clothing, I could care less that Missouri is a red state; I’d rather it be a smart state. The issue of voting is not about voting for a party but rather about voting for the best ideas, be they red, blue, or neon lime.
6. The idea embodied by Sarah Palin. I wrote an article on this blog not too long ago making a case for Sarah Palin, and I stick by the arguments I made. But she would be a less than stellar Vice President, not because of inexperience or policy specifics, but because she represents the idea, the mentality, that embracing the common denominator, the average Joe, is striving for greatness. This is not the mentality that made this country great. More than intelligence and education, we need leaders who allow for possibilities rather than shield us from them.
7. Two decades ago Republicans stood up and told the country that “Democrat” meant soft on crime, soft on the law, soft on education, soft on values, and soft on national security. And instead of standing up to this, the Democrats cowered in the corner and said, “Please, don’t hurt us.” Now, Democrats are saying that “Republican” means stupid, barbaric, and ignorant, and Republicans are running for the same corner of the house. These are salami tactics that should not be used in the first place and responded to with positive reinforcement of ideas and policies.
8. Swinging for the fences. It’s a sign of desperation, and no one sees it the way it’s wanted to be seen.
So there they are, the 8 things I find most discouraging about the Republican Party. In fact, you could remove the party slant and write almost the same article, the same 8 things, about what is wrong with the American political system. That would be even more depressing.
Read More......
I’ve worked for the Republican Party. I’ve voted for Republican candidates about 85% of the time. And yet this election makes me feel good about not being a registered Republican. In the spirit of Martin Luther, I want to post a list of the serious problems I’ve seen with Republicans. Don’t worry, I’m not going to pull out 99, but I do want to cover the top 8 (in no particular order).
1. They are out of touch with the next generation of Americans. The next generation of Americans is, by-and-large, out of touch with the reality of the world, but Republicans have reverted to the purist conservative judgment that says the status quo is to be defended at all costs. Change is needed, but in our present day political climate politicians lead from the rear, evidenced by decisions being made after polls mirroring the consensus view of those polls. The change that we need is someone that leads from the front. While Senator Obama is not a frontline leader, that’s no excuse for Republicans to not take the drivers seat of changing the status quo, which obviously needs tweaking.
2. They pick the wrong fights. The Republican base has been for the last 14 years Christians, but it is looking like a significant amount of Christians will be voting for Senator Obama. On the surface this makes no sense. Historically the two most important domestic issues for Christian voters have been abortion and gay marriage, yet Senator Obama is very liberal on both. We are seeing a changing of the guard among the Christian voting bloc, yet the Republicans continue to cling to a dated value set. Say what you will about sticking up for what you think is right, but these issues are not addressed by the federal government – they are largely reverted to the states, and the Republican President and Vice President nominees should not waste their efforts on issues they will likely not address when in office.
3. They give the ten word answer. My least favorite thing, when I writing speeches, is writing the second document with the 10 word answers to each of the target issues the speech addresses so that the speaker can cut to the crux. This is an incredibly complex nation and world, and 10 words do not provide a sufficient answer to any of the issues we face. The idea of having 10 words is that you can address every issue any voter might be concerned with. This is far less convincing and far less comforting than the 100 or 1000 word answers for the 10 most important issues.
4. Ignorance and indifference to the concerns and arguments of the opposition. Chanting “drill baby drill” distorts the virtues of drilling off the shores of America. Senator McCain has always said that he supports offshore drilling as a short-term measure to help us bridge the gap from where we are to the alternative energy future we need, but every time CNN shows footage of a John McCain rally with the crowd chanting “drill baby drill” it gives off the entirely wrong impression, and the opposition latches on to it to swing moderate and undecided voters in their direction. Be smart.
5. They vote for the wrong reasons. I’ve never chosen to not vote for a Democrat because he/she is a Democrat. I actually consulted for one Democratic campaign. Most Republicans vote party line because they like Republicans and hate Democrats. The amount of bad Republican politicians competes with the amount of bad Democratic politicians. When I attended a McCain/Palin rally I was encouraged to wear red to symbolize the desire to keep Missouri a red state. Putting aside the fact that I don’t like wearing red and don’t own a single piece of red clothing, I could care less that Missouri is a red state; I’d rather it be a smart state. The issue of voting is not about voting for a party but rather about voting for the best ideas, be they red, blue, or neon lime.
6. The idea embodied by Sarah Palin. I wrote an article on this blog not too long ago making a case for Sarah Palin, and I stick by the arguments I made. But she would be a less than stellar Vice President, not because of inexperience or policy specifics, but because she represents the idea, the mentality, that embracing the common denominator, the average Joe, is striving for greatness. This is not the mentality that made this country great. More than intelligence and education, we need leaders who allow for possibilities rather than shield us from them.
7. Two decades ago Republicans stood up and told the country that “Democrat” meant soft on crime, soft on the law, soft on education, soft on values, and soft on national security. And instead of standing up to this, the Democrats cowered in the corner and said, “Please, don’t hurt us.” Now, Democrats are saying that “Republican” means stupid, barbaric, and ignorant, and Republicans are running for the same corner of the house. These are salami tactics that should not be used in the first place and responded to with positive reinforcement of ideas and policies.
8. Swinging for the fences. It’s a sign of desperation, and no one sees it the way it’s wanted to be seen.
So there they are, the 8 things I find most discouraging about the Republican Party. In fact, you could remove the party slant and write almost the same article, the same 8 things, about what is wrong with the American political system. That would be even more depressing.
Read More......
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Warning, extremely offensive, and hilarious
Sarah Silverman is her usual raunchy and hilarious self in this video designed to get young progressive Jews down to Florida to convince their conservative grandparents that Barack Obama is the man for the job.
The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo. Read More......
The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo. Read More......
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