Arthur I. Cyr's blog

Shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, CBS commentator Eric Sevareid perceptively noted that the most important legacy of the dead leader might well be an “attitude”, a contagious spirit that all things are possible for Americans if only we have the vision and will.

The Washington weekend conference of leaders of the Group of 20 nations underscores the global financial crisis. The world economy seems defined by wildly gyrating equities markets and frozen credit markets. There is broad consensus a global recession is beginning.

‘Hitting a bullet with a bullet’ is the way even proponents of anti-ballistic missile systems describe the extraordinary technical challenge. Yet there has been sustained pressure within the United States government for a half century to build such weapons.

While Americans are generally focused on the very intensely fought presidential campaign, historic talks between mainland China and Taiwan have just concluded successfully. Beijing’s top negotiator, Chen Yunlin, is the most senior mainland representative ever to visit Taiwan. His counterpart Chiang Pin-kung is equally senior.

Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States by a clear majority of the popular vote by 52 to 46 percent and a sweep of the Electoral College. A freshman United States Senator, he is also by the way the first African-American to be nominated by a major party as well as elected to the White House.

The October 2 Vice Presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis between Sen. Joe Biden, D.-Delaware, and Gov. Sarah Palin, R.-Alaska provided neither a draw nor a knockout, but rather revealed strengths of each candidate.

The extended Wall Street turmoil resulting from the housing and subprime lending crisis contains major challenges, reinforced by the current media propensity for scare headlines and alarmist editorials.

Journalist and author Bob Woodward’s new book ‘The War Within’ provides informative insights concerning the United States military occupation of Iraq, not least because of his remarkable access to very senior officials of the Bush administration. Earlier books include ‘State of Denial’, ‘Plan of Attack’ and ‘Bush at War’.

Republican presidential and vice-presidential nominees Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska have largely succeeded in generating enthusiasm among Republican faithful at the St. Paul, Minn. Convention. To win this fall, they must promote a vision that will be persuasive with the electorate as a whole.

Sen. John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate guaranteed headlines and likely greater public interest in the Republican national convention, which opened Monday September 1 in Minneapolis-St. Paul Minnesota.