Wednesday, November 05, 2008 11:39 AM (Chicago, Illinois)

President-elect Barack Obama’s victory speech in Chicago as released by his campaign.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Source

Share This

After working out a partnership with Newsbreak and months of working under the covers, ABS-CBNnews.com has finally unveiled their new and improved website, which features a boatload of new features such as:

• Better and cleaner user interface (less ads too)!
• Dynamic, AJAX-driven content panels
• Kyte powered streaming video feeds
• RSS feeds
• Content search
• Search engine friendly URLs

While some of these features already existed in the old site, it is definitely a huge improvement. Below are screenshots of the old site vs the new one:

Old design:

New design:

With this, it looks like ABS-CBN is finally geared up to go head to head with GMANews.TV and Inquirer.Net, its top competitors.

Inquirer.Net (currently #1):

GMANews.tv (currently #2):

The status quo remains unchanged according to Alexa.com. Only time will tell though, as the new site was just recently launched.

Note that these results may slightly be inaccurate, as there exists two URLs http://news.abs-cbn.com/ and http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

Can this be considered a successful re-launch? Other bloggers appear iffy. What do you think?

Share This

Taken from the iamninoy website:

Twenty-five years ago, a man named Ninoy Aquino fought
nobly for a cause he believed in. He was a man who believed
in heroism, in justice, in freedom, and he committed his life
to upholding these values in a manner he thought would be
for the greater good.

This man Ninoy lived bravely. And in his conviction and courage,
he died a hero.

(more…)

Share This

A lot of people ask me why I choose to stay in the Philippines instead of going abroad to earn a bigger salary. I never really had a straight answer to that question. Most of the time I would just say that I prefer staying in the Philippines, or that going abroad is a sign of weakness, and sometimes I even say that I’d rather stay here and help my country men. After receiving the below e-mail I got to thinking that maybe, just maybe, it might be my love for the country …

MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim

Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines . Do you really think the corruption
is the problem of the Philippines ? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines .

Let me first talk about my country, Korea . It might help you understand my point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans
had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine.
My father & brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very
corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really
did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism.
(more…)

Share This

I received this in my inbox today. This is concerning Mr. Romulo L. Neri, Director General, National Economic and Development Authority in the Philippines.

What is Neri afraid to say and Why?

Many speculations have been made as to what Neri knows about the ZTE-NBN most particularly the direct involvement of Pres. Gloria Arroyo in this abominable affair. After his damaging “Sec. May 200 ka dito” demolition of Abalos, the discredited former Comelec Chairman, many were left disappointed when Neri suddenly clamped up when the Senators started asking him about the nature of his conversation with Arroyo, no amount of coaxing, cajoling and threats was enough to break his Code of Omerta. The question on many people’s mind was, What was Neri trying to protect when he repeatedly invoked “Executive Priviledge” during that gruelling 12 hour Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on live television?

We have known the Truth all along as one of the few people that Neri confided his predicament during those fateful days of April 2006, and how he wanted to resign his post of NEDA Director General and Secretary for Socio-Economic Planning over this incident where he lost all his moral respect for Pres. Gloria Arroyo.

We are doing this document to give the public an understanding of this predicament.
(more…)

Share This

“Pinag aawayan nyo lang ang kickback ninyo!” blurted Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago in one of the sessions of the ZTE Broadband Scandal.

Nothing more can be farther from the truth, as we Filipinos witness the ousting of House of Representatives speaker Jose de Venecia, following a move by Palawan Representative Abraham Kahlil Mitra. As of writing, the votes are at 143 to 32, in favor of declaring the Speakership vacant. Prior to this, JDV was given the chance to air his sentiments, and he did so for 58 minutes (although he was only given 10 minutes). As he emotionally described (with accompanying slams to the table) his contributions to the society and how he supported the past presidents, including GMA, I could not help but be amused.
(more…)

Share This

(photo of Lim issuing the group’s statement requesting for the people’s support in bringing down the Gloria Arroyo administration)

I was driving to the Ortigas Stock Exchange on what was supposed to be another slow Thursday while listening to my daily dose of “Tambalang Failon at Korina” on the AM radio when all of a sudden the reports came flooding in: Sen. Antonio Trillanes, Gen. Danny Lim, and the Magdalo soldiers has walked out of their court proceedings and began storming the streets of Makati, followed by reporters and some civilians and some “heavily armed” MPs.

Where are they headed? Another group is supposedly gathering and making its way to the Ninoy Aquino stadium. Is this a coordinated attack? What are they marching for?

(photo by Ellen Tordesillas)

Below is a video of General Lim’s public statement:

The reporters come in with an update: “Senator Antonio Trillanes and his group are calling for another people power”.

Throughout the march some motorists were hoking to the tune of the People Power honk (4 honks in rapid succession). People have gone down the buildings and out on the streets, some were cheering or clapping as they passed by.

