Gainako Newspaper

As Gambians in Sweden prepares for another cultural week Chairman Ismaila
talks about Gambians living in Sweden, the Gambian cultural week among
other things.

GON: Who is Ismaila Ceesay?

Mr. Ceesay: I was born in Brikama town in the late 70s. I did my
primary education in Brikama Primary School and my high school in
Freetown, Sierra Leone. I have a Bachelors degree in political science
from the University of Stockholm. I am the current chairman of the
Gambian Organisation in Stockholm.

GON: When did you travel to Sweden and what was the main motive
behind it?

Mr. Ceesay: I came to Sweden in the late 90s. Actually Sweden was not a country I had initially
wanted to travel to. My aim then, was to travel to the US or UK to complete my education.
Sometimes we are not masters of our destiny. However, I did not regret coming to Sweden, because
I have achieved a lot during my short stay in this country, and one of which is education

GON: What do you enjoy most about running The Gambian Organisation in Sweden (OGIS)
Generally, how big is OGIS?

Mr. Ceesay: There is nothing to enjoy in running OGIS at this present stage. We took over the
organisation at a stage when it was in a lot of mess. We knew we had a tough task ahead in
restructuring the organisation and at the same time reviving the interest of the Gambian community
towards the organisation. This was so hard, but with our stern determination and belief in what we
were doing we are making progress. Since we took over, we heard lot of discouraging comments
about how we would not succeed and that it is impossible to unite Gambians. I had always believed
that we could make a difference and so we did not let people dampen our spirits. I am sure we are on
the right track.

GON: Who came up with the idea for this organisation? What was the motivation behind OGIS?

Mr. Ceesay: The Gambian organisation in Sweden was formed by a group of Gambians residing
in Sweden in the 70s. To be precise, the organisation was legally registered in 1975. The aim of the
founders was to unite Gambians living in Sweden. The organisation became a complex entity with the
large influx of Gambians.

GON: What is the biggest challenge being the chairman of OGIS?

Mr. Ceesay: The biggest challenge I face as chairman of the Gambian organisation is the desire to
satisfy the individual needs of all Gambians in Stockholm. This is not possible to achieve so the
challenge is to create a platform where the voices of the people could be heard.

GON: Some older Gambians in Sweden felt it's not appropriate to have only young people in your
executive. What do you have to say about that?

Mr. Ceesay: I concur with them, because an enterprise, be it economic, political or social cannot
succeed without experienced people. The innovative minds of the youths and the experiences of the
older generation are needed in order to achieve our objectives. Our own was a unique situation and
so unique solutions were needed. We felt that they had done their share of it and it was a great job. A
new epoch was starting and we needed new faces and new capabilities. We needed people who are
committed with the drive and inclination to take the organisation into another level. Two things I would
like to clarify concerning this issue; the first is some elders were offered positions which they declined;
secondly, I had selected my committee without prejudice. What I needed were competent and loyal
people.

GON: How come the chairman selects his committee? Where is the general body that should be
vested with the power to do so?

Mr. Ceesay: The power of the general membership to elect the committee is stipulated in the
constitution. I am aware of this fact and what I did initially was to nominate people who I felt could do
the job, but there is another complexity attached to this. The OGIS membership base is weak. We
have less than twenty paying members out of a community of more than three thousand people. The
constitution states that only paying members are eligible to vote. I nominated the same people for the
executive committee and summoned a general meeting, so that members could have the chance to
either reject or accept the new committee through voting. Only few members came to the meeting and
those present endorsed the new executive committee.

GON: So will you agree with a widespread rumour that there is mistrust and disunity among
Gambians in Sweden?

Mr. Ceesay: I wouldn't use the terms mistrust and disunity. The Gambians in Sweden, especially
in Stockholm are very united. I would rather describe it as some kind of misunderstanding due to
some historical errors committed by previous members of the past committees. This misunderstanding
created an air of mistrust towards the organisation vis a vis some members of the community and so
this led to a confidential crisis within the general membership. With our efforts so far, some members
are starting to accept the reality and so the negative attitude towards the organisation is changing. We
are in the confidence building process which is the first phase of the process and some remarkable
success has been registered.

