Obama's Moment in Time

There are special moments in time that last forever. Those snapshots of history that are indelibly engraved on the world's collective psyche. Can't everyone visualize Neil Armstrong taking that giant leap for mankind? Don't you still feel that sense that we can overcome anything when you see the picture of JFK jr. saluting the coffin of his fallen father? How about Jesse Owens snubbing Hitler to his face, on his own turf, winning the Olympic gold in Berlin, or American women at home building airplanes and tanks during WWII to support the struggle against tyranny while their husbands, sons and brothers were fighting and dying abroad to ensure the ideals of freedom? From the Wright brothers defying gravity, to Charles Lindbergh arriving in a jubilant Paris after the world's first Trans-Atlantic flight, from Edison's first light bulb, to the images from beyond, courtesy of the Hubble Space Telescope, from the first telephone, to the PC and Internet..these are our proud American moments. These are the kinds achievements that defined America. This is when we had the world's respect and adoration.

Something happened. Somewhere along the line the American gravy train jumped its tracks. Somehow, we went from Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall", to Clinton's "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Somehow we've been torn from Kennedy's "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future" and arrived at Bush's "Childrens do learn." The space shuttle disintegrating over Texas is our new memory of the space race. The water-logged, stranded masses of our citizens waving at a helicopter, begging for food and water from their rooftops in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are now the images seared into our consciousness. We failed our own, and the world watched. We have managed to go from the carriers of the torch of freedom, to the great Satan of oppression in the Middle-East, not my words, theirs. We have lost the faith that was once entrusted to us by the world. We have defined how the mighty can fall. Scandals and lies now trumpet our arrival. Scheming and deception are what have become expected from us. The quest for riches and power is now seen as our agenda. We are tip-toeing the fine line that is the tipping point of how we will be forever judged by our global peers.

But just when the light of a prosperous future was at its dimmest, lightning struck. At the Democratic National Convention in 2004, a cinder fell into the kindling that may once again stoke the great fire of the "American Dream." It was a day meant to celebrate John Kerry, the Democratic Presidential nominee, but that was not the snapshot that history had in mind. Trotting onto the stage came an unknown to many, a skinny black guy with close cropped hair, big ears, and a funny name. If you weren't from Illinois, this was to be your meet and greet with Barack Obama. From start to finish, he electrified. The tears and cheers from the roaring crowd were testament that the vision of a great America had been revived. This crowd had felt the audacity of hope.

There are words that every American has been reciting since their youth and on this day they would finally find their voice again in Barack Obama. He pounded his foundation theme with a flair unseen since the days of Kennedy. No red states, no blues states, but the United States. Not a black America or white America, not a Latino America or Asian America, but the United States of America. It felt like those words we all memorized in childhood could mean something again, that they would sprout wings and fly. You remember them...indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. When the thunder stopped and the smoke cleared, a simple truth had been crystallized, America wanted to be for something again and with that realization, a political rock star had been born. John Kerry never did win the Presidency. Time had decided to pass him by.

The buzz from that speech reverberated throughout the Democratic party and hasn't stopped since. The spotlight was turned on him and he has not disappointed. People started to look into this fresh new face that had exploded onto the scene and instead of buyers remorse, they actually really liked what was under the hood.

In October 2002, while still a state senator, he stood before an anti-war crowd gathered at the Federal Plaza in Chicago. Again, he had delivered. His speech was great, it was powerful, eloquent and well received. The true magic of his words, however, would require one more element to really speak the volumes about his judgement. Time. Today, more than 5 years later, just listen to his words, "I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda." That is just one line. If you listen to the whole thing, his accuracy is frightening. His judgement bordered on clairvoyance that no one today can dispute. His advisors and friends told him not to do it, they told him it was political suicide to stand up against a President bent on war and a nation that was misled to follow. He didn't listen. He did what he has always done, tell the cold, hard truth as best as he sees it and let the cards fall where the may.

