Letter From America
America loves a winner!
AMERICANS do not quite subscribe to the British saying, "It is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." In America, it is not about simply playing the game, it is all about winning.
Many a talented sportsmen in the British Commonwealth have fallen prey to the fallacy that one must retire on top. If one is at the top of his/her game, why should he/she retire? Americans milk their talent until there is nothing more to milk.
Of course, America loves a winner. Everybody now loves Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee. Hillary Clinton is fading from America's consciousness fast. On June 16, former vice-president Al Gore, the last remaining uncommitted stalwart, endorsed Obama.
Barack Obama now projects the image of a winner. Gone are the days when Hillary Clinton's presence next to him in debates used to unnerve him. His demeanour, his gait, the loping strides and the commanding baritone are the attributes of a winner.
About three weeks ago, as he was courting Jewish voters in a synagogue in Florida, a man had the audacity to tell Obama (I paraphrase): "If your name was Barry, not Barack I would not have had a problem with it." Obama sheepishly replied that Barack was the Arabic version of the Jewish name, Barooch, which is true.
As he addressed the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington, DC the day after winning the presumptive nomination of the Democratic Party, Barack was greeted with thunderous applause by the supporters of Israel; more vociferously than accorded to Hillary Clinton, a lifelong Israel loyalist.
Because he wants American troops to remain in Iraq "for hundred years," the Israelis' first choice for US president is Senator John McCain. If it becomes clear that Senator Obama is going to win, it is a sure bet that the supporters of Israel will align themselves with Obama. The rationale being: only the winner can help Israel; not the loser.
America mourned the passing of another winner last Friday. Tim Russert, the son of a garbage truck driver from Buffalo, New York, and NBC television's host for "Meet the Press" since 1991, died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Always relentless but fair, every politician had to pass the "Russert test." From presidents down to every politician and celebrity, including the Pope, appeared on his show. He had over twenty honourary doctorates bestowed on him by universities. He was the commencement speaker at this writer's son's graduation at Harvard three years ago.
In political journalism, Tim Russert had the last word. On May 6, after Obama won the North Carolina primary, Russert pronounced: "We now know who the Democratic nominee is going to be." When she heard it, Hillary Clinton was so alarmed that she decided to head for West Virginia immediately to campaign. That was meant to be an antidote to Russert's deadly prognosis.
No political junkie will ever forget Tim Russert's prediction before the 2000 US presidential election that it would come down to "Florida, Florida, Florida," (which Bush "won"), and his 2004 prediction that the winner would have to win two of the three states -- Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio. (Bush won Florida and Ohio.)
Golf's living legend, Tiger Woods, is another winner America loves. On June 16, Woods won his 14th Major Championship, the United States Open. Golf tournaments last for four days, from Thursday to Sunday. Golfers play 18 holes each day. Half the field is cut after the first two days. Woods and his buddy Rocco Mediate were tied after four days and 72 holes. They played another 18 holes on Monday and still remained deadlocked. Woods won on the first sudden death hole. Woods now trails Jack Nicklaus's major leading victories (18) by only four.
What was so remarkable about Woods' victory was that he played injured and against his doctor's advice. Woods had knee surgery two months ago after the last Major, The Masters, in mid-April. He had not played any tournament in between. He took on the best players in the world on one good knee, was extended to a fifth day, and still won! While this added more mystique to Woods' already growing legend, he may have done irreparable harm to his knee, putting his future as a golfer at risk. But, winners are known to do things mere mortals cannot comprehend.
Barack Obama has been compared to Tiger Woods. Both Woods and Obama have multiracial heritage. They are blacks with a tremendous crossover appeal to the whites. Both have won in arenas, which had hitherto been the exclusive domain of white males. Woods and Obama have proven themselves to be winners.
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