Hoarse but Smiling

Never in my life have I felt so compelled to wave an American flag, so compelled to hug people, grin from ear to ear and just stare up marveling at all those tens of thousands smiling, waving flags singing and stomping their feet on the Denver Bronco stadium stands. Image after image is painted of the nation we can have offering us a simple choice. Tonight we feel what we as a nation could be. The path there is clear and is two months to its start. Not an easy path but one that is right before us and around us and here in our flying hands.

So I'm horse from shouting and doing the wave and laughing. After this night comes the hard work as the Republican Convention begins and Carl Rove (who is here in a back room somewhere) and his machine grinds up to frenzy and spends the next two months trying to rip Senator Obama and our nation's hope to tatters.

But we are durable people -- those millions of us who can not wait for equality or help with medical bills or jobs that don't vanish over seas simply so some company can make more profit for stockholders or escape the accountability of American health, environmental or worker standards.

Tomorrow the work begins all over for every American who is unwilling to risk losing the hope we have for the better nation that is in our grasp. But tonight I'll dance and sing to Bruce Springsteen. I'll go more hoarse and laugh and sing (even though I can't sing) because tonight Barack Obama accepts my vote and our nomination of him as our candidate for president.

Senator Obama is coming out now and I have chanting and stomping to do.

Comments

[Gabriella]

Well I am glad someone is confident of his abilities. I am still not convinced. Not sure whom to vote for, and as wonderful as his speech was it still seemed very contrived.

[Nicole LeFavour]

Gabrielle,
Senator Obama has worked in a state legislature for several years, work that requires in intricate understanding of a HUGE array of issues. To accomplish as much as Senator Obama did in his state legislative carreer takes GREAT skill and ability and a unique ability to bring people together and lead others from many backgrounds to come to mutual understanding on issues and solutions. Senator Obama additionally worked in the US Senate for four years and is said by many many members of congress (including Republicans) to have a unique talent for creating solutions to problems and cuttng through partisan divides. Over 20 generals in the US military came together Thrusday to endorse him as commander in chief -- for his judgement and leadership on the war. His proposals have been the ones that Republicans have come around to and his knowledge of the world is far deeper than MANY other candidates for president because he has traveled and lived abroad and better understands the cultural and hisotrical differences that have led to misunderstandings and war in decades past. I know it is hard to cut through all teh rhetoric and negative campaining that is part of presidential elections but I have met the man am and struck by how genuine he is and by how dedicated he is to ordinary people. That he does not take contributions from teh oil and gas companies, from insurace companies or energy or phar companies MUSt make for better policy since for once we would have a president who owes them nothing and can make the major changes we need there to make it so no one goes bankrupt over medical bills or watches their tax dollars AND incomes go to oil compnies like they are now. Sadly McCain chose anotehr big oil advocate for his VP. This will mean less money to produce alternative energy (which the oil companies hate.) I hope this helps.
Thanks for commenting.

[Heather in SF Bay]

Nicole -
I've been checking in regularly to see if you've updated anything, or blogged about your own campaign...obviously, I missed a couple of weeks!

Thanks for sharing your perspectives from the convention and from the floor. I do appreciate your quality and style of writing.

Maybe I speak more to Gabriella than you if I share a little of my perspective on why I am an Obama supporter. Admittedly, I was not on the Obama wagon from the get-go, but nor was I on Hilary's. Sadly now, for obvious reasons, I started as a John Edwards supporter. As he faded, I looked to both Obama and Clinton as both excellent choices. Even when it came to our primary, I split my allegiance...I donated to Hilary and voted for Barak. But ultimately, it was the vote that counted, not the money.

Although somewhat politically aware and informed, I was not politically active or engaged until Howard Dean ran for President. I experienced first hand the passion and hope of "taking our country back" and how people like me got inspired to get involved. And now, we helped get Howard his position and many other of my friends from the movement that started with him are in locally elected positions and party positions. I see the difference hope can make. And that's what I see in Obama.

Truthfully, I have bit of difficulty understanding why there is this idea that Barak isn't experienced enough for this job. He is far more qualified to be president than the current White House resident ever was. And as I have heard both Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter say, there really isn't ANYthing that totally prepares someone to become the President of the United States...there is a LOT of on the job learning for anyone in that office.

There are the more obvious political comparisons against McCain (and eek, Palin!) that you've touched on. But as you said, he's got a far broader world perspective and understanding because of who he is and the life he's lived...which as the "leader of the free world", it sure sounds like a great qualification for a president to me! He is intelligent and understands the importance of protecting our Constitution and the rights for all people inferred and conferred through it. He can assess the facts and make decisions based on them, not create facts from whole cloth or manipulate truth to fit his decisions. He's got the temperament to treat people with respect and not fly off the handle with anger like McCain has so often. But more importantly, he's got people engaged, he's got people excited about their future, he's inspired far more people to get involved and built on and surpassed any grassroots movement that began with (and as DNC Chair, supported by) Howard Dean. To me, that's almost as critical as his ability to make decisions, it's his ability to lead.

It was a very close race and they fought the good fight, but Hilary has given her full support to Obama, that debate is over. Face it, the next president will inherent a bloody (literally and figuratively) mess when he takes office. In order to effect any change, he's going to need the support and activism and engagement of all the people (like us) to bring about those changes he - and we - want so desperately. I don't believe there is any better choice on the ballot for this office than Barak Obama.

He won't be perfect, no one is. He'll make decisions any one of us will disagree with. And granted, anyone running for this office has to be confident in themselves and ambitious...but those traits aren't necessarily all bad. I trust him far more than any other candidate to do the right thing for us ALL as best as he can.

I have a friend who was a very strong Hilary supporter...she use to work directly for her on her staff. She went to the convention and came back wearing an Obama button and said she is a changed woman...and totally and completely supports Obama. That is almost as strong a statement to me as my own opinion! LOL :)

My apologies that I've been very long winded here...it felt somewhat cathartic. I just hope it sounds as coherent as I'd like (it IS late and I need to go to bed! ;) Thanks for allowing your readers and constituents to opportunity to do so. Thanks again for sharing, Nicole. I hope your campaign is going well too! Now...if we can just defeat Prop 8=HATE here in CA, AND get Obama in the White House...not only will November 5 be a party, but January 20, 2009 will be one helluva celebration! :)

[Heather in SFBay]

Well, congratulations Senator!
A double whammy...Obama AND you! :)

I hope to see you back here some time soon...sharing life on the state senate floor next.

And we'll keep working to defeat Prop 8 here in CA!
Cheers.