You Call That A Debate?

Ever since the much anticipated on again off again debate between the two Presidential candidates, there has been a lot of concern from Democrats and pundits concerning the performance or lack thereof from Senator Obama. Many people feel that the debate was full of “moments loss” for the Senator to “take it to” McCain. Many felt that after the disastrous week McCain had that he was prime for a final knockout blow. It’s funny because I remember the week prior to the debate I was visiting my parents and jokingly said that if I were Senator Obama I would do something deliberate to anger John McCain and show that he was temperamentally unfit to be President. I had even jokingly and somewhat cruelly suggested that I would mention McCain’s adopted daughter that Bush had used to derail the McCain candidacy in 2000.

For the many people who feel that Senator Obama needs to go after McCain during the debates, I would just like to interject some thoughts from my own experience of being a black man working in a white world. The first thing that I would remind all of those people who are calling for Senator Obama to get tough with McCain is that they are already going to vote for Obama. What a supporter looks for in a candidate may not be what an undecided voter might find appealing. What many supporters don’t understand is the fine line that Senator Obama has to walk; despite all the pronouncements to the contrary we are still living in America where blacks are expected to carry themselves in certain ways when it comes to interacting with whites. While many people want to use Senator Obama’s historical candidacy as the death knell to our racist past there are many others who are not so willing to put our racist history to bed.

The latitude that many whites accord each other in interactions is not the same they accord minorities during those same interactions. Senator Obama could in fact dissect McCain very easily with facts that are surfacing daily about the ruthlessness, incompetence, and gimmickry of the McCain campaign in the news media. But what many don’t understand is that even if he were to undress McCain publically during the debates he could still be viewed as the loser by many of the undecided voters. We must not lose track of what this election and many elections in this country have boiled down to; about 20% of all eligible registered voters. Who can gauge the mindset of these voters? I mean think about it; anyone with all that has gone on in this country the last 8 years who has not made a decision about what direction they want this country to go in at this late date how can you expect to know what is going on in their minds. The worse thing that Senator Obama could do is to offend those voters by being seen as picking on this poor old white man who has sacrificed so much for his country. Whether you agree or disagree with this narrative it is the one that many Americans accept as the truth.

This election despite the pundits and media talking heads pronouncements to the contrary is Senator Obama’s to lose. Would we rather he win the debate and lose the election? Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to let the news media continue to pound the McCain campaign with daily charges of incompetence and collusion with lobbyist? While I agree that if it were me I would do more to tie McCain to the current economic crisis and the past policies of the Bush administration during the debates, but despite his seeming ineptitude Senator Obama is rising in the polls; all polls. Many of Senator Obama’s supporters would like to believe that he will be judged by the electorate based entirely on his character and his competency. I beg to disagree. We must not mistake our own judgments for the judgments of others. There are some voters who are looking for a reason not to vote for Obama. They will vote for him, albeit reluctantly. As we get closer to Election Day the McCain camp will become more desperate and will begin to try more and more gimmicks and take even more risks, as they do so they will make bigger mistakes. These mistakes will not only derail their campaign but hopefully will take down other Republicans in the process.

To all of those who are watching every twist and turn of this election through the media’s microscope I would just like to suggest you “GET OUT MORE”. Turn off the television or the computer and go out to dinner or go to a movie. The media is not going to let this election become a landslide even if is. Think about it if people begin to view this election as being over the public’s interest goes down and media outlets lose advertising dollars. They will continue to try and peak the public’s interest in this election until the final vote hoping to capture every advertising dollar they can get their greedy hands on. Keep tuned to the future debates and watch how Senator Obama methodically exposes McCain for the fraud that he is, but remember how Mondale tried to expose Reagan and those results.

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Keep Their Heads Ringing

"This election is not about issues," said Davis. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."[1]

So once again this election won’t be about the issues from the Republican standpoint. I’m shocked! I can’t understand why they wouldn’t want to run on the issues. We haven’t had a campaign debate about the issues in the last 20 years. The Republicans have gradually moved the electorate away from the issues and have made each election a referendum on some social issue beginning with the Nixon southern strategy. At that point it was a referendum on law and order and the civil rights movement. At which time the American voting public voted resoundingly against progress.