GON: What about disunity amongst Gambians themselves?

Mr. Ceesay: There is no disunity amongst Gambians residing in Stockholm. Through my personal
observation, what I can see is a community living in peace and harmony working hard to make ends
meet. The high sense of solidarity within Gambians here cannot be found in any other community of
Gambians within the Diaspora. It is obvious that we as humans might have our differences sometimes,
as mere mortals. Misunderstandings, which are a product of human relations, cannot be avoided but
they can be controlled and contained.

GON: The OGIS official website leaves much to be desired, when compared to that of the
Gambians in Finland Organisation. Are you looking into this?

Mr. Ceesay: The OGIS website is like a new born baby in the process of developing its faculties.
The site is still under construction and plans are underway to develop it into the main medium of
communication among Gambians in Sweden. The state of the website is of high priority to us and our
webmaster is working hard to make sure the site looks good the soonest possible time.

GON: Are all Gambian immigrants qualified to join OGIS?

Mr. Ceesay: That is a very good and important question. OGIS is for all Gambians living in
Sweden. When a new member decides to join us, questions are not asked about their status. We are
here to help and protect all Gambians, especially those in need. Our doors are open to all, regardless
of nationality, tribe, gender, or age

GON: How successful are Gambians in Sweden?

Mr. Ceesay: Naming a few successful Gambians in Sweden will be unfair. Sweden has hundreds
and thousands of successful Gambians. However, we are exceptionally proud of those Gambians who
promote the Gambian image in the Swedish media. Among these are Haddy Jallow, Pa Dembo
Touray, Adam Tensta, Alice Bah, Mary Ndiaye and many more whose successes cannot be
measured in quantity.

GON: Yaya Drammeh of Gothenburg is seemingly one of the intellectuals who I really admire. Is he
a member of OGIS?

Mr. Ceesay: Unfortunately no. May be he is a member of the Gambian association in Gothenburg
and the name does not ring a bell.

GON: So OGIS is only for Gambians in Stockholm?

Mr. Ceesay: Yes, that's correct. OGIS stands for the organisation of Gambians in Stockholm

GON: Is it a good idea to have different Gambian organisations in Sweden? I don't see any unity in
it?

Mr. Ceesay: That's a matter of opinion, but I think it is necessary in that we have a large
community of Gambians in Stockholm as well as in Gothenburg. Even in Norway, where the Gambian
community is relatively smaller than in Sweden, they have two organisations, one in Oslo and one in
Bergen. This has nothing to do with disunity, but rather, the aim and objectives to satisfy the needs of
the members living in different cities.

GON: Talking about Gambian cultural week, how far are you with your arrangements?

Mr. Ceesay: We have gone as far as necessary, so we are just waiting for the dates. All the
necessary arrangements have been done and we are now working hard for the marketing and
promotion.

GON: Why Senegalese star Pape Diouf, when we have lot of local talents back home that you can
introduce to Swedes and Gambians in Sweden?

Mr. Ceesay: It's not only Pape Diouf performing at the cultural week. Some talented Gambian
artists will be performing in our cultural night as well. In this year's cultural week, we are collaborating
with some organisations. The decision to bring Pape Diouf in the final party was not a unilateral
decision by OGIS. We would be proud to promote as many Gambians as possible, but our financial
inability can't offer us that opportunity,

GON: How many people are you expecting in this year's cultural week?

Mr. Ceesay: It's hard for me to predict the number of people attending this year's cultural week.
But I can make assumptions based on attendance from past cultural weeks. We are expecting guests
from Germany, Oslo, Finland, Gothenburg etc. The Gambian cultural week in Stockholm is a popular
Gambian gathering in Europe and particularly in Scandinavia. So we are expecting a huge turn out.

