The reaction to Barack Obama’s election is pouring in from all quarters, and there is a lot of really emotional, powerful stuff. My cousin Rajath Vikram posted a note on Facebook, and I am re-posting it here with his permission. He doesn’t write often, but when he does, it is really good.

It’s titled, quite simply, “America”

It is difficult, in this world, to believe in something.
We’d all have a much easier time being cynical, expecting the worst, being critical of others.

Our whole lives we’ve been told
that this day would never come.
There would be an American president
who is Black
who is mixed
who is from an immigrant family
who has a Muslim name
who spent part of his youth in another country
who was raised by a single mother and her mother
who’s wife and children look and sound like his do
who worked in the City as a community organizer
who has some friends and family who talk openly about parts of American history that we aren’t all that proud of
who believes that cooperation with every corner the world is the best way to lead
who believes that our role as a beacon of hope is the best way to shield us from harm
who believes that we are only as strong as the weakest among us

And… here we are in heaven.

Barack Hussein Obama appealed to our better angels
He asked us to be better than that
He never expected us to be petty
He never worried that we were too shell shocked by 9/11 to accept change
He never thought that different immigrant groups, religious groups, minorities and white Americans wouldn’t hold hands
and walk together
He never feared that we couldn’t handle the journey into the future.

He knew who America really was.

America is why Rosa sat
Martin marched
and why Barack ran
so our children will fly.

I may be young
but I’ve never been so proud to be American.

At 11pm on November 4th 2008, Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States of America. You have no idea how much being able to write those words means to me. I remember a family gathering almost a year ago, where a spirited debate on the elections took place. There were quite a few people (even among my democrat-leaning family) who said that this day would never come, that this country was just not ready for Obama to be President. So today is vindication, the realization of an ideal, a hope, a dream.

One has to appreciate this moment for its history, for the significance of what it says about this country. America now has its first African-American President, a huge step towards the ideal of America as the melting pot, where all people (in every sense) are created equal. And who better embodies the American Dream than the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas, growing up with a single parent and raised by his grandparents far from the American mainstream, making his own fortune through hard work and smarts, charting his own course in politics without the support of a political family, going all the way to White House?

In Obama, we have a transformational leader, one who understands the opportunity and mandate he has to unite this country that has been torn apart by the politics of old. He rose to prominence on the back of one of the greatest speeches of all time – “…there is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America – there’s the United States of America” – a message that resonated with an electorate hungry for vision and change. And he understands what America means to the world, and will do the right things to restore its place of honor in the global community.

His election will forever change how politics works, bringing back as it does the idea of government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. The community organizer understood the power of building a community, of using the power of the people to convince their neighbors. His campaign was more social movement than political campaign. These ideas of social marketing have already taken hold in the marketing and technology world, and will soon resonate in the political world, changing how political campaigns are waged.

The beauty of his campaign was that people felt personally invested in his election and, going forward, will do so in his government as well. That is how he will take this country forward, by making people feel invested in the future of their country once again. Nobody can bring about change on their own. But get people on the bandwagon, and anything is possible. Obama gets that, and he will use that.

For the next few days we will all celebrate. But then the real hard work of undoing the damage done by President Bush will start. Yet we have faith. Because the message is there.

Yes, We Did. And Yes, We Can.

I am absolutely outraged at the arrogance, condescension and divisiveness of Sarah Palin on the campaign trail. Read what she said at a Greenboro, NC fundraiser Thursday:

“We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C.. We believe, we believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, pro-America areas of this great nation. This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans: those who are running our factories and teaching our kids and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us, those who are protecting us in uniform, those who are protecting the virtues of freedom.”

How dare she impune me and those of us living in the so-called “Un-Real America”. Who is she to comment on my work ethic or my contributions to society? Why isn’t Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh or anyone at Fox News ripping into her for suggesting that the people who were murdered on 9/11 were not real Americans, that the firefighters and first responders who showed such bravery and courage that day are not real Americans. Is she forgetting that West Point, where the best (dare I say elite) of our military learn how to fight for America, is in New York? All this from the wife of someone who believes that America is so bad that Alaska should secede from the union.

