Barack Obama would make a good President

My children and I went to see Barack Obama last night. I don’t know if I was more excited about seeing him, or the fact that all three of my offspring actively wanted to go. I started being involved in politics in Portland when Ali was one. She’s now seventeen, and I’m relieved to see she isn’t burnt out on public process by being carted to multiple political events before even being able to vote. Their teachers at Markham, Jackson, and Wilson schools deserve a lot of credit, particularly Patrick Murphy, Mark Marchese, and others teaching government and civics at Wilson. I was impressed with the aspects of the speech the many young people around me gave their loudest applause to – education, of course, but also health care, Africa, and the Middle East. Is our children learning, as the President asked? Yes, in Portland, they are – whether the test scores show it or not.

First, a side note. I have never been in such a well-behaved crowd. The lines to get in were confusing and long, and once inside the queue zig-zagged back and forth down a long hallway, Disneyland style. Except, no ropes. Everyone just stayed in line and snaked down and back in good order. Occasionally someone would come from a different direction and try to join the end of a switchback, and invariably whoever was there politely informed them the end of the line was back thataway, and the person trotted back there. The British are famous for our ability to form orderly lines, but this one was little short of astonishing. It could have been a real mess, with anxiety and tempers flaring. Instead, complete calm. If Barack Obama supporters ran this country, we’d have everything sorted out pronto. And it was especially good to be in a crowd with all kinds of diversity – race, age, gender, background. I saw affluent famous people, and volunteers I know from unions and neighborhood grassroots work. This truly is a man who all kinds of Americans relate to.

Maxwell’s going to write up a full report on Barack Obama’s candidacy as a Guest Post (so I’m promised). So I’ll just tell you a few highlights of his speech from my notes. Senator Obama said:

“They say, he’s talking about hope again. He’s so naive. He’s a hope-peddler. He’s a hope-monger. I am guilty. I am optimistic about the future of America.”

“We spend two trillion dollars a year on health care, the most expensive care in the world. And yet we have 47 million people uninsured. I will pass a universal health care bill in my first term of office. Every American will have health insurance, and those who have it now will see a reduction in their premiums.”

“I will raise fuel efficiency standards on automobiles. And I didn’t announce that here in green Oregon. I went to Detroit and made a speech. The room was kinda quiet. But we can’t continue telling the American people what they want to hear. The President must speak the truth, and tell them what they need to hear.”

“I may not have the experience working the system that Washington wants. But I have the experience America needs.” [listed his years as in grassroots organizing, in the State Legislature, and as an attorney]

“America can be both safe and maintain moral stature in the community of nations.”

“I will invest in early childhood education. Every dollar spent at that age saves $7 in remedial help later. I will make college affordable and accessible for every student.”

“We are a nation that liberated a continent, that survived two world wars, a civil war, slavery, segregation. At every junction there has been a generation willing to stand up and change, from the bottom up.”

“It’s easy to think things can’t get much better. To settle for what you have or are given. But change and hope are the causes of my life. I’m asking you to bet on yourself. I’m asking you to trust and believe in yourself, that America is better than what we’ve seen over the past few years.

“This country was not built on the philosophy that you are on your own. This country was built on the philosophy that we’re all in this together.”

At the end of the speech, he told a sweet, funny story about a campaign appearance in a small town in South Carolina, which perhaps not coincidentally was the part that spoke to my heart the most. Then he left the platform the way he had entered, stage right by the Important People seats. And then he came back across the stage, as if he’d made a mistake or changed his mind, and down to the front of the standing-room only crowd, where we were. Everyone pushed forward. A kind older gentleman had a clear opportunity to shake his hand, saw the many young people around, and stood back to give them the honor. Maxwell with his long arms and tall frame stretching above and beyond the others shook Barack’s hand. “Manly”, the verdict of my 19 year-old son. This photo on BlueOregon may even show the moment, with a hand in the center of the frame extending from several rows back on the left. “Maxwell, I am jealous of your height right now”, said his brother.

Barack Obama would make a good President. He clearly cares deeply about issues that matter to regular people – ending the war, restoring the honor of our country, looking out for each other as well as for ourselves. He’s personable while not seeming fake. He speaks to hearts and minds. He does have the right experience, to me – multicultural, multinational, in all ranges of economic levels. He didn’t spend a lot of time bashing George Bush, he talked about problems and what should be done about them. And he clearly does have hope. I think we need a President who can help Americans feel hopeful again, by taking care of some of the more pressing problems that discourage us.

I’m leaving up the John Edwards and Hillary Clinton links in the left sidebar. I noted previously that John Edwards would make a good President, too, and I hope to hear him speak at the Oregon AFL-CIO convention next month. I’ll write up something on why Hillary would be a good President sometime soon, too, and if she visits we’ll try to go. For now, my summary is that not only would Barack Obama make a good President, but also giving his inspiring supporters more power would be good for America, too.