President Obama and Our America
A day or two after the election last November, I had a phone conversation with my oldest friend, a man who, like me is in his 40s and with whom I have been friends since the Nixon administration. During our phone call we were both still almost giddy with happiness following Obama's victory and reflected that throughout our lives, we had only known two kinds of presidents, those who we really did not like including Reagan, Nixon and the Bushes and those who we tolerated including Carter, Clinton and, I suppose, Ford. Obama would be something different, a president who would represent us and govern the way we wanted. I suspect we are not the only people of our generation to feel that way. Today, for the first time, I have a president who I actually believe in, trust and like. It is a new feeling for me.
I certainly understand that when Barack Obama put his hand on that bible today, and took the oath of office, the economy didn't magically get better, nor did the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suddenly come to an end, the threat of Jihadist terror whither away, or global warming stop. Politics, however, sometimes is more than just issues and results. Sometimes it is about narratives, stories and even vibe. Today is one of those days. America will draw strength from today's narrative, story and vibe and be able to better face the enormous challenges which lie ahead.
Due to work, family and my distaste for standing outside in the cold weather, I did not go to Washington for the inauguration. Instead, I watched from the university, Columbia, where I teach. At Columbia, the first day of the new semester has been particularly festive as students and faculty watched proudly on giant television screens as one of our alumni became our country's 44th president. Looking at the students watching this extraordinary event, I thought about how their political experiences are different than mine. They will come into adulthood with a president in whom they can genuinely believe and who represents the best our country.
As I walked around the inaugural celebration at Columbia, I could not help but contrast the students I saw to another group of undergraduates who I had seen four years before at another college. Almost entirely by chance, I spent Election Day 2004 at Kenyon College in Ohio where undergraduate students, many seeking to cast their first ever ballot, were forced to wait in lines for up to eight hours in order to vote. Most of the students showed admirable dedication and waited well into Wednesday morning, in order to cast their vote. That day, I was struck that this mostly middle class, mostly white group of students, genuinely, and not inaccurately, believed that the reason for delays was not honest logistical problems, but efforts by the Republican County leadership to prevent them from voting. I had never encountered Americans of their demographic so certain that they were the victim of, for lack of a better way to put it, election fraud. The experience deeply saddened me and made me fear for our democracy.
The students I saw today have had a very different experience and seem demonstrate the renewed faith so many Americans now have in their country. The difference between the despair those students felt in November of 2004, and the hope I saw in student's faces today is almost palpable.
It was not, however, the students at Kenyon or Columbia who were foremost in my mind today. Instead, I kept thinking about four people, as well as an evening almost 35 years ago when I first became aware of politics. My first political memory was when I was six years old hearing my grandparents and aunt and uncle burst into cheers as I slept upstairs in my grandparents house. I found out the next morning that the cheers were because they had learned that President Nixon had resigned. I was only vaguely aware of Nixon at that time, but my grandparents made sure I knew which side I was on.
Today, I thought about my own two children, who are almost the exact same age as Malia and Sasha Obama, and who woke up this morning shouting "Obama is president today!" My children do not really remember the protests we took them to at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York, but they remember this election, so their first presidential memories will be much happier than mine. They will remember watching Obama's string of primary victories, knocking on doors and eating ice cream in Pennsylvania during the primary and general election and, of course, this day, when a president who they can think of as theirs was sworn in. I feel much more confident about their future and the America in which they will grow up because of this new president. I am also almost a little jealous. They get Obama as their childhood president, while we were stuck with Ford, Carter and Reagan.
I also cannot help but think of my grandparents who did not live long enough to see this day, but who would have shared in my, and our, joy and pride today. I know that if my grandfather were alive today he would be cheering and shouting at the television even more loudly than that night in August of 1974; and he would be even happier.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
We have a new president who we all have high hopes for at the beginning of an era filled with infinite possibilities! I've posted a free image, which is yours for the downloading at: http://www
Mr. Obama is urging civility. He was distinctly uncomfortable when Mr. Biden made a joke about Chief Justice Roberts. It was a cheap shot, and it was clear that Mr. Obama thought so. I commend him for that. Likewise, I do not think he approved of or thought right the nastiness directed toward the outgoing president during the inauguration festivities and ceremonies. Sorry, but it wasn't right wingers acting nasty.
I hope that Mr. Obama's leadership results in those who like him a great deal following his lead. They seem to think he's talking to other people when he exhorts them to end childishness.
Is he a leader if no one follows--p
I couldn't agree more with your sentiments. I'm in my late 30's, and have had a cynical distrust of this and ALL Governments since...we
YES, WE CAN!!
YES, YOU CAN, PRESIDENT OBAMA!
Wow. that feels weird... I HOPE it LASTS!!