GON: Looking through your program of activities, I could see you have fashion show and music
concerts. Is this another opportunity for our sisters to portray their beauty?

Mr. Ceesay: The fashion show is open for both men and women. We will be having both male
and female fashioners. The aim is to display their talent and to promote and introduce the Gambian
cultural clothing. African dresses will be worn by the fashioners and as far as I am concerned, this is a
beautiful thing.

GON: Is the media invited?

Mr. Ceesay: It will be a pleasure to have the media join us as distinguished guest. The whole
Gambian community will be proud to have reporters like you join us to celebrate the cultural week.
The role of the media in Stockholm cannot be unnoticed. So on behalf of the Gambian community, the
OGIS executive and on my own behalf, we would like to extend an invitation to the media.

GON: What message do you have for your members and Gambians in other parts of Europe?

Mr. Ceesay: Unite, unite and unite. Being an immigrant in a foreign land can be very tough. We
need each other to make it through the day, the months and the years. Our survival depends on how
united we are. Strong Gambian communities can only be built on the foundations of unity. We can only
achieve success through unity. We should strive hard to contribute to the socio-economic
development of the Gambia. It is our responsibility as sons and daughters of the Gambia to either
individually or through organisations, help setup projects in the Gambia, thus complimenting
government's efforts.

GON: Than you very much for taking the time to speak to us.

Mr. Ceesay: It's my pleasure.

Ismaila Ceesay is unquestionably an eloquent Gambian youth leader. He holds a BA in Political
Science and was elected sometimes last year as chairman of the Organisation of Gambians in
Stockholm (OGIS). Despite being the youngest person to ever occupy that seat, he has already
started transforming the organisation into a much more vibrant one poised to adequately represent the
thousands of Gambians resident in the Swedish capital.

.................Tribute/Reflections
........The Dibba Effect
................................By Cherno Baba Jallow............June 9th, 2008
The metaphor is almost fitting: the late veteran politician Sheriff Mustapha
Dibba as the oak tree of Gambian opposition politics. To the botanically-
challenged, oak trees belong to the Beech family of flowering plants.
Agricultural scientists have been fascinated with the oak tree for its longevity
and aging productivity. Oak trees can live 200 or more years. They can
start bearing acorns when they are 20 or 50 years old. And by the time
they reach 70 to 80 years, oak trees are known to churn out a bumper-
harvest of acorns.

Dibba, who died Monday, June 2nd, at 71, didn't last long enough like an oak tree, but his politics
certainly lived long enough in the national imagination. He was conscious of both his compelling
relevance to Gambian politics and his gritty determination to remain visible in the quest for the seat of
Gambian presidential power. He stayed in the opposition camp for much of his political life and was
hoping, in the fullness of time, that the oak tree in him would bear fruits and actualize his
chief-executive aspirations.

At a rally in Dippa Kunda during the 1992 presidential election campaign, Dibba, donning his
emblematic white Ambassador Suit, exhorted a rapturous crowd to understand the difficulties plaguing
African opposition parties. He urged patience and compared himself to the then Senegalese
opposition leader and now president Abdoulaye Wade. Wade began running for the presidency in
1978 and finally winning it in 2000. Dibba likened Wade's electoral persistence to his. He displayed to
the crowd a whiff of self-confidence in his imminent triumph someday.

But the avalanche of the 22nd July 1994 military coup came and swept him away. Or he allowed to
be swept away. Dibba told the BBC he was now going on leave - a leave from politics, following the
suspension of political activities by the new military junta. His withdrawal would later prove politically
fatal. To be sure, the ban on political activity was constraining, but Dibba, being an elder statesman,
should have still availed himself of some relevancy during the transition period. A politician's survival
kit also includes being in constant, close proximity to the atmospherics of the moment. But Dibba was
distant. He was mostly out of the public domain and as a consequence, lost a lot of political capital in
terms of visibility and stature. And when the then military council Chairman Yahya Jammeh decreed
and disqualified all former politicians who worked in the former government from participating in the
new political dispensation, Dibba's presidential ambition received its death knell. If the military hadn't
willed it so, one wonders what the electoral terrain would have looked like with Jammeh and Dibba at
daggers drawn on the campaign trail.

