February 2, 2009 Issue

Cover art by: Cover illustration by John Mavroudis (key to names); design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels

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Feature

The Work Has Begun

On a cool and bright Inaugural Day in Washington, the change an extraordinary leader has promised is beginning to be felt.
Victor Navasky
Rock for Barack

A concert unlike any Washington has seen unfolded Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, expressing the hopes and dreams of a nation on the cusp of enormous change.
Corbin Hiar
Let the Party Begin!

A mix of patriotism and Obamamania permeate the frigid air, as young Obama supporters stream into the Capital.
Corbin Hiar
Gaza Notebook

Israel’s assault on Gaza is radicalizing mainstream Muslim opinion. And regardless how this war ends, Hamas will likely emerge a more powerful force than before.
Fawaz A. Gerges
An Epoch Named!

Your submissions to the Name Our Epoch contest were awesome: The Age of Avarice, The Crassical Period, The Bling Bang, The New Steal. And the winner is….
Chuck Collins and Sam Pizzigati
Social Movements 2.0

The tension around the pros and cons of online organizing has spurred a healthy debate in the social movement community.
Jeremy Brecher , Tim Costello and Brendan Smith
Holding Bush Accountable

Obama cannot let former Bush administration officials get away with breaking the law without violating his own oath of office.
Elizabeth Holtzman
Slumdog President

Many Indians believe Obama’s victory makes all things possible for people of color–but for all the good will, there is little mention of India’s ever-present racism.
Lakshmi Chaudhry
Germany’s Turkish Obama

Might a Deutschturke one day become chancellor of Germany? The prospect lies in the distant future.
Paul Hockenos
Italy’s New Racism

Once upon a time, this Catholic country prided itself that Italians were brava gente, good people and tolerant. No more.
Frederika Randall
Echoes of South African Redemption

If the last great redemptive moment in global politics was Nelson Mandela’s liberation and ascent to power, Barack Obama’s presidency will be the next.
Mark Gevisser
What Obama Means to the World

Coming to terms with a black American not as a symbol of protest, but as a symbol of power.
Gary Younge

Editorial

Seeking Obama’s Center

The pundits insist Obama will govern from the center, but to me it seems he’s dedicated to redefining where the center is.
Victor Navasky
Inaugural Journey

Traveling by train to Washington today, to witness an historic inauguration, summons memories of a very different inauguration, fifty-five years ago.
Victor Navasky
Prelude to an Inaugural

A modest proposal of words Barack Obama might say when he takes the oath of office in Washington on Tuesday.
Tom Engelhardt
Detroit’s Impaired Vision

In the end, it wasn’t shoddy products or high wages that put the US auto industry on the ropes. It was a failure to innovate for global markets.
Barbara Crossette
Rick Warren’s Clout

How powerful is he? Take a look at his tax breaks.
Jon Wiener
Noted.

Ari Melber on Change.gov and torture, Esther Kaplan on an SEIU blunder, John Nichols on Obama’s technology guru.
The Editors
The Crisis Is Global

Six months from now, if the Obama recovery does not materialize, the president may discover he has to reinvent himself.
William Greider
Ten Things You Can Do About the War in Congo

What you can do about the war in the Congo.
The Nation
For Progressive Patriotism

Love of country is expressed not just by civic virtue, but economic rights, rule of law and fair distribution of the nation’s resources.
John Nichols
An Inauguration for the Ages

The spirits of the civil rights movement–and movements for social justice everywhere–were with Obama on this historic Inauguration Day. Artist John Mavroudis imagines the occasion.
The Nation
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Column

A New Era of Accountability

As Obama gets down to work, what assurances do we have that he will break with the past–on an unfair and opaque bailout and the war in Afghanistan?
Robert Scheer
A Very Different 100 Days

Many comparisons have been made between Obama and FDR. But the forty-fourth president will have a very different first 100 days.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Drowning Our Sorrows, Lifting a Glass

A sobering toast to the dubious achievements of the worst president in American history.
Patricia J. Williams
Gaza Agonistes

There’s panic in the neocon playground as young liberal Jewish bloggers refuse to be silenced.
Eric Alterman
Roland Burris

He knows he’s the right man for the job.
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

Underground Man

Nimrod Workman’s craggy ballads of Mingo County coal country.
Justin Taylor
Inaugural Journey

Traveling by train to Washington today, to witness an historic inauguration, summons memories of a very different inauguration, fifty-five years ago.
Victor Navasky
Rock for Barack

A concert unlike any Washington has seen unfolded Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, expressing the hopes and dreams of a nation on the cusp of enormous change.
Corbin Hiar
A Very Different 100 Days

