Thank You Barack Obama

Thank you Barack Obama.

Thank you for four years ago making me say out-loud " Why can't he be our candidate?"

Thank you for blowing away the ether of complacency.

Thank you for beating that maver-"ICK" and his running date.

Thank you for being patient with this insane process we call Democracy.

Thank you for your ambition and your drive, your mind and your gravitas.

Thank you for recognizing the needle and the damage done, the needle, our addiction
to more, better, faster, greasier, dirtier, celebrity lifestyles and prescription poisons and the damage done, the Economic Crisis, the Health Care debacle, the State of Education. This is AMERICA. Health and Education should be #1.

Thank you for understanding World History, Geography, countries and cultures, religions, customs and America's tarnished reputation in those very countries.

Thank you for voting against the War and for continuing to voice that opposition.

Thank you for your brilliant campaign and campaign managers and your staff.

Thank you for choosing Joe Biden.

Thank you for leading and inspiring me.
You didn't do this alone. You knew it was going to take the three generations of black women in Ypsilanti, MIchigan as well as Jose, the latino plumber in Miami or Ron Howard putting on Opie's toupee or my daughter, Annie and her friends at an Ohio college who are voting for the first time in their lives or my local friends, the busy multitasking hordes who called and knocked and walked your walk or Wendy Riva, the mother and activist in Santa Monica, who grabbed me on the street and within hours had me, t-shirted and bumper-stickered and hooked up to the Obama campaign. Me, this middle aged, privileged, white woman whose own mother was once such an ardent Democratic ( Kennedy ) supporter, that she was offered an ambassadorship in the Johnson administration. Me, who prior to this election did shit. Oh, I gave some money to Gore and Kerry and except for my husband's trip to Florida to canvas for Kerry, we just bitched and complained and did nothing.

Thank you for making me, after another dinner of political bitching by left leaning, well meaning, show off business types, say...well, what are you doing to change this?

Thank you for getting me to Michigan to see places I never would have seen and meeting people I would have never met and getting me to see the abandoned factories and businesses that can be re-tooled and retrofitted to a green technology and a green industry.

Thank you for getting us all, both sides of the Divided States of America to pay attention to our civic duty and moral responsibility.

Thank you for reminding us that this next period of time will be hard. That there are no easy answers. That there will be sacrifice. There will be blood. There will be sweat. There will be tears.

Thank you for marrying Michelle Obama and being the kind of father you are to your daughters.

Thank you for your grace.

Thank you for your leadership.

Hillary Clinton, who I supported and whom I believe you should bring in to your cabinet (see Team of Rivals) wrote: it takes a village to raise a child. I say it takes a leader to raise the village.

The village needs one leader and you, thank God and your hard work and the grass rooted folks who helped you, are that leader.

So lead us Barack Obama.

We will follow you IF as Rudyard Kipling wrote:

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And which is more; you'll be a Man, my son!

Thank you Barack Obama for making me believe again in the American Dream.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election

Comments

[shockjock]

Your post took me many places, but Kipling took me back to Mr. Duchesne's 10th grade English class - 35 years ago.

Thanks for the beautiful trip.

[kcgeezer]

And thank you, Jamie for such an eloquent post. It was a joy reading it.

[clamperken]

Jamie, thank you for putting my thoughts into the eloquent style which you possess. I too wish to thank President Elect Obama. For the grace to smile in the face of the horrible inditments thrown at you by one of the most vicous and deceteful campaigns I've ever had the misfortune to witness in my 51 years. Thank you for restoring my belief in true democracy. But most of all, thank you Barack Obama for taking me with you on this most historical moment in U.S. history. Unlike the opposing candidates, you always told the country what ' WE' are going to do. ' WE' as a people, WE as a nation, WE not you. Because although we need a wise and strong and compassionate leader, WE the citizens are ultimately responsible for our future. So with you Sir as our leader and WE who will provide the will, there is no obstical too big for us to overcome ! THANK YOU FOR RESTORING HOPE TO THE PEOPLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DrP]

This week marked the fulfillment of a dream that began for me many years ago when Obama gave his speech against the Iraq War. Then, I said, "If he ever runs for National Office, I will actively campaign for him and for the first time in my life, truly believe in the candidate for whom I cast my vote." I put a postcard I had received in the mail with his picture on my refrigerator and had to continually explain to visitors who he was. My son grew up with that picture in his kitchen, but by the time he reached voting age, was so cynical about politics that he was practically an anarchist. By some strange quirk of fate, he got a job with a coffee shop that had a kiosk at Mile-High Stadium and was asked to work there the night of Obama's speech. He listened to the speech and felt that Obama was a man he could trust - who meant the inspiring things he said. My son subsequently worked for a progressive GOTV organization in Denver and is so proud of "helping to turn Colorado blue." Thanks Jamie for voicing the thoughts that are also in my heart. This election was about worldview and I know have hopes for a country and world that will be safe for my children.

