Obama and Bush Encounter

"The country's first black president, he started his day in Chicago, dropping daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, at school with a kiss, before hitting the gym.


Obama has been to the White House before. Four years ago, he and other members of the Senate were invited for breakfast with Bush. The two men shook hands and then, according to Obama, Bush turned to an aide "who squirted a big dollop of hand sanitiser in the president's hand". Bush then offered some to Obama, who recalled: "Not wanting to seem unhygienic, I took a squirt.""

Work Cited:
"OBAMA IN THE HOUSE; He's All Smiles.But Means Business." The Mirror (London, England) 11 Nov. 2008: 8.

USA Not Officially Christian Nation

U.S. Is Not an Officially 'Christian Nation,' Obama Says during Overseas Visit.
During his first overseas tour since being elected, President Barack Obama took time out to remind Americans and the rest of the world that the United States is not an officially Christian nation.

Speaking at a media event in Turkey April 6, Obama remarked, "I've said before that one of the great strengths of the United States is--although as I mentioned we have a very large Christian population--we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation, or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

Not long after that, Obama went on to praise the concept of "a secular country that is respectful of religious freedom, respectful of rule of law, respectful of freedom, upholding these values and being willing to stand up for them in the international stage."
Obama noted that modern Turkey also honors secular values. The remarks were interpreted as a way to assure the Muslim world that the United States, while strongly opposing all forms of terrorism abroad, does not seek a confrontation with Islam.
Not surprisingly, Religious Right activists were outraged.
Gary Bauer sent a message to supporters of his group, American Values, asserting, "The last time I checked, the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock were Christians, not Muslims. Our Founding Fathers were inspired by the Bible, not the Koran."
Fox News Channel recruited two Republican leaders to blast Obama for the comments--and to significantly distort what he said.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been pandering to the Religious Right lately, appeared on Sean Hannity's program and said, "[Obama] went to Turkey, and I think was fundamentally misleading about the nature of America. We are not a secular country."
Later in the program, GOP operative Karl Rove spouted off, "Yeah, look, America is a nation built on faith."

Work Cited
"U.S. Is Not an Officially 'Christian Nation, ' Obama Says during Overseas Visit." Church & State May 2009: 21.

Plan on Iraq Political Campaign or Platform of Government

By contrast with Richardson's, Kucinich's, and Edwards's stated views in the debates, Obama and Clinton envisioned a larger American presence. In the September 26 debate, the senator from Illinois said that the first thing he would do if elected would be "to call together the Joint Chiefs of Staff and initiate a phased redeployment.? I would immediately begin that process. We would get combat troops out of Iraq." The only troops that would remain, Obama said, would be those needed to protect U.S. bases, the U.S. embassy, and U.S. civilians, as well as "to engage in counterterrorism activities in Iraq." (Bostdorff)


As he had in the pre-primary debates, Obama continued to stress the need for diplomacy. He emphasized how he would send "a signal to the Iraqis that we are serious, and prompt the Shias, the Sunni and the Kurds to actually come together and negotiate."176 Furthermore, Obama said that he wanted to get the United States "out of Iraq so that we can refocus our attention on building the networks and alliances that are required to reduce terrorism around the world."

Like Richardson, Obama also pointed to the situation in Iraq as a reason why he wanted "to elevate diplomacy, so that it is part of our arsenal to serve the American people's interests and to keep us safe."178 Obama's pattern of emphasizing diplomacy more than the other candidates was consistent with his pre-primary debate performance, but it also served to underscore the importance of words to his leadership, an association that Clinton would attempt to use to her advantage. (Bostdorff)

Work Cited
Bostdorff, Denise M. "Judgment, Experience, and Leadership: Candidate Debates on the Iraq War in the 2008 Presidential Primaries." Rhetoric & Public Affairs12.2 (2009): 223+.

"An African Solution Solving the Crisis of Failed States" and Obama

What United States President Barack Obama said in his July 2009 speech in Accra, Ghana, while remarkably accurate, was not new. In fact, his message confirms what some of us have been saying for decades, best summarized in his words as:

"Africa's future is up to Africans ... Development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing ... That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential ... a responsibility that can only be met by Africans." Africa's destiny lies in her own hands and the solutions to her myriad problems lie in Africa itself--not inside the corridors of the World Bank or the inner sanctum of the Oval Office or the Kremlin. Moreover, Africa's salvation lies in returning to and building upon its own indigenous institutions and heritage. (Ayittey)


Work Cited
Ayittey, George B.N. "An African Solution Solving the Crisis of Failed States: George B.N. Ayittey Is a Distinguished Economist at American University and President of the Free Africa Foundation. He Is the Author of Africa Unchained." Harvard International Review 31.3 (2009): 24+

Human Interconnection


In his discussion with the Sun-Times interviewer, Obama said that his "politics are informed by a belief that we're all connected." He continued:

"I can give religious expression to that. I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper, we are all children of God. Or I can express it in secular terms. But the basic premise remains the same.

