I dreamt of this day a year ago: President Obama

I distinctly remember discussing this moment online with friends, the audacity to imagine that Obama wouldn't just secure the nomination, but that he might, gasp, win the presidency and survive to give the State of the Union address. Tonight felt like a dream - a fantasy come true (and when does that happen in life? Not so often). As he entered the chamber, with all that anticipation building, I felt a welling of joy that in my lifetime, I get to repeatedly witness the bursting forth of hope, optimism and change.

It felt fitting that after my post on peacekeeping vs. peacemaking, the "not state of the union" speech would talk about recapturing our integrity and values through ending the war, through rejecting the practice of torture. It takes guts to focus on peace, rather than war. Obama will leave 50,000 troops on the ground in Iraq and will bring home the forces in 19 instead of 16 months. Yet even with that news, the tone and agenda of tonight's speech had that "peacemaking" spirit about it. We need to contend for the things Obama promised: better education, health care and rebuilding our economy through investing in America.

It was pure joy to see Hillary in her bright, euphoric (even) magenta jacket with a smile as wide as the China Sea, being kissed on the cheek by her former rival. It was incredible to watch Michelle glide into that chamber - sheer class; to behold Ruth Bader Ginsburg up on her feet, looking so happy. Then it was finally time for Barack to enter: The President of the United States - well, reality shattered illusion and what I had only imagined became solid, sure, and better than hoped for.

A campaign of hope pays off in a time of struggle and doubt. Obama's uncanny sense of timing (when he ran, his campaign message and spirit, his ability to read this moment without guile, bitterness or even petty blame) may be his greatest unsung gift. We trust Obama as much for his intuitive sense of what "now" demands as we do for any plans that he puts forward. Obama "gets" us. That's why we trust him.

Tonight felt like a mirror ball's glittering reflections dancing all over our country, reviving our energy and renewing our joy. Much needed, I'd say.

Oh, and the prez? He speaks English with elegance, too. It doesn't get much better than that.

Malia and Sasha Adorableness

You must see these incredibly sweet photos of the girls on the campaign with Obama and yesterday's inauguration.

Barack Obama: Lays out the agenda

If you missed his speech, you'll want to see the full video and pictures. Barack threw down the gauntlet: 29 policy statements, 19 critiques of McCain. He acknowledged McCain's service as a POW, McCain's love for America and then challenged his ideals, the direction he'd take America and his experience (as not relevant today). He did it without attacking his person. No smears. He took on the issues; he did not use innuendo, negative associations to spurious individuals or malign his relationship to the U.S.A.

That's class. That's how politics are supposed to be done.

Barack's speech laid out a vision of what life in America could be. He described what he calls the "American Promise." I listened with two sets of ears. I remember my Ronald Reagan era thinking. I remember economic conservatism with its theories of opportunity: the rising tide floats all boats, economic trickle down, fewer restrictions on businesses creates more jobs and more freedom in the markets, smaller government means lower taxes, fewer social programs means people are less dependent on government and more able to take advantage of opportunities to create wealth and dignity for themselves, that the market will ultimately determine where jobs should be and that to falsely set wages or protect jobs means to raise prices and slow down economic growth.

I believed all that. There are things about that agenda I still believe. I do agree that the middle class should not carry the biggest tax burden, that government should not be the massive, crippling, dysfunctional miasma that it has become (particularly under Republicans!).

But I do not believe that social programs are merely cover-ups for people who don't care about working. If you live in the burbs and hang out with white middle class people, that rhetoric is easy to accept. It's another story when you spend time (not with the mentally ill homeless, not with the drug addicts, not with criminals) with the poor: people who can't seem to get a break even when they are doing the right things; people who don't have the safety nets that we all take for granted.

I was talking to a friend recently who is Libertarian and her chief concern this time voting is that she "keep all her money." She went on to say that she doesn't see why anyone else should get any of it since she wants to spend it how she wants, not on some government program that is giving welfare to others who won't work.

