Taking a deep breath... Editing the original post... Trying to calm down... Ready... Okay... Let's go...

I know politics is a dirty game. That you will lie about your opponent. That you will be nasty. That you will be rude and crude. That's all just part of being a politician. And it is even worse during election time. I might be relatively new here but I am starting to get that. But there is a line you don't cross. Especially not here in the US. The terrorist rule. And look. I tried to go quiet for a few days. Lay low on politics. A least stay off negative politics. Be positive. Say nice things instead of on constant attack. But no more. Enough is enough. John McCain and Sarah Palin asked for this. So they will get it.

McCain... You are an unethical, fearmongering, unpatriotic, unAmerican weasel without any honor and who doesn't care about his country or the safety of its people.

Sarah... You are the pig and not the lipstick.

Saying that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" is not only a lie, but unAmerican, unpatriotic and just damn reckless with the safety of this country and the people who live here.

Let's just get to the story. The NY Times reported on this more than a year ago. Obama met an American guy who was (allegedly) behind bombings here in the US when Obama was 8. Yes. That's not a typo. Obama was 8. They were not friends, but lived in the same town. Obama even bumped into him last year in the streets of their town. Not only did the NY Times report in that article that there is no "connection" between the two, but the Washington Post, Time magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, The New Yorker and The National Review all debunked any story that they have a "relationship". Oh, the guy is now a Professor of Education. They did "work together" on a community project in 1995. But so did hundreds of other people. They did not plan it together. They did not do a joint project. They were not partners. They just worked together within a much larger group on a community project. No phone calls or emails exchanged. No personal meetings. No handshakes and hugs. There is no connection. So you would think that would be it... Right?

But not to fearmongering, unethical, unAmerican, unpatriotic, lying McCain and Palin. McCain the so-called war hero who is willing to sell his soul and country to become President. And Palin who is willing to lie through her teeth and spew hatred and lies to the American people to become McCain's partner in crime. His accomplice.

Sound harsh? Let's think about this.

America was attacked by terrorists in 2001. And live under a constant threat of being attacked. Being a terrorist in America has a serious connotation. So you know that it is almost hate speech. It stirs people up. It drives fear into Americans. Remember... America is still at war with terrorists. So, Mister McCain, you are willing to use these words to become President? You are willing to tie your opponent to terrorism through your lies? You are willing to make people hate your opponent because you painted him as associating with a terrorist? You are willing to use the fear of terrorism to lie to your own people about a man who has said nothing but disdain for this guy? You are willing to play with terrorism just to get into office?

You are willing to do anything to become President right? You are willing to sell your country lies and bullsh*t because of your own ego and greed? You are willing to play with the fear of people just so you can run the country? You are willing to sell your own American people down the line just for this? Are you willing to give up the American ideals of honor and truth to be in charge? You are willing to talk just the way terrorists talk just to get your way?

Tell me... What else are you prepared to do? Are you willing to go into another senseless war to stay President? Are you willing to torture more people just so you can stay in power? Are you prepared to clamp down on more American rights just so you can target anyone you want? Are you willing to sink this country just to stay in charge? Are you going to start calling every American who so slightly apposes you a terrorist just to be the main man? Are you going to start treating Americans as terrorists next?

Are you this greedy?

Are you this unethical?

Do you love your country this little?

Do you hate Americans this much?

Do you despise those Americans who disagree with you so much?

Are you so unAmerican?

Are you this unpatriotic?

Have you no honor?

Mister McCain... You are betraying you country by lying to them. By willing to sell them out just to be in charge. Your hatred for Obama and greed to become President has seriously clouded your judgement. To such an extend that you are willing to now play with your own American countrymen. That is unpatriotic at the very least. And unAmerican.

You know who you remind me of? A real terrorist who are willing to put the lives of his followers on the line to get his own selfish way. Your words give comfort to the real enemies of the United States because they know you are willing to do what they are willing to do. Anything. Don't become that person McCain. Now. Go back to the cave you came from and start thinking of this great country and how you can serve it best and not your own greedy and unpatriotic ways that could put their rights in even more danger.

I never liked your policies much. But I know that is the foundation of democracy - not agreeing. Right now I am starting to despise the man and everything you stand for. You greedy bastard. You have no honor. You have no decency. You unAmerican unpatriotic pig. And no matter how much lipstick you wear. You can't hide your true self for ever. We can see who you are. Unpatriotic and UnAmerican.