Dibba or SM as some of his supporters affectionately called him had until 1994, shown a remarkable
resiliency as both a critic in the Gambian parliament and leader of the firebrand National Convention
Party. In parliament, he continuously raised important questions on matters of governance that made
national headlines. He was a thorn in the side of the PPP government. And he made his party an
important player in the political process. The NCP fielded candidates and went toe to toe with their
PPP counterparts even though the paucity of resources and scant public exposure always meant heavy
defeats for most of its candidates. But the NCP was still a force to reckon with. It showed a
remarkable tenacity during the Basse bye-election in 1987 when, against the juggernaut of the Banjul
PPP glitterati who swarmed the Basse campaign trail, the NCP candidate Ousainou Baldeh gave
former foreign affairs minister Omar Sey a run for his money. Baldeh lost by a paltry 50something
votes. Sey celebrated but it was a pyrrhic victory - a victory made possible thanks to sloshing funds
and behind-the-scenes maneuverings, not personal appeal and moral persuasion.

In the 1992 general elections, the NCP won five seats, a drop in the ocean considering a
36-constituency contest. Apart from the old guard Dibba and Bakau's Dembo "Byforce" Bojang, the
NCP brought in new faces in Majanko Samusa of Lower Baddibu, Alhaji M. Saidykhan of Eastern
Jarra and Ibrahim Janko F.B. Sanyang of Western Foni. The NCP had strong showings in other
constituency fights, with Karang Lang Jawneh of Western Wuli losing by a mere 422 votes. This was
the year the PPP lost some of its veterans - MC Cham in Tumana, Talib Bensouda in Niani and
Kebba Kawsu Jawara in Upper Fulladu West. Both the late Mathew Yaya Baldeh and Omar
Amadou Jallow (OJ) also had to fend off fierce opposition to their seats.

The NCP, whose leader ironically helped stifle the opposition United Party during the heyday of
Gambian independence, expanded the frontiers of multiparty politics and enlivened the political
landscape in The Gambia. But the party failed to wean itself off the politics of old. Like its enduring
PPP rival, the NCP operated from within the same cosmology of personality-driven politics. In a
dominant party polity like The Gambia, fledgling opposition parties like the NCP risk permanent
marginality if they merely become offshoots of the party in power. The NCP fielded candidates
nationwide, but it was limited in the arena of political discourse and program-centeredness. Personality
rather than the issues came to largely define the NCP and virtually the entire political culture at the
time. Dibba's charisma and steely resolve single-handedly helped prod the NCP along.

He was a politician of high standing. He mastered the intersections of politics and culture within the
framework of Gambian society. The game of politics was endearing to him and he helped make it a
national passion for Gambians. The political campaigns in the 1980s and early 1990s were oftentimes
intense and occasionally ill-tempered - but that was ok. Gambians were excited and passionate about
the political times. Dibba was, in no small measure, an important participant in the national nurturing of
Gambian participatory democracy.

Perhaps, Dibba will be best remembered for resigning his cabinet post following the so-called "Butut
Scandal." By Gambian leadership standards, this was a principled decision in a league of its own. It
was both classy and selfless. Dibba was a true public servant. For his unflinching patriotism, seminal
contribution to the democratic process and commendable service to the Gambian state, Dibba
deserves an important place in our nation's political history.

Years hence, chroniclers of Gambian society will apportion him this rightful place.

