This Train
By Al Giordano
This video seems strangely relevant to this day:
A bunch of very buttoned-up looking people are confronted with wild-haired Terry McMillan (1953-2007), someone that, based on appearances, they might not expect to like.
But when the train whistle blows...
Also, this morning: Before getting on the train, President-elect Obama announced a new national organization that I couldn't have named better myself:
Today I'm pleased to announce the creation of Organizing for America - the organization that will build on the movement you started during the campaign.
Organizing for America! Here we go...
Update: Not even the Secret Service will be able to separate the man and his Blackberry:
Despite legal and security hurdles, president-elect Barack Obama says he has a plan to retain his beloved Blackberry once he moves into the White House next week.
Interviewed by CNN Friday, Obama said the smartphone was among the tools that he would use to stay in touch with real Americans and avoid becoming trapped inside the presidential "bubble."
"I think we're going to be able to hang on to one of these. My working assumption, and this is not new, is that anything I write on an email could end up being on CNN," he said.
"So I make sure to think before I press 'send'," he said of his Blackberry, which was an ever-present fixture on his belt or in his hand on the campaign trail.
Makes perfect sense. How else can he stay up to date with your comments at The Field?
Update II: Here's a preview of what Obama is about to say in the whistle stop in Baltimore:
For the American Revolution did not end when British guns fell silent. It was never something to be won only on a battlefield or fulfilled only in our founding documents. It was not simply a struggle to break free from empire and declare independence. The American Revolution was - and remains - an ongoing struggle "in the minds and hearts of the people" to live up to our founding creed.
Starting now, let's take up in our own lives the work of perfecting our union.
Let's build a government that is responsible to the people, and accept our own responsibilities as citizens to hold our government accountable.
The end of the last sentence is pretty remarkable. With that, he's saying "hold me accountable, too."
In a few moments, he'll deliver that talk in Baltimore.
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I hope Roy Martin...
Submitted on January 17th, 2009 by Suzy ShureI hope Roy Martin is listening too. I was deeply moved by and very thankful for what he wrote about his own spiritual journey in a previous thread. Thank you, Roy. "I share this not to convert anyone, but to encourage open mindedness. I see dismissiveness of religion as one of our blind spots on the left -- despite the extent to which religion has informed and motivated historic progressive struggles such as the Civil Rights Movement."
And, of course, thank you Al, what a ride! Been crying tears of joy for days, and looking forward to seeing pictures posted from Field Hands who are in DC. Know tomorrow afternoon will be the first time I wish I got HBO.
Nice Harp
Submitted on January 17th, 2009 by jim in austin (not verified)I'm pretty sure I heard some Chicago-style Paul Butterfield in there too...
"This video seems strangely relevant today"
Submitted on January 17th, 2009 by Nancy ChesterI've been pondering what it is that we are seeing in the video and have concluded that perhaps it is the unexpected unity & connection with others. Or perhaps it's the spontaneous reaction when we are confronted with grace and remarkable talent? Or perhaps it's chaos theory - spaces that open up when systems are being shuffled? I think we are seeing this kind of spontaneous unity (the train metaphor 'all aboard') in the global response to Obama's election and the coming inaugural.
I think we are also seeing this in world reaction by ordinary people to Israel's assault on Gaza. According to the Rasmussen poll, 12/31/08 on U.S. opinion, Americans were evenly split on the question if Israel should have attacked Gaza. 44% in favor of the assault, 41% against it, 14% undecided/don't know. The internals showed a partisan split with majority of Republicans supporting the assault but only 31% of Democrats.
Why Aren't More Americans Dancing to Israel's Tune? Max Blumenthal
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/why-arent-more-americans_b_...
Have Bush and the Neocons Ruined it for the Israelis? by Juan Cole
http://www.juancole.com/2009/01/have-bush-and-neocons-ruined-it-for.html
Smarter than Bill Clinton
Submitted on January 17th, 2009 by Joel Wiens...and disciplined, says Congressman Jim Cooper (D) in WSJ article on Blue Dog support. Zing!
And what back pocket did you pull this video out of, Al? Amazing.
New York Times
Submitted on January 17th, 2009 by Joel Wienson Obama 2.0 - raises the interesting question about a kind of dual role playing that Obama will have to come to grips with. He is an organizer and a leader. Organizers enable, empower and set people in motion to make changes happen. Traditionally this has happened from the bottom up, with the organizer being part of "the bottom". The goal is sometimes to set events in motion that compel "the top" to some kind of action or decision in response. So, what happens when the organizer is actually at "the top"? How do you navigate that tightrope with integrity? The article here articulates the cognitive disonance involved, noting that legislators may not be very happy with this set up, getting squeezed from below and above by the same source in a way. And how will those who are being organized to take action take to this new setup, accustomed as they are to organizing as a challenge to the top - when now they are being challenged from the top. I find the whole thing very intriguing.