What you said is not American. What you said is not patriotic. What you said is not in the interest of America. What you said is a lie sold to all Americans. What you said is about your own greed. What you said is fearmongering. What is said was unethical. What you said is without honor. What you said is the type of thing the enemies of this great country and real terrorists will say.

You are a pig McCain. And Palin, you are a pig for repeating it.

www.angryafrican.net

This might just be the last blog I write about politics in America. I have written about Obama being the American Mandela, the burden of the hope he brings, and the man he is in his own right. But I don’t know anymore. I still believe in Obama, but I just don’t believe in American politics anymore. If this is how they want to play politics in America then I don’t want to play anymore. This is too sick. This is nothing to be proud of. My fleeting experience has made me question this thing they call American politics in an American democracy. Yes, they won - the cynics and morally corrupt. All of them - left, right and centre. This isn’t fun anymore. I don’t mind the comments on my blog. I have a thick skin. But if this election is what politics is all about in the US, then I don’t know if I have the stomach for it. This is just not right guys. This is not what people fought for and died for.

This is not the America I got to know and love over the last 18 months. This is not the people I have met. And I hope to God that this isn’t a reflection of how people outside the US see America. But they do. Because it goes out to everyone out there. You might not care. But I do. And so should you. Because when your President says he wants to bring democracy to people everywhere… this is what they see. And I can assure you. This is not something you want to export.

I just can’t believe that this is what politics has come to. What democracy has come to. I don’t agree with President Clinton and other politicians on the left, right and centre when they say, “That’s just politics“. No. That’s how you made politics. That’s the direction you have taken politics. You are the leaders of this great nation. And you should be ashamed of yourself. You should be ashamed in turning this great democracy into the laughing stock of the world. And you should be ashamed of not inspiring people to participate anymore. You are the reason for democracy failing in the US.

But it is not just the politicians. It’s the media. Slurping up everything that the politicians say. Or trying to spew hatred about every politician they don’t agree with. They don’t question policies. They don’t look into the future these political promises. No. They spew hatred about the mis(character) of potential leaders whether it is true or not. Or whether it is relevant or not. You should be ashamed of yourself. I thought you were here to inform people and be the guardians of this great democracy. But no. You don’t. You spew hatred and take no responsibility. You just sit back and laugh at the people - all the way to the bank.

It is no wonder people don’t want to vote. It is no wonder that young people feel that it is not worth it. They are still young enough to believe that politics should be about leadership, honor and truth. But they look up at “their” political leaders and all they smell is the foul smell of corrupt souls. People with vested interests. A city of sin where lobbyist outnumber politicians. And the lies they tell and the stories they spin. You should be ashamed of yourself for lying to the people of America. And especially for making the young people lose hope even before they truly start off in life. You cynics and liers are making cynics of those with hope in their hearts. You make the young people old before they should. You make them lose their hope and love for America. You kill the American Dream little bit bit little lie. You should be ashamed.

I can’t believe the character assassination taking place. Whether it is an attack on Hillary because she is married to Bill and stuck with him because of his sleeping around. Or McCain because he changes his opinion on issues the way we all do all of the time. Or Obama because a black man spoke from the heart about race and you attack him as racist. Look in the mirror and ask yourself who would be a leader that you can respect and look up to. Can you live with any of these three if you kill their character like this? When you show no respect - can you expect any back? You should be ashamed of yourself.

And to Hillary and Mac and Obama. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I know you try to be honorable. But you are not trying hard enough. You should act like the leader people need and not just the leaders they want. You should be clear and direct with any of your supporters or those who work for you when they attack the character of the other. Whether it is a twitter message (McCain), or racist (Hillary), or monsters (Obama). Be the leader people need. Because it has never been more important than now. People are losing hope. Losing hope in American politics. And you are not helping.

And to the Republicans and Democrats. To the left and the right. Be ashamed of yourself. You talk more about how you are different. Why you hate the other side - because they are gay, pro or anti abortion, because they are for or against immigration, because they are godless or too godly, because they are pro or anti big business, because they are pro or anti war. But you never talk about what makes this country great. You never talk about what makes you American. What makes you one. You just try and carve your little niche of hatred. And you know what? It just gives your enemies more reasons to hate you - because you are telling them everything that is wrong about America. Instead of telling them what is great about America. You should be ashamed of yourself.

