Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney on President Obama: "So far, what we've got is the silence of the lambs, but I thought we were voting for a lion"

BEIRUT, January 21, 2009,

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was the Green Party candidate for President in 2008. Ms. McKinney was aboard the boat "Dignity", which tried to break the siege in Gaza. She tells iloubnan.info what she thinks about President Barack Obama's promise of change.

iloubnan.info: Do you think American policy in the Middle East will change now that Barack Obama is elected President?
Cynthia McKinney: I have implored President-elect Obama to say something concerning the situation in Gaza. This kind of violence is reported to be the worst violence inflicted to the Palestinians in 60 years. How can this man who has been so loquacious on other subjects be silent on this issue? The two words that would characterize the Obama campaign were Hope and Change and a lot of people voted for Barack Obama based on their big desire for change. Are we going to get it? If we look at the menu of advisors, if we look at the history of the Democratic Party, what we don't see is change. If we look at the incoming cabinet members, what we don't see is change. Now you ask, is there going to be change? Yes, there will be change in the face; there will be a change in the superficialities. But will there be deep substantive change, like the people of Bolivia were able to acquire through their vote, like the people of Ecuador or Venezuela? I am committed to the hope that we can have that kind of change in the United States but obviously it's going to take a lot more than what we've done thus far. So far, what we got is what I call the silence of the lambs, but I thought we were voting for a lion.