Healing
Allow me some post-drunk rambling. We'll get back to Teh Funny soon enough.
Four years ago tonight, I was in a Reno casino, watching an immense bank of televisions that showed the slow crushing horror that was Bush II. It was after a 16-hour-day of driving, canvassing, and feverish acts to try to get John Kerry votes, the last act of four months of fever work.
I worked like a dog for John Kerry. I canvassed for a thousand hours or more, gave him the full amount allowed by an individual, and, in the words of many of the people I read in the lefty blogosphere, left it all on the road.
And only now do I realize that I did it all wrong.
You see, I didn't really love my candidate. I just hated his opponent. Eventually everyone else did too, it seems, but in 2004, my pure motivation was to just get That Man out of office.
That doesn't describe Barack Obama's supporters.
They disdain the current Administration, of course, as well as the ugly little campaign that its failed successor ran. (Kudos for the gracious concession.) But Obama's supporters had more than that fuel. They had a true admiration, even a love, for their man.
I wasn't able to do that. My service was lacking.
Because of that, and ineffective campaigning, Swiftboating and more, the nation endured four more years of Bush pain. And my indifferent candidate sat on a significant amount of money, rather than fight for the office.
After the 2004 experience, I did no volunteer work, gave no money, and did nothing more than wish the now-President-elect well. Hell, in 2005, I tried like mad to get a job offer in New Zealand.
Barack Obama didn't need my help. That's OK -- it wasn't up to his standards, anyway.
Barack Obama is not a guy I'd want to drink a beer with. If he showed up at my poker table, I'd take my chips and walk away.
The reason why is because he's a better man than I am, on a lot of levels.
Presidents should be.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled petty snark, timewaste, and whole-hearted obsession about sports, for a very long time, I hope. The grown-ups are back in charge.
4 comments:
A better man how? Please enlighten me here. His campaign ran a fine race, but that does not make him a better man. He was in the right place at the right time, but that does not make him a better man. He has a Columbia/Harvard education. That certainly does not make him a better man.
The proof will be in his accomplishments, the mark he leaves on this country. His rock star status now is no indication of what kind of man, or President, he will be. His lack of a track record disturbs me, but then again, many things about our political elite disturb me. I am not a party man. This country has indeed had a number of truly great leaders. Sadly, not one of them is from the 20th or 21st century.
The current regime has made a mess of things. However regime in this case is more than the current President and his administration. It includes a rubber stamp Congress. It includes a corrupt Senate.
Certainly.
1) He got the grades and scholarships for that education. I didn't.
2) He had the opportunity, after excelling in that education, to make a ton of cash. Instead, he chose to make very little, comparatively, as a community organizer and law prof. Me, I chase the bucks.
3) I couldn't have endured the slights to my wife, the character assassinations from my opponents, and the time away from my family without snapping like a twig. He did.
4) I couldn't inspire untold millions of people to give me money to run for office. Heck, I can barely inspire hundreds of people to read my sports blog. He's a better writer than me.
5) He didn't just run a good campaign. He ran a different one. He saw the changing conditions and adapted his game to them, on the fly, without looking erratic. I don't have that kind of foresight.
But being as I've promised to get back to Teh Funny, let's just cut to the quick. He's taller, has a better jump shot, and is statistically more likely to be swinging more pipe. (I think he's got you on all these too, Dad.)
1) No doubt that he is intelligent. This does not make him a better man.
2) Chose to make very little? Hmm, not so sure about that. Nice house he has. Again, this does not make him a better man.
3) All politicians endure this. Indeed, some handle it better than others. This does not make him a better man.
4) Hitler inspired millions of people. Was he a better man? Hitler's book has sold pretty well too.
5) Granted. He did run a good race. I fail to see how this makes him a better man. Perhaps I just stoopit.
He is taller, probably has a decent jump shot and may be swinging more pipe (but I can lick my eyebrows!). This too, does not make him a better man.
Right place, right time. I hope he turns out to be a good President. I just won't hold my breath.
I gotta be honest with you, your self-depricating comments sort of worry me. How is he a better man than you?
I know not your full max potential and I know not your max potential.
Sure, he has used those gifts in ways that, hopefully, suit him and what is important to him.
He may be judged by the outcome of his presidency, which is NOT a good judge of a man (ie, reference any past president for that).
He has inspired many, but he has the gifts and the tools to do so. Now, he has more resources. Let us see the outcome of his presidency before judging him as president. Let us see the outcome of his children before judging him as a father/ husband. And give him some more time before judging his education.
It's about the journey. Barak has had one of the most compelling in my life time. That does not make him better than any of us.
I have a profession and hope to contribute to it. I have a wife to serve, and children (3) to raise.
You have your roles and resposibilities too, make the best of them with what you have.
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