Barack Obama is the 44th president of the U.S.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers." (Martin Luther King, I Have A Dream, Aug. 28, 1963)

45 years after this speech was delivered by pastor Martin Luther King at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, the Americans have elected Barack Obama, an African-American, as the 44th president of the United States. As I write this, Obama has captured 338 electoral votes vs Republican presidential candidate John McCain's 155 votes, a landslide victory.

This is truly an historic event that resonates not only among Americans but with every citizen of the world. In the U.S. we see what things are possible, and how any dream, maybe outrageous everywhere else, is achievable there. And I am truly grateful for being alive at this time to bear witness to such a momentous event.

Congratulations to the American voters for changing the course of our history.

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Kudos to Sen. McCain for a very gracious concession speech. In his hometown in Arizona, he emphasized his duty first to his country above everything else, that's why he is throwing his full support behind the new President. He is truly a remarkable man, who was heroic in so many ways, but to whom fate wasn't just as kind. But he ran a good race, a real fighter to the end.

Now can you please send Sarah Palin back to Alaska?

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WHAT amazed me most of all throughout this electoral process, was how much the U.S. media invested in trying to outdo each other in their coverage and presentation.

While BBC had this oh-so-boring host trying to coordinate the discussion and field coverages, the network was ahead of CNN in terms of the poll count. Not to mention, it also had really snazzy touch graphics with the news presenter operating some kind of floating screen. Coolness!

The CNN though kicked ass with its holographic interviews. I caught the one of Anderson Cooper w/ will.i.am. Galeng.

Despite the third-world phone coverage of our own ANC (no live video, just phone patches...kaluoy naman), it still managed to deliver w/ its lively discussions among Americans living in Manila representing the Republican and Democratic Parties. And for awhile, it was fun to watch TJ Manotoc voting for Obama by using a typical voting machine w/c made available by the U.S. Embassy during its mock polls at the Mall of Asia.

The local network scored by snagging an on-site interview w/ US Ambassador Kirstie Kenney done by our favorite host Edu Manzano who started off by ribbing her about her rooting for Ateneo during the UAAP championship. (LOL! I just love Edu's wit.)

Sayang lang, with such an historic presidential election the Lopezes should have invested in bringing us Filipinos live feeds from the U.S. Ah well, maybe in 2012.

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UPDATE: "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." (Barack Obama victory speech, Nov. 4, 2008, Chicago, Illinois)

Read the rest in BusinessMirror online and in NYT.

MAR goes after Joc-joc's loot

SENATOR ROXAS URGES
‘Probe Bolante’s US bank accounts’

INQUIRER.net 10/04/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Saturday said he sought the assistance of various United States government agencies in recovering the P728-million fertilizer fund or parts of it believed to have been deposited in bank accounts and assets of former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante in the US.

In separate letters to three US agencies involved in finding illicit funds, the Liberal Party president asked “for an exhaustive and comprehensive financial investigation” on Bolante’s bank accounts and assets in the US in line with the principles of truth and accountability in public offices.

He addressed this appeal for assistance to, among others, Stuart Levey, Undersecretary, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Department of Treasury; Mark Sullivan, Director, Financial Crimes Division, Secret Service; and Matthew Friedrich, Acting Assistant Attorney-General, Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice. (Click MAR sics Joc-joc)

IT'S about time someone stood up and went after all the money that Joc-Joc Bolante stole from us taxpayers. And I'm glad it's Sen. MAR Roxas who's doing it. Even though Bolante is his kasinmanwa (both of them are from Capiz), Sen. MAR shows that he means business when it comes to battling corruption.

I think that makes him a good candidate for President in 2010, dontcha think? I don't think this is just for show. Why would he waste his breath writing all those U.S. federal agencies if he were not serious in this mission? He already made an appeal even to US Ambassador to Manila Kirstie Kenney. I hope the feds respond promptly to this request considering they have already denied asylum to Bolante. They know the guy is guilty and hiding all his money in the States. I mean how can this guy afford to buy a house in the States, in Australia and another house in Ayala, Alabang (aside from the first one he earlier acquired while in the private sector) on a salary of a mere undersecretary?

I'm surprised the Anti-Money Laundering Council, which is attached to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (central bank) didn't take the initiative in trying to track down Bolante's loot. After all, the Senate already proclaimed him the architect of the fertilizer fund scam in 2006. Imagine the AMLC took two years before it froze Bolante's bank accounts, which, as everyone has probably guessed, all empty.

Sige, sic 'em MAR! Bring that kawatan back to Manila and prosecute his pants off!

(MAR photo from the Senator's web site.)