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Obama “Can’t” Do It!

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Published in ABC Spain
(Spain) on 4 October 2009
by Curri Valenzuela (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kate Knibb. Edited by Alex Brewer.
Delegates of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are now realizing that Obama is just like any other man, made of flesh and bone. This comes after the IOC treated the people of Madrid so badly, determined to follow their hunch that Obama would bring something big to the table. Eleven months after soundly winning his country’s elections with a very new and ethereal message, the American president’s halo dropped in Copenhagen. In one fell swoop, his slogan “yes we can” has been wiped out. This was the slogan which turned him into a political superman, which for some time made many of us believe that he was going to change the world, or at least try to, and those that were a little more naive believed that he would even put an end to the business of private healthcare in his country.

How quickly power fades, especially when it is gained with little more than pretty phrases. Obama can no longer convince those that listen to his promises that they will be proud if they follow his dreams. Not even Michelle could bring a tear of compassion, talking about the father that taught her to love Chicago. They continue offering hope, but what the world wants from the presidential couple is real projects; they want concrete plans. As much as we want them to be, they are no longer the attractive black couple in the White House, but another couple that are governing the most powerful country on the planet, those that arrive, make the most of their power and fly back home fast in Air Force One.

At least in the case of Obama, today we can thank the IOC.


Obama es de carne y hueso, un descubrimiento que tenemos que agradecer a esos delegados del COI que, por otra parte, tan malamente se han portado con los madrileños empeñados en mantener una imposible corazonada. Once meses después de arrasar en las urnas de su país con un mensaje muy novedoso y muy etéreo, al presidente norteamericano le han quitado de un tortazo en Copenhague su halo de carisma y le han borrado de un brochazo su eslogan, aquel «sí, podemos» con el que se convirtió en un Superman político que nos hizo creer por un tiempo a muchos que de verdad iba a cambiar el mundo, o por lo menos a intentarlo, y a unos pocos más ilusos que incluso acabaría con el negocio de la medicina privada en su país.
El poder desgasta rápidamente. Sobre todo cuando se obtiene con poco más que frases bonitas. Obama ya no convence a quienes le escuchan prometer que se sentirán orgullosos si se someten a sus deseos, ni Michelle provoca una lágrima de compasión evocando al padre que la enseñó a amar a Chicago. Ellos siguen ofreciendo ilusiones, pero lo que el mundo espera de la pareja presidencial son proyectos realistas, concreciones de sus planes. Por mucho que se empeñen, ya no son aquella atractiva pareja de color que llegaba a la Casa Blanca, sino un matrimonio más de los que han llegado a gobernar el país más poderoso del planeta, esos que llegan, hacen valer su poderío y se marchan a toda prisa en su Air Force One.
Al menos por lo de Obama, hoy podemos dar gracias al COI.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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