I love the Obama family.
I am a huge fan of President Obama as a person.
His rise to the presidency was almost supernatural.
It's like a storybook tale.
But tales are illusions.
Here's the real story.
Barack Obama was the better candidate of two weak candidates presented to the American people in 2008. Barack Obama and John McCain both lacked serious executive experience, with neither having at least a governorship under his belt or a clear, rational plan for the economy. Obama had not been in the Senate (or politics for that matter) long enough; McCain lacked the charisma needed of any leader. Obama’s record did speak clearly enough on many other matters outside of the war; McCain was a moderate posing as a conservative. Both had major weaknesses.
What were my options?
1. Don’t vote at all.
2. Vote for the lesser of two evils.
3. Weigh the pros and cons of each candidate, focus on the positive and run.
I went for #3 and got behind the Obama campaign.
Where was the appeal for me, the eager independent constituent who excitedly supported the Obama campaign?
1. The Saddleback Church Civil Forum was my turning point. His performance sealed the deal for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL7FRNDkELM
2. He taught Constitutional Law.
3. His family was Kennedy-esque (shallow but true reason).
4. His international background.
5. My president doesn’t have to be my pastor…I have one of those and he’s pretty good.
6. My president isn’t my Messiah, so I don’t have deep hopes in him or her…I’ve already found the Real Deal.
7. No real rumors or scandals.
8. His was the first rally I had ever attended and it was INCREDIBLE.
9. I was enamored with the idea of an immigrant’s son of biracial heritage being the face of the United States (it still gives me chills and makes me proud of my nation all over again).
10. I was tired of the war(s) and he seemed to be also.
11. He stayed true to his liberal self, not attempting to be a centrist or moderate or conservative.
12. He spoke my language (he used high vocabulary and colloquialism like “hoodwinked…bamboozled” which brought back to my favorite movie, “Malcolm X”).
13. He didn’t make shallow, crowd-pleasing faith claims.
14. Michelle was going to make an incredible First Lady.
15. I really believed that he was like Jimmy Stewart in the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. I believed Washington was going to change.
Where was his larger appeal to the American people?
1. The eagerness to be absolved of the nation’s history of discrimination.
2. Obama’s rhetoric and record all pointed to the end of military initiatives around the world, namely Iraq and Afghanistan.
3. Bush’s tarnished international image.
4. The shortcomings of Bush’s domestic and foreign policies.
5. Union power.
6. Dynamic, intelligent speeches.
7. Youthfulness.
8. Handsome family.
9. Humor.
10. No real skeletons in the closet.
11. The other option lacked #6-9.
So am I disappointed?
Somewhat.
Why?
After the electric campaign, I was ready to get down to business. I wanted all of his energy to go towards reviving our economy and keeping us safe, but his race/ethnicity, perspectives on Islam and his historic victory all became unnecessary distractors. On his end, I believe that he tried to start too many projects at once. I couldn’t keep up. It was as if he was trying to be Lincoln, FDR, JFK, Johnson, Carter, and Clinton all in his first year. And at this point in time, both critics and supporters alike have come to realize that Senator Obama and President Obama are two different people.
Do I regret my vote?
No.
Would I do it all over again?
Perhaps.
Will I support Obama in 2012?
I’m still working on that one.
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