WE are gathered here—in this building where Bung Karno delivered his defense in the colonial court 79 years ago—because we sense that something strange is happening. Something unusual and promising hope.

What is strange is that today we are meeting someone who will be a vice-presidential candidate, and this person does not come from the cacophonous den where political parties jockey for money or position.

Boediono is an economist: his busi