In each subsequent election since then they have sought to divide our nation. You see the only way the Republicans can win is if they are able to divide us because there aren’t a sufficient number of fringe elements to sustain their policies or issues. You see when you only cater to the top 5% of the population it is hard to get elected; a conundrum to say the least. So how can a Party that caters to the wealthiest of Americans get elected and sometimes even maintain a majority? They have done it through deception and the age old strategy that the wealthy have always relied upon divide the masses. Throughout the years the Republicans have developed ingenious methods to carry out their strategy.

The most successful and nefarious plan has been the false “American Dream” scenario, where anyone in America can become rich and thus be in need of the Republicans policies that protect the wealthy. They have managed to convince a significant number of Americans that they too can someday be in the top 5% if they continue to support the Republican “trickle down” and supply side economic policies. So you have Americans earning 30,000 dollars a year voting with those making millions as if their interests were identical. What do I have in common with Bill Gates? How are our interests compatible?

The second strategy has been the race card or “white privilege”. In this scenario the scheme is to convince a majority of white voters that no matter what a black or minority has the white will always be better. Not only will they always be better, but the Republicans will be the ones to protect the tribe. They will be the ones to keep the other tribes in their places and thus protect the centuries old doctrine of white male dominance. This plan is supported by false studies that link all of the white societies problems to blacks and immigrant populations. Affirmative action, loose immigration, and social programs are all viewed as attacks against whites. While the race card has lost some of its appeal make no mistake there are still many proponents and believers in this strategy.

The third strategy is the red state/blue state, rural versus city, north versus south, pro-life versus pro-choice, etc. What the Republicans have been successful at is turning elections into cultural wars. So instead of having a discussion about universal healthcare we get gay marriage. Instead of a discussion of how the Republicans have turned one of the largest surpluses into one of the largest deficits, we get hockey moms and pit bulls. Instead of debating why we have not made any progress towards energy independence in the last 30 years, we get the most liberal Senator ever.

According to McCain and the Republicans Barack and Michelle Obama are not “our kind of people”, they don’t represent our America values. They are elitist and represent “the selfish” Washington interest. The Republican strategy has become if you say something enough times on enough TV programs then it’s true. John McCain and Sarah Palin are reformers because we say so, they’re records are immaterial. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are supporters of terrorism and are unpatriotic because we say so, regardless of their records of service to their country. Publically they are calling them elitist, but behind closed doors and Republicans in the south are referring to them as uppity. Calling a black person uppity is tantamount to a racial slur because usually following it comes the N word. Again we must keep them ni__ers in their place and that doesn’t include the White House.

I am coming to the belief that for whatever reason people in America no longer care about the truth. It seems that the more of the truth about Governor Palin surfaces the more her appeal rises. It’s almost as if we are living in some bizarro world where everything works in reverse. Lies become truth and truth becomes lies. The more this woman is exposed as being a fraud the more popular she becomes. The more she repeats her spiel of five convention lines, the more McCain’s numbers rise. Why should the Republicans change now these same tactics have worked and been honed for the past 20 years, culminating in the rise of George W.

The frustration with this process is seen in the faces of many Americans, but I am not sure there are enough people to reverse this trend. We have entered into a very dangerous area in a democracy. We are being mocked by leaders and citizens of other countries for the soap opera that our elections have become. Many foreign journalists have discussed how instead of focusing on issues our candidates and campaigns are debating cosmetics and farm animals. We have allowed our campaigns to become a cacophony of sound bite politics. The difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is that the Republicans have figured out that the majority of the electorate are not political junkies who research platforms and white papers of the issues. The Democrats still believe that the majority of voters actually follow the details of campaigns. The Republicans know that the majority of voters rely on sound bites and pundits. Because of this knowledge they craft their campaigns to capitalize on the short attention span of these voters. They develop false catch phrases and repeat them incessantly relying on the electorate’s laziness to pull it off. If you hear something enough it has to be true; remember if they say it on TV it has to be true. And they have every politician, pundit, and Party official repeating the lines over and over. This repetition of falsehoods is enough to “keep their heads ringing”.

