Diego Mulligan--The Journey Home on KSFR - about Barack

Friday Freakouts & Follies: Obama Would Make a Good President (09-19-08)

What a week it's been! As you may remember, I began my series of radio blogs back in March under the heading of Friday Follies & Freakouts, but last month expanded them beyond Fridays and now call them simply my DiegoRadio Blog. For what I hope will be today only, I'm switching back because of the shear enormity of the Freakout on Wall Street, and the Follies that caused it. So here we go…

With the intention of providing some cool-headed and even-handed comfort to a concerned nation, this morning Senator Obama, speaking before a huge national TV audience sought to stem the fear and support president Bush and treasury secretary Paulson in this time of crisis. Putting partisanship aside, Obama demonstrated the kind of national leadership we all need because, as he said, "We're all in this together." More than that, he demonstrated a governing philosophy based on the common sense principles of basic fairness and a return to accountability. In calling for the need to get the Capital Markets flowing again, he also called for help to relieve the long-standing problems on the Main Streets of America caused by the crass manipulations of the money brokers. This was not an Old-Style Democrat speaking: In point of fact, he had to fight his own party's insiders to even win the nomination. He came out as a New Green Pragmatist with a large dose of Old-Style Conservative fiscal responsibility along with the compassion for ordinary people that I love about liberals. But it wasn't just a blend of nice-sounding words written by political operatives designed to win in November. Obama's own words –which he wrote himself– I think come from a deeply felt philosophy centered on the values most American's cherish, and a whole new approach to problem-solving that could lead to good governance in January. Which is why I think he would make a really good president. OK: That's my personal opinion. My bias is rather simple:

I support those who care about our long-term future, and see the connections that link the well-being of person & planet.

And I support those who value both individual initiative and shared responsibility for our common good.

Just for the record, I'd like you to know nobody's asked me to endorse anybody, nor have I been listening to or talking with anyone from either campaign. I insist on remaining completely INDEPENDENT. Both sides fill my in-box with press releases and spin everyday, but I don't read any of it. I listen to what all the candidates are actually saying, and monitor how the reporters are covering the issues on a variety of print and electronic sources; Then do my own research and fact-checking to try and find out who's lying or stretching the truth, or seems biased, and what's behind the bias. And from there I form my own opinions on the issues, and who's really addressing them.

I fiercely guard my Independence, so when I don't accept your invitations to attend or promote any of your campaign parties, or interview your supporters or surrogates, that's why. Sometimes authors I'm interviewing will express an opinion, but this is usually based on exhaustive research and hard facts. I look for independent experts, not ideologues.

I've been coming down on Republicans a lot more than Democrats these days because their positions are far more shaky, and aren't often supported by facts… So I can't give them the same weight. That's been part of the problem for way too long: The confusion caused by fact and fiction being presented equally in the name of fair & balanced. You deserve to know the truth, or as close to it as we can get.

Though I feel that both major parties have let us down for way too long, it's clear from the Independent perch I stand on, that the Republicans have gotten way, way out hand, and have been playing fast and loose with the truth, and playing the most cynical and dishonorable game of politics I've ever witnessed. They're even worse than the Democrats when they were in power too long. It's sad that the Party I was first affiliated with, the GOP, has been over-run with corruption, narrow-minded ideologues and greed heads. But the reason I'm calling them out is because their current philosophy of governance is bankrupt. They've let their cherished conservative principles be co-opted by cheap slogans designed to cover-up their real agenda, which is maintaining power for power's sake.

The reason Barack Obama is surging in the polls now, and has won my personal support, is because he's embraced and balanced the best values of both streams of principled political thought in America. It's that simple. At least to me. I'd like to hear your views on this.

I'm Diego Mulligan. You're on The Journey Home.
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The Journey Home is Santa Fe's daily alternative drivetime show heard Monday thru Friday from 5 to 6 PM on KSFR FM 101.1 and covers a wide range of issues from a progressive perspective. Listen live at www.KSFR.org.