I have seen corrupt leaders. Morally corrupt leaders. I come from South Africa and lived under Apartheid. And I have seen the hatred that politicians and their followers can create. And you are walking a fine line here. I see so many PW Botha’s walking around parading as politicians here in America. And I see the Dutch Reformed Church in many places of worship. And Die Burger in so many newspapers and televisions. But I have also seen great leaders. I have seen Mandela who we all know well. But I have seen leaders I don’t agree with who brought greatness to themselves. FW De Klerk. I didn’t like him, but he showed his greatness as a leader by making the difficult choices “his people” didn’t want to take. I don’t like McCain or Hillary - but they can show greatness without my support. It is up to them. They make the choice.

I have been here for 18 months. And I got to love this country called America. It was nothing like I expected. The people are great, great people. Warm, open and friendly. And hardworking. More than you can imagine. I see them behind the tills and at the gas stations. Those are the people who make you great. Those people who will fight your wars not because they believe in the war, but because that is what America does when one is hurt - they all stand up. These people who sweat blood and tears every single day to pay the mortgage and give their kids a chance in life. These are the people you lie to every day. It has not been the America I read about in books or seen in the movies. I have seen why this country is so great. Why you can be proud to be American. And you should be ashamed for not liking them and for lying to them.

But when it comes to politics I am not so sure. There is just too much hatred. This is the worse case of democracy I have seen anywhere. This is not how you convince the world that democracy works. This is the ugly underbelly of America. The moral corruption of democracy but the sick and twisted who wants to win above anything else. And the people I speak to in the streets and the shops don’t like what they see or what they hear. And the lies create so much white noise that they don’t know what to believe in anymore. They thought they saw greatness and then it was taken away from them by hate-speech and lies. You should be ashamed of yourself.

You set the example for all Americans. You want to know why they take drugs in baseball and football? Ask youself what kind of message you send when you tell people that everything goes as long as you win. You can lie and you can steal. As long as you win. What are you telling those who grow up? And those who should entertain us with pride in sport? You should be ashamed of yourself. You are corrupting America every single day.

But most of all, you should hang your head in shame for what you have done to the Founding Fathers of this great nation. They have sacrificed and fought for your freedom. They were not perfect. But they were honest. And they fought an honest fight. They gave you everything. And you spit in their face with your lies and twisted speech. Look in the mirror and ask yourself what they would think of you. What would they say if they saw what you do and what you say? And what you think. You should be ashamed for belittling what they fought for and died for. Thank God that you were never asked to sign the Declaration of Independence. Thank God you were not one of those Founding Fathers. Because America would not be if it was for you. Hang your head in shame. Your founding father and everyone who have died for America and lived for America will be ashamed of you. You do not “hold up”. You should be ashamed for even calling yourself American. You put this country to shame. Shame on you. You don’t deserve greatness because you don’t know what it means.

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I won’t be writing about American politics anymore. I will write about my life and my experiences. And I will write about what bugs me. I will write about anything and everything that comes to mind. But not about American politics anymore. You know I support Obama. But I don’t think America is ready for Obama. And sadly, I don’t think America deserves Obama. Not those Americans who play these games. They will drag him down the way they have dragged me down. And the America I know is greater than that. Should be better than that.

I am busy reading The Audacity of Hope. And sorry. I just don’t have that audacity… or that hope. He is a better and a bigger man than me. I just hope to God I am wrong and he is right. But I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Tomorrow is another day. And I will still be proud of living in this country. When I see those people working behind the counters and in the factories. Those good to honest hard-working Americans who have shown me their love and affection. Those Americans I have come to love. I just don’t want anything to do with American politics anymore. That is just not American anymore.

It irritates the living hell out of me when politicians (or anyone for that matter) uses the “I have been there” line. You know, that line when a country comes up in a conversation and they say “I have been there”. I was listening Bill Maher (yeah, yeah) on my iPod when some or other politician was using this argument that things are soooo much better in Iraq. You know - he’s “been there”. Like he knows something we don’t know. Sorry buddy. You haven’t been there. Going on an escorted trip to some holiday camp isn’t “been there”. It’s just a package deal holiday trip. It’s buying that Disney trip off the travel agent. Not planning your own trip to Florida. Disney isn’t Florida. You haven’t been to Florida just because you have been to Disney World. Mickey Mouse isn’t Governor Charlie Crist - and Goofy isn’t Jeb Bush either. They just act like them. I know - it’s a shocker. But that’s the truth.

