not osama, not yo' mama

I wish I were in Boston. I wish I were part of this, I wish I were at a point in my career to be sitting in that room with a notepad somewhere. And I have no ambition to be a political reporter.

I was happy enough to be sitting watching Barack Obama give his speech. I had the DNC on in the background and was just sort of tap-tapping away at my computer, oblivious. But my ear twitched. My ear twitched and my head turned and I could no longer move but to drop my jaw and inch closer to the screen.

Who is this man? Who is this man that gives me this hope? Is he just a great orator? I've heard several reports that he actually wrote that speech and, you know...I believe it.

I'm wary of saying "first black president," more because I really don't want his stock to crash and burn. We're going to burn him out. Let's just keep an eye on him.

I'm sort of scared of him, of his power to enthrall. There hasn't been someone like him in...in my life. Not since Clinton's saxophone moment have I watched any political event with actual hope. (To explain the title heading, someone related to me today that he said, about his name, "it's not Osama, not yo' mama." I loved that to death.)

So, Clinton was not so great with the terrorism prevention either. I think it's safely established that this was a panoramic ill. But when he lied or misled he did so about his sex life, not an $87 billion war that has us ignoring the real evil in favor of the preferred one.

Maybe all a politician can do to inspire change is be a great orator. To bring hope to people the way that speech did. Is a politician more than one who inspires? Is a politician anything if he does not inspire?

I don't know. All I know is this country needs a little inspiration. We finally got some.