How unfortunate that you do not remember that ALL of us experienced the greatest prosperity, etc. during the Clinton administration. There are many of us that will always remember what they did for all of us. I support our new President, and have faith that once again, the welfare of all will be the main objective.
I'm HOPING that this is the return of Camelot (experienced when America was in love with JFK). I'm thinking that just maybe things in the U.S.A. aren't irreveresably effed up beyond all repair. If Obama can accomplish half of the issues he said he would do, I will vote Obama in 2012 so he can finish the list. I'm hoping the national trust hasn't been misplaced in our NEW president. I feel CONGRATULATIONS are definitely in order!
Gee Lincoln, that's great: Change you can believe in! Unfortunately your slobbering awe-struck worship of Obama is typical of American media's reaction to his election--and symptomatic of the most biased media coverage I've witnessed in any election.
The painful ( and unfashionable) but fair-minded assessment of Obama is that he's bright, and gives good speeches. There is virtually no track record, experience, or personal history which would give any objective individual strong assurance that he'll be "transformational", "brilliant", "highly effective", or any of the other encomiums of praise being thrown in his direction.
I like many others certainly hope he will be successful; I just don't think we have any evidence to arrive at the conclusion that he will be. So Lincoln, Chris Matthews, Maddow, et.al.--reel in the drool cups, and take another look at the objectivity which you have (or haven't) applied to this campaign and this man.
It's pathetic.
It will be interesting to see if the "liberal and open-minded" Huffington Post actually publishes this bit of heresy.
Funny how right-wing ideologues are always bitching about "biased, liberal" media coverage and the "Jihad" against conservatives. Yet it's that very same "biased, liberal" media that always gives them a an unrestricted outlet and free pass to attack anyone who doesn't look or think like them...
I think President Obama with the help of the American People who are damned sick and tired of the "when you've got no solution, ignorance, hate and division will do crowd," will do just fine. Not because of people like YOU, but in spite of them...
Wow-- the vitriol is really flowing. Methinks you doth protest a bit much-no one is attacking the Anointed One here. And don't know where the "jihad" part came from (?Hamas), but not from this poster--merely a calm observation that in this election it was pretty clear the media in general had a clear favorite, and by definition that ruins their credibility
Wow, totally don't understand the hate comments against drjj here. Just because you don't have 100% blind confidence in a newly instated politician doesn't mean you're a hateful, ignorant, divisive right-wing idealogue. While I think it's fantastic that people have renewed hope and vigor regarding our new president, I think our society has been meshing the ideas of the man and the message. President Obama, no matter how many times he may say the word, is not "hope." He is our president, not the embodiment of our collective wills and souls. He will, undoubtedly, take actions that the majority of the American public might not agree with. It'd be better for people to take off the rose-colored glasses now before being crushed by the disparity between what we dream and what is.
If you could open your mind for even a minute perhaps you'd get it. He offers hope. Something that so many of us have not had for eight long, painful years. He's definitely proven he can get things done. Did you expect him to have presidential experience BEFORE taking office?
Well hard to argue the "hope" thing--he built a whole campaign around this ephemeral concept. Would be interested in some concrete examples of how he's "definitely proven he can get things done" ?
A teacher at Columbia explains alot. Can you find a trace, a whisper or some evidance Obama actually attended to Columbia. Seems he left no trace is he a ghost? Those students who were certain that Republicans were trying to slow down their voting are the same dopes who think road construction is being done just to ruin their day. Little self important. Anyway anyone, even college professors, sho think ANY politition is the answer to their longing for something. anything that will fill their dreams will have a long wait. The process of governing is like making sausage; better left unexamined too closly. You want a God to worship go to church. When you return to reality study history. Russians worshiped Uncle Joe, China bowed before Mao and FDR was a demi-God. The feelings of the people were real it is just those individuals who fell short. This is what you get when politics is subsutited for religon.
the first President I remember was FDR. I remember the day he died and I cried and I was a child. I remember Harry Truman. I remember my father being so angry when Ike became President; we were a Stevenson household. the first President I voted for was JFK whom I admired very much. I like LBJ and was glad that he was there after Dallas. I admired the fact that he got the Civil Rights Act going. We needed that so badly. When Robert Kennedy was killed, any hope I had died with him.I sat there the next years - Nixon, Watergate and Ford's pardon of Nixon. It was only when Ford was an old man that I forgave him for that pardon. I liked Carter and admire the man very much. couldn't stand Reagan; he was not a good governor of California. Daddy Bush disgusted me. I liked Clinton, thought he was a good President. As for Sonny bush - I couldn't stand him; never voted for him. I never trusted him. I don't know who was worse, Daddy or Sonny? Both.
