Friday, August 29, 2008

I Think He Can

Last night during Obama's speech I suddenly blurted out loud, "He's going to win!"

That man can talk like no one I've heard in years. His words were measured, they were powerful, they were inspiring, they were strong. He looked planted on this earth, he looked like a leader. He was not angry. He was certain and sure.

Can he do it? Can he pull this off?

My God, I hope so.

I have even more optimism after attending yoga class this morning. All during class I wanted to ask my teacher if she'd seen the speech and if so, what she thought. But she's such a strong believer in the Republican ideals, whatever that means, and knowing for a fact she voted for Bush twice, I just didn't want to start anything while we were trying to focus on our breath and our bodies.

BUT, after class, she asked me if I'd seen the speech and what I'd thought.

I told her I had and that I'd been impressed.

And then she said that she hadn't voted for a Democrat in over thirty years but that she's pretty sure she's going to vote for Obama.

Wow.

The contrast between Obama and his beautiful family and McCain and his old, gnarly self and overly blond wife is so huge. And not just physically, not just appearance-wise. Every thing about them is so vastly different.

There is nothing McCain can say about Obama that can undermine the true miracle of strength and belief on the part of his mother and himself that got him to this place where he is today. He deserves it because he's earned it, working against insane odds.

And that's just the truth.

Truth is a funny word to use in the context of a political campaign and I remain a cynic at heart. I don't believe that anyone could keep all the promises that Obama made last night, but that's okay. I liked the promises he made. They showed that his heart was in the right place. I think he wimped out on the rights of our GLBT citizens and I'm not happy about that.
But we gotta start somewhere.

Obama may not be Superman, but he has the power of speech, he has the power of inspiration.

I'm hoping with all my heart he has the power to move the undecided, the unhappy, the disgusted to get up off their asses and cast a vote for him. Because we need him. At least he sure sounds like what we need.

A man who was raised by a struggling single mother. A man who was born of two races. A man who knows the constitution so well that he taught it. A man who can say with personal knowledge that the government MUST help those who cannot raise themselves by their boot straps if they don't have boots. A man who has a crazy name, big ears, and the wrong color skin and yet somehow manages to look presidential in a country where being president means being white. A man who seems earnest and in control of himself.

I'm holding my breath. I'm watching him burst out of the phone booth of racism and seemingly unwinnable odds.

I'm watching him fly.

8 comments:

  1. Yay! I could sit and listen to him talk for a very long time. Mesmerizing. That man is, mesmerizing. And, I loved his speech last night. So right on target to what is needed in our country. I hope he is for real. The statistics he pulled out were great, regarding McCain's record over the last 26 years.

    I really think he'll win.

    And, that's all I have to say about that for now. :)

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  2. Didn't it feel weird hearing the truth? Every issue, every argument- for me- boils down to one thing he said last night.

    We are better than this.

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  3. I can't f-ing wait to vote for that guy. I never discuss things political, but I am very hopeful. At this point I would settle for someone that can speak english. The fact that we have a shot a great leader is fantastic.

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  4. Yep. I agree with all of you. I have only one slight disagreement and that is the "we are better than this" quote, which was great, but for fuck's sake, WE elected GW twice. Okay, not any of us, maybe, but WE as in the USA. Which scares me to death.

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  5. One fight I would pick is with the media who have fortunes at their disposal to dumb down the public. We ARE better than this, in the same way kids in the ghetto can learn to play violin if only given a chance to think different thoughts about themselves and others -- to draw the bow and make lovely sounds. Electing Obama and seeing his brilliant family liven up that stodgy White House could be like drawing that bow! :) I never thought I'd feel HOPE again, but I do. Oh, I do!!!!!!!

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  6. I'm willing to admit I could do more, be more, for my country. I am better than this.

    After 8 years of having my principles mocked and devalued I don't want to do more- I'm bitter, but I feel I have been called out and therefore I rise to the challenge. I will bring my republican neighbors a reconciliation turkey pot pie and see how it goes.

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  7. Lopo- that was beautiful. And John, I have to admit that I feel much the same as you. Perhaps, though, I have had some effect on my yoga teacher. Who knows? Nah. It was Obama.
    But a potpie surely can't hurt.

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  8. It is our time to rise and make this happen. He can fly, but as he said, we have to make it happen. So get out your fairy dust, and clap your hands, and think happy thoughts. And then go out and help get someone registered to vote. If we all just each help to get 2-3 people registered and see that they vote in November, that will give this man wings!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.