Obama's French Connection

As a political junkie and a fervent franco, I can’t help but notice the Franco-American and New England presence in the Barack Obama campaign as well as in the future administration.
First there’s the kingmaker, David Plouffe (pronounced pluff and pictured above), who received Obama’s thanks before the nation on election night for orchestrating the most effective campaign in political history. As campaign manager, Plouffe was responsible for the smooth organization that awed all watchers. Although the name is definitely French-Canadian, Plouffe was born and raised in Delaware. He’s been handling local and national election campaigns since the early 90s, including the 2004 Dick Gephardt presidential campaign. Plouffe came to the Obama campaign through his connection with David Axelrod, Obama’s media strategist. The two are partners in AKP Media, a political consulting firm in Washington. There doesn’t seem to be a visible role for Plouffe in the next administration. He’s made it known that he wants to get some rest, spend time with his young family, and write a book about the campaign.
Jon Favreau, a native of North Reading, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Holy Cross in Worcester, served as Obama’s principal speechwriter. His initial foray into national politics was in 2004 as a speechwriter for the Kerry campaign. Favreau has been enlisted to continue in the administration as the White House director of Speechwriting.
Emmett Beliveau worked in the campaign as Director of Advance. The Maine native was responsible for all the event planning during the Obama campaign. He’s the son of Severin Beliveau, a Maine political power broker and former gubernatorial candidate who was recently honored by the French Government with the Legion of Honor medal. His grandfather, Albert Beliveau, was the first Franco-American to serve on the Maine Supreme Court. The younger Beliveau is a graduate of Colby College and Georgetown Law School. He has been tapped by the president-elect to serve as Executive Director of the Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Another Colby graduate, Jean-Michel Picher, also worked as an advance coordinator for the Obama campaign. Part of a well-known Colby family, Picher has a law degree from the University of Western Ontario. A U.S citizen, he’s been involved in several political campaigns in both the United States and Canada. He lives in the Ottawa area.
Other French names in the Obama campaign included that of Joshua DuBois who served as Director of Religious Affairs. DuBois is African-American and a Boston University graduate who became involved in evangelical groups as a student. He’s been referred to by the media as a representative of the young wave of black religious leaders. Ben LaBolt served Obama as Deputy Press Secretary and knows New England as a Middlebury College alumnus and the director of the 2004 Howard Dean campaign in New Hampshire. He’s a native of Lagrange, Illinois. Steve Chasse was field organizer during the crucial Iowa caucus early in the campaign. A former Boston resident, he worked on the Kerry campaign and has been a labor organizer.
To what extent are these men connected to their Franco-American roots is a good question. With the exception of Beliveau, they are probably not. What they share is their youth, their passion for politics, and the assurance that they played major roles in the most important U.S. election in recent history. I suspect we’ll be hearing much more about them in the future.

Presidential Endorsement

October 29, 2016

We rarely use these pages to make political endorsements, but today, we at USA Tomorrow, the country’s last newspaper, wholeheartedly endorse the candidacy of Ms. Bridget B. Little for the presidency of the United States. Not only is she the most qualified candidate, we believe that this country is ready for a Lesbian Little Person as its commander in chief.

Considering the disasters of the last two administrations, not only is a new kind of candidate necessary, but a new party will be required to back her up. To this end, we also endorse all the candidates of the New New Party.

What impresses us the most about Candidate Little is the fact that she has not used her physical stature as a crutch nor as a wedge issue, all the while advancing the cause of little people in this country and throughout the world. And, we cannot defend her opponent’s crass attempt to belittle her with the nasty campaign nickname of Bridget the Midget.

Finally, he believe that her choice of Carlos Myopia , the legally-blind first governor of the new state of Baja California, as her Vice Presidential candidate proves that President Little will think big.

Amazement in Ogunquit

Is it because of the near-constant rain that everyone seems to be huddled and touching each other? I watch them rush by, grouped under their umbrellas or their outstretched jackets, protecting each other, jumping across puddles in unison, forming neat little clusters of arm-in-arm tourists.

Moments later, the warm late-afternoon sun returns and the passers-by break up and return to the prescribed (by whom, I don’t know) decorum of not touching as they stroll down Shore Road. As if the deity of politeness has swept up and down the street and measured and dictated the appropriate space between humans.

My eyes spot an exception: two unidentified males, one taller than the other, heading in my direction, their arms around each other’s shoulder. Not to be surprised, I tell myself. This is Ogunquit, plenty of gay men vacation here. As the entwined duo comes closer, I realize one is much younger than the other. They’re both laughing heartily and I wonder.

A few feet away from me, the taller and older man recognizes me. “Ah! Bonsoir,” he says to me. As I notice a woman and two young girls behind him, I place the ensemble in my mind among the diners of a few nights before. The younger man is the son and with his voice still squeaky with adolescence he tells me in his comfortable French, “That was the best meal we’ve had all week.” The father adds through his broad grin, “And, we’ve made reservations for tomorrow night.” The mother maneuvers around them, pats my back and says the family is returning to Montreal Saturday morning. “We’ve saved another diner at your place for our last night,” she says. “We want to end on a high note,” throws in the father.

We have created a delta on the narrow sidewalk around which the strollers must flow to continue on their way. Some walkers stare at the father and son who remain arm over shoulder as they talk to me. Is it the embrace that draws their attention or the genuine gaiety that hovers over our meeting? A few more exchanges and the Québécois family is on its way.

Later, as I walk into the restaurant for my shift, I am greeted warmly by the three Turks, two of them waiters and the other, a busboy. The ritual is well-established even if we’ve been co-workers only a few weeks: they all shake hands with me. It’s a robust handshake, often accompanied by a gentle pat on the shoulder or upper arm. Neither fleeting nor lingering, the gesture seems entirely natural. I am filled with amazement.

Cry of the Newborn

The cry of the newborn. There’s nothing like it; no other sound in nature comes close to that primordial shriek of freedom. This, my first foray into the blogosphere comes close, however. After how many months of impatient gestation, after how many false starts and sudden surges of creativity, all aborted by inertia…here it is! My pure, untested, brave spurt; my cry of innocent triumph. What will become of it?