Category Archives: Obama

Hillary Clinton on the World Stage

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Back in 2008, a mere two weeks after the presidential election, Huffington Post blogger Matt Littman, in a piece titled What Makes a Great Secretary of State?, cheered openly for Hillary Clinton to take her current position:

At a time when the world is yearning to see America return to the forefront of global leadership, Secretary Clinton can lead the charge. She already may be a historic figure, embraced by the world community, but in this role, she would add significant international achievements to her legend.

That was 2008. And three years later, we see just how brilliant Clinton’s foreign policy leadership has been.  She has been an amazing force in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. From the uprisings in Northern Africa, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and the perpetually perplexing negotiations with North Korea, her vision is making a big difference.



Whatever differences Obama and Clinton have, they have buried them for the good of diplomacy and national security. And we have all benefited from their partnership. So its easy to see why TIME Magazine (above) put her on their current cover. She has used her power in a very smart way, and this has only elevated her throughout the world.


Though Clinton wants to step down from her post in November 2012, I hope she stays another four years. She is already one of the best U.S. Secretaries of State in history.

A Few Thoughts on Michelle Obama’s Healthy Food Crusade

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Picture Courtesy of Getty Images


Yes, there have been critics of First Lady Michelle Obama’s health initiatives, but what she’s doing is certainly needed. Americans are not nearly as healthy as we would like to believe, so anyone trying to change this reality is a hero (or She-ro) in my book. Unveiled last year, Obama’s “Let’s Move” Campaign” has been praised for its strong stance on health and wellness.
Every First Lady has a project that dominates their time in the White House. Nancy Reagan talked about drug use. Barbara Bush supported literacy programs. Hillary Clinton embraced universal health care. Laura Bush focused her attention on education in general. With big shoes to fill, Michelle Obama had to make a big splash with her activities, and she has done just that.

Last week, she appeared with executives from Wal-Mart. The retailer announced that it was offering more healthy foods, and promised to push its suppliers in the same direction. They also pledged to make even more food items healthier and affordable in five years, and open more stores in historically underserved areas.

Though she’s taken some unnecessary hits by critics, this is very clearly a huge victory for her campaign. Huge. For years, I’ve argued that millions want to “eat right”, so to speak, but healthy foods typically cost more. If you’re trying to save money, many go for what’s affordable. That’s a fact. So politics aside, Michelle Obama’s efforts are making a difference.

So Much to be Thankful For

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I love the Thanksgiving holiday. I love cooking great food, sharing tall tales with loved ones, and having nothing but big fun. I always use this day to reflect on where I am personally, even professionally. And once again, I have so much to be thankful for.

After being misdiagnosed four times at the beginning of this decade, my mom’s health is as robust as ever. All of my siblings are gainfully employed, making this big brother very proud. One of my aunts beat back breast cancer this year, and the experience has given her a new perspective. And, quite humorously, my 77 year old grandmother brags about having more Facebook friends than I do. Can you believe that?

I’ve connected with some awesome people around the world. From Los Angeles to London, from New York to New Delhi, social media sites like Twitter and Snazl have enriched my view about the world. I am happy I have befriended bloggers who are respected not only for their perspective, but also for the sense of humanity they apply to their work. Bloggers like Jim Turner, Kristi Wooten, Yasmin Beitollahi, and Ramon Nuez Jr., and countless others.

How can you not be thankful for such wonderful, resilient, and awesome family members and friends?!

I am also thankful for the racial and ethnic diversity in our country, and, I am happy we have a president in The White House who believes that our diversity is to be embraced and valued, not feared and detested. Millions say “I want my America back”, but millions more say, “I’m happy our America is moving forward”. Yes, our, us, we…I love that.

And last, but certainly not least, I am immensely thankful for the Huffington Post’s Impact Section. The awesome charities and nonprofits; the men and women performing heroically and selflessly to assist others; and, the people in need who have inspired Huffpost readers to give hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s been a smashing success. Impact editor Victoria Fine has done a marvelous job. I am thankful for her consistent and powerful declaration of love and community.

I urge everyone to use this Thanksgiving to not only reconnect with loved ones, but also to remember those whose lives are not what they should be. Every year I take food to homeless families under bridges and freeway underpasses. I will do the same this year. And I urge readers to get involved in their own way. Find a way…or make a way. As Howard Thurman insist in his classic, bestselling The Centering Moment:

We must remember those who are close to us by ties of blood and accommodation, whose needs have been exposed to us in the days that are behind; those who are sick and who are moving slowly into a terminal dimension of their illness; those who have fallen upon hard and difficult times, from whose hands have been snatched those symbols of security by which the tranquility of their lives have been measured… We remember those men and those women whose private lives are burdened by the responsibilities of others and who find, because of the problems which surround them, that their private lives are inadequate and they are lonely and frightened and dismayed. We remember all those who stand within the shadow of the radiance that belongs to the healthy mind and the vigorous spirit; those who are wrestling with inner tortures that pull the world out of balance, who find themselves retreating more deeply within in the hope that in the iron-bound security of their inmost privacy they may be protected from the things that overwhelm and prove unmanageable.

So remember our neighbors and our citizens whose lives deserve so much more. Remember that we can make a difference, and that our engagement could be the the very thing to keep them animated and motivated. So be hopeful, be safe, be involved, and yes, be thankful. Whether we know it or not, each of us has something to be incredibly thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!