Our Country Finally Has a Leader

I feel a great sense of relief. Over the last few weeks, I had some hope that I would feel this way, and a few days ago, I even dared to start expecting that it would finally happen.

Eight years ago, when our current Resident was elected, I was in despair. I remember saying, "He is going to be a disaster of a president!" I didn't know how true that would turn out to be, and that it would go on for eight nightmarish years.

I've always voted for whom I thought was the better candidate, but there's always been a "lesser of two evils" quality about it. They've always been just "good enough." I approached this election with that same mindset, although I did think this candidate was better than the previous ones.

Now I'm starting to see Obama as more than that. He has conducted himself with dignity, spoken with thoughtful intelligence, and hasn't made any major blunders. He strikes me as someone who is not driven by his ego.

I hope that the people who opposed him will give him a chance. He seems to be very much a pragmatist, who will work cooperatively with people who hold different opinions, rather than pushing his own agenda.

This election is momentous on so many levels. Seeing so many promising signs in the days leading up to the election, I was finally able to relax enough to reflect on some of those.

It is impossible to miss the fact that he is the first African-American president, although I have been joking that I hadn't noticed that. ("He's black??! I thought he was Irish! I thought I was voting for the Irish guy! ~ O'Bama.") What is surprising to me is that "First African-American President" is not the headline. OK, I know it was the headline in some newspapers, but it was not mentioned in most of the headlines, and it is not the headline in the newspaper in my head. (My headline says, "Whew. We Finally Have a Leader.")

But when I do think about it, it is so amazing. Obama is just a year older than I am. Early in our lifetime, he would have had to ride in the back of the bus. I vaguely remember the civil rights era, and have seen our country evolve in its wake, often through violent events and ugly rhetoric. I know there is still racism. I was sure we could elect a black president eventually, but I didn't think it would happen this soon. I am gobsmacked.

But it is not just about how far we've come. Some of it is due to the fact that Obama is not just one of the "good enough" candidates. He seems to be in a different category. It struck me, during his victory speech, that he talked about the 106-year old woman, seeing the past through her eyes, and then spoke about what would be said 100 years from now. He has a vision that extends beyond our immediate lifetime. That is something that has been lacking in the leadership of our country, even in the "good enough" politicians.

I hope that he lives up to the promise of the extraordinary human being that he appears to be. I don't take any stock in the overblown expectations, or "deification" silliness that I've been hearing about. I'm just regarding the way he has handled everything during the campaign. I think if he just continues in the same manner, he will be not just good enough. He could be one of our Great Presidents.

I hope.