My Journey to Obama

I didn't start out with him. I thought people were projecting wildly onto him, making positive assumptions that he hadn't earned and filling in empty spaces in his resume with mere hopes of substance. But the longer campaign season has worked for me; having watched the candidates move through time, I've seen who's grown and who hasn't. I've ended up -- at least for now -- with Obama.

I'm perplexed by the question often presented by his opponents, "Yeah, but how is he really going to change things?" To me, he already has. He has awakened the sleeping giant of American democracy, and that is the greatest antidote to every problem we face.

Then there's the "Yeah, but it's all just pretty words" argument. Oh please. Kind of like, "Of the people, by the people, and for the people," "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" and "I have a dream"? Are we supposed to think that words never actually changed the world? For me personally, he had me at "Yes, We Can."

Of course, there's the notion that someone else might know what to do from Day One, given how much experience she's already had in Washington. But for me, one of the things I like about Obama is that he hasn't had more experience in Washington. I think he's had just enough to know what he's doing, but not so much that his consciousness has been completely permeated by the rules of that game. When I think of the American government, I'm reminded of a line oft said in Alcoholics Anonymous, "Your best thinking got you here." I support Obama not because of his position on specific issues; I support him because of his worldview.

Quoting Einstein: "We will not solve the problems of the world from the level of thinking we were at when we created them." Obama is a dreamer and I say Good for him. Only Bobby Kennedy's mythic idealist - who "dreams of what hasn't been and asks 'why not?'" -- will have the power to lead with a new state of consciousness. And nothing short of a new state of consciousness will create a new state of the world.

Obama is a risk -- as is any new president, actually -- because we don't really know where he would lead us. But his main opponent, in my mind, is a greater risk -- because we do. She has clarity and brilliance about a world that is, but he has visions and intimations of a world that could be. He's the natural heir to Bobby Kennedy's mantle of a pioneer who seeks a newer world. There's a wagon train behind him, and -- at least for now -- I'm on it. Because I'm a dreamer too....

Comments

[eaglecapri]

Welcome! So happy to have you aboard.

Obama '08

[fasd]

I think really do think. So much that I know I'm right. My dream team - Obama, Paul. New ideas and experience. Who could complain? Everybody represented.

[Crowhaul]

The problem I can see with Obama (and this may initially seem insignificant) is that he smokes. He's actually one of the last remaining smokers in the US, and he wants to be our President. Perhaps he hasn't heard that it's actually bad for you (those warnings are just for pregnant women, damnit!). Or, perhaps he just doesn't have the will power to quit...

Dont' get wrong, I support Obama (well, Kucinich really, but let's be honest here). I'm just a little weirded out by the fact that there'll be a smoker in the Oval Office. I don't let my wife smoke in my car but I'm supposed to let my President smoke in the Oval Office?? What gives...

[Guitarsandmore]

John Edwards is by far and away the best candidate for the job. He is the most progressive (Hillary being the most conservative)with plans to make corporations pay their fair share of Health Care reform.

Edwards has a better track record of standing up to corporations while Hillary has a track record of snuggling up to corporations.

Edwards was the first to say lets bring all of the troops home now, Iraq was a mistake.

Edwards makes a better stand and projects a clearer plan on energy independence, alternative energy, and sticking it to the Arabs.

Hillary gets sidetracked trying to pass laws against flag burning. I don't know about you but in my neighborhood no one is burning flags but I have seen a few people forced out of their homes because they were seduced by the ARMS loans. Country Wide needs to pay and pay and pay.

[joebhed]