[AZ4thatone]

I'd like to add my thanks for the return to Patriotism. For the past eight years, anyone who held a different point of view than the current administration, anyone who denounced the war in Iraq or felt that we got there under false pretense was labeled "unpatriotic". I love this country. Alot. I feel like a weight has been lifted. A collective loosening of the collar, so to speak. To see the landslide victory of Obama makes me realize that there were many of us out there looking for change. Now we can be heard again without feeling like we'll be demonized for our point of view. Thank you America. Thanks for voting in record numbers. Thanks for not giving up even when we were being told we were headed for socialism, terrorism and all the other untruisms that were being thrown at us. And, thanks in advance for not going back to the couch. We need to stay just as active, just as involved and just as headstrong in the coming four years. The future of this beautiful country depends on us.

[azbernie]

i love jamie lee curtis:
i have nothing against his color. but, lack of experience scares the hell out of me. is he going pick his cabinet carefully, with knowledge of their back ground or pick just to plug a hole.
i hope he picks with scrutiny.
az bernie

[Marisrq]

When Jamie Lee Curtis mentioned that her mother was a Democrat, I remembered way back when we were invited to a birthday party for Birch Bayh at the Shrine Auditorium
in Indianapolis and Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis pushed a big birthday cake out
on the stage. We all sang Bayh's campaign song, to the tune of "Hey, Look Me Over"
and went home with beautiful programs and recordings of the song.

Your mother raised you good, Jamie Lee.

[AZ4thatone]

Then you must be terrified of Sarah Palin. Apparently she wouldn't even take the stage with members of her own party she didn't agree with. Could you imagine her talking (or refusing to talk) with heads of state? As far as the cabinet goes, he's already showing that he will "choose wisely" by not jumping the gun. The media is after him to name names already but he's not made any decisions other than chief of staff.

[WindyCity08]

Thank you, Jamie...for putting into words what I have been feeling in my heart!
This is a fantastic article.

[svengalifx]

That's a Rustic Canyon mom for ya!

Eve Pontius for Education Secretary!

[CommunityFan]

Yes, Perfect!!!!! Thank you so much for expressing all so well!

[sustainabletruth]

Yes, THANK YOU BARACK OBAMA, and thank you all my fellow Obamamaniacs who worked so hard and donated whatever they could to make this dream come true.

The best is yet to come!

Now we move from dysfunction to sustainability!
From Toxic to Green!
From hopelessness to ALIVENESS!

Yes, lead on, Obama, Lead on!
We are ready to get to work!

[Georgiamitch]

PERFECT!

[Owlygirl]

Jamie, that's just fantastic. Sing it sister! You never cease to move me with your passion and heart.

We met many years ago, and I look forward to it happening one day again in the future. Bless your heart!

[Canuck1967]

Thank you Jamie! You have articulated what the majority of the thinking world is feeling right now. I too initially was a Hillary supporter but when push came to shove, Obama was my choice.
Being a Canadian, I obviously didn't have the opportunity to vote in your election but 100% of my household were Obama supporters and on our kitchen blackboard the morning after, the children had written OBAMA WINS! It was a victory not only for Americans but for the world. It is OUR change as well. I only wish in our recent elections, voters were not so apathetic that they either didn't bother to vote, or failed to look at the real issues our nation is facing. I suppose I am a little jealous that our country didn't step up to the plate the way Americans did.The American people also deserve my heartiest congratulations. Thank you America for believing that you can make a difference!!
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts... I think you echo the feelings of so many people!
Elizabeth

[Only1Hope]

I'm asking anyone that voted for president-elect Obama to please help clarify something for me.

