Barack Obama has generated a movement in this country that I can hardly believe is taking place. It wasn't until Obama made his Super Tuesday sweep that I could even allow myself to entertain the thought that Obama could one day be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. In age, in ethnicity and race, in America's perception of what is (what was) presidential young Senator Obama has had a great deal to overcome.
Before Super (Tsunami) Tuesday I thought Obama would do well but that eventually a trap door would be sprung, he would be redirected out of the way and the actual Democratic nominee would step up. Obama's campaign would then become one for the History books. How long would it be before another such candidate would come along? The moment was here now and Americans were going to throw it away. But Obama and his supporters had a different story in mind.
Living in a country that elected George Bush not once but twice and brandished such bullsh*t slogans as "9 out if 10 terrorist support John Kerry" it was a giant stretch for me to believe America would get behind a man like Barack Obama. But here it is happening and I'm not dreaming. I understand what Michelle Obama means when she says how proud she is of this country for the first time.
I've mostly voted Democrat but rarely believed strongly in any of their leaders. They were the only viable party that came close to my own concept of responsible citizenship. I was independent believing more in causes and ideals than the pragmatism of either party. That has started to change now that Obama has reached the doorstep of the Democratic nomination and is about to step through. Here is a man I honestly believe is committed to the well-being of America and all Americans, a guy who would fight for us against special interest and wouldn't dish out the same old sh*t.
I got involved through the internet. Signed on to the mailing list. Read the blogs began to write comments online in defense of Obama and joined the fray. Donated to his campaign, listened to his audio CD and began to understand more where he came from and the motives that drove him to seek office. When I received an email from the campaign ahead of the Pennsylvania primary asking if I could house a volunteer I said sure. A week later a guy named Tom showed up on my doorstep. I had never met this guy and had to leave for work before he arrived. I work the night shift at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. So I just left a key for him under the cinder block in the alley and told him to make himself at home.
Tom wasn't a dyed in the wool Democrat either. He'd voted for Bush once and was then dumbfounded when Americans actually voted for him a second time. By April 2008 Tom had helped organize in Montana, Texas and had moved on to Pennsylvania to mobilize parts of South Philadelphia that are heavily working class Irish and Italian but also Hispanic and African American working class too. Tom has helped organize the infrastructure that is needed to carry out the 50 State Voter Registration Drive. His biggest wish was that Obama would do well in Pennsylvania so that he could go back to his kids and his family in D.C. I was usually gone all night and he was gone during the day. We both had work to do but the second night he was here, which was the first night I actually met him because I was off, we hung out and had a beer. He told a very funny story of a guy walking into a campaign office in Montana, laying his pistol on the table and demanding to know if Obama was going to take his gun away. The office came to a stand still. "Um...no." Someone said finally. "Well, good. He has my vote." Sigh. I didn't get to see Tom before he left the day after the primary but I figured he would be on his way to Indiana.
After Jeremiah Wright, bitter-gate, and the constant chopping at the knees by Senator Clinton and the doubt draped over Obama by the media after the primary here I began to think that maybe America would let me down again. Would the Hillary juggernaut stubbornly stand in the way of progress or would America be heard? As imperfect a primary as it was it has still been the most exciting I have ever known. Just ask my coworkers who compare my passion for this race to the way people feel about their favorite basketball team or baseball team. Hopefully I have made that passion a little infectious so that others become as excited as I am to see Obama run for President of the United States. We're going to need that excitement in the months ahead.
Peace.