Then Obama came along - and hope returned to me after all these years. Thank God.
I haven't felt this way about a President since I was 5 and John Kennedy was inaugurated! MAYBE about Jimmy Carter for the first few months, until he started to p*** off his own Democratic Congress with totally inexperienced aides from Georgia, though I have never doubted Jimmy's sincerity or honesty. But to actually be EXCITED! No, never. I cannot count JFK as I was too young.
It's not just the obvious symbolism of a Black President with a foreign sounding name "Barack" (well, that could be Israeli as well as Arabic) "Hussein" (Despite recent bad connotations, King Hussein of Jordan was very moderate) "Obama" (African or...no fooling...
But he's a smart, careful strategic thinker who NEVER lets anyone get his goat. He surrounds himself with the BEST advisers, not "Yes-men". He reaches out to opponents and his own party alike. He says what he thinks, but never says it as a lout. So...even without the symbolism he'd be a damn near perfect choice. But the clarity of what America has done in trusting him make me very, very proud of my nation, pride at a level I haven't felt in a long time.
Do a good job, Mr. President! In about 2 years the campaign to replace you will begin in earnest...
Lincoln, I'm about your age, and identify with all your sentiments. And so, today, we rejoice.
But tomorrow, we begin the task of defending the beliefs we share with Obama against those who would tear him down, and our hopes and beliefs with him.
To be conservative means to conserve the status quo; they will not cede power without a fight, and they've got most of the traditional media trumpeting their views as truths.
Like the man said, the work has only just begun.
Like all great men, President Obama will show the conservatives that there is no need to tear anything down, instead think and act together and build something we all believe in and which is good our country and the world....
And we will be behind him 110%
Maybe enough of us will wake up and face the reality which has dawned. We are indeed at the prophesied "End of Ideology."
This is the age of innumerable minds prepared, interfacing and cross-fertilizing for problem-solving to meet the needs of a world enlarged by population growth and a geographic space reduced by hi-technology applied to transportation and communication.
People across the nation tuned out as irrelevant inappropriate ideologies which propelled a lop-sided socio-economic order drained human spirits.
The message of Hope born of the potential to provide pragmatic solutions to individual and collective human problems will provide room for freedom of ideological thought in-so-far as those thoughts are not used to exploit and dehumanize other human beings.
What reason would somebody have to not like Bush 1?
How much can the common citizen have when Bush 1 was totally CLUELESS about checkout scanners. I was glaringly obvious he had no idea how 99% of America lived. Bush 1 also continued on the path of shifting the wealth up to the richest 0.1%. Then there's Barbara and her comments about New Orleans' refugees stuck in the Astrodome. What do you consider as redeeming qualities in Bush 1>
I don't know, but 80% of the country saw something to like until he messed up with the "..read my lips" moment.
Iran Contra ring a bell?
I am a bit older than you, sir, but my memories about presidents left me jumpy and nervious everytime President Obama and his wife exited the Presidential Car....As a junior in high school, I experienced the Kennedy assassination, and later, MLK, RFK, the attempts on Ford, and Reagan, and this experience has left me numb with fear for our leaders...
The 44th is our 1st!
how do you define "ours"? Thought he was President for the whole country!
I so agree with you and everything you say in this article.
I started an Obama group the day he announced and when Florida turned blue I wept like a baby
I, like you, am in my 40s and can say only that ALL of the presidents in my adult life, beginning with the big enchilada himself- Nixon, have been disappointments. I wonder if its the personification of America that the office holds, that no human can execute upon our expectations and ultimately fall short. It does feel at least optimistic, let's try to sustain the energy, at least until Congress sinks their collective teeth into him...
My generation, which I guess people call "Gen-X", grew up with Watergate, Iran-Contra, and figures like David Duke. The examples (of politicians) we had taught us that these people were not to be trusted. Most of us grew up to believe that only those with the right network and background could ascend to the halls of power, and those who found themselves there were always more interested in financing their re-election campaigns than in representing their public constituency. We took it to heart when Pink Floyd asked "mother, should I trust the government?"
For the first time in my life, I believe in a politician. For the first time in my life I am allowing myself to feel real hope that this time it WILL be different, that this man can change the steadily declining direction of our great country.
I hope he doesn't let me down.
You're young and naive. Give it time. You will be jaded soon enough. The annointed one is human and he has Pelosi and Reid at his side. This will not go well. Not a chance.
Gee I wonder why Prop 8 got shot sown by the very liberal people of CA. And I wonder why Obama said on the campaign trail that he does NOT support gay marriage. As far as "hope for change". that is all you have. Enjoy it. Warren's prayer was powerful and relevant. Why do think Obama chose him. Dream on.
Seek help, carpevenom
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
