A glimmer of hope

[dampscribbler]

The future of the Democratic party?

Barak Obama at the 2004 Democratic Convention:
“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. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one. Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America—there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.”

These are the kinds of words we should meditate on every morning and evening. The man who said them, Barack Obama, yesterday won his bid for a Senate seat representing Illinois. We need more like him!!

Comments

Not just more like him...

[qnetter]

...but I think we should push the party to name him as Senate Minority Leader. Damn seniority -- we need real leadership and real vision, and one that can be contrasted with the jingoistic, morally-bankrupt vision that drove the "moral issues" wedge.

Re: Not just more like him...

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

Excellent idea! To whom in particular should I address my letter of recommendation? The Democratic Senator of my state? Tom Daschle, ougoing minority leader? Someone else? All of the above?

Re: Not just more like him...

[qnetter]

Your own senators, plus Harry Reid (D-NV), the current whip and presumptive leader. Tell Reid that if he wants to show real leadership, he should lead in boosting Obama's candidacy.

Re: Not just more like him...

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[leener28.livejournal.com]

I heard he gave an excellent speech but couldn't find it. Thanks for posting. He does seem like an amazing man; one whom I hope blazes his own trail and who knows where it will lead him.

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

My husband TiVo'd the convention that night. After hearing about his speech, I cued it up the next day and watched in awe. He actually brought tears to my eyes. I had kinda figured that by now only fictional politicians said such things. It was great to hear a real person say them. He's impressive.

[ex-alexxxand731.livejournal.com]

He's the type of politician we need... his words are so inspiring. They remind me about what's so wonderful in our country. What I like even more is that his speech was so inclusive. For the most part it could have been made by a democrat or a republican. This man clearly cares for our country and is intelligent and respectful. He's engaging, compelling, and inspiring. We need more leaders like him.