He started his speech by talking about Martin Luther King's concept of "the urgency of now." I think we all know what he means.
I took the bus down to the Key Arena today, with eleven-month old Quinn in a backpack. It was 42 degrees and windy, but by the time I got there at 11:30 (the doors were to open at eleven) they were turning people away. The lines had been growing since dawn and reached capacity at 9:30 for a stadium that holds nearly 20,000 people. Hundreds (thousands?) milled about outside waiting to hear from the man who has injected hope into the Presidential campaign for the first time since I've been paying attention. Anyone who watches (or listens, like me) the news probably knows I'm talking about Barack Obama.
oBama
And even if some people think that makes me an enemy or a Muslim or something equally scandalous, I still tell you: I brazenly, openly love the guy. Sure, he has some flaws - like he doesn't tell us how he's gonna bring about his ubiquitous promise of change - but I don't really care a whole lot.
You know what matters more? He inspires me; he gives me something to believe in; he reminds me of the importance of my every-day service to my community, nation, and world. And I believe in his integrity and I believe that he can make our country a better place because he will do one thing we have long been unable to accomplish: unite us, not divide us; bring us together, not tear us apart. Yes, all cliched, but damn it people, we need a little hope and a few hackneyed sayings to keep us going in a time of unrelenting upheaval.
It was cold, but I needed hope, and I needed to believe. It was a great day.
8.2.08
"The Urgency of Now"
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14 comments:
I like Obama but I'm more of a Hillary gal. That said, I tried to go to the Hillary rally last night (I live in Seattle too) and we got turned away because it was full. I do, however, think it's awesome to live somewhere with so many Dem supporters. (This is my first comment here, btw, so um hi!)
Probably not the arena to be confrontational, but there's a big difference between an inspiring public speaker and an earth moving politician, FWIW. I, too, am enthralled by Obama's presence, but it will take more than emotional appeal to make me believe he is the person who should lead our country.
Aaron,
I disagree that the language of "hope" and calls for change are emotional appeals - or ONLY emotional appeals. At any rate, they are better than the language of fear and cynicism so prevalent in our discourse.
Also, you're right that there is a big difference between an "inspiring public speaker and an earth moving politician." But the president is often called on to be the representative of the United States to the world; there are other times when the president will need the command of language and rhetoric to call the nation to sacrifice, to greatness, and to be our better selves. The country needs a president that can rise to those and other occasions. We have seen, with the current administration, the great damage that can be done when a president chooses his words poorly, especially in a time of war.
In addition, I think one of the great challenges facing the next president is the polarization of our country. We don't talk to each other any more. At least not with respect. The hatefulness of talk radio and TV punditry (on both sides of the political dial) has found its way into our general discourse. How do we expect to tackle the really big issues - health care, social security, foreign policy, climate - if we can't talk to each other? A vibrant democracy demands vigorous and civil debate. That can't happen unless someone can step up in word and deed to bridge the divide. Since stepping onto the national stage in 2004, Obama has made a unified American one of his central themes.
Obama is sometimes criticized for being insubstantial because the clips played in the media often highlight his soaring oratory rather than the wonkish stump speeches of Hillary Clinton. But his speeches are substantive and his positions are laid out, in detail, on his website. I'd encourage you to check them out.
A few days ago, I wrote briefly about why I support Obama. It's not much, though there is a cool video. You can check it out out if you'd like.
Penny, thanks for the blog post.
OBAMA'08! I too am supporting him. Agreed that he's inspirational and a breath of fresh air. But he also has been against the war from day one, wasn't afraid to rule out using nuclear weapons in our current conflicts, and says talking with our enemies might not be a terrible idea. I like Hillary too, but she can't lay claim to any of these things and as one of those wacky Christian pacifists, I gotta believe those are all steps in the right direction.
As John said, all his positions are laid out on the website. It's worth taking a look.
It's good to see a post on here about Obama. I thought there had to be one waiting in the wings from someone.
hmm... I too support Obama, and find him incredibly inspirational. But, I think that this type of endorsement is damaging at this point. If people don't get that he's inspirational then they should raise their heads from their assembly line lives and take a look at the world around them more often. What we need are endorsements with substance and thought, which he offers. His health care and financial policies alone are enough for me to vote for him. Caesar was popular with the crowd, but was he best for the public? Obama is not Caesar... he's popular with the crowd AND best for the nation.
John,
I really appreciate your thoughts and I think on the whole you are right. If someone would lay out a few of his key positions that they personally endorse it would make for a good discussion, I'm sure.
Inspiration is power! Hope is change! Unity is a strength our country has seen little of for decades now. The later Clinton years and most of the Bush years have seen far more than their share of bitter animosity, unproductive partisanship, and arrogance, arrogance, arrogance in our policies, our politics and our politicians. Hillary is every bit as much a part of that as Bush and Bill. I'm sick of it, just sick of it. And i'm not alone. The thought of Hillary's supporters chanting "Yes she can" gives me such creeps! That's the same arrogance i despise in Bush and that i despised in Bill. I don't doubt that Obama is imperfect, will make mistakes, and may even become like them, but now, his words give hope. Hope is change. Words are unbelievable power. For good or ill, they matter intensely; even Bush showed that, though for ill. I really hope Obama will be our next president.
great conversation, you guys. we've had a few posts regarding Obama here on the blog and at Burnside, and it seems a few of our contributors and editors will be voting for him.
I'll explain this a bit more in our letter from the editor this week, but Burnside will not be endorsing any particular candidate. individual writers are more than encouraged to tell us who they'll vote for, but, as a site, I don't believe we should be in that business.
just wanted to clarify.
Right. Just for clarity's sake: just cuz I like obama doesn't mean don does or jordan does or BWC does (cuz I am perfectly serious when I say that people have been confused about that before!).
and yes, thanks for the clarification, y'all. I don't like him JUST because he's inspirational. Here's a smattering of the other reasons: he was a community organizer; he's wicked smart; he brings Republicans and Dems together; he was against the war from the beginning; people don't hate him.
And I couldn't agree more with your post, John, that our public rhetoric has taken a nasty, nasty turn in the past decade. I, for one, appreciate the change, and believe it can take us in the right direction.
This presidential election is my first, so I don't really have politics sorted out yet. My roommate asked me last night why I like Obama, and I didn't know what to say. While I agree with many of his ideas, maybe the biggest thing is that he makes me care about my country. I've never been patriotic, but Obama gives me hope of a country that I will be willing to stand up for.
Well put, Anonymous.
You know I'd take four years of just great speeches. I haven't been alive long eneough to have experienced too much history, but the history I have experienced hasn't given me reason to be overly impressed...at least on the presidential front. From, Iran-Contra, to Savings and Loans, to Somalia, to Lewinsky,to lobbyists and to our current mess...
Just give me four years of no scandals...and great speeches.
This race has been interesting to me because I also like Obama despite that some of his policies I don't really agree with. But ever since I listened to his keynote address at the Call to Renewal, I've been hooked on him. It's his fair-mindedness that I can't find in any other candidate.
Sadly, I cannot vote for him in April unless I change my voter registration, but I've decided that if I do change, I was going independent. But if I go independent, I can't vote in the Pennsylvania primaries. But I'm rooting for him.
As for Hillary and for contrast of the urgency of now, I just do not want to continue to be part of 32 or 36 consecutive years of a Bush or Clinton in the White House.
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