NYT Roger Cohen interview with Obama: "Obama’s American Idea"

[ClarkUSA]

Obama, speaking less than a month before the Iowa caucus on Jan. 3, continued: “We can and should lead the world,
but we have to apply wisdom and judgment. Part of our capacity to lead is linked to our capacity to show restraint.”

That was striking: an enduring belief in U.S. leadership coupled with a commitment to, as he also put it, acting “with
a sense of humility.” Skepticism about the American idea and American global stewardship has grown fast during the
Bush years... Obama stands by the universality of the American proposition: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
under a constitutional government of limited powers. “I believe in American exceptionalism,” he told me, but not one
based on “our military prowess or our economic dominance.”

Rather, he insisted, “our exceptionalism must be based on our Constitution, our principles, our values and our ideals.
We are at our best when we are speaking in a voice that captures the aspirations of people across the globe... If, as
president, I travel to a poor country to talk to leaders there, they will know I have a grandmother in a small village in
Africa without running water, devastated by malaria and AIDS,” he said. “What that allows me to do is talk honestly
not only about our need to help them, but about poor countries’ obligation to help themselves. There are cousins
of mine in Kenya who can’t get a job without paying an exorbitant bribe to some midlevel functionary. I can talk
about that... I have lived in the most populous Muslim country in the world, had relatives who practiced Islam. I am
a Christian, but I can say I understand your worldview, although I may not agree with how Islam has evolved. I can
speak forcefully about the need for Muslim countries to reconcile themselves to modernity in ways they have failed
to do.”

<snip>

Nowhere in American history has the gulf between ideals and sordid practice been greater than on questions of
race. It is precisely the gulf between high principle — not least habeas corpus — and unprincipled actions that has
done the most damage to America’s image in recent years. Once again, Obama appears to bridge and reconcile.

“We can’t entirely remake the world,” he told me. “What we can do is lead by example.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/opinion/10cohen.html

"Let's dream America anew again." ~ Oprah in Des Moines, Iowa

[silverweb]

1. Terrific article...

Thanks for posting this!

[ClarkUSA]

2. My pleasure, silverweb

:pals:

Do you know of any video from the NH O-O rally? I ask, because you seem to have at your fingertips a lot of links!

[silverweb]

3. My computer is my TV, so I look for stuff I want to see.

I've been working most of the evening, so I'm not up to date right now.

Let me check it out and get back to you, 'k?

[ClarkUSA]

4. Thanks!

:hi:

[silverweb]

8. No luck yet.

Apparently the local ABC affiliate carried it live, but I'm not finding any video except a bit of Oprah's intro.

I'd suggest checking this _NH blog_ frequently, especially the comments section, because a couple of people there were asking about video links also.

I'll let you know if I find anything else. :hi:

On Edit: That was the wrong link. It's fixed now.

[ClarkUSA]

10. No hurry...

Thanks very much. :-)

[silverweb]

9. Also try BarackTV on YouTube.

It's "unavailable" right now, but when it comes back up, it'll be worth a try.

The link is _here_.

[ClarkUSA]

11. Cool.

:yourock:

Say, wasn't this weekend's Double O Express amazing? I'll bet the Obamas are sleeping soundly tonight and Oprah must be pretty pleased.

[silverweb]

12. This weekend was the best.

I have to tell you, when Barack was doing the part of his speech in SC -- saying how change happens when people "stand up when they're not supposed to" and we can "change the world" -- and that HUGE crowd came to its feet, 30,000 strong, applauding and cheering, it literally brought me to tears.

We need this so much right now.

I hope the Obamas and Oprah and everyone involved in this amazing weekend continue to be this energized and full of hope, because we're only just getting started.

Thanks for all you do, too!

:applause:

[ClarkUSA]

13. Yes, it was.

After undergoing a national depression after seven dispiriting and tragic years of Bushian dysfunction, it seems as if Obama is bringing many resigned
voters back to dreaming of something better than they'd ever dared to hope for.

I was at a phone banking/debate watch party tonight and it was terrific working with others for what we all viewed as the collective good. A man
who has been sitting on his green card for years not caring whether he became a citizen or not, suddenly decided at the end of the SC rally to try
to work at becoming a citizen by 2 November 2008 so he can vote for Obama! He had tears in his eyes throughout most of Obama's speech, so
he was moved as you were, I think. Men don't usually get weepy like that. ;-)

I was so energized because everything Oprah and Obama said made me full of pride in being American again -- something I haven't felt in a long
time. And yes, may we all continue to move forward with hope and determination toward a new page in American politics.

Thanks for all you and your daughter do, too!

[Prophet 451]

5. No, you shouldn't lead the world

The idea that any one nation can lead the world is outdated. I quite like Obama but the idea that the US is special and unique belongs to a different time and the repeated assertion that the USA is the greatest nation in teh world, even if true, is a little freaking obnoxious.

[silverweb]

6. True.

But Americans have been born and bred to this myth and it will not help a person get elected to challenge it.

Obama's taking the same tone that you'd take with a 5-year-old who's been the apple of Mama's eye since birth, who now has to learn to play nicely with others:

"You know you're special and I know you're special, but you have to learn now to share and not be bossy and get along with others."

Then you work to help the "child" mature and evolve into a responsible and contributing member of the community (of nations, in our case).

[Prophet 451]

7. Point taken n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

14. K&R

[TeamJordan23]

15. nice piece. nm