Obama claims to understand at least a version of this teaching. When pressed by Brooks to describe what he extracted from Niebuhr's texts, Obama said it was "the compelling idea" that serious evil exists in the world "and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief that we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn't use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away ... the sense that we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard, and not swinging from naive idealism to bitter realism."
(Julian)

Work Cited:
Julian, Liam. "Niebuhr and Obama." Policy Review (2009): 19+.


War in Iraq and Nuclear Test in North Korea

(In Feb., 2009, U.S. President Obama said that most U.S. forces would be withdrawn from Iraq by Aug., 2010.) The agreements were seen as strengthening Prime Minister Maliki and further undermining Moktada al-Sadr, and in the Jan., 2009, provincial elections, Maliki's coalition emerged as the strongest political grouping. In June, Iraqi forces assumed responsibility for security in urban areas; the process had begun in January.("Iraq")

Work Cited
"Iraq." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2009.

Obama said that, in response to the nuclear test, the United States and its four partners in the regional talks - China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea - "have all come to the same conclusion: North Korea will not find security and respect through threats and illegal weapons."


Moscow and Beijing issued their own condemnatory statements immediately after the test. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said May 26 that China "resolutely opposed" the test and that, in carrying it out, North Korea had "ignored [the] universal opposition of the international community."(Crail)
WorkCited
Crail, Peter. "N. Korean Nuclear Test Prompts Global Rebuke." Arms Control Today June 2009: 27+.

International Relations and National Defense

"President Barack Obama said that the new missile defense architecture in Europe "will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies" than the Bush-era plan. 
...According to Obama, it was the unanimous recommendation of Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Their recommendation was driven in part by a new analysis of the threat posed by Iranian missile capabilities. 
...The intelligence community now assesses that the threat from Iran's short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, such as the Shahab-3, is developing more rapidly than previously projected," Gates said at a Sept. 17 press conference. At the same time, Gates said, "the threat of potential Iranian intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities has been slower to develop than was estimated in 2006." 
... "n his statement, Obama denied that the previous plan had been aimed at Russia but welcomed Russian cooperation in the new missile defense architecture." (Harvey)



Works Cited
Harvey, Cole. "Obama Shifts Gears on Missile Defense." Arms Control Today Oct. 2009: 19+. 


Patriotism, Terrorism and Taxes

Barack Obama said that he no longer wears a flag pin because it has become a substitute for "true patriotism." He added, "Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism." ("Barack Obama Said That" 6)


Barack Obama said that America must be willing to attack al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan with or without the permission of the Pakistani government. He told a press conference, "If we have actionable intelligence about high- value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will." (Babbin 6)


Obama said that "McCain wants to give the average Fortune 500 CEO a $700,000 tax cut but absolutely nothing at all to over 100 million Americans." In the back-and-forth between McCain and Obama on tax policy, McCain has repeatedly referred to "Joe the Plumber": Joe Wurzelbacher, the Ohio plumber who elicited Obama's comment that "when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." ("McCain & Obama's Ongoing" 7)



Works Cited
Babbin, Jed. "Pakistan-based Terrorists Must Be Rooted out." Human Events 8 Dec. 2008: 6. 
"Barack Obama Said That He No Longer Wears a Flag Pin Because It Has Become a Substitute for "True Patriotism."." National Review 5 Nov. 2007: 6.
"McCain & Obama's Ongoing Debate on Taxes Ignores Inflation Tax." The New American10 Nov. 2008: 7.

Ending War in Iraq

MLA Citation
Obama said that he wanted to get the United States "out of Iraq so that we can refocus our attention on building the networks and alliances that are required to reduce terrorism around the world."177 Like Richardson, Obama also pointed to the situation in Iraq as a reason why he wanted "to elevate diplomacy, so that it is part of our arsenal to serve the American people's interests and to keep us safe." (Bostdorff)


MLA Bibliography/Work Cited

Works Cited
Bostdorff, Denise M. "Judgment, Experience, and Leadership: Candidate Debates on the Iraq War in the 2008 Presidential Primaries." Rhetoric & Public Affairs 12.2 (2009): 223+.