This is the lie told again and again and again by the right. They pit us against each other. Who (in recent memory) on the right has helped Americans think about how to build a nation that benefits all of us as well as self? Oh Bush talked about compassionate conservatism - I just never saw it in action. One of his ideas was that churches could do what government used to do and then the government could just fund them instead. And so you get irregular help, with strings attached for those looking for help. Non-religious programs doing effective work suddenly lost half their funding (as I learned last week at an Obama event and an AVOC - AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati - worker shared their story).

My point is this. The primary goals of the right at this point in time are to continue the so-called fraudulent war on terror and to prevent raising taxes (after the Republicans have put us into the deepest debt in history through an illegal war).

Obama, on the other hand, offered us a vision of what America is, what her reputation has been and should continue to be. He then outlined a plan to get there. You might not like the plan. But listen to McCain and see what he offers. If it's more of the same, why would you think his is the better future when the evidence of our recent past shows otherwise?

Off to spend the day canoeing. Chat amongst yourselves. Just be civil.

What a week!

I'm going to run down through the events that kept me off the blog this week, in the order they occur to me.


1. Tiger wins the US Open with two fractures and a torn ACL eliciting the highest TV ratings for daytime TV on a Monday both for cable and network TV. All those conspiracy theorists were silenced; Tiger really doesn't fake pain for sympathy or strategy. Why am I not surprised? Jason Sobel ranks Tiger's wins putting this Open number 2 behind the 1997 Master's. But when Tiger was asked if the Open was his greatest win, he said, "Yes."

I will sorely miss him for the rest of the season. I have Carson Palmer palpitations too - that nervousness for his knee's future.

2. Lakers get blown away in Game Six. But Kevin Garnett's teary-eyed delirious interview with Michelle Tafoya erased any loyalty I had to the Lakers. To see Kevin's pride in the Celtics' achievement was worth the west coast's humiliation. (And may I just add that I have a girl crush on Michelle? Is she not the best court-side, side-line, clubhouse interviewer in sports? And such a great voice!)

3. Jon's best friend in L.A. called to say his wife left him three weeks ago. Ugh.

4. Noah turned 21! He and his gf Amanda spent the evening celebrating with us. We bought the nearly sold-out Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition Box Set for him. Check out this hilarious article from Wired to get a feel for how the reactions to this newest version are hitting fans. (All message board addicts will recognize the archetypes!)

5. Johannah taught us how to eat vegan (or at least, how to eat her vegan brownies... which tasted really good!).

6. Jacob went on his first date (took his girl to a park for a picnic that he prepared all by himself... romantic that he is).

7. Caitrin spent the week at SOS (Summer of Service) at the local Vineyard. They assemble 800 sweaty kids from around the states to attack Cincinnati with love by handing out water bottles, washing cars for free, building house frames for Habitat for Humanity, and buying lunches spontaneously at places like Arby's for customers because God told them to. Yeah it's a nice way for kids to spend a week. I could do without all the hyper spirituality that seems to go along with it. Apparently this set of kids is convinced they are THE generation, the "generation of revelation," the one that the Lord will really use this time with signs and wonders, Hallelujah! Strange thing is: I thought MY generation was that one... Guess apostasy thwarted the big plan.

8. Liam is baby-sitting the cutest ferret to ever cross our threshold (well, and yes, the only one). Up, down, in, out, poking his long nose and slinky body into all the crevices of Liam's room. This furry girl is like a living Redwall character. Given Liam's obsession with that novel series, it's not surprising he's head-over-heels in love with this little doll. I have a hunch I know what he'll want for his 14th birthday in just over a month.

9. Jackie O meet Michelle O. Apparently Michelle's off-the-rack dress made quite a splash on The View. It sold out in stores and online within 24 hours.

And some people still think McCain has a chance to win....

Obama: First Black Democratic Nominee

Best hangover ever, say the democratic blogs this morning. Without a doubt. Two fuzzy navels and hours later, I'm still shaking my head in mild disbelief. Did that just happen? Did we actually put Obama over the top? Did the honk and waves, the phone calls, the traipsing around Republican neighborhoods and inner city churches, the hundreds of dollars each person contributed, the email lists and digging of articles, the blogging.... did the voting and caucusing and cheering and arguing and crying and laughing and waiting in long lines just to see Obama or his wife speak really result in this history-making moment?

