First time I saw Barack Obama on my TeeVee, I thought “What’s with the ears?”
Honest, that was my initial impression, I reckoned anyone with ears of that pointy-out-ed-ness couldn’t possibly ever be President.
It was further proof of my intellectual heavy-weighted-ness.
Then I read his books, and checked out his history, and I decided: I’m in.
And I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else since.
I won’t go on, even though I’m in a rambling mood after such a beautiful day.
My support has never – honest! – been unconditional, that America is still in Afghanistan, for example, depresses me, even though I think I understand the strategic ‘reasoning’ behind still being there.
And there was lots about today’s ceremony that left me feeling queasy, although I’m certain PBO can’t be blamed for that. I suspect it makes him uncomfortable too. Too much jingoism, too much chest-thumping about America’s ‘might’ – a might that has often inflicted way more harm than good on the world. And that’s just the truth.
But, I love the man, and I love everything he has done and has tried to do, in the face of unrelenting, often vicious, opposition. He is good and decent to the core. As I’ve said a million times, I feel blessed to be alive in his time.
I’m not one to quote poetry, but….. Irish poet Seamus Heaney:
History says, Don’t hope
on this side of the grave.
But then, once in a lifetime
the longed for tidal wave
of justice can rise up,
and hope and history rhyme.
For me, Barack Obama is making hope and history rhyme.
Thanks for everything, see you tomorrow. Today was the best of days, just blissful.
