Final Thoughts Before Election Day

I first saw Barack during his book tour for "The Audacity of Hope". Even back then, he had a powerful presence and an amazing clarity of ideas. I knew at that moment, in the way that I know the sun will rise with the next dawn, that he would be our next President.

In the years since, I've come to know this man's character, his resolve, and his heart. We do not agree on every issue, but we are on the same page with regards to the importance of critical matters, like health care.

More importantly, I truly believe that with every issue he addresses, Barack speaks from his convictions, and those convictions give him a strength that no ad campaign can compete with. He stands up for what he truly believes is best for all of us, and right for our nation.

Most of all, whether he wins or loses on Tuesday, he has already made a difference. I have never been a man to back down when I believe an issue is important. But Barack has inspired me to do more. Today, I don't just defend my views; I fight for the change we need.

As an author, writing is one of my strengths. I've brought my skills and influence to bear to address some of the most critical problems facing the United States today, and I, too, have begun to make an impact on the world around me (The Case for Universal Health Care). Real change is becoming a reality.

And I am not alone. All across America, hundreds, thousands, millions of people are standing up. They rise like the dawn itself, bringing the light of a new age to our great nation. No longer do we simply accept those things we are told we cannot change. No longer will we sit idle while others dictate how we are to live out our lives. No longer will we look on, helpless, as the things we hold most dear in this life are stripped away from us: freedom, liberty, prosperity.

The potential for change has always lain within each of us, dormant. But Barack has inspired us, and he woke us from our long daze.

Now, we rise as one for change. We stand as one for the hope of a better tomorrow. And when that new day comes, on Wednesday morning, we will be there still, ready to follow the first real *leader* in a generation - the one who tells us not to blindly trail behind, but to walk the path as he has. The one who tell us that WE can make a difference, we CAN do something about the world we live in, we CAN lead, ourselves.

More than anything, Barack himself IS the change we need. Win or lose, his historic presidential campaign has already changed the course of American culture irrevocably. Thanks to him, we have come to realize what we've long forgotten: that we are Americans, and that that means something. Thanks to him, we have the audacity to hope, to dream, to believe, and to have faith in ourselves once again.