[1] http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/09/mccain_manager_this_election_i.html

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New and Improved

A long time ago marketers figured out that in a consumer driven society the quickest way to sell a product is to put the “new” label on it. It doesn’t matter if the product has changed or not. A case in point is how many “new” Cokes have there been? Every couple of years we are treated to a new release of Coca Cola under some new ad campaign and packaging. Marketers have learned that the majority of Americans will buy anything so long as it is “new” just because it is labeled “new”. New and improved, under new management, and advanced formula are all familiar refrains of the marketers and have proven time and time again to be successful in attracting consumers. Unfortunately here in America we elect Presidents the way we buy products based on slick marketing and fancy packaging. Few of us have the time or the desire to investigate the people we elevate to the highest office in the land. The amazing thing about this is that we have just had the longest primary season ever and yet there are many people who claim they no nothing more about the candidates than what has been dished out by the tabloid journalists.

The latest instance of the new and improved marketing strategy is Senator John McCain. Let me get this straight Senator McCain spoke out throughout the primaries about how Barack Obama’s call for change was hollow and unnecessary, now this same Senator McCain is touting his own change theme. I’m sorry there are a lot of Americans who are gullible enough to believe that just because you label something new and improved that it actually is. Again, I’m sorry but from where I live this new and improved John McCain; he looks, acts, and sounds an awful lot like the old John McCain. The change he talks about bringing doesn’t appear like real change at all. I am still waiting for the McCain campaign and the Republicans to tell us where John McCain is different from Bush on the issues that matter; the war, taxes and the economy, healthcare, energy policy? You name it, where are the differences?

As for the “new kid on the block”, she is neither new nor improved. The more I hear her the more she reminds me of Dick Cheney in lipstick. Despite her homey delivery and I’m just like you salesmanship, she is acidic to the point of being scornful. The brand of politics she is espousing is anything but new, I thought this was going to be the election based on a discussion of the issues. It appears to me to be just more of the same with different faces, but the same game. And is it any wonder? Come to find out McCain/Palin are being advised by none other than Karl Rove.

Now that we see that Karl Rove is in the McCain camp it just shows that if McCain ever had any principals before, he has thrown them out the window. Isn’t this the same McCain who stated he would rather lose an election and stand on principal? Is it standing on principal to allow the man who not only defeated you back in 2000, but also authored the story that you had fathered a black child advising your campaign? I don’t think so! To me it is just a further indication of how McCain puts “Country First”, so long as he is elected that is.

It is amazing to me how much traction the Republicans are getting from this new and improved strategy. Are we that gullible as a nation? I mean you just can’t say anything. There has to be something said based in some sort of reality. Just because you say something everyday doesn’t make it true. Haven’t we seen this ploy before? If this ploy works then the myth of the independent voter is dead. This will prove that there are no independent voters, just left leaning Republicans. No one could be foolish enough to fall for the same thing election after election and claim to be duped. You make an error in judgment once that is a mistake, you keep making it over and over and it is now a lifestyle.

This election is too important to be decided by slick packaging and outright lies. The thing about democracy is “you get the government you deserve”. If anyone can look at these two candidates and not see a difference then they deserve what they get. No more “whining”, suck it up and take it cause when there was an opportunity to do better we chose not to. McCain and the Republicans are talking about running against the politics of selfishness, but the reality is that this is what they are hoping for. They are betting that instead of people looking to the future and the greater good of all of us, that the majority will choose the here and now and continue to rape and pillage the earth for short-term self interest.

