England for Obama

Keith Olbermann made a good point last night: if, as Barack Obama says, there’s only one President at a time, how come he isn’t the one sorting out the economic mess right now?

Not only is Barack Obama getting all 21st-century new-fangled on our ass by appointing the first Chief Technology Officer in American history* - he’s getting so 21st-century new-fangled on our ass that we, the American people - sorry, you, the American people - can suggest, and vote online for, the policies that said Chief Technology Officer should implement.

The screenshot below is taken from obamacto.org, where voting on the new CTO’s priorities, as you can see, has already commenced:

See: not just new-fangled, but transparent and a presidency of the people, too. As promised. Although it could be argued that, by definition, the site appeals to the already technologically savvy. Meaning that either a) those voting really know what they’re talking about - hurrah! or b) those voting aren’t exactly the right target audience for a new CTO - boo! *Cut to a child somewhere, handwriting and posting a letter which reads ‘I’d like a computer please’.*

These voting sites seems to be all the rage, in fact - as I also recently stumbled across an identical one set up for Republicans, whereby they can suggest and vote on what they need to do to turn their party around (*insert gag here*).

Speaking of Republicans and technology - Monday night’s Daily Show included footage of George Bush at the G20 summit, giving a speech about the free market and its great technological advances. Like, y’know, the aeroplane… and the CAT scan… and, well, watch for yourself (from around 3:05):

Equating the iPod with the steam boat? I mean, I’m a big fan of the Shuffle function, but really…
*Can you just do that? Invent any post you like? Apparently so.

Reports are out about that meeting at The White House yesterday. And it turns out that Barack Obama and George Bush didn’t just discuss drapes measurements. Oh, no. Although Laura Bush and Michelle Obama possibly did.

In a nutshell: Obama asked Bush for help with his economic stimulus package. In return, Bush asked Obama to support his plans for free trade with Colombia.

In less of a nutshell: this.

So, if this was today’s ‘pinch me’ footage, then this was today’s ‘pinch me’ headline:

Obama plans Guantanamo close

“WASHINGTON — President-elect Obama’s advisers are crafting plans to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and prosecute terrorism suspects in the U.S., a plan that the Bush administration said Monday was easier said than done.

Under the plan being crafted inside Obama’s camp, some detainees would be released and others would be charged in U.S. courts, where they would receive constitutional rights and open trials. But, underscoring the difficult decisions Obama must make to fulfill his pledge of shutting down Guantanamo, the plan could require the creation of a new legal system to handle the classified information inherent in some of the most sensitive cases.”

Despite the slightly ominous-sounding requirement of a “new legal system” (wasn’t the usual American legal system good enough for trying those involved in 9/11?), this is great news. Guantanamo Bay has been a national (and international) disgrace - and his swift move to close it is yet another sign of the different values and priorities of an Obama presidency. You know, like ‘rule of law’, ‘habeas corpus’ and ‘upholding the Constitution’. Stuff like that.

Three little words, folks: Hit. Ground. Running.

OK, OK, so it was only a matter of time before I used that headline. There. ‘Tis done.

Here’s today’s ‘pinch me’ footage: live coverage of Barack and Michelle Obama being invited into the White House by George and Laura Bush:

(Sadly not shown: Obama sitting down in the chair in the Oval Office, putting his feet on the desk and chucking some balled-up paper into the bin. Or rooting around in the drawers, National Treasure-style.)

Anyone who thinks that elections don’t make a difference should read this (my bolding):

Obama Positions Himself to Quickly Reverse Bush Actions on Environmental, Social Issues

By Ceci Connolly and R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, November 9, 2008

Transition advisers to President-elect Barack Obama have compiled a list of about 200 Bush administration actions and executive orders that could be swiftly undone to reverse the president on climate change, stem cell research, reproductive rights and other issues, according to congressional Democrats, campaign aides and experts working with the transition team.

A team of four dozen advisers, working for months in virtual solitude, set out to identify regulatory and policy changes Obama could implement soon after his inauguration. The team is now consulting with liberal advocacy groups, Capitol Hill staffers and potential agency chiefs to prioritize those they regard as the most onerous or ideologically offensive, said a top transition official who was not permitted to speak on the record about the inner workings of the transition.

Altogether now: “Could it be/Yes it could/Something’s coming/Something good…”

Those interested in this election, and perhaps confused by what seems like a gulf between the polls and the rhetoric from Obama’s team not to be complacent, should settle down in front of the TV tonight at 9.05pm. Channel Four is showing ‘Recount’, the Emmy award winning film about the Gore/Bush election and the Florida vote fiasco.

Once you’ve watched it, I guarantee you’ll not believe a single poll except the one which counts. You’ll also understand why Barack Obama plans to end his campaign in Florida.

Here’s the trailer:

Here’s a Keith Olbermann interview of Kevin Spacey (who knew that Spacey lives in England?):

Enjoy:

November 4th will see the end of many things. Eight years of George W Bush. Hopefully, eight years of Republicans in the White House, eight years of self-serving politics, and eight years of hawkish, neocon philosophy.

But it will also mark the end of a very important phenomenon.

Truthiness.

‘Truthiness’ was coined by Stephen Colbert on his show The Colbert Report back in 2005. It was a stroke of genius - quickly becoming the buzzword of the year and even gaining its own Wikipedia entry.

Colbert came up with the term following George Bush’s remarks that he nominated Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court based on how he felt about her. As opposed to the actual reality of, say, facts. Or experience. ‘Truthiness’ is, in short, the feeling of something to be right - and in Stephen and Dubya’s world, that’s enough. In fact, it’s better than facts. Because you have more nerve endings in your gut than in your head.

Watch him introducing the word for the first time:

‘Truthiness’ has, in all truth(iness), never really left Republican politics since 2005 - and in fact, it’s been all-too visible during the current election campaign.

From introducing us to Sarah Palin as “exactly who this country needs” despite barely knowing her, and telling us that we would all be just as “impressed” as he was by her (because who cares about little things like the facts of her record?), to trying to tell Americans why they should feel afraid of Barack Obama (he’s a terrorist! He’s a socialist! He’s, erm, not like you and me!), John McCain has shown time and again that he, his campaign and his party are still driven by Rovian, Bushian ‘truthiness’.

But you know what? The American people aren’t buying it any more. You can put lipstick on the truth and call it truthiness, John - but people will still see the truth. Both of you and your running mate, and of your opposition candidate.

An Obama victory marks the victory of truth over truthiness. And that’s The Word.

From TPM: