On November 5th, 2008 my mother went to my dad’s grave and laid a wreath in celebration of Barack Obama’s victory the night before.
As I answered the phone that joyful morning a tearful voice greeted me on the other end,”I’ve just come from your dad’s grave,’ she sobbed, ” I told him the revolution we always talked about has finally taken place…”
With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat I told my mom that I wish I had been with her to say a few words as well. What I would have said? I can honestly tell you I don’t know and that’s one of the reasons it has taken me this long to write this blog.
Words CANNOT and DO not do Obama’s election to the highest office in this land and arguably the world, justice.
How can they?
Words cannot adequately express the effect of 300 years of slavery and another 90+ years of segregation/Jim Crow on a people can they? And words cannot express what it means to me and countless others like me black or white to see a black man lead a nation that once classified black people as nothng more than cattle.
How can words….they are no words that adequately express that triumphant feeling in my mother’s heart as she spoke those words at my father’s grave that morning just as they are no procedures that could bring my father back to life to witness that pivotal moment in Grant Park but on November 5th 2008, the revolution he always preached, longed and sometimes even begged for finally came I hope that he is finally, finally resting in peace.
In a few hours you and I will have the opportunity to make a difference.
We will have the chance to raise our voices in unison in a call for change-a call for a new direction.
If we succeed it will be the end of the world as we’ve known it and I know that you can’t wait to say goodbye to the past and hello to the future!
I am so ready to wrap my arms around a future where national unity is more important than partisan political bickering, where the health of the individual is more important than a healthy bottom line, where global peace and global security are more important than GDPand GNP and where national reputation and image are more important than personal or party ideology.
It’s a lot to ask I know but as the most powerful citizenry in the world it’s our responsibility to take those first real steps towards improving our lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters across the world by voting for Barack Obama.
Almost two years ago, we stood with him in Springfield, Illinois as he announced his candidacy. And after eight years of being pushed and kicked around we were ready to hear his message. Today, we start taking the first real steps towards making his vision/our vision a reality.
It’s been a hard and difficult struggle and we almost didn’t get here but you’ve been valiant and vigilant my friends, battered and bruised yes, but we’re here.
And as we start down that unexplored path with heads held high, proud hearts and the knowledge and belief that anything is possible in this great land remember this day. REMEMBER THIS DAY for this is the day that marks the end of the world as we know it and you know what we’re not scared. We’re not anxious. We’re feeling just WONDERFUL!!!
Divas don’t or wouldn’t muddy themselves in the dirty, dog eat dog world of politics.
Sarah Palin is a shrewd, ideologically rigid politician that has cultivated and energized the base of her political party, the Republicans, and will undoubtedly remain a force within it for years to come.
Many have preoccupied themselves with her clothing allowance/expenses (yes, 150 000 is a bit much..but hey I would take it in a heartbeat wouldn’t you? ..lol) interview missteps and basic lack of knowledge of critical international issues.
However, Sarah Palin, in the last few months has come to symbolize the modern conservative woman. And many in the conservative movement recognize that she will not compromise or wither, as other chosen ones have when confronted by democrats, in her support of their signature issues-pro life, anti-gay marriage and closer ties between religion (Christianity) and the state.
Palinhas them fired up and ready for ‘war’ and with the Republican party in shambles, the leaders of specific fractions of the Republican base will emerge and ultimately one of these leaders could assume control of the entire party. Palin is in a unique position at the moment, not only does she have a built in base of support but no other individual has emerged to challenge her for control after the election.
Mccain is not a threat since he has never had any real creditability or power within his party and if he loses the election any power he did have will be gone. So, Sarah Palin will brush him aside in a heartbeat and who else is there? Governor Bobby Jindal? Governor Tim Pawlenty?
While both men are widely regarded as rising stars Palin’s star far outshines theirs and that will continue well into the future.
Palin should be watched very, very closely by democrats because she has no plans of going gently into the night and if she emerges as the savior of the GOP and it looks like she could, then 2012 could prove to be the toughest year yet for Democrats.
And should she become and even more effective communicator and better versed in the ways of Washington and the world she may yet ascend to the highest office in the land…remember stranger things have happened-a man by the name of Barack Obama is on the verge of becoming the 44th President of the United States.
Hillary Clinton and Obama are appearing side by side in Florida together. In fact check out the live feed.
A few minutes ago she gave a warm introduction to Obama. I still don’t think she means all of what she says but it was awesome to see them together.
And Obama even got the audience to chant Hillary’s name. He even talked admirably and glowingly of her. Now, this is what we should have seen more of over the last couple of weeks.
Obama is up in the polls, he just got Colin Powell’s endorsement (I think this matters very little but as i say since this is the biggest job interview in the world, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have him as a reference)democratic registration is through the roof, John McCain and his campaign are stumbling and fumbling their way through this campaign while the country is hungering, begging for change.
Across the country, democrats in congressional and senate races can see the finish line and if the polls are to be believed it is there’s to lose BUT losing is still a real possibility.
Obama has so far mounted and effective defense to Mccain and Republican attacks but the American public is still unsure and ‘uncomfortable’ with an Obama presidency (in past posts i’ve explained some of these reasons) and there is a very real possibility come election day that some voters who have not openly voiced their concerns with pollsters will cast their vote for Mccain. In addition, the youth vote which has propelled and fuelled the Obama campaign may not turn out en masse thus handing victory to Mccain and the Republicans by default once again.
The Obama campaign and democrats shouldn’t, and I hope they’ve learned their lesson after 2000 and 2004, send out the invitations to the inaugural balls just yet. It ain’t over till the last vote is counted and every voter and possible voter matters in this election and I believe that for the first in almost twenty years voters are really paying attention so one little slip up by Obama in the next 15 days could usher in the end of his campaign.
And With John Mccain and his team searching for a narrow victory scenario you know that they aren’t taking anything for granted and that they will utilize every weapon in their arsenal to win and democrats always seem to have a hard time doing the same and should Obama and democrats become complacent and start to believe it’s a done deal they would’ve have created an opening and path for a John Mccain victory.
At the moment John Mccain, thinks that tying Obama to a socialist ideology ( I will discuss socialism at length in an upcoming post)while appealling to white working class men and women like ’Joe the Plumber’ with his tax cut rhetoric and sharp jabs by running mate Sarah Palin will consolidate many of these low information voters behind him. And the constant signals they both transmit to voters that Obama isn’t and could never be one them (we all know why just look at him wink wink) regardless of where you stand on the right or the left is an effective often practiced divide and rule political strategy. I don’t know if it will work in this election but we cannot dismiss the fact that is has before.
However, I hope that Obama and his team anticipated these tactics and mount a quick and effective defense to them while at the same time reinforcing Obama’s real working class roots while highlighting his intellectual capabilities and ability to lead and inspire us to be better.
Democrats must recognize that they are still votes to be captured and that nothing, NOTHING should be taken for granted over the next two weeks and they do so at their own peril.
Did anyone watch the Jon Voight interview on MSNBC today?
OMG, was it painful.
Contessa Brewer was interviewing him and in the beginning of the interview he spent almost one minute of air time talking about her name and how beautiful it was..it was excruciating to watch and it just got worst listening to him talk about his support of John Mccain and about Obama supporters being Marxist, you would think that as actor he could have acted his way through the interview but i guess when they are no prepared lines or stage directors most of them would just fall flat on their faces as he did.