The country started paying more attention as the war in Iraq started spiraling out of control. Our bravest, young American patriots were dying. Iraq had fallen into a bloody civil war. Al-Queda had gained strength and was recruiting able bodies right out of the vacuum of hatred that we helped create. His prophecy had unfolded and the whispers about this now US Senator from Illinois started spreading like wildfire. As the blunder of the Iraq war drained America of the hope and riches it would need to tackle the challenges facing us at home, whispers turned to screams and Obama came to a conclusion, this was to be his moment in time. America needed him and he came to realize Dr. King's " fierce urgency of now."

Barack Obama announced his Presidential candidacy on February 10th, 2007 in Springfield Illinois. It was a cold day out, it felt like 5 degrees. Would anybody show? Would anyone care? Was he, and his message of hope and unity just another flash in the pan? When he took the podium and looked over the crowd, there were about 16,000 faces looking back and they were fired up and ready to go. There were different shapes and sizes of all colors and age, men, women and children from all walks of life. His movement had started. America was ready for change and his message was clear. He ended that speech with a plea to the American people that is the core of his candidacy, "..if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth." His message resonated.

As his campaign went on, the crowds kept coming. 24,000 in New York, 20,000 in Austin and Atlanta, 10,000 in Oakland, the list goes on. These were political rallies, yet the atmosphere at each one was like a rabid college football game. The legions came thirsty and left quenched with hope. The money was rolling in by record amounts. There have never been as many small donors give to a political campaign. There has never been a donor base with the breadth his campaign has seen. Regular Americans were getting involved in record shattering numbers to push this movement to a grand finish.

The only bump in the road seemed to be the early debates. Let's just say, he survived. The 30 second sound-bite format didn't really suit his style at the beginning. He seemed to be forcing himself to wrap his broad thoughts and reasoning into tasty media-sized morsels His opponents were much better suited to accommodate. As his national poll numbers remained flat after his initial surge, the media and some nervous supporters started to call him out to show some nasty. He announced he would, in the NY times. He got as nasty as classy would allow. He drew his distinctions but didn't sucker-punch. He disagreed without being disagreeable. His poll numbers improved while his opponents regressed. The buzz was back.

The next test would be his most daunting yet. History showed that the Jefferson/Jackson Dinner showcase of candidates could make or break a Democratic hopeful. Would he be able to push the wave that had started to form? Or, would he fall flat on the grandest stage yet, going head to head with his enemies? Half of the equation at this Iowa event is a show of force. His inspired following showed up in full glory and dominated. The first test was passed with flying colors. He would be the last to speak. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, had been introducing each candidate with "the next President of the United States..." When she struck that chord introducing Barack Obama, the air exploded. Obama would go on to deliver one of his greatest speeches. When it was time to put up or shut up, he would again, deliver.

Every now and then destiny shows her cards and dares you to beat her. That time is upon us and it will be up to American voters to beat her hand. Those memories of America that the world recalls with adoration need an injection of new life. Our sullied reputation needs a new champion to restore honor and integrity to our name. We must once again take the bold steps as a nation that set an example to the world and restore our place as the keepers of the key. We are face to face with realities that will test our collective mettle and it will take a country standing shoulder to shoulder to take them on. Our next leader will be the vehicle to our future and the image by which we are measured`. Our next leader must be able to right old wrongs without the hindrance of past mistakes and bad judgements. The next President's slate must be clean to have any leverage to talk to our friends and enemies alike if we want any chance to make them side with reason. Our next leader must be free to negotiate without the obstacles of past votes or party stands. The truth must be the foundation of our principles and the basis of all of our actions. Our next leader must be forged in the mold of greatness and tempered with compassion for us to stand a chance.

John F Kennedy once said, "A revolution is coming - a revolution which will be peaceful if we are wise enough; compassionate if we care enough; successful if we are fortunate enough - but a revolution which is coming whether we will it or not. We can affect its character, we cannot alter its inevitability." That revolution is here right now and judgment must be its steward. Hopefully, when all is said and done the American people will have taken great care in wielding their power to choose and realize, it is Barack Obama's moment in time.