Barack in My World

Today, on the 21st of February, 2007, 622 days before the 2008 election, I would like to formally announce my intentions to vote for Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States.
Now, before the distinguished Senator from Illinois and his wranglers get a hold of this week’s Chronicle and plaster this endorsement all over their campaign materials, they may want to take a look at my voting track record.
The first Presidential election I was eligible to vote in was way back in the Golden Age of 1996. I was a junior in college and fairly apathetic about the process. On Election Day, I think I pounded a couple of Icehouses and stumbled to the elementary school a couple of blocks from campus to cast my ballot for incumbent Bill Clinton. It was a great day for democracy.
Four years, a sweet little sex scandal, and a nasty impeachment later, I was living with my 80-year-old aunty Betty in Chicago while trying to make a way for myself in the Windy City. There was just no way the privileged son of a failed president was going to beat the all-powerful and extremely charismatic Al Gore, so I couldn’t be bothered to take the steps to vote absentee back home in Indiana.
I did manage to drive downtown to catch Mr. Gore at a massive rally at Daley Plaza a day or two before the election, but that was because Stevie Wonder and John Cusack were going to be there. After the rally, I had three large cups of coffee and tried to drive back to Aunt Betty’s house in rush hour traffic. It was a bad scene.
By the next election cycle, we were attacked by terrorists and fighting in two wars abroad. It was time to take politics seriously again. I was reporting for this newspaper when I heard retired General Wesley Clark (not to be confused with Laurens County Transportation Committee Chairman Niles Clark, who I would also vote for if given the chance) speak at Presbyterian College. He had not yet entered his name in the ring, but I decided he would be my guy if he ever did. He did, I voted for him in the first-in-the-South Democratic Primary, he lost to John Edwards and John Edwards eventually lost to John Kerry for the Democratic nomination.
A few months later, I voted for Kerry and Edwards in the big dance. I was inspired by neither, but was so passionate about the failures of Bush and Cheney that I felt called to my duty in the voting booth that day. It turned out to be just a prank call, though, because the greater of two evils won again.
After a decade of dispassionate voting, something exciting is happening. I’m enthusiastic about a candidate.
A couple of years ago I read Senator Obama’s book “Dreams of My Father.” It’s an insightful memoir about race, culture and identity. He wrote it long before he was considered a viable candidate for the Illinois state legislature, let alone the White House. He talks about drug use and even today he admits he inhaled. “That was the point,” he has said.
I recently started reading Senator Obama’s latest book, “The Audacity of Hope,” which is much more a carefully orchestrated political manifesto than “Dreams of My Father,” but no less insightful, entertaining or important. Lots of politicians have written or had ghost writers write books where they describe how they feel about the issues of the day. There’s just something different about Obama’s words. I can’t explain it. I actually believe him.
Now, being a good writer doesn’t qualify you to be President, but having a leader who knows how to express himself would be a pleasant change and extremely valuable if we’re going to solve new global issues with diplomacy.
Cynics will say he doesn’t have enough Washington experience for the job. I think that’s an attribute.
Some people will say, in fact have already said, “He’s not black enough” and “he’s too black.” How about that?
Curmudgeons will find any number of reasons to try to rain on Barack-o-Mania. Maybe they’re Republicans, Hillary Clintonites, John Edwardsians or Tom Vilsackiacks. Or maybe they’re just too old and jaded to feel inspired by a politician.
I’m not sure if Obama actually has a chance to win, I’m just happy I haven’t grown too old and cynical to feel inspired and hopeful. It’s a nice change.