To write to the author, please send your comments to: chernobjallow@hotmail.com

...............................................................NEWS
...................IMAM KANTEH
DEFENDS HIS VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALITY - Said his Comments Is Purely Religious
.........................................................June 9th, 2008
Dear brother,
I thank you very much for your opinion and views, but again I would like
you to go back and read my story carefully with open mind and
understanding then you will see my point. I quoted my story directly from
the holy books of the Almighty God, Holy Quran and the Holy Bible. It
has been mention many times in the Quran and hadith to support the truth
whoever may say it and wherever it comes from. The president might be
the worst human being on earth as you proclaim, but today the same
president condemns the most sinful act in history and even generation it
has been perpetrated was destroyed therefore by the supporting my
brother in Islam "The president" for condemning that sinful act is no crime.

I am not in religion of confrontations, baseless accusations, immoral speeches, but in religion of good
judgments, unity and brotherhood. I am not interested in politics, worldly fame, neither to be indorses
by any public figure, but supporting the truth I based entirely on profound Islamic teachings and
believe. My brother by slandering the skin of your brother is not the good way to make a difference.

Avoid harming other Muslims by words or actions. As a matter of fact Islam forbids vain or evil talk.
The Quran says: "Those who turn away from vain talk." (3-23) The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.)
said: "The Muslim is he from whom people are safe from his tongue and hand (actions).

Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said: "You will not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you will
not have faith until you love each other. Shall I direct you to something which if you fulfill you will love
one another? Spread peace among yourselves. (It was reported by Muslim). 1) In this tradition our
beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H.) recommends that we should spread peace. This is fulfilled through many
things: by saluting each other with the salutation of peace through saying peace be with you; by
spreading a state of peace and not conflict, and by trying to spread peace in the society through
reconciling our differences.

Brotherhood includes guarding your tongue from hurting your brother and never mentioning him
except in a good manner. Do not allow anyone to complain to you about your brother lest it cause a
rift between you and your brother or cause you to become impatient with him. The Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said: "I like to meet my brothers with a clean heart."

One should not reciprocate wrongdoing with a similar offense, but rather with good deeds. Keep in
mind that whoever desires to have a brother devoid of shortcomings will become brotherless.
You should strive to emulate the man about whom the honored Prophet (pbuh) said, "A man of
Paradise shall enter among you, shortly." The fine merit of this man described by the Prophet (pbuh)
was that every night before he slept he cleansed his heart of any hatred or envy towards his fellow
Muslims. As was already mentioned, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also said: "Whosoever conceals
the shortcomings of his brother, Allah shall conceal his in this life and the next world. Know that your
faith is not complete until you love for your brother what you love for yourself. Therefore, treat your
brothers in the same manner that you wish them to treat you. A servant's faith is not sound until his
heart and tongue are sound. The martyr Imam Hassan al Banna said, "The lowest degree of
brotherhood is a wholesome heart, free of suspicions, and the highest degree is favoring your brother
over yourself."

1) Make an earnest effort to only say the truth and avoid lying.
2) Do not mention any of your brothers except in a good way and restrain your tongue towards them.
3) Talk to your brother (and about him) in a manner that pleases him and make dua for him and his
children.

As a good Muslim it will be better for you to support me, the president, my deputy and all those good
Muslims and Christians for condemning this sinful act which is polluting our society than condemning
the word of God. My brother there must concrete and unbiased evidence in hand for every accusation
made as Islamic law is concern, evidence which is not base on rumors or speculations. All these
accusations you made against the president today, if you would, please provide me concrete and
unbiased evidence supporting your claim, I promise you I will write and condemn it. I believe all
suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court of law. That been said I want to warn you, myself and
all believing men and women that false accusations against someone, because of hatred is a very sinful
act and on the day of resurrection we will stand before our Lord and confess to our lies against our
brother. The tragedies that you mention on your story are sinful act and unfortunate, but I cannot
condemn the president because I do not know for sure he is responsible or perpetrated the act, I
cannot base my judgments on rumors and speculations, but concrete evidence. Again I thank you very
much for your commit and views, May peace be with you and whole Muslim Umma.

