Caribbean Times 44th Issue

8 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Friday 25th November 2016
The dignity of the Obamas
As Barack Obama’s
Presidency of the United
States of America enters its
final weeks, there are tens of
millions of people in America
and across the world who
already feel a great sense of
loss.
That sense will be heightened
even more on January
20 when he walks out the
doors of the White House
for the last time as President.
For this man brought an extraordinary
dignity to the
office; a dignity that never
sagged, not even when a Republican
Congressman, Joe
Wilson, shouted out, “You
lie”, in the midst of his State
of the Union speech in 2009.
It was an unprecedented and
rude outburst, never directed
at any President before.
The world saw that
Obama dignity again and
again, most recently when
he hosted President-elect
Donald Trump in the Oval
Office to fulfil his duty of
ensuring that the transition
of power is smooth. It could
not have been easy.
After all, Trump launched
his political ambition on the
allegation that Obama was
not a born American and,
therefore, occupied the office
of President illegally.
Trump maintained that position,
even though he knew it
to be false, until mere days
before the November 8 elections,
and even then without
a word of apology.
Yet, Obama received him
with all the courtesy, respect
and importance that was
necessary for a President to
engage his successor.
At the joint televised media
event after their meeting,
and in every statement
Obama has made within the
United States and in other
countries, he has given every
supportive chance to a
Trump Presidency.
He calmed the stock markets;
he soothed worried
leaders in Europe and in Latin
America; and he tried to
reassure millions of Americans
who fear that their
country may have made a
backward step into authoritarianism
at home and unilateralism
abroad.
Beyond the dignity with
which he conducted the office
of the Presidency, he put
a caring and concerned human
face on it.
Witness his readiness to
engage in town hall meetings
in the United States
and in foreign countries; his
willingness to open himself
to questioning about his policies;
and his tolerance of
every person as his equal
with a right to question and
to be given answers.
The latter quality was
displayed many times, but at
none more effectively than
in the heat of Trump-Clinton
campaign trail when
an older man, holding up a
Trump sign, sought to interrupt
Obama’s speech as
he stumped for Clinton.
By Sir Ronald Sanders
The crowd jeered the man.
Obama stopped them in a
fashion that is typical of him.
He pointed out that
Americans lived in a country
of free speech; that the
man looked like he served
in the military (he was wearing
a uniform with medals)
and his service should be respected;
that he was elderly
and respect for elders is paramount.
That encounter was later
related by Trump (probably
on the basis of false information
that was not checked) as
“a disgrace” because Obama
“screamed at the protestor”.
Obama also hands to the
Trump Presidency a country
in much better shape than he
found it.
An economy that was in
the doldrums when he took
office in 2008 is much improved;
unemployment is
down; the violent crime rate
is the lowest since the 1970s;
America was kept safe from
foreign attacks throughout
his Presidency; and, abroad,
initiatives were taken, such
as signing up to the agreements
on Climate Change,
and establishing diplomatic
relations with Cuba that
gave the US a more benevolent
face than it had for decades.
Despite his intelligence,
cont’d on pg 9