The long march ended at the Manila Penninsula Hotel, where they give a brief press conference and a message — put briefly, the present administration has not respected Trillanes’ position as an elected public servant, and it no longer upholds any moral ascendancy, thus they are calling for a change in the current administration.

They plan to stay there and “see what the administration will do”.

Whatever happens, one thing is for sure: the nation is once again divided.

More videos:

Update: It has been about 3 hours into the siege. Trillanes and his group has camped at the 3rd level of the hotel.

Update: Warrant of arrest has been issued for the insurgents and is currently in the possession of the PNP. The group is not budging.

Update: Trillanes decides to take a walk outside. Is he surrendering? No. He goes back in.

Update: SWAT and military men have begun moving in. They are accompanied by thanks and APCs. There is heavy tear gas at the lower levels. An APC which acts as the military men’s cover is trying to get into the hotel lobby. It can’t get in. It breaks into the front entrance of the hotel, shattering the front entrance.

It’s like a scene from a Hollywood movie. A handful of men vs an entire army.

Update: Trillanes and Lim have come to agreement to surrender peacefully to avoid any civilian casualties. They will go down as soon as the tear gas goes down. They are joined by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona and Bishop Libayen (?).

Update: Trillanes has now been arrested and is onboard a PNP “jail bus”. It is now 6:31PM. The end?

Update: Followed by Trillanes, they have also arrested and escorted former VP Guingona to the bus. This was followed shortly by Gen. Lim then by some of their supporters who may be prominent figures but I do not know their names.

Update: Just got home after driving through 3-4 hour traffic. PNP checkpoints + SLEX construction + holiday rush + heavy rains + 2 stalled cars = jackpot killer combo. You loose. Fatality. I had so much fun listening to the very emotional (read: unprofessional) reports flooding into my AM radio.

So here’s here’s what happened: after arresting Trillanes and his men, they have proceeded to arrest and place plastic handcuffs over everyone else that was found on the scene. This included some civilians and media personnel. Of course this infuriates our friends over at the media business. After going through all the emotional and physical pain for the sake of journalism this is the reward that they get. According to the PNP they were to be brought along with everyone to the camp in Bicutan to verify their identities, because there were reports earlier that some mutineers could disguise themselves as media people. Also, they were ordered to leave the area many times which they never did, and according to the military this was “obstruction of justice”.

Update: Journalist Ellen Tordesillas recounts her experience while detained by the Military.

Related links:

• (UPDATE 18) Trillanes, Lim arrested; Makati standoff ends
• (2nd UPDATE) Trillanes, Lim call for Arroyo ouster
• Trillanes, Lim arrested; Makati standoff ends
• Trillanes, Lim walk out of court, call for Arroyo ouster
• MALAYA: Trillanes, Lim, Guingona taken after Pen standoff
• Trillanes, Lim walk out of hearing, call for Arroyo ouster
• Walkout photos by Ellen Tordesillas
• The Day the President Grew Balls

Share This

Got this in my mailbox today. Corruption here in the Philippines is really getting out of hand.

Dear Fellow Filipinos,

Good day to you!

Last October 13 , Governor Ed Panlilio of Pampanga came out to declare that he was given P 500,000.00 in cash which came from a Palace Staff Member in Malacañang. The money was allegedly given for baranggay projects and to support candidates for the upcoming baranggay elections. Since Gov. Panlilio’s admission, there have been other local officials and congressmen who have admitted to receiving money from Malacañang as well. Up until today we still don’t know where this money really came from.

But since then, Gov. Panlilio has been under fire because of doing the right thing. Right now, local officials in Pampanga led by Vice-Gov. Yeng Guiao are ganging up on him and marginalizing him by not respecting his authority as governor. Media Publications in Pampanga are even being used to destroy his credibility. If one looks at Gov. Panlilio’s performance thus far in the less than 6 months that he has been in office, the results would speak for itself. He was able to raise the same amount of quarry taxes in less than 2 months compared to the former governor who raised the same amount in 1 year. Due to this, mayors and board members are now demanding part of this collection money and are blackmailing Gov. Panlilio by not passing important policies that will benefit the constituencies of Pampanga.
(more…)

Share This

MAKATI CITY, Philippines–INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla interviews rallyists Mary and Rose and takes video clips of the preparations for the Black & White Movement march to the Makati Post office. Video taken along Ayala Avenue on Nov. 9, 2007.

(more…)

Share This

You may deceive all the people part of the time,
and part of the people all the time,
but not all the people all the time.

– Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

I couldn’t help but laugh at this site, which has recently risen amidst all the scandals and issues currently being tied to the Philippine government.

The link to the site came to me attached with a forwarded e-mail, which you can read below:
(more…)

Share This