Obama!

All of us are pumped about Obama's innauguration into the White House, which George Clinton of Parliament/ Funkadelic aptly predicted, "we may call it the white house, but that's a temporary situation." I was sad that Odetta did not live long enough to perform at the innauguration as was scheduled, but Aretha "the Queen of Soul" Franklin filled in beautifully with style and grace. People in Bots are pumped about Obama, too. This morning I saw a guy wearing a tshirt with "Obama is my homeboy" across the front.

It was quite powerful to see Obama stand next to Bush on the steps of the White House. The juxtaposition of the two is striking. I see Bush as a tired, ragged man who couldn't wait to step out of office, having held on for as long as he did with a clenched jaw and stressed face. Although it takes some work to be president, I feel as if Bush fell into place as a former president's son, taking a position almost handed to him. At nearly the polar opposite, Obama is a natural leader with profound intellect, charisma, fresh energy, and (damn, Obama!) a six-pack. It is clear that Obama wants to be in his own position and is eager to make changes. Thank you, people, for voting Obama into office.

Although former president Bush will go down in history as the worst president in the history of the United States (I'm being real), he did make a gigantic contribution to the struggle against HIV/AIDS. In 2003, Bush made the "largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history" (http://www.pepfar.gov/about/index.htm) through the President's Emergency Plan of AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR focuses on countries most severely affected by the epidemic, notably Sub-Saharan Africa. The budget for 2008 was 3 billion USD. Initially a 5 year plan, the US Government has extended PEPFAR through 2013. Thank you, Bush, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

It's a new era. The demand for innovative solutions to the world's problems is building as are responses and the necessary political will and financial mechanisms to make multiple great ideas- silver buck shot- into realities. Here in Gaborone, we are working on one. If all goes well, replication is the next step. In the states, Obama and his supporters are working to make things happen between grassroots and changing skies. Yes, we can.

To wrap things up, Claibourne, I was happy to see that you have finally come around when you noted on facebook that you "found change in the washer and wanted to thank Obama."