Author Marianne Williamson said it very clear in her book, “A Return To Love”. She states that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful. That it is not our dark natures that frighten us, but the light inside of us, that we would choose to remain in darkness because coming to the light was too scary. Here in America we have the opportunity to begin the process of reaching out to our better natures, to put behind us the fear, the division, and rancor of the past. The question is will we? Are there enough of us who have had enough of this? Are there enough of us who are willing to put an end to this despite how new and improved or how pretty the packaging? Are there enough of us who are willing to sacrifice realizing that this free ride cannot continue without dire consequences. America like all great empires will not be destroyed from without; it will be destroyed from within by a population that has become greedy and self-indulgent. I pray to God that there are enough of us.

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The Most Liberal Senator Ever?

According to the Republicans, Senator Barack Obama is the most liberal Senator ever. As the Republican shrills made the talk show rounds the common theme was a familiar refrain. Senator_______ (you fill in the blank with any Democratic nominee) is the most liberal Senator ever. I am not a believer in déjà vu, but I can’t help but think I have heard this line before. Oh yeah now I remember; how about the last 20 years! It seems like whenever the Democrats nominate someone that person is immediately labeled the most liberal Governor, Senator, etc. ever.

You would think that the Party that has been in power 12 of the last 14 years would be running on issues and on all of their accomplishments. You would think they would be trumpeting the strong economy, the successful prosecution of the war, and energy legislative successes. Is there any wonder they are recycling the same campaign rhetoric of the last 20 years and ignoring the issues? The economy is in the worse shape in decades, the war is dragging on into its fifth year, and of course their answer to the energy crisis is more drilling and tax cuts for the oil corporations. Who wouldn’t run on those outstanding accomplishments?

Oh maybe those aren’t the best issues to run a campaign on so let’s look at the Republican platform surely that will include plenty of campaign issues to run on. According to their convention the issues the Republicans will be running on are eerily similar to the policies of the last 8 years. On tax policy they want to increase and even make permanent the Bush tax-cuts that the nominee himself has labeled as “tilted” towards the rich. On health care they continue to want to allow the market and insurance companies to drive the debate and craft the legislation, which translates into no universal health coverage. On energy they want to drill more holes and allow the gas companies to transition us into alternative fuels. On the war they want to continue the occupation and ignore Afghanistan and Pakistan, the real centers of the war on terror.

The Republican campaign strategy reminds me of the television ad for Verizon wireless where the neighborhood woman comes over and tells the couple that just moved into a home how the home is a cell phone dead zone. The couple explains that they have Verizon and their network. The Verizon spokesman comes out of the house and says the couple is good, and then the neighbor woman then says, “Well, you have crabgrass!” So I guess the Republicans are saying, “Yeah you may have the right positions on the important issues of this election, but you’re still the most liberal Senator ever!”

Of course another big Republican campaign strategy is their own change theme. John McCain and Governor Palin are agents of change .They are running against the “Washington establishment” and how they are going to shake up Washington. Once again rather than provide us with details of how they will address the important issues of our time, they provide us with these vague campaign slogans that do little in helping us to solve our everyday problems. In place of real debate and discussion of the issues we get the same ole politics of the past with the same ole name calling.

Remember when Fritz Mondale was the most liberal and then there was Governor Dukakis, and then John Kerry, and you get the picture. It amazes me how the media who is suppose to debunk and report on the false campaign narratives have allowed this to go on for 20 years. The next time a Republican talking head throws out this retread line it would be nice to hear a reporter remind them that they have been using this line for the last 20 years. But of course they will continue to explore the claim as if it were an accurate statement. Oh by the way how have the conservative politicians faired in governing our nation? And we’re all familiar with the purveyors of family values who ignore them for themselves. So if the choice is between the most liberal Senator or more of the same politics as usual maybe we could use with a little liberal change.

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A Palin In The Hand Is Worth Two Bushes

Is it just me or were there some conspicuous absences from the Republican convention? I got it; not only was there no one from the current administration, there was also no Cheney sighting, or no one by the name of Bush to be found. I can understand that George W. would not make an appearance due to the hurricane and all (Remember how hands on he was during Katrina and the aftermath). No one has done more to soil the Republican brand than he has, but I don’t understand why dad or Jeb wasn’t invited. The Party is trying to get as far away from the Bush’s as quickly as possible. It’s as though they never existed. The family that played such a giant role in Party politics and the elections the last eight years has been delegated to the sidelines.

