Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?' - Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian

Friday, January 26, 2007

The Audacity of Hope

otherwise known as 'I am changing my political affliation so that I can vote in the NY Democratic Presidential Primary'

Barack Obama, from his 2004 Keynote Speech at the Democratic National Convention:

I am going on the record as saying I am not buying what 'they' are selling. 'They' like to raise incidious doubts by asking innocent questions......'Is America ready for a black in the White House?' 'He doesn't have much governing experience' 'He hasn't done much politically' Bullsh*t to all of that.

NOT.
BUYING.
IT.

We are ready for someone with compassion, someone that 'looks' like America, someone that can speak to our better ideals. I wish it was Hillary. I would have loved to vote a Democratic woman into the White House. But I have come to the reluctant conclusion that it can't be Hillary. Oh, I believe she would be completely adequate (or at least wouldn't cost the lives of thousands of innocents by going to war on trumped up evidence, but we won't go down that particular road right now) but I think we have come to a point when we need more than adequate. We need a leader who will speak to our higher ideals, who will repair our relations throughout the world and who can encourage us to do better.

I remember hearing Obama give this speech live and thinking, 'Wow, what is this?' The husb, who is the most skeptical, non political person I know, was watching and said to me, 'He makes you believe it can be different, doesn't he?' He also is changing his party affliation so to be able to vote in the primaries.

So, early, early on in what will be a long, long, political season, that is where we stand now. Position subject to change :-)

3 comments:

All my tomorrows said...

I'm watching him carefully. I'm not one to drink everybody's kool aid, but we need SOMETHING in 2008 to believe in.

bazu said...

I'm also watching Obama... with a bit of skepticism. He has to really wow me if I'm going to vote Democrat (I'm registered Green). Also, the whole religiosity thing... and he smokes! Yep, he has to convince me.

runswithdog said...

I know, I know. I feel like I am a living embodiment of that poster that hung in Fox Mulder's office of a space ship landing with the words, "I want to believe" under it. I really, really 'want to believe' LOL