Dick Cheney has been to Iraq. Hillary has been all over the place. All escorted trips. Talking to people and seeing people that other people controlled. Not a moment of meeting the people in the streets. No. They met the people those in power wanted them to meet. Those “good little soldiers”. Those on the side of the winners or warlords or occupiers - not those who suffer in their homes without water or electricity or food or jobs. Or walls for that matter. Those have been bombed as well. So what you have are just very big windows as the Republicans would like you to believe. You see what they want you to see. And not what you should see. You don’t see the families caring for the wounded ones or crying for the lost ones.

It brings me to McCain. (No, I am still not writing about the election - just the topic of “I have been there”). McCain went to Iraq last week. Made a few “misspokes” by confusing a few issues. Wouldn’t you with Lieberman standing next to you? You just don’t know which way Lieberman might go - Independent today, Republican tomorrow, Democrat yesterday. Anyway - I digress. Again. So McCain went to the marketplace. Bought a few goods there I hope. You know. A bucket of water (just a few minor shrapnel holes in it). Some oil (imported from Saudi Arabia because you can’t find Iraqi oil). An AK47 (seen some action). But no food and no freedom fries. But why didn’t he go to the market he went to the last time? Because it wasn’t safe. Not even with those Blackwater guards, marines, armoured vehicles and helicopters. He hasn’t “been there”. He could only say “I haven’t been there”.

They don’t know those places. They don’t live in those places. They fly in and they fly out. Just so they can say “I have been there”. Just so they can spin it in a way that you like it - with a bit of cream on top thank you. It makes it soooo much easier to swallow. It’s just the way I used to feed my dog his medicine - hide it in a piece of ham. But even my dog got it in the end. He started spitting out the pills (but still ate the ham). Americans aren’t stupid. No. Let me rephrase that. Americans aren’t dumb for long. You start smelling something rotten and starts spitting out the pill of stupidity. And the approval rating of those “who have been there” starts dropping faster than the bombs in Iraq. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time…

“I have been there”. I should be a politician really. No - I should be the ruler of the world by now. Hear me people of the world - your leader is here. The wait is over. Get the roses and the wine ready, because here I come. The people of Cameroon - I am your main-man. I have been there once. For almost a day. A stopover on my flight to Bamako, Mali. Actually, I have been there twice - on my return flight as well. I am the most knowledgeable foreign policy person I know. Why? Because “I have been there”. Zambia - vote me in. I spend time in Lusaka - many times. “I have been there”. I’ve eaten your nsima and drank your Mosi. Ivory Coast - your saviour and warlord is here. “I have been there”. Twice. Stuck at the airport.  Hungary - anoint me in the Danube. “I have been there”. For 3 long days in a luxury hotel that included a massage from a big hairy Hungarian - male. Mexico - ola, make me your main revolutionary piñata. “I have been there”. Mexico City, Chihuahua, Monterrey and many Tequila’s. France - c‘est la vie, your monsieur of la resistance has arrived. “I have been there”. Four long days in Paris - baguettes, wine, cheese, insults and all. Germany - your über prince of the united country is here. “I have been there”. In Trier to shop for toys, in Berlin to do nothing really, and in Nuremberg for a job interview. “I have been there”. I have been everywhere. Almost. Never mind South Africa where I was born and raised. Or the UK where I spend four long years watching footie, drinking pints and eating crap “fish and chips” like a real Englishman. Or the US where I have lived for the last 18 months shouting for the Red Sox and hating the Yankees like all good Americans should. Yes, I have been there. But I know nothing. Because I don’t live their lives. I am just a guy from South Africa. An Umlungu who knows too little and says too much.

Really, if “I have been there” qualifies you as a foreign policy expert then every pilot on the Delta international route is Boutros Boutros-Ghali. And sorry my friend, you ain’t from Egypt or his world. I sometimes even doubt if you are even from this world. Even if you “have been there”. You still haven’t “been there” or “got it”.