Except for a one line acknowledgement during the acceptance speech of McCain, Bush was a non-entity at his own Party’s convention. I can’t remember when a sitting President was excluded from his Party’s nominating convention. My thinking is that if he was ostracized at supposedly the one event that contained his “people”, where will he be utilized during the campaign? Not only was the younger Bush sidelined from the campaign of John McCain, but it appears that the entire Bush clan has been asked not to participate. This says to me that the McSame branding of McCain is getting a lot of traction and should be continued to be hammered home in the coming weeks. The closer McCain can be tied to Bush the lower his numbers will be.

So what happened to the Bush legacy? While Democrats offered former President Clinton a main stage to make the case for their nominee, the Republicans completely dissed the Bush’s. It was just a few months ago that McCain was in dire straits and was in need of the blessings of George W. to placate the Party wingnuts. Since bringing Governor Palin on aboard it appears that McCain has once again sacrificed principal for political gain. The “Country First” mantra being put forth by the McCain campaign has no place in reality. If this were true then McCain would have followed his instincts and selected former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman. Instead the “maverick” chose political expediency and selected in what is appearing to be a quick decision to appease the Party base and selected someone who was not even vetted prior to the announcement of her joining the ticket.

So where are the Bush’s? Will we see the Bush’s on the campaign trail or will they be “too busy” to play a role in this historic election? President Bush and his policies which Senator McCain supported 90% of the time are an albatross around the Republican ticket. I don’t think we will see any joint appearances with McCain and Bush anytime soon. Bush is kryptonite to McCain’s Superman. The problem with the McCain campaign scenario is that they can’t have it both ways, they want to project this tough maverick image, but at the same time they ignore the fact that 90% of the time this “maverick” has supported the Bush policies. I am no political operative or expert, but how can you claim to be an agent of change and support the policies of the most unpopular and arguably worst President in the modern era?

I can’t even remember seeing any of the Bush’s clan publically campaigning for the McCain campaign, will that change? I seriously doubt it. The Bush’s will stay on the sidelines this election, but who will not be on the sideline will be Karl Rove. Make no mistake the McCain campaign is beginning to resemble the Bush campaign with each passing day. It’s lack of discussion of the issues and focus on personality.

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Desperado

It is amazing to me how foolish politicians and the media types take us for. They would have us believe that the reason McCain picked Governor Palin for his VP was because he wanted to thumb his nose at conventional wisdom and display once again what a maverick he is. According to the narrative, he wanted to demonstrate his desire for change and desire to break with the Washington insiders whom he has been a part of for the last 25 years. Let’s be clear John McCain would pick Satan himself if he thought it would get him elected. His selection of Governor Palin was a desperate move by a desperate man.

John McCain and the Republicans campaign would have been on a fast track to oblivion in the fall if he had chosen another conservative white male and he knew it. While Governor Palin might be a nice woman and may even be competent, but her selection was a giant gamble by McCain and the Republicans to make a clumsy attempt to foster their own change theme. My question is this; if the Republicans really wanted to embrace change so badly where was Governor Palin at the beginning of the process? Why were their only primary candidates the usual suspects of middle-aged and elderly white men? For the unenlightened the Republican’s goal for this country is to keep the status quo and to fight any real change. Is it really any wonder that when faced with the drum beat of history that they would now select a woman? So since nominating another white male was certain death they select a conservative white female with homespun charm and a dialect that some rural and lower-class whites can identify with.

So while on the surface the choice looks like change the reality is more of the same; just in better packaging. It proves once again just how bankrupt the Republican Party is in that they cannot initiate anything new, they merely copy whatever the Dems do and claim it was their idea all along. An example at this year’s convention is the great American hero mantle being placed on John McCain. Where was this heroic mantra for the last two elections? These are the same patriotic Americans who turned a true war hero into a coward and a wimp and turned a coward into a hero. Sometimes the hypocrisy of these people is overwhelming to the senses. Don’t they have any shame?

