Voters in five US states will head to the polls today as primary elections get underway, with California's governor's race being one of the most closely watched contests. In the Golden State, voters will narrow down the field to the top two candidates vying for the governorship, setting the stage for a potentially contentious general election. Meanwhile, a new presidential library is set to open in Chicago, marking a significant milestone in the legacy of former President Barack Obama. The $850 million complex, dubbed the "Obamalisk" by some critics, is the latest addition to a long line of presidential libraries that have become secular temples to the leaders of the free world. As the US continues to grapple with the role of its presidency in American culture, the opening of the Obama library serves as a reminder of the enduring power and influence of the nation's chief executive.
California voters must decide top two candidates to advance in governor’s race; Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico also hold primariesSign up to the Breaking News US emailThe Egyptians had their pyramids. The Anglo-Saxons had their barrows. And the Americans have their presidential libraries – the chief difference being that the leaders the US venerates are usually still alive at the opening.Lacking a royal family or a state religion, the US presidency has swelled to fill the void, transforming over the decades into a national personality cult, complete with its own secular temples to these powerful men. The latest pharaonic edifice is about to open on Chicago’s south side, where it looms on the skyline as a towering totem to the 44th president, Barack Obama. He might have seemed humble in office, but in his post-presidential, Netflix-producing afterlife, Obama has erected the largest, costliest and most audacious complex of them all. Behold the $850m Obamalisk – or, as it sometimes feels morbidly like, the Obamausoleum. Continue reading...