How dare you, Ms Palin. I hope that Jon Stewart picks up on this and rips into her on Monday. And I hope that all the real Americans in the audience at Saturday Night Live let her have it when she comes on the show tomorrow (if she can bring herself to set foot in this unholy land).

Well, the Presidential debates are over. And while I did blog about the VP debate, I haven’t so far about the Presidential debates because, well, they just were not as interesting. Lots of rhetoric and not enough electricity. I’m not going to talk about how the debates went because I am obviously a biased party (besides, the polls speak for themselves). But I did want to talk about the debates themselves, because I thought that part of it was pretty interesting.

All 3 debates had different moderators (Jim Lehrer, Tom Brokaw, Bob Schieffer) and different formats (podium debate, town hall debate, roundtable debate). What I found remarkable was just how much the moderator and the choice of format affected and influenced how the debate went.

The first debate was pretty bland, and obviously didn’t stick to its stated focus on foreign policy. The questions were stilted, and Lehrer came off looking like a marriage counselor desperately trying to get a feuding couple to talk to each other. Despite that, the format made for a very staid debate (if you can call it that) with the candidates simply reiterating their campaign talking points with little back and forth.

The second debate was marginally better. Time-keeper Brokaw put too much of a stamp on the proceedings in the second debate, acting like a strict school principal trying to keep unruly students at bay. The questions still weren’t that much better, despite coming from the audience (probably because the more interesting ones were not allowed). The town hall format, which was supposed to be McCain’s strength, ended up exposing McCain’s condescending and prickly personality. It also allowed Obama to show his cool in the face of an attacking adversary, reinforcing his credentials.

The third debate was far and away the best debate. Schieffer asked some great, to-the-point questions, many that a lot of people have been wanting to ask. They weren’t off topic, but they were pointed enough that they forced the candidates to talk to the question, and not simply recite their talking points. He was also pretty good at giving them enough time and yet somehow staying on course. The roundtable format also allowed for a more personal, much more intimate debate that let the candidates have a conversation with the audience and a true debate with each other (as much as any candidate every will). If I had my way, this is how all the debates would have been.

Bonus Round: After every debate, the Kaushik household would switch to CNN for the post-debate analysis. We never watched the debate on CNN because (a) we don’t have CNN HD and (b) I do not want to be distracted by the squiggly reaction graphs at the bottom of the screen. And despite the fact that CNN seems to have hired all the analysts in the world to sit on their set and provide analysis (how many analysts do you really need? are they compensating for something?), it is still interesting. The two standouts on their panel are David Gergen, who brings his gravitas and years of experience in the Presidential world to the table, and John King, who (despite his fetish of the multi-touch magic map) is the most balanced, analytical and clear of all the reporter analysts.

Too bad it was actually a debate between the VP candidates. Because it had the kind of fire and the kind of topical discussions that I was expecting from the Presidential debates. It had less rhetoric and more message, and was far more enjoyable, almost living up to the hype. And I am not just saying this because my side won.

Joe Biden was brilliant. Going into the debate, everyone was talking about whether Sarah Palin would make a fool of herself. But there was also concern about how Biden, notorious for his own gaffes, would handle the delicate political task of debating a woman candidate. He came through with flying colors. He responded to Palin’s jabs by taking swinging blows at McCain, never losing sight of the fact that this contest is really about the top of the ticket, not Sideshow Sarah. He kept his answers reasonably succinct, and used facts and anecdotes extremely well. He responded to the attacks with confidence and strength. There were a few times when Palin was making a point that I was almost ready to jump out of my chair screaming about how Biden should respond (ask Tanu about the fist-pumping and sofa thumping). And amazingly, he responded exactly the way I was saying he should, with logical counterpoints hard to ignore. He looked like a way better debater than Obama, which was unexpected.