Yes it did!

Obama shattered all expectations. A virtual unknown a year ago on the national stage, today he is the first black candidate of a major political party running for the highest office in America, the most powerful leadership role in the world, the baddest power in cyber-space and outer space... He's da man!

Add Obama to the Fantastic Four and make it the Fantabulous Five.

Our Cincinnati primary party room erupted into utter pandemonium as the digital check box popped onto the MSNBC screen with Barack's smiling face and full name listed as the "Democratic Nominee." It was true last night, is still true this morning: Barack Obama makes a run for the presidency (catch him if you can, McCain, Mr. Cottage Cheese in Lime Jello Mold)!

Obama didn't limp across the finish line either. His stadium appearance last night in St. Paul (the future site of the RNC) drew crowds of 17,000 inside and turned away 15,000 outside (numbers may be off - I took these from memory of last night's pundits commenting away over the rousing laughter, cheers, clinking drinks and general dizzy enthusiasm that filled our primary party downtown).

Just had to comment on Michelle for a moment too. That little kiss on the cheek, followed by the thumb's up and knuckles to her husband will symbolize for me, for a long time, that we are in a new era. They are a team, they are NOW.

In any event, what set Obama's speech apart from McCain's curmudgeon-y, stale, deflated balloon approach to our future in America and from Hillary's bizarrely out of time, tempo and context march through each corner of America where she was hugged and whispered to by downtrodden blue collar, non-elites (gosh, her litany of unhappy Americans gets depressing) as they poured out their health care and jobless woes to her, the "Messiah in a pants suit," was the fact that Obama made his speech about us - Americans who want to take the control over the future back from the paternalism and condescension of politicians who have their political legacies more in mind than anything resembling democratic participatory government.

When Obama said that we voted this time in record numbers because we believed we could make a difference through our actions, through participating, through demonstrating that we are meant to be a part of America's future (not just asking someone else to fix it for us), he was right. He is the only candidate who gets it. His speech was not about how great he is, how well he meets people's needs (like Hillary's). It was about recognizing the hunger Americans have to get back into the ring, to rise above apathy and matter again. Yes Obama embodies that vision, but it was that vision that set him apart from the other candidates. I don't want someone to "fight for me," I want the opportunity to act, to participate, to be a part of the solution.

In any event, if Obama's campaign is anything to go by, that is exactly how he wants to govern. Whether he'll get his chance, well that's up to us.

Yes we can!

Fired up!

With permission via the DailyKos

This about says it all: So popular, they ran out of the REAL bumper stickers.

You're looking at your Democratic Presumptive Nominee: Barack Obama.

The details of Michelle's visit

(Photo introducing Michelle)
There were 1500 in attendance, over 200 turned away (including Jon, unfortunately). The crowd was electric in that way that Obama crowds always are. The diversity in the room alone inspired me. I spoke with many African Americans who had been Hillary fans originally who've come over to Obama. Interestingly, Hillary hosted an "invitation only" meeting at Skyline Chili downtown causing a traffic jam for over an hour. The people around me were mad both at the level of disruption in town and even more that she would come and limit who got to hear her speak. The whole idea of "invitation only" (even if the motivation was to find major donors) left the regular folk pissed off. They felt disrespected by it.

Meanwhile, the Michelle crowd arrived more than an hour before she spoke, to line up outside in the freezing, icy weather. There was one moment I'll never forget. Michelle talked about how difficult change is for people. They don't like it. Even when unhappy, we often cling to the familiar rather than face change (this resonated with me and explains my vote for Bush last time instead of Kerry - I was afraid of Kerry, but at least knew what I was getting with Bush... mistake, I readily admit now).

Then she said, "For instance, I know that some of you still have plastic on your sofas."

Ripples of laughter, lots of African Americans poking each other conspiratorially, naming the family member or friend this must apply to.