Another example of the change without changing theme was the orchestrated procession at the convention prior to Governor Palin’s speech where the Republican handlers decided it might be a good idea to actually have some women in the same frame as the Governor; however there was only one small problem. They didn’t have enough women to fill the section. Evidence again that the majority of delegates to the Grand Ole Party’s Convention were majority white and majority male. As I watched the cameras panning the arena and I saw a smattering of minorities I couldn’t help but wonder how they felt. Unlike many of my fellow bloggers and liberal fire brands I don’t believe that all Republicans are evil. I just think they don’t get it.

In the majority of speeches I had the displeasure of hearing, including the VP candidate the mantra has not changed in seven years. It is still be afraid, be very afraid. As the delegates were interviewed they also echoed the same Party line. What this suggests to me is that they are this small group of people who all share this mass paranoia that not only the terrorists are out to get us but according to Rudy so are our former European allies. I suppose 8 years of fear was not enough to accomplish all of their goals. So many civil liberties to trash, so many people to torture, and so little time. It was surreal to hear the Republican VP nominee speak about smaller government and how Senator Obama wants to expand government to take away our freedoms. I have to wonder were these people on the same planet as I was the last 8 years? This smaller government would it resemble the smaller government that allowed the mortgage bankers to speculate us into a housing crisis, or the banking industry being allowed to charge extravagant fees for services, or the gas speculators that have driven the price of gas through the roof. They don’t get it, we don’t want smaller government we just want a government that works and does what we cannot do for ourselves.

Finally I couldn’t help wondering that something was missing from their attack speeches about how the country is in dire straits and how important this election is. Oh yeah I remember it was the small details like for 6 of Bush’s 8 years in office the Republicans had all three branches of the Government, that the reason we as a nation are being assaulted on all fronts might have something to do with the occupant of the Oval Office for the last eight years. Not to worry by the time November arrives you’ll be convinced that it was Senator Obama who invaded Iraq, raised gas prices, and authorized torture. So much for that gentlemanly discussion of the issues, I think we can kiss that idea good-bye. Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

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Is Anyone Ever Ready

Is anyone ever ready to be President? I submit that no one short of an incumbent and maybe not even then is ever ready to immediately be President. I have never understood this false narrative that has been promoted by different candidates, pundits, and news media outlets that anyone who has never been President is ready to be President. Can anyone tell me that any of our past Presidents were actually ready to be commander in chief? How can one prepare for the unknown?

So, if no one can be prepared to be President how then are we to choose who shall lead us. According to McCain and the Republicans it should be based on experience. I would like to examine this notion for a moment. Based on their argument the best President would be the one who brings the most experience. So does history bear out this theory? The good thing about America is that we have history that can be reflected upon-though all too often it isn’t-we can test theories based on past experience. If we choose we can explore and examine the narratives that are presented to us. Maybe if we had exercised a little more due diligence we wouldn’t have had to suffer through the past 8 years.

The conventional wisdom is that the best Presidents were the ones with the most experience, so does the empirical data bear that out? Well based on the experience factor the two Presidents with the most experience would be Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, and James Buchanan. Let’s look at the records of two of these three men and see if the conventional wisdom is right. The Presidencies of these two men should prove once and for all that experience is over-rated. James Buchanan was arguably the worst President prior to George W. Bush. He stood by and watched this nation rip itself apart prior to the Civil War and sided with slave owners. In the case of Buchanan the case is clear that his experience did not translate into greatness or even adequacy in the office of the Presidency.

President Johnson was also considered experienced after serving decades in the Senate. His Presidency began with much promise and ended in agony, with all of his experience he was unable to extricate the country from Vietnam and watched as it tore our nation apart. He left office a defeated and demoralized man. At the time of his ascendancy to the Presidency no one had more power and connections than President Johnson, yet despite all of these things he allowed external events to define his Presidency.