Sarah Palin did almost exactly as I expected. She didn’t make any gaffes, because she stuck with the gameplan she was taught – stick with her “aw shucks” style, avoid topics she can’t handle, and focus on the keywords (Alaska, Energy, Mom, Maverick). I think the decision chart below (sent to me by a friend) pretty accurately depicts how she handled the debate. Why else would she answer a question on the mortgage crisis with a discussion of energy policy?

What was with all the winking? Any other politician would have been called lewd for flirting so much. And I know that she wants to connect with people and seem real. But do we really want a world leader who speaks with a bunch of “betchas” and “don’tchaknows”? SNL nailed her this last weekend on how she handles public appearances (by the way, I hope Tina Fey is getting her money’s worth, cos she is simply brilliant).

In the end, Biden showed a clear command of the issues, and that he will be a pretty good VP. Palin showed that she has the personality it takes to be on TV, and no more. Let’s hope that’s what the people saw.

If one thing has become clear over the last week or so since McCain announced that Sarah Palin is his running mate, it is this: the Democrats have NO idea how to deal with the move. Nothing they are throwing at the wall is sticking, and it’s probably because they are going after the wrong things the wrong way.

Palin delivered an impressive, strong speech last night. But leaving aside the parts where she laid out her narrative to the crowd, it was a rhetoric filled tirade that lacked substance and was built on some pretty blatant lies. Nonetheless, she made it pretty clear that she is going to be a formidable part of this presidential race. And McCain has already achieved what he wanted by naming her his running mate – mobilizing a conservative base that to this point was wary of his candidacy.

The Democrats are fumbling badly in trying to counter the McCain campaign’s “surge” (pun completely intended). They have taken to attacking Palin on lack of experience and substance, a slippery slope when you consider that is exactly what Obama gets attacked for. And the first response to her speech is Harry Reids press secretary calling it “shrill”? Are you kidding me? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

What they should do is attack her on what she has done during her executive career, not its length. Talk about how as Mayor, she inherited a town with no debt, and left it in debt to the tune of $20 million. Talk about how she supported the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” and cancelled it only because she wasn’t getting more money for it. Oh, and she never returned the Federal money that Alaska got specifically for that bridge. Talk about the allegations of abuse of her executive power, and the earmarks she supported (contradicting her public statements).

Talk about her positions. Talk about how she believes the war in Iraq is a “task that is from God”. Take her to task for so arrogantly dissing community organizers, some of the most selfless Americans working for the betterment of others, in her speech last night. Talk about her positions on the issues important to those Hillary supporters – healthcare, equal pay for equal work, the right to choose…the list goes on and on.

But most importantly, don’t attack the fact that McCain selected her. Attack how he selected her – with an almost cavalier attitude that completely shirked the idea of a vetting process. As Stephen Colbert would often say of Bush, McCain went with his gut, ignoring the “elite” idea of using his brain. This is the person we want making the most important decisions for this country? Someone who takes important decisions without bothering to collect facts, consult experts or spend time in contemplation? Someone who sizes up a persons political makeup and policy-making capabilities based on a few phone conversations? This is the person we want with his hand on the trigger of our military and nuclear arsenal? The one managing this nations relationship with the world?

I wish the Democrats would hire the writers at The Daily Show to create their campaign ads. In one of the best segments that TDS has ever produced (they have been on an absolute tear during the conventions), Jon Stewart ripped into the hypocrisy of the Republican elite, juxtaposing their completely contradictory, politically convenient statements separated not by decades, or years, but by mere weeks and months. Watch the video below, it is masterful. Karl Rove would be proud (if he weren’t a star in it).

This election season has drawn me in like never before. I actually find myself watching the convention coverage on TV. While the DNC has been a ginormous event, I have been struck by the amount of time spent on putting together video tributes – whether it be the tributes to Hillary and Ted Kennedy, the (splendid) video put together by Spielberg and narrated by Tom Hanks. But there are two that stand out.

One was the biography video about Obama that was shown right before Obama strode onto the stage at Invesco Field and gave his brilliant nomination speech. It really spoke well to who he is, what shaped him, and what he stands for. And while it couldn’t have made us Obamaniacs feel any more strongly about him, I hope it did something for those that don’t share our fervour.

