Obama Names Richardson Secretary of Commerce

In his most recent appointment President-Elect Barack Obama named Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico secretary of commerce.

Obama has named about half of his cabinet positions so far.  And sees the secretary of commerce as an important position, not a consolation prize for Richardson who some speculated as Obama’s possible secretary of state.

From NY Times:

“Commerce secretary is a pretty good job,” Mr. Obama said, after being asked by a Hispanic reporter about the appointment of Mr. Richardson to a post not considered among the cabinet’s more prestigious or influential. 

“I think the notion that somehow commerce secretary is not going to be central to everything we do is fundamentally mistaken.”

 

President-Elect Barack Obama and Gov. Bill Richardson (Photo: Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

Obama and Media Coverage

On Tuesday November 4th the people of the United States elected Senator Barack Obama their 43th President.

This was a truly historic election. For the first time the people of the United States elected a black President, an accomplishment of equality that many people doubted would happen in their lifetimes.

The media coverage of Obama’s historic campaign and victory has proved to be very interesting. On the day after the election most coverage focused on the historic relevance of the election. And all of the coverage I took in was very positive.

First Reaction

From New York Times November 5^th:

But it was just as much a strikingly symbolic moment in the evolution of the nation’s fraught racial history, a breakthrough that would have seemed unthinkable just two years ago.

Whether they voted for Obama or not, I don’t think anyone can deny that our country took a positive step by electing an African-American President. I think it is an important step towards further civil rights equality, and the media coverage recognized this.

Candidate of Change

Now a week later the media has continued its coverage of President-Elect Obama, but is focusing on different themes.

Obama ran his campaign focused on change. From today’s Washington Post:

Barack Obama campaigned as an anti-Washington candidate, and the leader of his presidential transition team made it clear that the president-elect would seek to build on that theme over the next two months.

This story shows Obama working to live up to his promise of change in Washington. I found it to have a very positive tone. It seemed hopeful, hopeful that Obama would bring the change that the American people count on him to.

My Favorite Story of the Past Week

Barack Obama’s victory was very successful in changing the way America is perceived in other parts of the world.

This from France (and the Boston Globe), the country the Bush administration urged us all to hate, well because they hated us:

A manifesto published Sunday – subtitled “Oui, nous pouvons!”, the French translation of Obama’s campaign slogan “Yes, we can!” – urges affirmative action-like policies and other steps to turn French ideals of equality into reality for millions of blacks, Arabs, and other alienated minorities.

Our country has quickly become an example of racial tolerance to the rest of the world. Who would have imagined that?

My Favorite Quote from the Past Week

So I guess some people weren’t encouraged by Obama’s victory and have rushed out to buy guns:

He’s a gun-snatcher,” said Jim Pruett, owner of Jim Pruett’s Guns and Ammo in northwest Houston, which was packed with shoppers on Thursday.

“He wants to take our guns from us and create a socialist society policed by his own police force,” added Mr. Pruett, a former radio personality, of President-elect Barack Obama.

This story is from the New York Times. I find the idea OF Mr. Pruett and his friends with all their newly purchased guns a lot more frightening than being ‘policed by his (Obama’s) own police force.’ But maybe that’s just me.

My Favorite Election Joke from the Past Week

It comes about 3:30 in: ’senior-citizen and woman beaten by black man.’

Campus Reacts to Obama Win

Last night Barack Obama won what was being billed as the most important election of our lives. 

Nearly 24 hours later some students on UAlbany’s campus are still feeling the excitement, while for others it’s just another day.

Kyra Pearson, 20 of Mount Vernon NY, had just woken up when she heard about the results last night. “I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. My eyes were dry.”

Pearson joined a celebration of students in the Empire Commons section of campus.

“I ran outside yelling and screaming. There were a lot of people outside.  It was pretty crazy,” said Pearson.

Students also celebrated by the Campus Center.

image courtesy of barackobama.com

“I have never seen every single person in one place so elated,” said Fola Badejo, 20 of Hudson NY. “people were running and dancing by the fountain.”

Badejo was not registered to vote.  “If I could have I would have voted for Obama 100 percent. I cried for 20 minutes last night,” she said.

Badejo got the good news via text message.  “When I woke up this morning I cried again,” she said.

For Max Rubinstein, 19 of Marlboro NJ, it was just another day on campus. Rubinstein voted for John McCain over a week ago using an absentee ballot.

“I was a little disappointed. I expected it to be closer,” said Rubinstein. “Some people seemed pretty happy about it, for me it was just another day.”

Will Jackson, 19 of Houston Texas, also voted for McCain. “It’s like a silent majority. It’s taboo for young college kids to not like Obama.”

Holly Smith an 18-year-old freshmen has a unique perspective on the election. Smith is from Staffordshire, England. “I couldn’t vote. Back home we all wanted him to win though. He has gotten all the press.”

Smith thinks that Obama’s win might help how European countries feel about the United States.

“I think it will make people more attracted. I don’t like America being the world police. And I don’t think Obama will act that way,” she said.

Obama: Primetime

At 8p.m. Wednesday night Senator and Presidential hopeful Barack Obama could be seen on every major television network.

In a brazen attempt to hijack all things media for a day, and blatant showing of his campaign’s incredible financial advantage over Senator John McCain, Obama shelled out 1$ million per network to be seen for 30 minutes on CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX.

image courtesy of barackobama.com

“Before tonight I already had my mind made up“, said Justin Macy who caught the tail-end of Obama’s part-ad-part-live-speech hybrid.  “I think it was important.  Part of it is to not be complacent.  If he wasn’t going to continue to push it would be letting up.”

Macy added that he thought Obama wanted to be sure to win both the popular and electoral vote by a significant margin. “It will give him a higher mandate of authority as a President if he can win convincingly.”

Justin Lam half-watched Obama while shooting pool with friends.  “I don’t know if we will see candidates do this again in the future.  I wouldn’t be surprised.  I honestly don’t know” he said.

Lam said that it definitely helped Obama and was important even with his lead in the polls.  “It’s important in anything, to not underestimate how stupid the general public can be.”