......................................................NEWS
.....PRESIDENT'IAL ESCORT BRUTALIZE CIVILIAN
BYSTANDERS FOR NOT CHEERING YAHYA JAMMEH?
................ THE MILITARY SHOULD INVESTIGATE
.......................By Solo, Banjul Correspondent��June 8th, 2008
Reports reaching this reporter speak grim of state guards
maltreating innocent civilian bystanders for not been seen to
be cheering the president while his convoy passed through
the town of Brikama.

This reporter is reliably informed by an eyewitness that a father
and his children were mercilessly beaten by uniformed soldiers
escorting the president's convoy across Brikama on Saturday
31st at about 3pm. He said the soldiers told them live that if
anyone is not ready to cheer the president, he / she should not
bother to come out on the street when his convoy is passing

The same soldiers reportedly flog another youth mercilessly at the same time for the same outrageous
pretext that he was standing idly by as if nothing of significance was happening while the president's
convoy was cruising by. He said he was told categorically that he either claps for the president or earn
his wrath.

This unheard of behavior by no other than the state guards has to all intent and purposes flouted the
code of conduct adopted at a recent Civil-Military Relations workshop geared to educate soldiers
that they have no right to maltreat civilians for any reason whatsoever. Soldiers should show their
loyalty to the state by becoming ever ready to defend the country because this is why they are paid for
by the people through taxes, etc and not to maltreat innocent and defenseless civilians. Soldiers have
no right to transfer their aggression to people who have no hand in their grievances. They should know
that nobody is above the law.

Civilians should know that they have a right to report any maltreatment or any unlawful activity by a
soldier especially in uniform to the Military authorities so that it can be investigated and the culprits
brought to book. It can also be reported to newspapers for exposure so as to alert the authorities that
should take appropriate action after investigation.

.The Imams Misguided Response to Jammeh�s
...OOutrageous Comments Against Gays.
........................... By Pasamba Jow Coach......June 8th, 2008
I find the enthusiastic endorsement by the imam and deputy imam of North
Carolina of Jammeh�s outrageous attack against homosexuals quite
perplexing. If Mr. Kanteh (imam) and Mr. Jeng (deputy imam) had spoken
as private concerned citizens, I would not have responded to their
statements, but since they chose their pulpits to make the statements, I
believe they deserve a response.

What is disconcerting about the imams� attempt to praise Jammeh is what I
will call their selective attention to Jammeh�s tyranny.

There is nothing more disgusting than to see these imams jumping over each
other to praise Jammeh�s hateful attacks on gays, but never uttering a single
word publicly against Jammeh�s continued abrogation of Gambian rights. I
am inclined to ask, where were the imams when Koro Ceesay was murdered?
Where were they when twelve innocent students were massacred? Where
were they when Deyda Hydara was assassinated, better yet where were they
when Mr. Ousman Sillah, who is now a respectful elder in North Carolina,
was nearly murdered by Jammeh�s thugs? Alternatively, is it that murder is
less of crime than homosexuality in the eyes of Islam?

If imams choose to praise Jammeh for what they consider good, they must have
the courage and the fortitude to denounce his wrongs. Ultimately, it does not
take an imam, a priest, or a rabbi to point out when a crime has been committed;
when someone�s life has been taken in cold blood; when the basic rights of a
human being are being trampled upon. Individuals can determine these things for
themselves, and can serve the greater good of humanity by defending these
rights vigorously, and in a manner that honors the divinity of us all

...........................................Political Commentary:
..Barack Obama � The History Man!
....�How he defeated the most Sophisticated Political Machinery in American History�
...................... By Demba Baldeh, Seattle, WA...........June 6th, 2008
The just-ended, fiercely contested Democratic nomination for President
of the United States of America had to come down to the wire. Barack
Obama has finally claimed victory, securing the number of delegates
needed to win the Democratic nomination. Both Obama and his rival
Senator Hillary Clinton had to grind it out to the end, with each candidate
winning one of the last two States to vote � Montana and South Dakota.

