Posted by yxibow on November 22, 2008, at 5:59:02
The Economist, I'll just summarize an article that I took away a few interesting coinciding points of history -- yes, one can have their view of Obama, but there were reasons why that very moving start of his campaign was held in Springfield, Illinois. First of all it was the capitol obviously, a good backdrop. But it also invoked the spirit of Lincoln, something that people have compared his mastery of speech, and after all both have been lawyers and Illnois legislators.
Lincoln was born in 1809, the NAACP though not officially begun, has largely been set as the founding date of February 12, 1909, 100 years since Lincoln's birth.
Obama will ascend office January 20, 2009, 200 years after Lincoln's birth, a free African-American (though not through slavery) facing complex problems in office that while different than Lincoln's, will be a very tough job indeed.
The world will witness the first non white president and the first president elected north of the Mason-Dixon line since JFK and the first from outside the Lower 48.
Trivia aside, this will be tough times for the president.
For some levity, there has been a tradition of American Presidents to announce their Irish roots -- and this may very well be true actually.
http://blog.cleveland.com/pdgraphics/2008/10/05cgKIN.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43VkThey'll be invited to the Inauguration Party on the 19th.
-- tidingsJay
poster:yxibow
thread:864602
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20081115/msgs/864602.html