The kazoos and hoopla is all over now and the reality of the pressing nature of the issues is just about at hand. Throughout the entire campaign, we heard the word "change" used countless times as the primary theme for Mr. Obama's run for office. Can one of his faithful supporters please articulate on what exactly this "change" is and how his administration is going to bring it to fruition?

I'm not asking for drive-by, two-sentence conjecture or vague reference's or any correlation to skin color. I'm asking someone to help me understand how things are going to differ under the policies and propaganda we've heard for 18 month's now.

Thank You

[lemekid]

Why don't you just go to BarackObama.com and find it out there? Just click on the "issues" tab, select whatever issues/topic and read what Obama has proposed to do. They are not written in one or two sentenced but are fully explained in minute details. Once, you have done that, then compare with what the current administration is doing on each of those issues. You will be able to spot the differences and hence you'll be able to see the changes that Barack Obama is talking about.

By the way, I am a foreigner and a supporter of Barack Obama. If I can spot the change that Barack Obama is talking about from this far in the middle of the Pacific ocean island country of Fiji, I just can't understand why you can't.

[1question]

Change is an administration that does NOT lie to it's citizens.

Change is a President that will be engaged to protecting the Unted States through The Constituition.

Change is a government that does NOT waste it's resources and power on political cosiderations...that makes decsions and laws that benefits the majority of citizens rather than the uber rich or corparate donors.

Change is a government that does NOT "out" NOC agents.

Change is a govvernment that is held accountible for it's actions.

Change is a President that does NOT spend 511 days on vacation.

Change is...

[ethancorso]

"Change is a President that will be engaged to protecting the Unted States through The Constituition."

Ummm...Obama voted in favour of renewing the Patriot Act, and he also voted to allow the current President to continue using illegally wiretaps.

[coribbean]

One of the first examples of change can be found at http://change.gov/. The mere existence of this Web site is evidence of change. It is an effort to put in place the kind of accountability and openness of government that the Bush administration so glaringly lacked.

Another example of the change we need is the stance the Obama administration has already taken with regard to bringing an end to divisive politics. Even before he won the election in an landslide he spoke of not demonizing the loyal opposition because real change can't happen in an divided nation. We must all come together to govern this great land.

BTW: there is a big difference between governing and ruling: The Bush administration has ruled this nation for eight years. Obama will govern. Look it up.

[rf-hawaii]

The change spoken of is the denial of Bush fascism, of the Republican politics of scarcity, the Reagan myth of `trickle down economics'. These bankrupt ideas don't work and have nothing to do with democracy and everything to do with hoarding.

The change is back to inclusiveness and abundance. Everyone matters. And there are enough resources to go around.

If a person fails in some way, or various institutions fail them, they should never be left out in the cold or left to die. A man should never have to sleep in the street. And a man with health problems shouldn't be abandoned at the whim of an insurance company.

This is a country of abundance. The rich are free to hoard as they please, until their hoarding effects the rights of life, liberty and freedom of others.

The change is from socialism for the rich, to a little help for the middle class and poor that have been disenfranchised by that socialism.

The gulf between the rich and poor has never been wider. The change we speak of is towards our former balance.

Democracy is for everyone.

[patemuse]

Wonderful words from a beautiful human being. Although, it comes as no surprise. Your pride in getting older, sets a great example for other women in not just your field, but all women who find themselves less important as they age in a society that has little regard for the wisdom and the true beauty that comes with age. Our bodies may not be the bodies our husbands married, but our hearts and minds remain steadfast. VIVA LA MENOPAUSE!

[J4Obama08]

Jamie - This article could have been written by me and I'm sure so many of us who participated fully for the first time this election cycle. I too had "worked" before - given money and done some phone banking.
The day he announced - as soon as I was told to go to BarackObama.com I did so. I put in my zip code as I was told in order to join a local group - there wasn't one! I was just so damn excited to do something I said the heck with it and started my own! Now, well over a year and a half later, that group grew to over 300 people and we worked, cried and cheered together and helped to turn Florida blue!

There is nothing in your piece that I don't identify with and agree with (other then the fact that I was always an Obama supporter - even though I admire Senator Clinton and think she will ultimately be the Speaker of the House - she is a hard worker and so very smart. I would love her to remain in the Senate - there is so much to be done and we need her to help get these things done.).

I went to South Carolina with two other women and like you I saw things I had not seen before - people living without running water. Schools that were in disrepair. We can do better then that - with Obama we will!