Arguably the greatest President in American history Abraham Lincoln had the shortest experience resume of any President. Abraham Lincoln served 8 years in the Illinois legislature and one term in the U.S. House (1847-1849), a decade before becoming President. The rest of the time he was a lawyer in private practice. By today’s standards he wouldn’t even be considered as a viable contender, he would be laughed off any ticket in America. Yet despite his thin resume he proved that he was more than up for the job. When many others would have cowered and done nothing he demonstrated a commitment and strength of character that no amount of years in Washington could have provided and stood strong when faced with tremendous pressure.

I submit that rather than experience the more important characteristics are temperament and character in making a good or even great President. The sad thing about the election process in America is that these two traits are rarely if ever discussed. If they had been there is no way we would have had George W. Bush even near the Oval Office let alone occupy it. Not only are they rarely discussed by the media, but even rarer by the candidates and the electorate. We must discontinue allowing others to define the issues and what constitutes someone who is electable.

There is no preparation for the Presidency despite the false narratives. Preparation for the Presidency is the same preparation for any other important position in this country. It is the totality of our life experiences; it is our sense of ourselves and our place in the world that prepares us for life. Instead of our continuing to be misled with the deeply rooted game of bait and switch that characterizes our electoral process we must look beyond the Madison Avenue sales pitch and look into the hearts of these men. What do they stand for and what do they believe in, if anything. These are the questions we should be seeking answers to, what lies in their hearts not what lies in their ads. We all know what lies are in their ads.

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This Moment In History

As I have watched the Democratic Convention in Denver I have been both exhilarated and bored. However in spite of the slow moments it is amazing to see all of these people some of them having great power and substance preparing to coronate a black man as their nominee to carry the Party standard. Regardless of your Party affiliation or personal feelings concerning Senator Obama one thing is unmistakable a line has been crossed in America. A color barrier that has withstood generation after generation of onslaught has finally been assailed. This however is only the first step. The journey will not be complete until we see Senator Obama in the White House.

From the streets of Philadelphia where Frederick Douglas rose to prominence to the bridge at Selma, from the underground railroad that wound through the deep south to the promenade in front of the Lincoln Memorial, from the streets of renaissance Harlem to the sun drenched beaches of southern California a blow has been sounded for freedom in America. We as Americans should be rejoicing together not as black and white but as one nation willing to overcome the tragic history of our original sin. This is a milestone that we all can celebrate and find some measure of pride.

As expected Senator Obama did not disappoint in his acceptance of the Democrats nomination to lead his Party to victory in November. This night he delivered one of the most powerful political speeches I can ever remember hearing. What made the speech most memorable to me is how Senator Obama was able to weave the grim realities of what Bush has left for us and McCain wants to continue with the possibilities of what could be. He allowed us to look beyond the politics of the past to a post Bush future full of opportunity and hard work. He reminded us that we can not accomplish what needs to be accomplished without sacrifice without responsibility.

Since I am not running for first lady I can say this, I have never been prouder of our nation than I am tonight. The only thing that can top this would be on January 20th, 2009 to see Senator Obama taking the oath of office for the Presidency of this nation. This moment doesn’t all of a sudden magically catapult us into some new world free of hate, racism, and fear, but what it does do is show us the possibilities of a world if we are willing to realize that we share more in common than those things that separate us.

I will not try to convince anyone that Senator Obama should or shouldn’t be President, that is a decision that each one of us has to decide what I will say is this if you could hear the speech he gave tonight and walk away unchanged then you are about to miss one of the most defining moments in the history of America. Regardless of whether he wins or not (I personally think it isn’t even going to be close) we have reached a milestone as a nation. In the words of Senator Obama, we can not go backwards from here. We must march forward as a nation, no longer in mistrust and fear but with courage and confidence that we can achieve all we set out to do.

As an American that happens to be black, I am proud of Senator Obama for being the first black man to be nominated by a major Party to run for President, but more than that I am proud of him as a man. A man who is going to run, win, and govern as a man of principal and a man that can unite this nation. It’s been a long time coming, but for those of us who were able to endure the wait was worth it.

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