I am really happy that you have come to the end of your political journey at the road marked Barack. I agree that words are tools for empowerment. I respect your choice.
Others of us have also been on that path and at that junction awaiting a sign. I, for one.
I thought I was going to go with Barack. Some very trusted friends advised me to go there.
But, there I stood. Waiting. Hoping.
I was like: Yes, we can, what?
Then, after quite a while, I realized.
The answer wasn't going to come.
I realized that if I wanted to vote for someone who had something BESIDES THE WORDS, which are lovely and empowering in their own right, then I would have to look elsewhere.
John Edwards.
He's not just about the words.
He's about the problems.
He knows what they are.
He's about he solutions.
Going after them is what he promises.
He's about the issues.
He's not perfect.
But, I have to say that in my intellectual honesty I knew I could not stand at that junction in the road and advise any of my friends to take the Barack path.
What could I offer them.
Yes. we can?
I may very well be wrong, and I often am.
But I have this belief that Barack Obama's campaign is going to implode.
There's a lot of folks out there who want solutions to problems.
There's a lot of time, too much time, for Obama to incessantly stand at the podium, knowing he is the right person at the right time, telling everyone that will listen that the time for change is now.
But I think that message will run out of steam for many Americans.
They will look beyond the symbol of change and the slogan of change for an answer to the question:
Change to WHAT?
And if Barack has an answer to that question, he better come out of his rhetorical cocoon and give it to us. NOW.
John Edwards ain't as cute, and he ain't half-black, but I know where he stands.

[remc]

I agree completely, great post. None of the older folks I know (since I was about 2 at the time) say, "yeah, that "ask not what you can do..." speech was great, but what really inspired me to get involved was his economic plan", even though I'm sure he had one, as Obama does. This country is wasting away for want of an inspiring leader for all of the people, not just partisan diehards.

Go Obama!

[StephenDedalus82]

"Yes we can" -- not exactly Shakespeare, or JFK. Come on, I like a good speech too, but Obama's speeches aren't THAT good. They're simplistic and vague, and the central fallacy of all this is that he hasn't really done anything yet. A lot of people can make a good speech. But neither Kennedy nor MLK nor anyone else Obama so modestly compares himself to achieved what they achieved via a speech. The speeches came after they had fought the hard fights, and been elected to office, or had set in motion change. Obama is qualified to be president because of "hope"? As in, we hope he'll follow up on his pretty words? I'm sorry, the saint has no clothes.

[SmellTheHorse]

The Clintons have a history of surrounding themselves with sleaze-prone sycophants and bumbling managers (Janet Reno and the Waco massacre, anyone? Susan McDougal? Marc Rich? Web Hubbell?)
Simply, I dont want that whole sick crew screwing up the White House and further infecting the Democratic Party.

[DennyCrane]

Hillary is the riskiest candidate of all because she votes based on what people will think of her. She voted to give Bush the authority to invade Iraq, not because she believed Iraq really had WMDs, but because she knew her critics would label her weak on national security and afraid to combat terrorism. It was a vote based on calculation, not principle. I expect a Hillary Clinton presidency will be more of the same. She'll be hawkish out of fear of looking weak. And when she makes a mistake, such as the above vote, she'll never admit it. To do so would invite accusations of being indecisive and that just plays into the stereotype of women.

[KSH]

I am a dreamer myself! Glad I am not alone in this fight!

[cadbury]

"He had me at 'Yes, We Can.'" Really? Wow it didn't take much. Will someone please tell me: Yes we can WHAT??

[krissymax]

The past week has shown me that Obama is not ready to lead this country. He attacks Hillary on the MLK statement, which was taken out of context and shows extremely poor judgment by Obama. Further, I learned about the Rezko real estate connection between Obama and the now indicted Rezko. The Republicans will steam roll him, if we are so silly to pick the most inexperienced nominee for President in our history. JFK was young, but had served in Congress for 14 years. Just from the info in his book and his lack of experience and the hypocracy of Rezko, the Republicans will have a field day. And apparently, Mr. Obama can't even withstand any mild criticism of his own record from a fellow Dem.

[Parducci]

Hope for change, change for hope, changing change, hope upon hope. Dare to be great. The audacity of hopeful change, and spare change. It doesn't get any better than that.

[whimsicalpig]

The difference between bobby kennedy and obama is this:



bobby kennedy would not have to face a partisan and recalcitrant congress. He was aware that compromise could be accomplised in 1968. this is not true today and as such



It dooms obama's plans from the get-go. (and I truely believe he must know this deep in his heart)



the dog and pony show that is going to be their mutual destruction will ensure that john mccain will win in nov.



A pox on both clinton and obama for letting their egos stand in the way of a democratic victory.



we need a better candidate than either one of them.

[JDWPS]

Beautifully stated, thank you and welcome to the millions who see Obama is what the nation needs.