This historic nomination contest featuring a woman and an African
American has shattered almost every political record ever recorded in
the history of the United States. Billed as having been the closest to a
record fundraising drive, this primary contest between the Clintons and
the Junior Senator from Illinois exceeded every expectation of a
magnificent campaign between two extraordinarily talented candidates.

The story line is how for the first time in the history of this great democracy, an African American has
finally emerged to claim the nomination for a major political party. Looking at it from every angle,
Obama�s nomination signifies an important reminder of one of the great dreams of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. who prophesized over 40 years ago that �one day this great nation will rise, live up to its true
meaning; that all men are created equal; that little black boys and black girls will one day not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.� Those touching words of the
then young Dr. King have finally started to actualize themselves in the political evolution of this nation.

What is even more fascinating about Obama�s victory is how he did it coming from nowhere
to defeat the Clintons � one of the most sophisticated political families this nation has ever witnessed.
Who would have thought that a first term Junior Senator from the South side of Chicago, an African
American born to a Kenyan immigrant father and raised by a single parent would, against all the odds,
single-handedly take over the reign of the popular ex-president Bill Clinton with Seventy (70%)
percent voter approval combined with one of the toughest first ladies in this nation�s political history?
Who would have thought that an African American candidate who was barely known in the political
arena would have inspired so many young voters who had never shown interest in the political future
of this country? Who would have thought that disenfranchised and divided African American
minorities would rally behind someone they thought was not black enough to represent their interest?

Barack Obama turned out to be that political figure, who did not only inspire voters but
also motivated over one and a half million donors to support his campaign with an average
contribution of $25 during the toughest of economic times. These young Americans, who are
fully conscious of what is at stake in light of a senseless war and economic hardship,
were enamored of Obama�s powerful message of change � a change from the bottom up. This
message of CHANGE, more than anything else, helped Obama land the Democratic nomination.

How He Did It
How did Obama arrive at the nomination? Well, the fight was tough and Obama and his surrogates
will be the first to admit that this was so close that if there were a few more states left in this contest,
the Clintons would have staged another comeback kid revivalism. Obama won this contest doing what
he was best known for, grassroots organizing. In early February after Super Tuesday, he mounted a
vigorous campaign in Caucus States which earned him Eleven (11) consecutive victories, building the
delegate lead that finally handed him the victory. Failure to take serious note of the contest in the
Caucus States was the biggest and most costly political blunder the Clintons ever made. This is what
unbelievably brought the Clintons down on their knees in disbelief while they watched Obama take the
torch away from them. One could not help it but feel sorry for the Clintons who were the biggest
nightmare for the Republican Party.

Another brilliant strategic approach Obama and his team adapted was to swiftly and forcefully
respond to any allegation levied against him by the Clintons. The counter punch which the Clintons
have always used successfully came back to haunt them over and over during this campaign.The
loyalty of the African American voters to the Clintons which earned Bill the nickname �First Black
President� could not be carried over to Hillary because she was up against their own. The Clintons
could not figure out how to handle this voting bloc, the most loyal of the Democratic Party.
Furthermore, as the saying goes �blood is thicker than water.� Having to choose between their own
and their friends, the African Americans overwhelmingly embraced their own who was on the verge of
making history. This massive support from the black population is largely responsible for Obama�s
victories even in the deep historically segregated Southern States.

