deeples

August 28, 2008

America, we can not turn back.

Filed under: Politics — Tags: , , , — denise @ 9:05 pm

If I could have flung myself through the TV screen and kissed him, I would have.

I’m almost afraid to believe this much…. to feel this much…. to be this proud…

This election isn’t about him, it’s about us.

You.

Me.

Us.

It’s been so long since I’ve wanted to follow someone into a battle…believed in their vision… been ready for the fight… felt my shoulders square and my jaw set and my heart beat -strongly and surely.

I got your back, baby.

Bring it.

9 Comments »

  1. Unfortunately, I’ve already been disappointed after going through the hope that Obama was different and somebody I could vote for enthusiastically instead of reluctantly. He got my hopes up during the primaries and as soon as Clinton conceded, he rushed to the center and went back on many of the things that got me excited about him – the biggest being voting for the FISA bill, including telecom immunity. I’m definitely not to the point that I’m reluctantly voting for him, but my enthusiasm for his candidacy has dropped by about half. I still hold out some hope that he will prove to be different, but the more I read, the less I think that will be true. The lesson I am learning from this election is that politics is no place for idealists.

    Comment by Matt — August 28, 2008 @ 10:16 pm

  2. Denise, that is so cool that you are so jazzed. I wish I could be as excited. Not that I’m not at all, but not as much as you. I’d love to feel that!

    Matt, you should stop by my place and read the 2nd post down. It’s all about how Democrats have a hard time getting fully behind a candidate — for the reasons you write about above.

    Denise, you should stop by too. Although — it might pop your balloon a little. Or maybe not! You could inject some Obama-love into the comment thread!

    Comment by blue girl — August 29, 2008 @ 7:01 am

  3. I’ll take some Obama-love right here, baby! Whooooo Nelly! (Seriously, I’m right with ya, Denise. Total idealist and getting teary-eyed when I watch him giving a speech, then look at my daughter, then back at him. It’s awesome.)

    Comment by Krista — August 29, 2008 @ 7:30 am

  4. I’m not young enough to think that anyone I support is perfect

    or naive enough to think that anyone will ride in on a white horse and save me OR MY NATION :)…

    I was really just overcome by feeling a stirring that had been gone for so long… one that means so much more to me now than it did when I felt it last.

    You’re right, Matt, idealism is risky – at best – in politics and policy. I’m just RELIEVED that I am still capable of believing that there can be change.

    Comment by denise — August 29, 2008 @ 7:41 am

  5. My biggest complaint about politicians is a lack of integrity, primarily in two specific areas:
    1. taking lobbyist money and shortly thereafter changing their mind on an issue favorable to said lobbyist – always coincidentally, of course, because bribery is illegal. The saddest part of this to me is that they don’t even try to hide it by taking the money and then waiting a few months before taking action. Nope – the money changes hands and the vote changes, bill introduced, speech made, or whatever else happens just days later. This is why I really have hope for the Change Congress movement (http://change-congress.org/) – click on About and check out the videos. Lawrence Lessig made huge inroads in copyright reform by introducing Creative Commons, so I hope his involvement in Change Congress is equally effective.

    2. basing policy decisions on polling data or political expediency. I really respected Hillary Clinton back in the mid to late ’90s, but since running for Senate she seems much more interested in being popular (to audiences she’s speaking to, or in polls) than fighting for issues she believes in. That’s not to say she doesn’t have some core issues she fights for, but that on too many other issues, her decision changes with the polling data. Same thing goes for John McCain years ago. I didn’t agree with him on a lot, but I respected him because he did what he thought was right, even if it meant going against his party and telling audiences things they didn’t want to hear. It’s also why I still really respect Russ Feingold – besides being a ‘Sconny, he consistently fights for what he believes is right, even if it means going against the party line.

    Obama has really disappointed me on the 2nd issue for the reason I mentioned in my first comment. I’m hoping that his move to the center was an unpleasant, but necessary political maneuver and he turns out to be more like the pre-presumptive nominee than the post-presumptive nominee.

    Comment by Matt — August 29, 2008 @ 10:28 am

  6. I’m hoping that his move to the center was an unpleasant, but necessary political maneuver and he turns out to be more like the pre-presumptive nominee than the post-presumptive nominee.

    I actually believe that a candidate who wants to win must be centrist. I believe that a president who is effective must be able to empathize and consider the opinions, values and priorities of the whole population.

    That person should magnetize, not polarize. An election that is based on people only voting AGAINST the person they don’t want in office is a sad, sad day, indeed. I’ve lived through 2 of those elections already.

    I, too, hope it wasn’t a happy, comfortable shift of character for him. But I do hope that it’s one step of many down a road of true leadership.

    Comment by denise — August 29, 2008 @ 10:45 am

  7. I actually believe that a candidate who wants to win must be centrist. I believe that a president who is effective must be able to empathize and consider the opinions, values and priorities of the whole population.

    I don’t necessarily disagree. But if you are a centrist, don’t pretend not to be just to get votes when you need them. I got enthusiastic about Obama during the primaries when I liked a lot of what he was saying, only to hear him backpedal on his statements after the nomination was his.
    Consider enthusiasm on a 0-10 scale, 0 being complete apathy and 10 being undying enthusiasm.
    During the primaries, I was at 9. After the backpedalling, I dropped to a 5.
    Without the statements to get my hopes up, and then going back on them, I never would have been as enthusiastic about him, but I also wouldn’t have had the big drop because of the backpedalling, so I would have been a 7 throughout his campaign.

    Comment by Matt — August 29, 2008 @ 10:53 am

  8. I can’t speak for tomorrow.

    But today, I am an 11 !!!!!!

    I think I just had an Obamagasm.

    Comment by denise — August 29, 2008 @ 10:55 am

  9. I’m recalling the “don’t ask, don’t tell” Clinton days. Boy did he take a lot of heat for that, but imagine if we had had Billy Boy in office the last 8 years.

    Now we come to Obama and he is no doubt going to go back on, or go half-way back on a few things…. and I will sit there and go “oh shit” and then I will get over it…. because….

    I. Heart. Obama.

    (Ditto on the Obamagasm.)

    P.S.: Did I mention that he’s also a rather nice looking fella?

    Comment by Krista — August 29, 2008 @ 1:01 pm

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