According to the BBC News, Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu expressed his positions on Barack Obama’s presidential victory, the risk of wasting the goodwill Obama’s election has generated, his call for the United States to reach out to other nations, and Britain’s role in the “war on terror.”

Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu recounted his jubilance over the presidential victory of Barack Obama, referring to Obama’s election as an “epoch making event” that gave the world hope that change may be at hand. The archbishop said that he wanted to “dance and jump and shout” after watching the U.S. election results that came in. Nevertheless, he cautioned the new president of possibly dissipating the goodwill the presidential election has brought forth. Additionally, Archbishop Desmond Tutu encouraged Obama to be tough on African dictators and urged the U.S. president, as well as the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to renew ties with other countries and listen to them.

Moreover, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said it would be wonderful if President Barack Obama apologized, on behalf of the American people, for the invasion of Iraq led by the United States. The South African activist further noted that Britain’s cooperation with the United States in the “war on terror” has definitely injured Britain’s status in the world. Even so, he commended the British Council’s endeavor of helping Nelson Mandela’s government with the reformation of the post-apartheid diplomatic service and the training of black teachers.

About Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu is an Anglican Archbishop emeritus who gained worldwide attention for his remarkable efforts in opposing the apartheid during the 1980s, which led to his being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

He was born in Klerksdorp, Transvaal, South Africa in 1931. In 1960, he was ordained as an Anglican priest. Following his theological studies, his teaching stint and his theological work in South Africa, Desmond Tutu became Bishop of Lesotho and then went on to become the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) from 1978 to 1985. He soon became Bishop of Johannesburg and then Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996.

As a peace advocate, Desmond Tutu has served as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; patron of the World Campaign Against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa Beacon Millennium and Action from Ireland; and patron of American Harmony Child Foundation, among others. He currently serves as Chairman of The Elders. In addition, Desmond Tutu founded the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation with an aim to seek funding for the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre located in Cape Town; and the Desmond Tutu Foundation USA, to collaborate with universities nationwide in creating leadership academies.

More news on Desmond Tutu:

• The Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation and the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre.
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu condemning the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
• Nobelprize.org features an interview of Desmond Tutu.

Former New York Senator and First Lady Hillary Clinton was in Japan last February 16 as part of her four-nation Asian tour. Her trip marks her first overseas since becoming US Secretary of State.

Leading to her visit, there had been cresting Japanese fear that America was poised to swap its alliance with Japan for China. Hillary Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, skipped a visit to Japan in 1998 after a weeklong stay in China.

On her arrival Monday night, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her reassurance and consoled Japanese sensibilities, even touting the country as a “cornerstone” in diplomatic efforts.

Hillary Clinton used the trip, among others, to personally deliver an invitation from her onetime presidential rival Barack Obama, to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. The US President wants his Japanese counterpart to visit Washington D.C. on February 24th.

That would make Aso the first world leader to visit the White House under Obama’s administration.

On the second day of her visit, Hillary Clinton had dinner with the Prime Minister and afterwards, managed to meet with Ichiro Ozawa, the PM’s rival. Head of Japan’s Democratic Party, Ozawa reportedly told Clinton he wanted a more visible role for Tokyo, even if it meant sidestepping American ties.

Her meeting with Ozawa demonstrated a visit marked by “balance” and “harmony,” words she used to describe a Shinto shrine in relation to Barack Obama’s foreign policy. That morning, she came to the shrine for a welcoming and purification ritual.

Some 200 US Embassy workers accompanied her to the shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji. Later she distributed gifts and drank tea.

Hillary Clinton had more teatime that afternoon, this time with Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone interpreted Hillary Clinton’s state visit as Obama attaching importance to Japan-U.S. relations.

Together, Nakasone and Hillary Clinton signed a Bush-negotiated agreement that would relocate 8,000 of 50,000 US marines in Okinawa, Japan to Guam, a US territory. The move is largely funded by Japan.

For the rest of her visit, the Secretary of State moved under the shadows of the threat of nuclear aggression by North Korea. America’s top diplomat tackled the North Korea problem when she presided over a town hall meeting. Families of Japanese abductees trooped to Tokyo University for the rare engagement.

Since the 1970s, some Japanese citizens have been reported missing and were presumably held against their will by North Korean agents.

For half an hour, Clinton listened to relatives’ plights and vowed to help look for answers regarding the abductees. Beyond that, Hillary Clinton committed to nothing.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton departed for Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday. Her next trips are scheduled for Seoul, South Korea and Beijing, China.

Related Sources:

Washington Post report on the State Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Japan visit.

The BBC reported on Hillary Clinton’s first visit abroad as state Secretary.

NBC News interviewed State Secretary Hillary Clinton in Tokyo.

In a piece published on his site Park Strategies, former New York Senator Alphonse D’Amato gave his two cents worth (or $800 billion’s worth, for that matter) on the latest series of bailouts for the nation’s struggling banks. Citing President Barack Obama’s quote that the economic troubles were caused by a “legacy of mismanagement and misplace priorities and “an era of profound irresponsibility,” Alphonse D’Amato went further, saying that it was “outright corruption” that should be blamed as well.

Alphonse D’Amato expressed grave concerns that the government was only throwing money at the problem without a cohesive strategy. He also shows little sympathy for the struggling banks. “When I analyze this country’s bailout history thus far, I wonder why we continue to be so concerned with saving the rich guy,” Alphonse D’Amato writes, “Enough is enough. Let them go into bankruptcy! For the little guy, the “moms and pops” of America who run your local deli, or dry cleaner, or hardware store, there is no bailout for them.”

Alphonse D’Amato is fairly harsh in his criticism for bailout recipients Citigroup and AGI. “Make no mistake about it,” Alphonse D’Amato writes, “The Citigroups and AIG’s of the world sold worthless mortgages and financial products … They are the greediest of the greedy. Their pompous executive teams, supposed great financial wizards, have made hundreds of millions in compensation.” Alphonse D’Amato goes on to say the actions of these companies “bordered on criminality” and expressed his disappointment that so many financial institutions did not protect the free market system and the small American investor.

But Alphonse D’Amato didn’t just put the blame solely on greedy financiers. He is also angry at how rating agencies such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and others dropped the ball in the failure to see the sub-prime mortgage crisis. “This travesty could not have taken place without the total complicity of America’s rating agencies,” he writes. “To date, I have not read or heard about any comprehensive investigation relating to how these services … could have survived when they were stamping junk with a triple-A rating.”

Alphonse D’Amato is surprised there is no public outcry over the abject failure of these rating agencies. “This deception of the American people happened because the agencies did not insist on elementary standards for those who bought homes,” he says.

Lastly, he wants the government to stop using the American taxpayer as an “ATM machine” every time large institutions face failure due to incompetence, corruption, and greed. “Why save the banks and corporate America when small business owners, the mom and pop stores, the centerpiece of our communities, are going under? Who is bailing them out?” Alphonse D’Amato writes.

Alphonse D’Amato urges a comprehensive investigation of the rating system and its agencies, so that dishonest business practices will never again get a stamp of approval from trusted sources. He feels any bailout money should be going to small business and investors, not the large institutions. “If we are not helping and bailing out the average homeowner, the little guy on Main Street, why should we be bailing out the muggers of Wall Street?”

That’s a good question, indeed!

Article Source: Park Strategies

Additional Resources on Alphonse D’Amato:

• Alphonse D’Amato: If we raise taxes, we will lose jobs and talent.
• Alphonse D’Amato is a proud Republican, but he respects his Democratic colleagues. In this piece, he refutes the “Republicrat” label.
• Poker Players Alliance Chairman Alphonse D’Amato speaks about the future of online poker.
  

Los Angeles’ Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa turned down the invitation of President-elect Barack Obama to become one of his secretaries. Obama wooed the mayor when he phoned him to offer support after November’s wildfires in California.

Villaraigosa expressed love for his job and stressed that he is bent on staying in Los Angeles to resolve the city’s financial crisis and to work on his reelection campaign.

Obama’s move is seen as deference to mounting pressure by the vast Latino community for greater representation in his administration. Villaraigosa, born of a Mexican immigrant father and a Mexican-American mother, seemed a likely pick for the Cabinet. Initially, Villaraigosa was considered for the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, then for the position of Secretary of Labor.

Villaraigosa is the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles since 1872. He came to power after beating incumbent James Hahn in the 2005 race, although only 24% of registered voters turned out. On July 2005, he was sworn into office as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles.

Hahn defeated Villaraigosa during the latter’s first bid for Mayor in 2001, after which Villaraigosa accepted a fellowship at UCLA and USC. There, he jointly wrote a policy blueprint for urban sprawl.

Villaraigosa rebounded in 2003 by being elected to the 14th District Los Angeles City Council. When John Kerry ran for president the next year, Villaraigosa became his campaign’s national co-chairman.