Many comparisons have been made between Obama and FDR. But the forty-fourth president will have a very different first 100 days.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Jazz Is?: A Power Stronger Than Itself

A new book on the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians looks at jazz as a power stronger than itself.
Franklin Bruno
Back Talk: Jill Lepore and Jane Kamensky

Jill Lepore and Jane Kamensky talk about how they wrote the occasionally racy historical novel Blindspot.
Christine Smallwood
In His League: Being George Plimpton

An affectionate and absorbing oral history raises questions of whether George Plimpton’s amiable exterior concealed a man without qualities.
Scott Sherman
Black Sun

Tomaz Salamun
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Letters

Letters

Obama: Flexible, Intelligent, Pragmatic
Trenton, N.J.
Our Readers and André Schiffrin

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3154

ACROSS

1 What 5 across often calls. (4,4)
Frank W. Lewis

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February 2, 2009 Issue

Feature

On a cool and bright Inaugural Day in Washington, the change an extraordinary leader has promised is beginning to be felt.

A concert unlike any Washington has seen unfolded Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, expressing the hopes and dreams of a nation on the cusp of enormous change.

A mix of patriotism and Obamamania permeate the frigid air, as young Obama supporters stream into the Capital.

Israel’s assault on Gaza is radicalizing mainstream Muslim opinion. And regardless how this war ends, Hamas will likely emerge a more powerful force than before.

Your submissions to the Name Our Epoch contest were awesome: The Age of Avarice, The Crassical Period, The Bling Bang, The New Steal. And the winner is….

The tension around the pros and cons of online organizing has spurred a healthy debate in the social movement community.

Obama cannot let former Bush administration officials get away with breaking the law without violating his own oath of office.

Many Indians believe Obama’s victory makes all things possible for people of color–but for all the good will, there is little mention of India’s ever-present racism.

Might a Deutschturke one day become chancellor of Germany? The prospect lies in the distant future.

Once upon a time, this Catholic country prided itself that Italians were brava gente, good people and tolerant. No more.

If the last great redemptive moment in global politics was Nelson Mandela’s liberation and ascent to power, Barack Obama’s presidency will be the next.

Coming to terms with a black American not as a symbol of protest, but as a symbol of power.

Editorial

The pundits insist Obama will govern from the center, but to me it seems he’s dedicated to redefining where the center is.

Traveling by train to Washington today, to witness an historic inauguration, summons memories of a very different inauguration, fifty-five years ago.

A modest proposal of words Barack Obama might say when he takes the oath of office in Washington on Tuesday.

In the end, it wasn’t shoddy products or high wages that put the US auto industry on the ropes. It was a failure to innovate for global markets.

How powerful is he? Take a look at his tax breaks.

Ari Melber on Change.gov and torture, Esther Kaplan on an SEIU blunder, John Nichols on Obama’s technology guru.

Six months from now, if the Obama recovery does not materialize, the president may discover he has to reinvent himself.

What you can do about the war in the Congo.

Love of country is expressed not just by civic virtue, but economic rights, rule of law and fair distribution of the nation’s resources.

The spirits of the civil rights movement–and movements for social justice everywhere–were with Obama on this historic Inauguration Day. Artist John Mavroudis imagines the occasion.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Column

As Obama gets down to work, what assurances do we have that he will break with the past–on an unfair and opaque bailout and the war in Afghanistan?

Many comparisons have been made between Obama and FDR. But the forty-fourth president will have a very different first 100 days.

A sobering toast to the dubious achievements of the worst president in American history.

There’s panic in the neocon playground as young liberal Jewish bloggers refuse to be silenced.

He knows he’s the right man for the job.

Books & the Arts

Nimrod Workman’s craggy ballads of Mingo County coal country.

Traveling by train to Washington today, to witness an historic inauguration, summons memories of a very different inauguration, fifty-five years ago.

A concert unlike any Washington has seen unfolded Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, expressing the hopes and dreams of a nation on the cusp of enormous change.

Many comparisons have been made between Obama and FDR. But the forty-fourth president will have a very different first 100 days.

A new book on the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians looks at jazz as a power stronger than itself.

Jill Lepore and Jane Kamensky talk about how they wrote the occasionally racy historical novel Blindspot.

An affectionate and absorbing oral history raises questions of whether George Plimpton’s amiable exterior concealed a man without qualities.

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Letters

Obama: Flexible, Intelligent, Pragmatic

Crossword

ACROSS 1 What 5 across often calls. (4,4)

ACROSS

1 What 5 across often calls. (4,4)