Today, I will vote for Barack Obama. Not because he is black, and not because he is a Democrat. I will vote for him because I believe he is the better man running; I will vote for him because I share many of his ideologies; I will vote for him because I have watched this grueling campaign relentlessly and only one candidate showed the wisdom, poise, and leadership qualities necessary to lead a nation.
This is not a time in American history where we can afford to be flippant about our choices. It is not a time when this choice should be about one issue, or even about which candidate will ensure you have the most money sitting in your bank account. If we as Americans care about anything outside our borders, and everything within them, we cannot place a man in the presidency who has shown himself to be rash, impetuous, and strangely (as these qualities don't seem to go together) wooden. This has to be a day about reshaping our image in the world. It has to be a day about maturity. It has to be a day about valuing rationality and the US Constitution. It has to be a day about being smart, about change, and yes, about hope. It has to be a day about inspiration. Words and rhetoric are not enough, but that is not all Barack Obama is about. Read his books. He wrote them. He, himself, wrote them. No one who reads his books, whether conservative or liberal, can deny that the man behind them is that most rare and precious thing: a clear thinker. A wise, discerning, rational voice who is not afraid to wade into complexity and has a knack for explaining himself simply. Trust me. Trust me. It's a lot harder than it looks.
This election isn't about Sarah Palin, although there is one remarkable thing to remember about her: the man who hired her as his running mate was aware that he is a survivor of a particularly lethal form of skin cancer, is older than any newly inaugurated president would be, and that there would be a real possibility that he was picking his presidential successor. A man who put country first would do just that: He would pick someone who has the wisdom combined with the experience to lead; he would pick someone honest, someone wise; he would pick someone who could step in at a moment's notice. The fair accusation of the McCain campaign that Barack Obama doesn't have enough experience has withered under this pick, for Barack Obama has spent 22 months being tried and tested and answering reporters' questions and proving that he is conversant in the issues and would be a cool hand on the till and that there are no monsters so great in his past as to upturn public opinion. John McCain was comfortable putting a woman about whom a simple Google search turned up damning ethics questions a heartbeat away from his job - he was comfortable doing this even though he had met her twice, for an hour - he was comfortable with her many contradictions and questions and, as it has been proven, many lies. That was all fine, because she could energize the base and get people excited. A man who put country first would not think so little of women, so little of the job to which he wishes to ascend, so little of the American people, and so little of himself, as to present this woman as a realistic future president of the United States.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, picked Joe Biden. A longwinded, gaffe-prone, down-home guy from Pennsylvania, who was not guaranteed to bring in even one more electoral vote (in the swingy state Biden's presence on the ticket has surely helped but it did not drive it home), but did add many years of foreign service aptitude, experience and wisdom to an already intellectual ticket. Why? Because the focus is on government, not campaigning. It's about country first.
Our country is in such real trouble, on so many fronts. Today I was notified by the IRS that I'll be receiving a sizable check from the government as part of the Economic Stimulus Package. Well, thank you, Government, but let's all take a minute and realize how bad this is: They are giving me money. It has gotten so bad that apparently the government feels I'm a better steward of this cash than they are, and are entrusting me with it. Our country is in major trouble.
So today I will vote for a man who I believe can turn the tide, can make us start believing in ourselves and the promise of a better nation and world again. I will vote for Barack Obama because he gives us hope.
In 2004, right after I witnessed his remarkable Democratic Convention speech, I wrote this on my blog:
"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. ... 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. ... 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.
I hope you'll join me, and I hope that whomever you vote for we are on the way to better times here and around the world.
Commendable post. Also- I don't know if it's the right time to say it- good luck for the release. I can't wait to read it.
I read your post as an RSS feed on LiveJournal and it literally took my breath away. I feel the same way you do regarding the election. Our nation is in such a state of crisis, that we need the change that Obama can give. Thank you for expressing your thoughts in such a beautiful, knowledgeable way.
Beautifully written.
Typically, I don't post on boards. I became a fan via pottercast and occasionally checked for updates on your book, but I wanted to write and say I thought this was beautifully written and I completely agree.