Obama�s unconventional approach to some major political issues which normally make politicians
unpopular or distrusted, made him an unusually straightforward politician who spoke his mind from his
gut feelings without regard to political consequences. This also earned him the respect and admiration
of many voters. Take, for instance, his honest comment on people clinching to guns and turning to their
religions during economic and other hard times. This comment though unpopular with many who were
guilty of such behavior may have cost him votes, but it couldn�t be truer than the way he stated it.
When the horrible 9/11 terrorist�s attacks hit the U.S, many Americans who never or hardly went to
Church started attending Church. Many who lived away from their families moved back to their home
states to be closer to families. While these attacks were despicable, they brought a sense of reality to
all of us that we were no longer as safe as we might have thought. So Obama was right, people turn to
God when they are hit with hardship and he never backed away from the fundamental facts of his
comment. This was unprecedented for a politician to stick to his guns during such a hard-fought
primary contest.

Of course, some things did not go well with Obama given his inexperience in the political arena. The
Rev. Jeremiah Wright�s hate speech did not go well with Obama and it may have turned away many
voters who could have easily voted for him. On a positive side, though, I think that the Rev. Wright�s
appearance on the scene was, maybe, one of the best things that happened to Obama during his
campaign. Why so? Well, before the Reverend�s tapes surfaced, as many as 22% of Americans had
believed that Obama was a Muslim in disguise. Obviously, America would never vote for a Muslim to
become a nominee of a major political party much more to talk about electing him into the Presidency.
So it was day light for Obama when he was finally proved to be a Christian and had been going to the
same church for over twenty years.

His opponents seized on the matter and pounded on him vigorously which forced him to give a speech
on race which could be his best political speech yet in his political life. His race speech in Philadelphia
clearly distinguished him from many politicians our generation has seen over time. He willingly and
openly discussed the bitter complications of race, an issue that America has never been comfortable to
discuss in the open. It has always been swept beneath the rug even in light of the most despicable acts
of racism. Obama�s confrontation of this highly sensitive issue helped put race in a new perspective
for many Africans. Race in this country would never be looked at the same way it has always been
partly because of Obama�s explicit explanation of what both races harbor deep inside. That timely
speech may have saved his political career, if not, certainly gained him a lot more respect and
admiration from many corners in America.

On a final push to hold on to his lead in delegates, Obama cautiously played a smart political game by
silently admitting that there was nothing he could do to prevent those so-called White working class
and Spanish voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia from voting for him simply because of his
color. He studied the rest of the political map and contested fiercely in States that mattered to him and
were willing to give him the opportunity. He was truly right to spend less time in those unfavorable
States because he could not help those who looked at his color instead of voting on the issues that
most affected these people. As one Obama surrogate said �I am sorry if some people in this country
will not vote for a candidate who has no choice in being black or white simply because of his color.�
No matter whatever Obama had done, these folks would never have voted for him anyway. They
simply couldn�t get over the fact that this nation had changed forever and ever.

What Obama Should Do
Finally, now that Obama has won the Democratic nomination, he has a bigger and tougher fight
against John McCain and the Republican Machinery. It is without a doubt that the Republican
machinery is more vicious than the Clinton�s. The good news for Obama and the Democrats is that
George Bush has managed to brilliantly squander the little hope that was left in the political life of this
nation. Obama has a fresh opportunity to open a new chapter and lead this nation to that final dream
that Dr. King had talked about several decades ago.

He would have to sharpen his swords and do exactly what he did to the Clintons � and that is to
tackle head on every single allegation they bring against him. He should continue to be angry at false
allegations and tactics designed to distract this nation from the real issues. When he keeps that straight
counter punch at all times, he will be the next President of the free world.

On the VP search, Obama needs to be very careful who he picks. Historically, the VP pick has either
strengthened or weakened a candidate. While picking Hillary may ultimately win Obama the White
House, she might turn out to be a nuisance in pushing her own agenda on some battles she has been
fighting for decades. Such issues might be Universal Healthcare which she tried so hard during her
husband�s presidency. So Obama needs to evaluate whether he only needs someone to help him win
the White House and take back everything or does he really need someone to enable him bring the
real change he has been advocating for in this country. Hillary is brilliant but a very persistent woman
who could stand in the way of progress for Obama.

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