So. Stop it please. Stop trying to sound all travelled and wise because you “have been there”. You haven’t. You haven’t even “been there” when it comes to the US. You can’t use a daft and brainless line just to justify and spin your stupid, warped and pathetic policies. It isn’t an answer. It isn’t an analysis. It isn’t even SNL or Real Time. It’s just you being stupid. Like my dog was in the beginning. But even he got over it. He roams and knows his territory. He even marks it by lifting his leg on everything. Instead of telling me “I have been there”, tell me how you are going to “be here”. Just don’t leave a mark like my dog. Just don’t take the piss.

www.angryafrican.net

I know. I wrote before that Obama reminds me of Mandela. But after listening to him yesterday I have serious second thoughts. But I decided not to write about it at first. First let me calm down (and that is difficult as you know) and take some time out to reflect. And last night I read his speech. Without his voice to influence me. Just words - black on white. And I am sorry to say. But Obama is no Mandela. Obama is not the American Mandela.

No. He is the first Obama. His own man in his own right. Making his own path. Building his own house. Leaving his own legacy. Obama is Obama. And one day we will write about another great leader being the next Obama. What we have in him is something special. We knew this before. But couldn’t put our finger on it completely. It got too muddled up in politics. Politics of speech writers. Politics of men and woman putting words in his mouth and reading things between the lines. Politics of the media either loving him or hating him. But always making him something they want him to be. Something they could love because he stands for what they stand for. Or something they could hate because he stood for everything they didn’t stand for. Someone they could put in a little box and point to and say, “That is who he is”. But last night he showed he is not someone to put in a little box. He is not an American Mandela. He is not a copy of what we want him to be. No. He is Obama. Warts and all - but the truth is what we see.

How often do we have the privileged to hear a man (or woman) speak about who they are? How often do we hear them talk about their personal ideals and not their political ideals? We hear them say what they stand for, but it is always in a political tone. Yesterday wasn’t about his political ideals. It was about him as a person. The good and the bad. But putting it out for us to all see and know the man behind the words.

It was him saying, “Here I am. Naked. Naked in front of you. You decide. Take me or leave me. But this is who I am”. It takes “balls” to say that. (My apologies, but can’t think of a better expression.) It takes courage to come clean and tell the people your real thoughts. Tell them about the real you. And not the you who they try to paint during elections. That “perfect” person doesn’t exist, but they try to paint that picture during elections - don’t they? Generally we don’t like what we hear. But we are human. And we know. Above all, we know. That truth and honesty is something you can’t buy. It is something that goes straight to who we are. We hate it when they lie to us. Most of the time we don’t know if they are lying or just spinning. But we know that we don’t know their heart and their secrets. We don’t know who they really are. Because they are so “experienced” in playing their games. And then we get a moment like yesterday when a politicians dares to tell the truth. The truth about himself and the truth about us.

Love him or hate him. But before you decide what to do when you go to the polls - just ask yourself one thing. Do you know who you are voting for? Do you know who they are? Have they really told you who they are or are they just telling you what you want to hear? Have they stood up - naked in front of you and say, “This is who I am. Warts and all.” I loved (love) Mandela because he came to us and told us who he is. Not perfect. Just him. And I am sorry to say. That Obama is the first person since Mandela who has opened up and told the people his real thoughts and exposed his real self. If I am in the trenches - I want to know the man next to me. I want to know if he will run or if he will fight. I don’t care what he thinks of me. I just want to be sure I know who I am stuck with - because my life depends on it. America. Your life depends on it. You decide. You vote for who you know because they came clean. Or you vote for someone who tells you anything to get your vote.

I am not going to do an analysis of his speech. It is there for you to read and make up your own mind. But I will quote him here. “Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well. For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can do that. But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we’ll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change. That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, ‘Not this time.’”

Of course you will find pieces you don’t like. That’s why this is so important. He isn’t telling you everything you want to hear. He is telling you what he thinks in an open and honest way. You have to look at his speech in that context. The whole context. Don’t pick pieces you don’t like. Look at what he said as a whole and ask whether you can trust this man who tells you the truth the way he sees it. Not what you want to hear. But what he needed to say to you so you can know him and thereby trust him. You can only trust what you know. And you now know him.

