The Constellation Learning Newsletter
September/October 2008

The United States Presidential race is heating up as summer comes to a close. I had some free time recently during which I watched the main speeches from both the Democratic and Republican Conventions on YouTube; quite a difference between the two in content, style and energy.

It served to underscore for me, once again, the power of words, and in particular, spoken words.

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~ Monthly Message ~

“All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field.”

-- Albert Einstein --

The tail end of hurricane Ike swooped through the St. Lawrence River 1000 Islands with winds which woke me up—and also knocked out the power. Mother Nature wins again. My heart goes out to residents of the Gulf coast of Texas. That was a lot of energy exploding from all that warm air down there.

Speaking of hot air, I watched the American National Convention speeches with keen interest. There has been such a media frenzy over the summer and so many opinions expressed that I wanted to experience the candidates, their spouses and vice presidential nominees, with unpolluted ears and eyes. Philosophically I’m on board with Obama, though I have always admired John McCain, war hero and (former) maverick.

And then he went and chose Sarah Palin.

Hmmm…as a female I feel a wee bit pandered to… and sold short.

But the point is (yes, what is the point?) that Barack Obama is a right-brainer. Many might say he’s a "no-brainer" in the upcoming US election, no disrespect to McCain’s obvious patriotism, for that very reason: Obama is able to see a bigger picture. He synthesizes and sees in subtexts with contexts. In my mind, McCain is a left-brainer, more linear than intuitive. And for that reason alone, according to Daniel Pink (see my review of his book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the World below—a great read during a power outage), he is not the leader the world requires at this critical point in the United States’—indeed, the world's—evolution.

We are at choice point in a way our species has never before experienced. I’m not talking about the current financial upheavals, or the war in Iraq. I’m not even talking about global warming; I’m talking about human warming. The United States, hanging on to global leader status by a thread these days, has an opportunity to choose a new way of thinking: new ways of viewing lead to new ways of doing, and my dear home country needs both. It never ceases to amaze (and concern) me when I return state-side, how myopic many people’s vision is, due in large part to biased media coverage. A little windex, anyone?

You can take the “we were attacked on 9-11” attitude just so far before it boomerangs, as it already has, in my opinion. One of the most prominent differences between the coverage of the two conventions was the number of veterans singled out in the Republican crowds versus the young people in the Democratic stands. As well, the Republicans showed a video prior to McCain’s acceptance speech that showed those terrible images of the Twin Towers falling. I watched it happen seven years ago. Once was enough. I don’t respect using fear to foster loyalty. And that, essentially, is the real difference between the two campaigns: Fear of change or Hope for change.

Then there were the stylist differences of the speakers. Here is my synthesis of the Democratic side:

1. Michelle Obama: Raw, natural talent
2. Joe Biden: Passionate, real, authoritative
3. Hilary Clinton: Practiced, precise, perfect
4. Bill Clinton: Polished, natural charisma
5. Barack Obama: the sum total of all the above

I speak for a living and am a tough critic. I was blown away with the consistency and quality of all the speakers as well as impressed with the content of their various speeches. The energy in the convention center was palpable, even over YouTube. I literally had goose-bumps. One man, an undecided who was interviewed after watching the speeches from a retirement home said, "That Michelle impressed me. She was real. Spoke from her heart. I feel like I know her."

A succinct summary of the essence of excellent oratory.

And then, a week later, and impacted by yet another hurricane to hit New Orleans, the Republicans gave it a go.

Certainly Sarah Palin was passionate, but seemed a bit too combative for my taste. But then, she enjoys moose hunting. What a gal. And I’m sure Cindy McCain is a lovely woman. She’s certainly in good shape. She should deliver no more speeches. Her husband, god bless him, gave it his all. But the energy, whatever it is that sends the skin puckering over electronic waves, was missing. As much as I admire him for what he has accomplished during an extraordinary lifetime, and even though I am a registered Republican (forgive me—it was three plus decades ago), the Democrats and Obama and his entire team have won me over.

As a world citizen I have the right to form an opinion. As a United States citizen I have the right to voice it.  (For those of you who are counting, only 124 days left before Bush is gone.) And the voiced word is a powerful thing. Let us all pray that the voice of the future will be one that both unites and strengthens not just the United States, but the entire world who has for so many years listened to her former wise counsel.

And let us hope Albert was wrong. Let us hope good will and reason will win the day. Let us hope that we awaken on November 5, 2008 to a right-brain US president who will give the world goose-bumps—in a good way. It’s my birthday. I’d like to celebrate.

“Words are a form of action capable of influencing change.”

-- Ingrid Begis --

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