APA Citation:
Obama said that he wanted to get the United States "out of Iraq so that we can refocus our attention on building the networks and alliances that are required to reduce terrorism around the world."177 Like Richardson, Obama also pointed to the situation in Iraq as a reason why he wanted "to elevate diplomacy, so that it is part of our arsenal to serve the American people's interests and to keep us safe." (Bostdorff, 2009)


APA Bibliography/References
References
Bostdorff, D. M. (2009). Judgment, Experience, and Leadership: Candidate Debates on the Iraq War in the 2008 Presidential Primaries. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 12(2), 223+. 



Obama said that he wanted to get the United States "out of Iraq so that we can refocus our attention on building the networks and alliances that are required to reduce terrorism around the world."177 Like Richardson, Obama also pointed to the situation in Iraq as a reason why he wanted "to elevate diplomacy, so that it is part of our arsenal to serve the American people's interests and to keep us safe." 1

1. Denise M. Bostdorff, "Judgment, Experience, and Leadership: Candidate Debates on the Iraq War in the 2008 Presidential Primaries," Rhetoric & Public Affairs 12, no. 2 (2009).




America's Financial Regulatory System

MLA Citation:
On January 6th, President-elect Barack Obama said that remaking the nation's financial regulatory system will be one of his first initiatives, and he pledged to streamline authority, consolidate agencies and spread financial oversight far beyond the banking system. His aides have said that they hope to have the beginnings of a new regulatory regime ready to present April 2, when the Group of 20 nations convenes in London. (Pitti)


MLA Bibliography/Cited Page:

Works Cited
Pitti, Don. "New Regulation Will Drive Trends in the Financial Services Industry-Again." Review of Business 29.2 (2009): 4+.


On January 6th, President-elect Barack Obama said that remaking the nation's financial regulatory system will be one of his first initiatives, and he pledged to streamline authority, consolidate agencies and spread financial oversight far beyond the banking system. His aides have said that they hope to have the beginnings of a new regulatory regime ready to present April 2, when the Group of 20 nations convenes in London. (Pitti, 2009)


APA Bibliography/Reference:
References


Pitti, D. (2009). New Regulation Will Drive Trends in the Financial Services Industry-Again. Review of Business, 29(2), 4+. 


Turabian Bibliographic Style

On January 6th, President-elect Barack Obama said that remaking the nation's financial regulatory system will be one of his first initiatives, and he pledged to streamline authority, consolidate agencies and spread financial oversight far beyond the banking system. His aides have said that they hope to have the beginnings of a new regulatory regime ready to present April 2, when the Group of 20 nations convenes in London. 1


1. Don Pitti, "New Regulation Will Drive Trends in the Financial Services Industry-Again," Review of Business 29, no. 2 (2009).

Prohibition Faith-Based Organizations

MLA-Citation
Obama said that he would prohibit faith-based organizations that operate social-service programs with federal funds from hiring according to religion in those programs--a dramatic reversal of the Bush administration's efforts to clarify and expand the freedom of religious groups to engage in religious staffing when partnering with the government to provide services. (Carlson-Thies) 


MLA Bibliography

Works Cited
Carlson-Thies, Stanley W. "The Faith-Based Initiative: Both Cause of Contention and the Solution to an Impasse?." Journal of Ecumenical Studies 44.1 (2009): 70+. 



APA Citation
Obama said that he would prohibit faith-based organizations that operate social-service programs with federal funds from hiring according to religion in those programs--a dramatic reversal of the Bush administration's efforts to clarify and expand the freedom of religious groups to engage in religious staffing when partnering with the government to provide services. (Carlson-Thies, 2009)


APA Reference
Carlson-Thies, S. W. (2009). The Faith-Based Initiative: Both Cause of Contention and the Solution to an Impasse?. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 44(1), 70+. 


Turabian Bibliographic Style

Obama said that he would prohibit faith-based organizations that operate social-service programs with federal funds from hiring according to religion in those programs--a dramatic reversal of the Bush administration's efforts to clarify and expand the freedom of religious groups to engage in religious staffing when partnering with the government to provide services. 1


1. Stanley W. Carlson-Thies, "The Faith-Based Initiative: Both Cause of Contention and the Solution to an Impasse?," Journal of Ecumenical Studies 44, no. 1 (2009).