Tuesday, July 27, 2004
I've Seen the Future of American PoliticsAnd his name is Barack Obama.
I hope he's the future, anyway. Someone asked me recently why the Democrats needed to hold a convention at all—after all, they've already chosen the presidential and vice presidential candidates. But a modern political convention isn't about choosing a nominee anymore; today it functions as a showcase of the party's ideals, as outreach for undecided voters, and most importantly, as a quasi-religious revival meeting for the faithful.
And what a cast of preachers!
Just in the first two days of this year's Democratic National Convention, a magnificent array of Democratic luminaries have ascended the pulpit to preach to the choir: Jimmy Carter, practical, brilliant and compassionate, fully at home in his grandfatherly role; Bill Clinton, triumphant powerhouse; Ted Kennedy, tragic old guardian and staunch defender of Democratic ideals; Howard Dean, the new, proud spirit of the party; Teresa Heinz Kerry, strong, competent and clear of vision; and rising above them all, previously-unknown Barack Obama, setting the tone not only for this convention, not only for this election campaign—not only for the launch of his own national political career—but possibly for the forseeable future of the Democratic Party.
His only apparent flaw is that he's almost too perfect. Extremely handsome, gifted with a powerful—almost hypnotic—speaking voice, projecting his vision with such poise and authority that one feels he simply has to be right. He outlined a vision of an ideal America that truly fulfills its promise as a land of opportunity for all. Here's a sample:I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to he self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will he counted — or at least, most of the time.
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans — Democrats, Republicans, Independents — I say to you tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college.
Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.
....
If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief -- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper -- that makes this country work.
[Full Text of Speech] I'm not sure if the brilliance comes across in the written words. Maybe it's like looking at the score for a violin solo and trying to imagine what it would sound like played by a virtuoso. I can't read them without hearing Barack Obama say them. It's hard to believe the guy's just making his first run for the Senate.
The America Obama describes so eloquently is the America I've always believed in; hearing him describe it so well, with such passion (and yet with such calm clarity), makes me believe we can build this America. I'd support him for president, right now.
As for the soon-to-be nominee himself, he's received a lot of praise, focusing on his courage in military combat and his many years of public service—but he still seems aloof and enigmatic. His wife's speech tonight might have given us a glimpse of the man himself, but she chose to talk about issues instead.
So who is John Kerry? Stay tuned....
Posted by Me at 23:20 link
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Back in the Saddle Again (again)I can't explain why I haven't been blogging much lately. File it under "general malaise." I've been doing less of just about everything lately.
But this weekend, I decided to fight back. I defeated procrastination, and did something I've been meaning to do for over 2 years: I finally installed Risk ("the classic game of world domination") on my computer. I was given the game several years ago, but then it was too advanced for my ancient computer. It works fine on this one—mostly—it did decide to quit once so far for no apparent reason. Evidently, everything associated with Windows 95 came bundled with "crash.exe."
But I've conquered the world a number of times over the past couple of days, and lost probably even more. The computer version pits you against "AI" opponents purportedly modeled after famous generals from history. I don't know if the simulations are accurate (I've never known much military history) but Wellington displays no imagination or boldness, Freire is impatient and usually too bold, while Bonaparte is simply brilliant. None of them honor their alliances. Oh well. What a wonderful way to waste time!
This afternoon, I got bold and invaded southern Virginia—with my bike. I rode a few hours on the New River Trail, starting this time at the southern terminus in Galax. Maybe I rode a few miles too many (I'm saddle sore). Oh well. I staged a tactical retreat back to here and rewarded my ever-faithful—and all-too-frequently shamefully neglected—troops with a walk. Victory! Music In My Head - REM — "Man on the Moon"
- Twizted — "Diemuthafuckadie!"
- Cake — "Stick Shifts and Safety Belts"
- AC/DC — "Baby Please Don't Go"
- David Grisman — "Dawggy Mountain Breakdown"
If only finding a job were as easy as conquering the world. I'll rejoin that battle tomorrow....
Posted by Me at 23:22 link
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