"I know you do. You know who you are! And I know you want to protect that couch from stains, to keep it beautiful. But the plastic is meanwhile turning yellow and cracking. You've got to take a risk that a stain will appear. In this campaign, in Barack's term as president, we're counting on your to risk, to make change happen. You've got to risk what you've got, not just protect it!"

This was how she framed her appeal to us to change! I had no idea what she was talking about. I'm a white girl, raised with lots of money and privilege, no plastic on sofas. I had to turn to Brian's wife, Ty (my friend) to ask her what this all meant. Apparently in the black community, it was true that sometimes you bought one couch and it would be the only couch you'd have for the rest of your life.

I found it humbling to be "in on" the conversation, as an outsider, but getting the chance to hear how it is, how it's been for others. This is also what Obama brings - a chance for the rest of us to hear an alternative perspective so that we can stop the addiction to isolation that has characterized much of my generation.

Michelle Obama in Cincinnati

Or: A confluence of idealisms

We are but a bundle of needs. Some of us need housing, jobs, education, healthcare, opportunity, less red tape and more connection to our community support systems. Some of us need safe neighborhoods and to not be forgotten. All of us need to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of our economic status, our upbringings, our genders, races or families of origin.

We have other needs too. We need to make a meaningful difference. Most of us find it hard to be happy while others suffer, while there's a lack of justice, when we know about it, when we are connected to it. Michelle Obama tapped into both sides of the "need equation" last night, offering a message I found not just inspiring (the criticism of this campaign), but downright prophetic.

We've been told for a long time (my entire adult life, if I'm honest) that Americans wanted nothing more than security from dangers abroad, monetary success, a well-decorated home, children who could go to college on our dime, jobs that offer medical and retirement benefits, the chance to say and do whatever I want that enhances my lifestyle, lower taxes, more choices, freedom from the burdens others impose on my life, less government.

Last night, Michelle Obama painted a picture of another version of the American dream. She described the struggles of most Americans. We do what's been asked of us, yet we never arrive because the bar keeps being raised as to what constitutes success. It used to be enough to keep a savings account for your child's college fund. Now, that's a laughable solution to tuition demands. It used to be possible to own a home on one income. Now, two are invariably required. Health care no longer represents care, but terror. One misstep, one month off of insurance, one enormous medical crisis can plunge a family into financial ruin.

So even when we play by the rules, do what is asked, many Americans find it increasingly hard to live those decent lives of hard work and family. Michelle talked about her upbringing: her parents, her values, her journey apart from Barack. She grew up on the southside of Chicago. Her dad was a blue collar worker, her mom was a "stay-at-home" mom. She explained that her dad did what he knew he was supposed to do - work every day to provide for his family. And he did. She said that back then (not that long ago as she pointed out - she's 44), if you did what you were supposed to do with integrity, hard work and values, you got what you wanted: healthy family, a home, health care, good education for your kids, the promise of a retirement.

She told us that she would not like to be known as the "First Lady" (should Obama win), but as an example of what a decent public education can do. She explained that her parents sent both she and her brother to Princeton on a blue collar salary combined with student loans. Today, that would not be possible.

Along the way, the bar got raised. She explained that each time we "do what we're supposed to do," it turns out to be not quite enough. You can start saving for college and by the time your kids get there, your savings mean nothing. You can work a decent job but get a sudden illness and lose your house over the debt you incur. She explained that today, most people feel it takes two incomes to make it or you stay home with your kids at great financial sacrifice (I could certainly relate to this as we lived this way until 8 years ago).

So this "moving bar" as she called it has the average American feeling discouraged, fearful and isolated. The repeated messages we hear, though, are that if we could just work harder and figure out the system, we'd be fine again. It just means doing "that much" more.

