Mitt Romney is one of the Republicans seeking to be nominated as the GOP candidate for President in the 2008 US elections.  If elected, he will be the first US President who is a Mormon.  I have several rather not-so-nice things to say about Mormons (no Mormons are not, in my opinion, Christians), but I have to concede that I quite like several parts of his campaign speech in Texas today, such as

If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest.  A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States. … We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning.  They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God.  Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America - the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square.  We are a nation ‘Under God’ and in God, we do indeed trust. … I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from ‘the God who gave us liberty’.

I suppose if I were American, Romney might get my vote (but then again, I’m probably more Democrat than Republican).

—– Postscript —–

I wonder why our MPs cannot come up with speeches even half as brilliant or passionate as this.  No wonder Singaporeans have no interest in watching Today in Parliament.

Just like in the movies.

Washington Monument

World War II Memorial

How much of a life do couples have after a second kid ?  Going through a friend’s Superpoke records in Facebook, I’m not terribly optimistic.  Apparently they only have about enough time to superpoke each other (and I’m not even sure if I can persuade Joyce to sign onto Facebook) !

The next stop on our whirlwind working trip was Washington DC, capital of the land of the free.

Where we were quite aptly greeted, on our Sunday stroll down the Mall, by a couple of passionate Bush administration critics who had positioned themselves outside the White House.

Taken from the plane as we left for Washington DC.  It looks much better in real life.

29 November evening, New York time.

I’m in transit at the Newark airport - 5 hours - and absolutely bored.  There is no shopping to do.  Worse, Starbucks won’t sell me iced coffee.  I’m sorely tempted to get a drink at the bar (which I would have, but for the fact that I don’t fancy alcohol).

I’m absolutely appalled by the poor service - at an international airport no less !

6.30 pm.  The guy at Burger King (who appeared to be about to close the restaurant) grudgingly sold me the last burger for the day and turned al the customers behind me away.  Because he didn’t want to mess up the toaster, he microwaved by burger instead of toasting the bun.

7.15 pm.  I walk up to the Starbucks cafe and ask for a frappe.  The barista (who also appeared to be about to close the cafe for the day) says that there’s only hot coffee left; she tells me to take a walk to the larger Starbucks cafe at the arrival hall, which would be open till 10 pm.

7.30 pm.  I enter the larger Starbucks cafe at the arrival hall.  The barista who wears an absolutely bo chup I-am-so-sick-of-standing-here look tells me that there’s "no more cold drinks", I suppose because she doesn’t want to clean the blender. 

I walk out.  I’m too disgusted to argue with her.