140 Years ago, slavery ended in this country. The journey began for equality for African Americans. Tonight Barack Obama took an historic step toward that long held goal. The first African American Nominee of the Democratic Party in our country’s history. …”By the content of their character”
It is long overdue.
It is a moving, important, Proud moment for those who struggled and died to be thought of as equal to their European American counterparts.
His Speech, “This is Our Time” will become one of the great speeches. Never in the history of American Politics have more new voters cast their votes and been so engaged. This campaign is energized and ready for a different America. The world is watching. Eloquent and magnanimous, he will lead this country into a chapter consistent with the challenges of a new millenium. Most importantly away from politics as usual.
A leader has vision. He also realizes that he is as strong as those who believe in change. Barack Obama is a leader. Americans are ready for change. This will not be a campaign of fear. That will be John McCain’s campaign. Tonight the campaign of Hope became the campaign of real possibility.
This is our time for celebration for those Americans who realize that this is a momentous occasion which leads all of us that much closer to not a Divided America but The United States of America.
Unity. Hope. Change. For all.
Congratulations to Democratic Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama.
Let The Play Begin.
Barack’s campaign successfully merged two American narratives, those of recent history, and thus accessible to most voters: Kennedy’s optimism and Dr. King’s vision.
Mr. Obama may well have to dig a little deeper into history and work from another narrative to pull this thing off, that of Mr. Lincoln.
It would be an appropriate narrative for Mr. Obama: both men from Illinois, both junior Senators (if I remember correctly), both coming to the plate when the country was deeply wounded and in need of a unifying force.
Mr. Lincoln wasn’t given much chance of winning either, he arguably had more naysayers than Mr. Obama.
Moreover, Barack is the legacy of the greatness of Lincoln’s presidency, the man who battled against all odds and seemingly insurmountable foes to get this country united .
Mr. Lincoln’s quality of character is what made his presidency what we recognize it as today: one of the greatest in U.S. history, by the standards of most historians.
Part and parcel of Mr. Lincoln’s strategy was to, in the words of popular writer Dale Carnegie, “never condemn, criticize, or complain.” Mr. Lincoln was a master at taking those forces seemingly out of his control, i.e., renegade, divisive individuals without a wit of selflessness, and making sure that they managed to serve the Republic under his administration.
Those of us who are cynical and think that tit-for-tat is justified behavior in the world of politics are simply walking in the cynicism that has driven this country to the brink, a cynicism that Mr. Obama has refused to give in to.
If he chooses his former opponent as his political running mate, he will be demonstrating precisely the kind of character that Abraham Lincoln understood so well in the realm of politics.
What some people might see as political expediency is a deep understanding of how to bring this country together, despite the characters involved.
No doubt, as Mr. Lincoln well knew, this means taking characters on board that one is loathe to be with, whose principles or lack thereof one cannot begin to fathom.
History has been an invaluable teacher and predictor this election season, and we need only look to who got the nomination, give us pause to the very complicated reasons why, and grow in our collective consciousness.
Barack Obama’s new narrative must almost certainly incorporate the wisdom of his predecessor from Illinois, and fold Lincolnesque wisdom into his youthful glamor and charisma.
Then from the darkest night in American political history can we finally awake better and stronger.
As many have written, it is a shame that the country had to be driven so far down for the wheels of change to make another momentous turn.
Congratulations, Mr. Obama.
We look forward to the historic night of your acceptance speech, one which will resonate through Dr. King, all the way back to Mr. Lincoln.
Comment by bluesmokeofparadise — June 4, 2008 @ 11:11 am |