Well here goes for my first one...
I do not know how many folks saw this news as reported last night on Countdown, but I think it is a big deal: Muhammad Ali asked to and will attend the Democratic National Convention.
Now for those who are not familiar with Mr. Ali, well shame on you! Ali is one of the greatest athletes of all time! Originally born as Cassius Marcellus Clay, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964, when he became a member of the Nation of Islam (which back then was a very big deal, especially given the stature of Ali at the time). Additionally, he was one of the public figures who did not serve in the Vietnam War as he was a conscientious objector and actively spoke out against the war.
Now that is just a mini-history lesson for those who may not have been around to appreciate some of what this sports figure has done publicly. More recently, Ali has only recently started making his re-appearance in public life. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's Syndrome, which causes a slow decline in one's motor functions, and he (for a while anyway) did not appear in public much for a few years following the diagnosis. But he has started to make more public appearances, such as at the last Olympics, where he was a carrier of the torch.
Now why this is relevant and why I provided some background: Muhammad Ali asked to be at the Democratic Convention because he believes (as I think many of us do) that this convention, at this time in history, will be such a historic moment, and he wanted to be a part of it. Just think of how big that is for a moment - here is a guy with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, who has gone to war-torn Afghanistan as a goodwill ambassador, and been one of the most popular public figures in American history, and he is asking to be included in the Democratic Convention. That folks should give many of us pause to reflect on just how big a moment in history we are living in and lucky enough to witness. That is just how big a deal the presidency of Barack Obama is to many in the United States, and dare I say, the rest of the world.
You almost feel sorry for the Republicans that they cannot seem to drum up even the slightest kind of elation and excitement for their convention (where even members of their own party are hesitant to show).