Cyber POTUS

It was an amazing piece of of cyber-theatre.  The President of the United States “streaming” on my computer. He was answering questions from thousands of Americans who Emailed the White House with their queries.

A Cyber-Town-Hall meeting.

Sort of reminded me of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” on radio that helped America through some pretty tough times.

Mr. Obama made it a point to “get out from behind the podium”, to meander around the room, filled with adoring subjects…uh…audience members. Very media savvy, I thought. Maybe a bit staged.

I glanced through the questions that were posted on the White House web site.  Most looked pretty normal. There were lots of people watching. Plenty of hits for the White house web site.

But wait.

Dubya’s Desk Drawer

You know when you start a new job and you move into your new desk?  There’s always something left over from the previous owner:  some stray paper clips, maybe a key that never seems to fit anything.  Then if you dig around way in the back of the drawer you might find a nasty surprise; perhaps an exploded catchup pack mixed in with mangled gobs of chewing gum and packs of soy sauce.  It looks like a science project gone horribly wrong.

I wonder what Barack Obama will find in the top desk drawer of the presidential office when he moves in Tuesday afternoon.  Do you think President Bush left a special little note?  And what’s buried way in the back of the desk that past owners have forgotten? (Yeah, I know the cleaning crew went over the desk with a fine-toothed comb, but work with me here as I beat a metaphor to death.)

it took a village

We jumped off the tiny boat onto the shores of a fishing village on Lake Victoria.  It was a side trip I just had to make on my recent vacation to Kenya, the African country about the size of Texas. After a few welcoming handshakes and a few introductions one of our first topics of conversations was…drum roll please…politics.

“I am Barack Obama’s brother,” Mohamed Asanti bragged.  He was one of the first to greet us as we splashed ashore, amid curious children sitting in the idle fishing boats.

“Really, I exclaimed,” with a healthy dose of reporter skepticism.  “Let me interview you.”  The video camera was at the ready.

“Well…wait, wait, wait,” Mohammed hesitated, “He’s not my real brother, but my father knows his father.  He was from his village which is just a short way away.”  Obama’s father was from Alego just to the north of Kolunga, the place we visited.

At the health center there, workers proudly display a poster with Barack Obama and his wife being tested for AIDS, a growing health problem in the village.  (Senator Obama was tested in Kenya to promote AIDS testing throughout the country a few years ago.)

Then there’s the computer center where fashion designer Kate Spade donated computers so the village could have internet access and the women in the village could learn to use computers.  The men continue to fish while the women learn new skills.

“How do you feel about Barack Obama?” I asked Mohamed as we strolled through the village.

“We love Obama.  We love Obama.  Very good man.”

“Will he be the next President of the United States?”

“Ah, no one knows, we like him…”

“And how do you feel about John McCain?”  I asked fully expecting a less enthusiastic reply.

“Oh…John McCain.  We love him very much too,” answers Mohammed without hesitation.

Apparently, the village has not only learned computer skills, but diplomacy as well.

Gov. Clinton meet Vice President Powell

When they took this picture of me and Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2006, we were just about to go LIVE for an interview at the 5th anniversary of September 11th. She was NOT a declared presidential candidate at the time although there were “rumblings”. In the back of my mind, though, I thought it is possible that I have a picture of me standing with a future President of the United States.

I never thought I’d be standing there with the future Governor of New York. But that’s what some political writers are floating.

Just Like Clockwork (orange)?

Any one remember this? It’s one of those bumper stickers that never got wide circulation. I happened to pick up at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004 when I was covering the story for My9.

I have a whole bunch of political keepsakes from both parties. Ever since I threw out my grandfather’s “I Like Ike” button, I now keep everything. Way back in 2004, Barack Obama didn’t have much stuff. I don’t remember any bumper stickers. I sure would have grabbed one. And for history sake I would have snagged one of the signs you see in the video as well: