Closing thoughts on 2008...

Without a doubt the highlight of 2008 was the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. His message of hope, change and promise of a return to the ideal of an open and transparent government resonated with an American public that hadn't felt as dissilluioned with it's public officials since the dark days of Watergate. Despite a worsening economy, one that is likely to get worse before it gets better, Americans feel optimistic about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead with a new President in the White House. Expanded majorities in the House and Senate will make President elect Obama's job of implementing his legislative agenda a little easier once the 111th Congress kicks into gear.

Here in California, the passage of Proposition 8 ("Prop 8") in last November's election changed the state constitution and eliminated the right for same sex couples to marry. It was only in May of 2008 that the California Supreme Court had ruled to recognize the right to marry by same sex couples. Despite mass protests across the state and the country in reaction to the results of the November election, the new ruling went into immediate effect on the state's books. There is a current open legal issue that relates to the approximately 18,000 same sex marriages that were conducted between May and November and whether the passing of Prop 8 will have retroactive application to those cases. With Connecticut becoming the second state (after Massachusetts) to recognize same sex marriage in November, there is no doubt that the citizens of Calfornia will be asked to vote again on this issue in the near future.

The political miscalculation of the year had to be John McCain's decision to ask Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his Vice Preisdential running mate. McCain displayed an appalling lack of political and personal judgment in picking a woefully inexperienced and out of touch governor who became the laughing stock of every late night TV comedian. While it is true that Palin helped to energize the Republican base with her down home, "you betcha" style of campaigning, in truth these were folks who were never going to vote for Obama anyway, and, rather than inspire women who may have been dissaffected after a bruising primary fight between Clinton and Obama; Palin did the exact opposite, driving women to vote for Obama in record numbers.

Speaking of aspiring women politicians, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK and one of Barack Obama's three person Vice Presidential advisory team, has thrown her hat into the ring in the race to be picked as Hillary Clinton's replacement as the junior senator from New York. Clinton, who is awaiting confirmation as Obama's Secretary of State, will leave vacant her New York Senate seat, the one formally held by Kennedy's uncle, Robert F Kennedy between 1965 and 1968. The appointment of Clinton's replacement lies solely with New York Governor David Patterson and he has said that he will make no decision on the matter until Clinton is formally confirmed as the country's top diplomat. Should Caroline be chosen, it would mean that two Kennedy's would again hold Senate seats at the same time. Ted Kennedy, who served alongside his brother Robert in the 1960's, is entering his 47th consecutive year as US Senator. Patterson is likely to make a decision in the next three weeks so stay tuned.