It was a little over a year ago that I stood in Washington Square Park with Dan, Luke, Brian, and Lara, after waiting three hours and busting down security lines, that Barack Obama took the stage to speak to the city of New York. He stepped on to the platform like a rock-star, Kanye West blasting on the loud speakers. This man, as we all know by now, was inspiring from the second he put his hand in the air for a welcome wave to the last moment his foot was on the stage. He was the embodiment of change, just like he said. A young guy from the Chicago Senate; a black-man who was like no other politician we’d ever seen before; and the most important part, the complete opposite of our 43rd President and America’s #1 Mistake, George W. Bush. I’d never been excited about politics before—sure, I’d voted for a candidate who was close to what I wanted, but never one I truly believed in—yet here was man, almost-too-good-to-be true, speaking to a crowd of smiling faces and had the ability to sound like he was talking one-on-one with all of us.
To be honest, Barack Obama was my candidate from November of 2005. On Thanksgiving I was introduced to “The Audacity of Hope” (I mean, the audacity…of his hope…GOD!) and read it front to back. Before this day, I’d never heard of the man. That’s what it’s like to be raised in a sheltered society of sheep who go wherever they are told. He instantly was all those things that they say a politician shouldn’t be and to be honest, I kind of liked that. In fact, I really liked it. So much so that I told my father my bold prediction, that this man would become President of the United States. My dad listed all the reasons, all tired repeats at this point, of why he couldn’t be and my dad just thought the cards were too stacked against him. I stood firm, using my sophomore college learning-skills to predict that a man from a minority background would inspire new enclaves of previously unregistered voters, namely in lower-class and people of color demographics, to put there vote in for him. For once, and probably the only time, I was right.
But down to brass tacks: he’s got a health plan that appears to be positively progressive, his foreign policy is focused and energized, and his economic diplomacy, if all goes planned, would get people back on track in fiscal sense. The guy is likeable. As Justin pointed out, he’s the first politician to be in on all the jokes. He likes Jay-Z and “The Wire”. He’s not just a guy I’d like to have a beer with, Obama’s a guy I want to go on a camping trip to South America with to save the rain forest and feed the starving children…all while drinking beers. So this morning I got up early, hoped on my bike, and rode in the rain to my polling station. Right away I was given my ballot and shown to my voting booth where I smiled with glee as I filled in the circle next to Obama and Biden for President. How can people not vote due to the fact that they feel it’s ineffective? I felt like I was God, choosing the fate of the world. Then I slipped my ballot in the box, got my “I Voted” sticker, and headed home. A few hours later the rain was clearing…corny, I know, but it’s true. I actually felt patriotic and that feeling has carried me all the way up to the point where John McCain conceded the race and Barack Obama was announced as the new President Elect. I got to be part of history and it’s absolutely incredible.
One more time, people: “AMERICA—FUCK YEAH!”
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