But the highlight of the week was the tribute that “The Best F**ing News Team on the Planet” put together for Barack Obama. The Daily Show put together a video called “Barack Obama: He Completes Us” like only they can, and it was hilarious. It truly captured the hero worship that us Obamaniacs feel. You have to watch it (click play on the video below, or click here to go to the Daily Show page).

Clearly TDS had a bigger budget for the DNC week than they usually do, because the quality of work and graphics was kicked up a few BAMs. And watching the crew bully Anderson Cooper was so funny, it made me fall off my “#1 Obama  Fan” inflatable chair. I can’t wait for their coverage of the Republican Convention.

I missed Bill Clinton’s speech last night because I was at my building HOA meeting. But catching it on CNNs website, I have to say that I was really impressed with the powerful, direct way he spoke to the crowds. The day after Hillary gave a very gracious, very strong speech to wow the crowds, Bill showed everyone why he is still a darling of the people.

If there is any possibility of a silver lining to this Jeremiah Wright controversy, it could be this: hearing so much about his crazy pastor should have effectively killed any remaining misconception that Obama is a Muslim.

It’s the same folks that put any credence in both these non-issues.

This whole Jeremiah Wright controversy is really making me mad. Not because of the damage it is doing to the Obama campaign, but because the real damage is being done because of the perception of damage being done. Confused? So am I, because I don’t understand how the media is allowed to conduct itself this way. There is no real damage to the campaign, as most reasonable people can look past the absurdity of it all. But the constant media chatter about the damage it is causing will end up doing real damage.

First of all, I can’t believe this Jeremiah Wright guy. To be honest, I didn’t think much of the issue to begin with. So he was angry at America and vented about it to his congregation. A lot of people probably feel the same way (especially after the last 8 years). I do believe that some of the enemies we have are born out of past (and current) policy failures and meddling by the US government. But for an authority figure like Wright to express it the way he did does show a certain level of irresponsibility.

Obama’s response in the form of his speech on race issues was inspired. He pointed out that we should examine the underlying truths that foster the anger in the African-American community, and voiced in Wrights sermons. It was the perfect way to deal with the exact kind of issue that only he can legitimately tackle, and should have taken us past the controversy and towards a discussion of solutions and healing.

But the media couldn’t let such a juicy headline generator subside. And their continued attention to this non-issue seems to have inflamed Wright’s sensibilities. Why let the media have a field day with him and not make use of it? Consequently this past weekend he went on a shocking media blitz. I knew he was angry, but the ridiculous and (quite frankly) racist behavior he depicted this past weekend seems to have been a caricature designed to further stoke the controversy and maybe promote himself.

He rants about racism in society, but then does serious damage to the first legitimate African-American presidential campaign, so that he can claim later that America is still racist? That’s just twisted. Clearly he is not a fan of MLK.

Once again, Obama gave a measured response to the whole thing, pointing out that he was saddened by Wright’s comments and distancing him from the whole thing, which is pretty much all any reasonable person put in this situation can do. He showed remarkable loyalty and integrity in sticking up for Wright in the past, but confronted by this new, media-hungry, slightly crazy pastor (add one more to the list), he had no choice by to break ties with the past.

And the media, which stoked the whole thing from the beginning (because the real political issues are just too boring), twist his response into a never-ending series of commentaries about Obama throwing Wright under the bus? Under the bus? Really? All along they kept talking about how he should distance himself, and when he does, they make him sound like Jr. Gotti?

Usually the Daily Show succeeds in turning the source of anger into fodder for comedy, making me laugh about the inane and absurd going-ons. But even their coverage of the media pig-out only succeeded in making me more angry. Watching the absurd analysis of commentators like Glenn Beck just inflames me. Why are McCain and Hilary not subject to the same analysis of their connections? Who’s dissecting Pat Robertson and John Hagee?. Clearly there is no such thing as objective news reporting any more, only “E! News” style gossiping and rumor spreading.