It's disappointing to find out that in an environment of risky lending, the candidate I prefer might have been involved personally going back 20 years or so.
From a newspaper in Norway comes this story (via a translation on an English-language blog) of a younger Obama in 1988 who overheard an American woman who was in a bit of trouble trying to get back to her husband in Norway. She needed about a hundred bucks to bring her luggage along. Obama apparently lent her the money. Sounds risky to me!
OK, I was joking. What I like about this story is not that a presidential candidate was a nice guy. What I like about it is that whether Obama becomes president or not, this is a story that people in other countries connect with. Like it or not, our leaders represent us to the world; the perception of those leaders reflect on us. I think we benefit if people are spreading this sort of story about Americans. I would like it if "American" were synonymous with a caring, generous humanism. I think this was the case at one time, and there's no reason it shouldn't be again.
Posted by James at October 6, 2008 2:36 AMOnly 28 days 16 hours 18 minutes 49 seconds to go.
Posted by: Patti M. at October 6, 2008 8:41 AMMany states are coming up on their cutoffs for registering to vote.
Here in NH, you can register at the polls if necessary.
Posted by: Jim at October 6, 2008 9:27 AMFor the record, the voter registration deadline in MA is 10/15 - a week from Wednesday.
Posted by: Julie at October 6, 2008 11:17 AMHow can people not have registered yet?
Further, how can they not know yet for whom they will vote?!
This last-minute-itis, as my mother would call it boggles my mind and irritates me.
Either you're engaged or you're not. Please don't be a dumbass who goes to the polls, stand there, and says "Ummmmmmmm..." and choose then.
Posted by: Patti M. at October 6, 2008 11:25 AMPatti, I agree. You ought to already be registered, and by now, you should have a clear notion of who you think is going to take the country in the direction you want to see it go in.
But to the end that there are people who aren't registered, and don't think their voice matters, if we can reach them and get them to the polls, I think that's important.
I'm glad NH lets you register right at the polls. I don't know why other don't. Without understanding their reasons, it seems like an artificial barrier to prevent new voters from participating.
Posted by: Jim at October 6, 2008 1:01 PMI've been encouraging my students to vote. We all know how students are likely to vote... ;-)
Posted by: Maggie at October 6, 2008 2:00 PMI think having voters preregister is meant to prevent election day vote-buying (rounding up loiterers and paying for their votes). Whether it actually works or not, I don't know.
Posted by: Julie at October 6, 2008 3:04 PMJulie, that idea is quaint. Cute even. Take a look at velvetrevolution.com as a start, it's not hard to steal an election these days. They've already done 2 of em.
Posted by: Rui at October 6, 2008 4:27 PM