Mayor Villaraigosa was born Antonio Villar in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles on January 23, 1953. Eldest among four children, he grew up without a father. In 1987, he wed Corine Raigosa and has since adopted “Villaraigosa” for surname.

During his troubled youth, Villaraigosa actually dropped out of high school. He only resumed after his mother sent him a missive urging him to do so. Eventually he graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and secured a history degree from UCLA. In 1985, he earned a doctorate in jurisprudence from the Peoples’ College of Law.

At the young age of 15, Villaraigosa was already affiliated with the labor movement. He later became the organizer of the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). In 1990, he served in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and stayed until 1994, when he was elected to the California State Assembly.

Article Source: Los Angeles Times.

Profile of Antonio Villaraigosa on About.com.

Antonio Villaraigosa recently appeared on Mayor TV.

Ever since his election as the 64th Attorney General of New York State on Nov. 7, 2006, Andrew Cuomo has proven himself a forward-thinking man of integrity; one with a well-conceived strategy for addressing systemic problems prevalent in the state. To achieve the vision he has set for himself and his good office, Cuomo paid attention to the “voice of the people.”

In the first year of his term, he took on individual cases with the mindset of using what he learned to solve the bigger problems. His most lauded efforts were in industry-wide investigations which exposed malpractices in mortgage, healthcare and even the student loan sectors.

In line with this drive for integrity in the government, he is following up on the institutions who have requested for bailouts in order to tide the crisis. Upon reports of some companies wasting corporate expenditures, Cuomo made it his own crusade to set things right.

Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, AIG, all other Wall Street firms have been under the scrutiny of the office of the Attorney General. All the major institutions who have received federal financial aid were requested by Cuomo to disclose compensation information. Non-collaboration would be taken to mean that the company has no concern for the affected investors, taxpayers and other stakeholders.

Last December 8, he sent a firm letter to the board of directors of Merrill Lynch to discuss the justification for the executive corporate compensations, specifically the issue regarding Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain’s declaration that he ought to be paid $10 million for his outstanding performance. Cuomo places this in contrast to Goldman and Sachs, whose Board has agreed to forego bonuses in order for the rest of the employees to get their pay, and to reduce having to let go of people.

Andrew Mark Cuomo, son of former New York Governor Mario M. Cuomo, graduated from Fordham University and accomplished his Juris Doctor at Albany Law School. His most prominent assignment prior to his current position was as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton from 1997-2001. A true-blue Democrat, Cuomo’s take on his office reflects an emphasis on the policymaking aspect first. He views the law as a tool to resolve systemic issues.

Article Sources: Money.cnn.com, Bnet.com

Mario Cuomo’s famous speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

Quotes by Mario Cuomo on Brainy Quote.

Mario Cuomo compares Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln.

In the Nov. 24, 2008 issue of FoxNews.com, a transcript from the show America’s News HQ revealed several vital facts about what Geraldine Ferraro, 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee, has to say about President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for Secretary of State: Hillary Clinton.

In the interview, Geraldine Ferraro expressed confidence that the former first lady will do well as the country’s top diplomat. Geraldine Ferraro believes that Hillary’s international credibility will help improve the country’s image. She also stressed that the Clintons are well-respected and so therefore, Hillary’s new assignment will do the country a lot of good.

Having worked with Hillary in her 2008 bid for presidency, Geraldine Ferraro is confident that Hillary will function well in the international community.

It is also important, she pointed out, that the new president and Hillary are able to agree on practically every issue.

The former vice presidential nominee also stressed that the main reason for choosing several key Clinton administration people for the Obama team is vast experience and nothing else. She likewise revealed that there are also a number of people with no Clinton ties who were chosen based on their performance and experience.

View the interview with Geraldine Ferraro from Fox News.

Geraldine Ferraro:

Born in Newburg, New York, Geraldine Ferraro went to Marymount Manhattan College on a scholarship and worked 2 or 3 jobs while studying. She took home her Bachelor of Arts in English in 1956 and became a licensed teacher. After working as an elementary school teacher, Ferraro studied law and eventually earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1960 from Fordham University.

Geraldine Ferraro got her big break when she became Queen County’s Assistant District Attorney and was tasked to head the Special Victims Bureau in 1977.

Prior to being nominated as Walter Mondale’s vice president for the 1984 Presidential Elections, Geraldine Ferraro was a member of the House of Representatives and represented New York’s 9th District.

During President Bill Clinton’s term, Geraldine Ferraro served as the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. She held this position from 1994 to 1996.

Geraldine Ferraro was inducted in the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1994. She helped found the National Organization of Italian American Women in 1980.