Compare him with what you have at the moment. Not only the current President. But the political leaders all around. Do they inspire you? Or do they make you go and hate someone else? Obama has made the game so much more difficult for other politicians. They will hate him for this. Because people might just expect them to tell the truth in future. And not the spin. Ask yourself when last did you see or hear a politician talk so straight about themselves and this country he loves?

My biggest concern is that America might not be ready for someone like Obama. That will be a shame. But it might not be that easy to remind people that everyone (every legal citizen) is American in this country - not so easy after so many years of a divided America. It might be too early to ask Americans to believe in themselves again. It might be to early for Americans to be asked to believe in this country again. It might be to early for Americans to see the difference between the realities of today and yesterday and the potential of tomorrow.

For those who want him to be their leader - don’t forget to push him up this hill in the next few months. People will be scared of what he said yesterday. Scared because it challenges them to be Americans united and not the easy way out by staying divided. And they will attack him. Oh yes. They will and have already started. For those out there who supports Obama - go out and tell the world. Your world. break the fear and share the love and belief he has in this country called America.

Obama will not be an easy President to have. No. He won’t. He made it clear yesterday that Americans will need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start working to unite this country again. Make America a place for all Americans to be proud of again. Make the “American Dream” real again. It won’t be easy. Because, like yesterday, he will challenge you to think and think again in what you believe. He will challenge you to become part of the love Americans share and not the hate that divides them. He will challenge you to be an American that the world can aspire to again. An America to inspire the world and not divide it. He will ask you to work your heart out to prove that you want to be an American. He will challenge you to be proud of everything America stands for - the good and the bad.

So no. Obama is not the American Mandela. He is the first Obama. He is his own man. He made his stand yesterday. Not following in the footsteps of others we admire. But making his own path. He has shown he is a leader of this great country in his own right. Not because of his name. Not because of his color. Not because of his experience. Not because of his gender. Not because of his politics. Not because we love him or hate him. No. He has shown he is a world leader through that one thing that makes him stand next to Kennedy, Gandhi, Churchill and Mandela. You just know it when you see it. And you know it when you hear it. Some might be scared of this and fight him - they did with all of these leaders I just mentioned. But others will see it and say, “Now is the time”.

From my blog at: www.angryafrican.net

Let me be honest here. I am not a fan of Mandela. No. It would be an understatement to say that I am a fan. He means way more than that to me. So much more. He is Madiba. He is the “father”.

The father that inspires me. Inspires me to be the best I can be for others. The man who showed me that one person can make a difference. A difference that is good for others and oneself.

He is the father that made us a nation. A flawed nation, but a nation nonetheless. Like any good father he loves us for who we are and who we can be. He disciplines us when we are wrong, but he loves us unconditionally. We might rebel every now and again, but we know we are his children. We know because he served us for 27 years while in jail. Never waivering in his belief that we can and should be better than what we were. And we don’t always know why he loves us and cares for us. But he does. He loves us warts and all. Like a father should.

He reminds us of our place in the world. He made us part of a larger family. Reminded us of our place in this world. Our responsibility to others in this world. Told us to take his family motto of love to the world. To never be quiet when we see injustice done. No matter what the consequences might be. And the world loves him for this. The world that believes in love, peace and responsibility.

He is ubuntu. Believing in others more than himself. Serving others and caring for others not because he has to but because it is what makes him Madiba. Like breathing. He just does what should be done. No hidden agenda. He is because others are. He is us - the us we want to be.

To call me a fan would be an understatement. Get it?

So why do I even start comparing Obama to Mandela? I don’t know. I have been watching him and listening to him. And something in him spoke to me. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But I think it is because he reminds me of my own father - Madiba.

And not just because they look alike. Yes they do and it has nothing to do with them both being black. They have the same shaped head and thin long jaw. No wait, it’s the mouth and the eyes. Those mouths are the same - just look at those lines next to their mouths. It is a carbon copy of each other. It comes from easy laughs and smiles. And the eyes. Notice how they look at you when they talk to you. They look at you and you can see in their eyes that they actually believe what they say. Of course it helps that they are also build the same. Lean and tall. But I think the younger Mandela would take out Obama in a fight though - just look at those early boxing photo’s. But they look the same.

