Oba maniac! A Conversion Story
Lately - everyone seems to be a political pollster with only one question on their clipboard:
Clinton or Obama?
While I live in the reddest state that ever has or will exist (Utah) and everyone probably assumes that I fall in line "leaning to the right", in fact I happen to be a long-time Democrat and am even running for National Delegate this year. So, I guess I should be forthright about who Im supporting.
Let me preface this by saying that early on, I vacillated - from Clinton to Richardson to Clinton and then finally....to Barack Obama where I enthusiastically find myself today. I remember distinctly when my "who-I-will support-aha"moment happened and it was somewhere in the middle of Uganda eating dinner with a couple of fellow "safari-ans" last December.
Let me preface this by saying that early on, I vacillated - from Clinton to Richardson to Clinton and then finally....to Barack Obama where I enthusiastically find myself today. I remember distinctly when my "who-I-will support-aha"moment happened and it was somewhere in the middle of Uganda eating dinner with a couple of fellow "safari-ans" last December.
I had been leaning toward Obama, but was concerned by his lack of foreign policy experience. Listening to these savvy Brits explain that they felt that the world would follow someone like Obama because of his fresh, youthful, "out-of-the-Beltway box" approach and becoming even more attentive as they stated that they felt that America would quickly right itself under his leadership, I found myself thinking "Yes, We Can! Yes, We Can!.....
As we talked, even our Ugandan servers and Congan safari guide chimed in and the feeling seemed to be mutual - that Barack Obama would immediately capture the worlds imagination. It felt like a Lilliputian United Nations was happening and it was at that moment, sitting in equatorial Africa, that I committed to support Barack Obama.
Ive come to feel that the best presidents throughout history (Washington, Roosevelt, Kennedy, ...(gulp) Reagan) all were figureheads who had the ability to raise the countrys collective spirit and get them to exponentially make great changes. One just has to contrast Roosevelts demeanor under the stress after Pearl Harbor with Bushs approach to rallying the troops ex post 9-11 to see what I mean. Hillary can demean Baracks inspirational speeches all she wants, but thats EXACTLY what we need right now.
Dont get me wrong, motivational speeches need to be coupled with incredible intellect and political acumen, (which no one can argue that Obama has), its just that leading the country is more about raising our collective spirit and surrounding oneself with capable experts. (Score big points √√√ for Obama when he suggested appointing Al Gore to a cabinet post dealing with global warming!)
Upon arriving home from my Ugandan trip, I was tickled to see that this fervor about Obama was starting to spread. I was most excited to see the young, alternative "coffee shop" generation also starting to step in line. FINALLY - the younger generation has found someone to rally behind. Its not quite Woodstock and Detroit 68 - but its a palpable mini revolution that is sorely needed.
So, with a little luck, you may get a glimpse of me standing with my fellow Democratic Utahns raising my Obama banner high. But, if not, Im the one in the Avenues of Salt Lake planting Barack posters alongside the geraniums.
As we talked, even our Ugandan servers and Congan safari guide chimed in and the feeling seemed to be mutual - that Barack Obama would immediately capture the worlds imagination. It felt like a Lilliputian United Nations was happening and it was at that moment, sitting in equatorial Africa, that I committed to support Barack Obama.
Ive come to feel that the best presidents throughout history (Washington, Roosevelt, Kennedy, ...(gulp) Reagan) all were figureheads who had the ability to raise the countrys collective spirit and get them to exponentially make great changes. One just has to contrast Roosevelts demeanor under the stress after Pearl Harbor with Bushs approach to rallying the troops ex post 9-11 to see what I mean. Hillary can demean Baracks inspirational speeches all she wants, but thats EXACTLY what we need right now.
Dont get me wrong, motivational speeches need to be coupled with incredible intellect and political acumen, (which no one can argue that Obama has), its just that leading the country is more about raising our collective spirit and surrounding oneself with capable experts. (Score big points √√√ for Obama when he suggested appointing Al Gore to a cabinet post dealing with global warming!)
Upon arriving home from my Ugandan trip, I was tickled to see that this fervor about Obama was starting to spread. I was most excited to see the young, alternative "coffee shop" generation also starting to step in line. FINALLY - the younger generation has found someone to rally behind. Its not quite Woodstock and Detroit 68 - but its a palpable mini revolution that is sorely needed.
So, with a little luck, you may get a glimpse of me standing with my fellow Democratic Utahns raising my Obama banner high. But, if not, Im the one in the Avenues of Salt Lake planting Barack posters alongside the geraniums.