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Will it be O’B?

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

While neither Obama nor Biden made an appearance during the campaign at the Irish American presidential forum – which did attract the attendance of John McCain and Hillary Clinton – the Obama campaign generated an extensive paper trail of statements dating back to early 2007.
Among the commitments made in the Obama name was the renewal of the presidential envoy mission to Northern Ireland, a job currently held by the State Department’s Paula Dobriansky.
A potentially crucial commitment was a late-in-the-campaign Obama pledge to support a full independent inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast lawyer Pat Finucane.
The ascension of Obama and Irish American Biden – who has been codenamed “Celtic” by the Secret Service – is also raising speculation that comprehensive immigration reform stands a better chance of taking flight next year.
Separately, Obama’s campaign statements on corporate taxation have raised concerns in Ireland that the lower tax rates afforded U.S. companies there might be altered in some negative way by the incoming administration.
“On the statements made during the course of the U.S. presidential campaign on corporation tax policy, the government has been tracking proposed or articulated changes,” Taoiseach Brian Cowen said in the D_il.
“We will monitor developments and keep in touch with the administration regarding any proposals that may emerge,” Cowen said.
In the meantime, the Obama win has been warmly welcomed by activist Irish Americans.
“The powerful symbolism of an African American being elected president of the Unites States has
to be, in principle and of its very self, good for the Irish peace process, which at its core is about human rights, equality and justice,” said Fr. Sean McManus, president of the Washington, D.C-based Irish National Caucus.
McManus said that Joe Biden had a long record of involvement in Irish American issues.
“Irish-Americans can rejoice that we have good friends in the White House and that, therefore, America will continue to stand up for equality and justice in the North of Ireland,” McManus said.
“It’s very exciting,” said Stella O’Leary of the Irish American Democrats.
O’Leary noted however many were unsure just how much time the Obama administration would or could devote to Ireland given all the other pressing problems it would be facing.
“He might revive the jolly St. Patrick’s Day White House party though he might also see it as frivolous,” O’Leary said.

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