Make no mistake - not everyone will like Obama. And that is a good thing. Mandela wasn’t liked by everyone. Not everyone in this world saw him as the peacemaker. They kept him in jail dude. How could they like him when he told them that what they did were wrong? People have ego’s and self-interest to look after. And Mandela challenged those. Of course you can’t find those people anywhere now. They just don’t exist anymore. Denying that they ever disliked him - except behind closed doors. They are gone - just like those who hated Kennedy and MLK when they were alive. They just hated Mandela for what he stood for. Someone who asked them to be better than what they were. Asking them to change and get out of their comfort zone. And those same people will hate Obama and what he stands for. Asking people to change and be better than what they are. And many of those people who hated Mandela were those in power. Those who benefited from the system. And those would be the people who will hate Obama most. People who benefit from the system. And those who are trying to tell people that the system benefits everyone. Of course they are wrong. Some people benefit more than others. And some people have more power than others. And those in power will hate Obama the way that Mandela was hated by the Apartheid regime. They don’t want change because they are happy where they are - in charge and in it for their own benefit alone. You watching Washington? But great leaders don’t waver just because people don’t like them. Mandela didn’t and Obama shouldn’t. Stick to the plan. Stick to what your heart and mind tell you are the right things to do. Those who hate you today will be quiet tomorrow.

Don’t expect Obama to be perfect though. Mandela wasn’t. Mandela made some huge mistakes. Just look at his original position on HIV/Aids. That was a big mistake. And Obama will make mistakes. Who doesn’t? Show me a leader and I will show you mistakes. But great leaders will overcome this and learn from their mistakes. It is not the mistakes that counts, it is how you respond once you realize that you are wrong. Leaders make mistakes. Great leaders learn from them and work through their mistakes.

I don’t get the “Obama is a great speaker” bit that Hillary is trying to sell people. He isn’t. He stutters and don’t have an easy flow. But he is great at saying the right things. That’s why they care about what he has to say. That’s why they listen. Because he doesn’t talk to them, but with them. People can sense that when he talks. He means what he says and it matters. Mandela was the same. He was the worse speaker you can think of. Same stuttering and lack of flow. But people listened because they knew that what he said mattered. Because he was talking with them. And they could feel that he meant what he said. They knew that they were in the presence of something great. They knew that they were in the presence of someone who will make them better than what they are. That was Mandela and that is Obama. They talk with us and about us. In the same fallible way we talk.

Great leaders lead. They are born to do this. They didn’t decide one day to become this leader. They just lead because it is their destiny. They will tell you that it will be difficult to go where they want to go, but that the end would be better. They don’t try and tell people about every policy and every detail of how they will govern. No. They paint people a picture and tell them to follow. And the most difficult part is when they have to take people to places where they don’t want to go. Outside their comfort zone. Mandela did that a few times. When popular leaders tried the populist routs and targeted the white communities. They shouted slogans like “kill the farmer, kill the boer” and “one settler, one bullet”. And Mandela stood up and berated them in front of everyone. Asking them who is the leader? Who will lead people to a better place? That it is easy to shout slogans, because it spoke to our worse fears and thoughts. But that real leaders go forwards and take people with them - sometimes kicking and screaming. I know. I was at some of those rallies. And Obama does the same. He berated the Clintons because they were starting to do the populist thing - insulting Obama and trying to drag him into a bit of mud slinging. And he almost fell for it. He almost got involved in their fight. But he remembered what this was all about. It’s about America and the future, not about Obama and the Clintons. And he berated them because that is not the way you lead. That’s the way you herd cattle, not the way you lead.

Mandela always put people first. He told us that South Africa is about the people in South Africa. No matter where they come from or the color of their skin. It was always people first. And we could sense that. We could sense the way he cared was something we have never experienced before. That he cared more for his people than he cared about himself. That it was about you and not him. And I hear that and see that in Obama. That this is about the American people. No matter where you come from or who you are. This is your time. This is the time for Americans to take America back. To take it back to the place that we all love. Yes, we all love. Because no matter where you are, people across the world loved America and what it stood for. But we haven’t had that America since Kennedy died. It’s been all politics since then. Every President trying to leave a legacy. And the easiest way that those Presidents got their legacy was through wars or paying people off through tax breaks or aid. They forgot what America stood for. And in Obama we see the opportunity to take America back to the place that we all inspire to become. The land of the free.