She went on to describe Senator Obama's biographical details: raised by a single white mother in the 1960s, lived in Indonesia as a child for a few years, a grandmother in rural Kenya... a brilliant student who wound up being the first black Harvard Law Review editor who had the world at his feet (could have done anything he wanted - could have taken a big corporate law job and made his millions). But he didn't. She explained that she and Barack are both lawyers. Then she quipped, "Everyone's a lawyer. This room is probably filled with lawyers. Lawyers, lawyers - they're everywhere and we probably would all like a lot fewer of them." (Laughter) She explained that many politicians start their careers amassing wealth through their lucrative law careers so that they can then run for office.

Barack didn't. He went directly into civil rights advocacy in Chicago. She said that his philosophy is, "When you're given the gift of advocacy, you don't sell it to the highest bidder." She told us that for most of his career, each job he took, he earned less money than the previous job. She and Barack only paid off their student loans three years ago. And that was because Barack wrote two best selling books. "I don't recommend that as a financial plan!" she laughed.

Michelle then explained that the core of Barack's message has to do with what he calls an "empathy deficit." Americans have lost touch with the value of community, of pulling for each other. We are pitted against one another instead. To keep up with the demands of making a decent wage and the eroding opportunity for community, most of us don't really know any reality but the one we're living. We are out of touch with other Americans and the realities of their lives.

Yet America's greatness ought not to be based on our big achievements, but on how well we care for the weakest among us. Obama's presidency is not just historical because he is black, but because he brings his own experiences to the table—the realities most of us are living, and then some: connections to life abroad, being raised by a single mother who used food stamps, living between races at a time when race was becoming an enormous issue. Without actually mentioning the Clintons or Bushes, she drew the contrasts sharply - the sense of entitlement and privilege that attend their campaigns and administrations versus the regular lives of the Obamas.

There is within this message a call for sacrifice - not the kind that says "You have to give up your toy for her because I say so" but the kind that says, "If you hurt, I hurt. I have extra. Have some of mine." She talked about the fact that what Obama represents isn't so much change in his own person as much as a changed call or outlook - that Americans want to create a better life for each other, not just for themselves. Leadership in this arena matters. She said that the strong momentum of the Obama campaign is related to this hunger Americans have to do the right and decent thing for each other. They want to know what they can do, how they can do it.

She quipped humorously that they are attacked for being idealistic, vacuous, not substantive in the details of "the plan." "Everyone wants to know the details of 'the plan.'" She went on to say that you can read many of them on the website, but that even more, Barack does care intensely about those details. She said, "And you do want a president who does know the details, believe me."

But then she made this great comment. "Take education. It's no mystery. We already know what makes a good school. We know what classroom size should be, what kind of educational models lead to education; we know what extra-curricular activities enhance the experience—activities that used to be part of the public education system that now cost money and are community based. We know what it takes to give a well-rounded educational experience.

"How do we know that we know we know? Because we have good schools in America. We already have public schools that are doing a great job. We just don't have enough of them. We can look at the good schools and use them as models.

"This is not hard to understand. No Child Left Behind has been a disaster for the power of good teaching and the magic of education. It's time to return to what public schools should be and make them available to every child."

I really liked this common sense approach.

Michelle also went through all the steps in the journey on the campaign. She talked about how each time Barack wins a victory or raises money or meets the latest challenge, they are told that the next hurdle will be the truly defining one. But he is battle tested. This same scenario played itself out when he ran for Illinois Senate too.

What made the difference in that race, what will make the difference in this race, what will matter during an Obama presidency is the commitment and passion to make a difference by participating in the changes we say we want. It will take sacrifices and vision, extending ourselves for others rather than protecting what we've got.

I realized as I was walking out of the auditorium that it's true - we've been told for decades that the good life is a better house, more money, fewer taxes, fewer restrictions on what I want to do. But most of us also want our lives to matter, to make a difference for others. Like JFK before him, Obama is asking us to think about how we can translate our idealism and dreams into practical action that will enhance our communities.

Honestly, I liked the whole night. To think of someone of his background in the White House (not the silver spoon, not the old cronies, not the political insiders)... to imagine someone leading whose aim is to take that advocacy in his background and use it for reshaping how Americans see their "American dream"... well, I'm ready for that. That sounds like change in the best ways to me. That's the kind of experience I'd like in the White House.