There May Be Hope Afterall

I watched and listened tonight to the young Senator from Illinois who spoke on TV from Virginia, after sweeping two Democratic State Caucuses as well as the Virgin Islands Caucus and one State Primary election today.

Barack Obama’s charismatic message is singular and pure. It is a message of hope.

Hope, he says, that the future will be different, under his leadership, if he’s elected the next president. So far in this campaign, I’ve been somewhat of a doubter, as effecting change in our Nation's Capitol is perceived as next to impossible. But after his rousing speech tonight, I’m ever-so-close to being a believer.

Few political leaders in our history could speak words and by them motivate people to believe and take action. FDR could and did; JFK could and did; and Ronald Reagan could and did.

It now is beginning to appear that Barack Obama also has this intangible, unidentifiable, and most unusual quality. I guess it’s now up to him to ride the momentum and see if it can land him the Democratic nomination this summer.

Tonight, with his oratory, he gave hope to the poor, the sick, the young, the worker, and the aged. He has the knack, as did JFK and Ronald Reagan, of believing and saying what your heart desperately wants to hear and feel.

I especially liked his challenge to young people who desire a quality education. “We’ll educate you through the university level,” he offered, “and then you give back something to your country.” He referred to a “partnership” whereby the newly, low-cost educated would offer a year or two of public service to such as the Peace Corps or any of a number of worthy causes.

I love it. Not just a free ride with the government providing a bucket of (tax) money for education, but a challenge to serve and a worthy goal to shoot for. Obama had several other interesting ideas for major problems, all based on hope. Good Lord, who is this young politician? This could work!

For the first time in my life, my vote for President may not be influenced by a particular political viewpoint but by the candidate (and I’ve voted in about a dozen Presidential elections). Hope is catching.