A land of hope. Mandela gave us that. He gave us hope for a better tomorrow. A better tomorrow for us and our children. He showed us that we can be better than what we are. That we can have a better tomorrow. That it won’t always be easy. But that we can have a better tomorrow through hard work and a steadfast vision. Mandela gave us hope for a better South Africa. And we are better. Better than at any stage in our history. Not perfect. Just better. And that’s the hope. We are not stupid. We know that life will never be a walk in the park. That’s life. We live and learn. And hope we have more enjoyment than struggles. But it is a hope of a better future we can believe in. Not a false hope of a perfect future. And that’s what Obama is giving America. Hope. That is the most powerful thing that he is giving America. Hope for a better future. And the difference is that it is not only a hope we can believe in, but a hope that we know he believes in. Politicians always try to give us hope. But we are not stupid. We can hear in their voices that it is a hope they are trying to sell us. Not a hope they believe in. But Obama gives America a hope he believes in. He is painting a picture, not trying to sell an empty hope.

And of course Mandela was all about change. Change in the type of leader we had and change in the type of government we had. Obama won’t have to change a whole political system. But in a way his challenge is even more difficult. He doesn’t have the opportunity to get rid of all the old dead wood in government. No, they will remain in power. But he has to fight them day in and day out. Get them moving - kicking and screaming. But he can do it as long as he stays true and he remains open and honest with the American people. But change will come. The real benefit of change in Washington will most likely only come after he has left office. When the new breed of leaders come through. Those who saw this path of Obama and decided to take change to Washington. But Obama will plant the seeds and we will continue to eat the fruit when he leaves.

And like Mandela Obama will have very little experience in running a country. Leaders don’t need experience. They just need to employ the right people to make it happen. They paint the picture and others will make it happen. Mandela had no experience. 27 years in jail does not give you any experience to run a country. But he is the greatest leader the world has seen since Ghandi. And talk about Ghandi - what experience did he have? A bit of traveling in South Africa? And Churchill? He was a journalist in South Africa before he took up politics. And the same with Kennedy - not a lot of experience for such a young man. Great leaders are born, not made. Experience is needed for a Vice President and the Generals. Not for those who must lead a country.

In a way experience can be counter to what we really need. It muddies the water and creates white noise. You want someone to have experience in Washington where all the problems are? That just makes them part of the problem. Not the solution. Did you want experience when you got married? No, you just wanted someone to love you and help you figure out this complex world. Love was the only experience you wanted. Obama has just the right amount of experience in Washington to know that it doesn’t work. And that he should do this before he gets sucked into that system as well.

Obama is America’s Mandela. He speaks with us and not to us. He gives us hope we can believe in and not a packaged hope ready for a quick sale. He gives us a future we can believe in and that he believes in. He gives us back our rightful place in the world, not one forced upon us and them. He gives us leadership to take us where we need to go, not always where we want to go. He gives us belief in us as people because he believes in us. He gives us the experience of leadership, not the leadership of the status quo. He leads us, but don’t herd us. Most of all. He gives us the inspiration to be better than what we are. He inspires us to be better than what we are and better for each other. He has shown us a future we can believe in. A future where America is free. And an America we and the world can love again.

We used to shout slogans whenever we saw Madiba. It was our way to honor him. Viva Mandela, viva. Long live, Madiba, long live. Viva Barack, viva. Long live, Obama, long live.

Note: If Obama is Mandela does it make Hillary Mbeki? Yes. Like Mbeki she will be loved by some and hated by others because of her ideological bias and political baggage. She will divide people more than bring them together. And like Mbeki she will reflect the old school politicians. Those with ties to the past leadership and ties to the political system. Those with the experience of doing nothing. Those who the system say they hate, but love because nothing will really change. But like Mbeki she will be a good manager of government. But it will be a government of limited change. Only change around the edges. A few policies and practices. But not change of the system that created the problems to start off with. And like Mbeki she will not give us hope or inspire us. She will manage the country and do no worse than other Presidents. But you won’t look back and remember her in the same way you will remember Kennedy, Ghandi, Madiba or Churchill. Your children will look back and learn about her. But as a President that did good things and bad things. Not as a President that defined who we are and who we can be. But with Obama you might. You stand a chance. With Obama you might actually make the world believe in itself again.

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