Well, Well, Well would you look at whose sharing the front page with the candidates on election day.
http://www.newseum.org/TODAYSFRONTPAGES/hr.asp?fpVname=USAT&ref_pge=lst
Wow! Melissa! you gave me goosebumps! Literally I'm looking at them right now.
You put into words everything, everything that I have been feeling since this morning! I stood outside my polling place at 6:15am with the 150 other people that arrived early, and I could feel the excitiment in the air! The Possibilty of Change! Its there its right there for us to all grab a hold of. When I marked Mr. Obama, I felt good! This whole day is historic and I /WE! are a part of it. There was a young man standing behind me, first time voting and he was very excited! He was talking about Change also! Everyone was on their cell phones, "did you vote yet?" did you vote yet...We as a country have not felt this way in far too long! I feel even more proud to be an American today ! We have made a Change a difference! We need this!
Very well written. I have been expressing the same viewpoint (albeit less eloquently...I guess that's what makes you a published author and me a zoology major!) for some time now. I was talking with my Philosophy professor two weeks ago after class about politics. She's very politically active, and had expressed that she was leaning towards McCain, mostly because of his past work. I agreed with her, that McCain has done some great things, but is no longer that man. I used to like McCain a lot, but it is clear now that he has fallen under the weight of his party. He is relying on the same group that attacked him in 2000 when he ran against W, and he is running the same kind of negative campaign he was so against 8 years ago. The point that I really tried to drive home was the fact that despite McCain's past, his choice of Sarah Palin calls his judgment into question.
Last week before class began she told us that my point about McCain's judgment had changed her vote and she was voting for Obama.
Side note -- congrats on the book. I can't wait to read it!!
Just thought I'd put in my two cents' worth as a non-US resident who has nonetheless followed the race intently and cares deeply about its outcome today ... There are many reasons why I love Obama but foremost among them is that his politics seems to stem from a strong sense of empathy. His approach seems not ideological, but pragmatic - I've been so relieved and inspired to hear a politician who doesn't talk about values such as 'freedom' like they're some kind of Platonic ideals, but instead understands that they're constant balancing acts that involve compromise and collaboration. He is willing to evaluate opinions from all sides of politics to find solutions that work, perhaps not perfectly, but best for the American people.
Although I've lived in Australia essentially my whole life, I was actually born in the States so have my own sense of loyalty to America. I think it is a great and fascinating country that has immense potential to be a force for good in the world, and I would love to see genuine respect for it restored in the international community. I think that true patriotism consists in caring enough about your country to understand its flaws - because only then can you commit yourself to rectifying them.
Thanks for the post Melissa - you are articulate and awesome. Good luck today ... I can't wait to get your book on the 24th!
Thank you for this wonderful post! I`m right with you with everything you said - the most important point for me would be the inspiration factor!
I am very grateful for such an eloquent, inspired and intelligent man like Barack Obama, who also understands the need for reachable dreams, for team work, for hard work and definitely looks far beyond his own nose.
I`m not American (born in Poland, live in Germany), I can`t vote but I, together with all Americans today, am very emotional about this election and am so very aware of its significance. Let me just reassure you that not only Americans are full of hope and anticipation, I am tearing up every now and then simply because of the impact the outcome of this election will have for the rest of the world, too!
And yes, I want to see Obama for President!!!
Great post! I got to vote for Obama last week. NC is a swing state and I hope it swings Obama's way!
Amy
PS, got your book yesterday, but I have to wait until after the election stuff dies down to read it. :)
A wonderful post, at the end of many weeks of wonderful envolvement. It is so important for us in the rest of the world that you Americans make informed and well reflected choises around elections. I too, hope we see some change. Thank you, and we will keep changing the world together!!!
Great post Melissa!
Looks like it paid off!
Melissa - This is an inspiring post. I will say that Tuesday November 4th I voted for my 8th candidate for President. This was the first time that I walked out of the polling place feeling that it would really make a difference. It did.