The "talk theme" is an exposition of open democracy, what many countries in the world still need to learn admiring: that makes American democracy relatively beautiful - I mean [that] 'openness' allowing one to see the 'breadths' and 'widths', or call it rationality of "civil liberties" not in the shadows of "political rights".

The theme is 'academic' and indeed 'issues-focused': a body of facts balanced historically as narratives. If it is assumed that every regime period is an experiment, the picture we now have is that the period and experiment under review produce "tragic plot reversals" from the point of view of (i) deepening democracy and (ii) making effective good governance exemplary. The reversals are therefore too unfolding to be comfortable for a great nation and that is sad at the same time as it is beautiful that it is democracy that is going to remedy the situation. What is sad but full of lessons relevant, in my opinion here seems well woven into the discourse of Lawrence Whitehead (1999-84-98), considering the insights to his "The Drama of Democratization". Here we are introduced in high academic language to the furry of transitions in politics that knows no boundary - less developed or developed states! It is about the reality of transition, and now we have simplified and called it CHANGE!

The DEMOCRATS, understand what it means, and I guess it is that, which the "talk-theme" aims at, so hopefully they are now united to win in the face of the REPUBLICANS capitalising on the same theme, with excuses for them as a party over the 8 years soon to end. There is a sense of awakening in American politics and democracy - one which would do well to search inwardly to come out strong outwardly, especially thinking of the verdicts as we are seeing them passed here and there now! I won't back out saying that there is "grace" this time cognizant of real politics for the democrats to go ahead with!

Lawrence Efana [Finland]