July 27, 2004. The aura of Obama swept the nation. It occurred after his keynote address at 2004 the Democratic National Convention (DCN) in Boston.
Typically, such an address inspires voters across America on why the CURRENT NOMINEE for U.S. President, in that instance of course being John Kerry, is the best choice.
However, the choice of Barack (pronounced Ba-rock) Hussein Obama, Jr. being selected to be the keynote speaker at the DNC on that fateful Tuesday evening and being spectacular beyond words led to this uncontrollable phenomenon.
I still vividly remember Sen. Obama saying, "There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America".
Or later when he beautifully uttered, " (it is) the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope!"
Well, not only has America found a place for "The Audacity of Hope" to become a national best seller, but Americans might be making place for Barack Obama to become their next president.
In "The Audacity of Hope" Sen. Obama writes "politics, like science, depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality".
Such lines invoke a sense of inclusion and unified progression which continue to feed the inquisitive fire internally within Barack and externally within our societal circles.
So, the question on the minds of many is: "Should Barack Obama run for President in 2008?"
Focusing on the words "in 2008" is critical because it COMPLETELY changes the dynamic of the conversation.
Some say Obama should wait; others say go now. Despite perfect timing being a critical element on whether one runs and eventually wins, such a question about exact timing to this magnitude probably hasn’t occurred in most of our lives.
So again should Obama run NOW?"
Well before answering that question, we must first acknowledge that even Obama seems unsure.
On January 22, 2006 when asked on "Meet The Press" by Tim Russert "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?" Sen. Obama succinctly replied "I will not".
But, nine months to the day (Oct. 22, 2006), also on "Meet The Press" Mr. Russert asked, "but, it’s fair to say you’re running for president in 2008?" and Obama replied "It’s fair, yes".
Clearly, Mr. Senator has had some serious revelations for him to even publicly announce that he is considering the highest office in the world. So, if he can ponder the possibilities, so shall we.
THIS MOMENT MAY NEVER COME AGAIN
Sen. Obama seems to have a phenomenal sense of ceasing the moment. He first released his autobiography "Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" three years before his first Illinois State Senate run. He re-released it in the midst of his U.S. Senate run. And in his same meticulous and calculated fashion, he’s released "The Audacity of Hope" as the questions of a possible presidential run flow almost unceasingly.
It is clear he understands that opportunities may come and they definitely will go but don’t let them leave without making the most of them.
Speaking of improbable opportunities, the 2008 election will be the first time since 1928 that neither a sitting U.S. President nor Vice-President seeks the highest office in the land. Let that marinate for a moment as we examine the options if he does or doesn’t run in 2008.
If a Republican wins in 2008 and if Sen. Obama decided to run in 2012, he would have to face a sitting incumbent, which we all know is a difficult yet doable feat. If he waits until 2016, he’d probably have to run against the expected Republican nominee being the sitting Vice-President, who have had eight years of experience within the White House.
Regardless of the additional experience one may feel Barack would obtain from staying in the U.S. Senate or potentially running for Governor of Illinois, one would also have to acknowledge that defeating #2 person in the land, within an administration that would have won one of the most contested and intriguing elections of our time, would be extremely difficult to say the least.
If Barack doesn’t run for president and a Democrat wins in 2008, he obviously wouldn’t run against that person in 2012 and then probably would have to defeat the Democratic nominee, being his own party’s Vice-President. It probably would keep Obama off of that Vice-President’s holiday card list.
And even if he received a top position within the President’s cabinet, despite creating a vision for that department and overseeing the execution of that vision, most people probably still won’t see him as the visionary they seek from the person running for president.
Add to the mix that public discontent is at a near inconceivable peak within our generation and the Obama hype probably won’t last much longer at this degree; it’s truly a golden opportunity.
So, if you take history in one account, the difficulty of defeating an incumbent in another and the Obama hype being too surreal to let go in the other, it makes you ask even more…why not now?!
RUN, BARACK, RUN
If responding, yes Barack should run now – a simple reason is that people have been hoping for that occurrence almost from day one.
More than two years ago, a former State Senator emerged into our living rooms to give a speech. A few words and some subtle smiles later, it ignited a thought of "Is He the one?"
A similar thought hasn’t emerged with our previous African-American hopefuls who officially announced their candidacy (Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Rev. Al Sharpton & Carol Moseley Braun)
Barack also will immediately jump to at least the 2nd spot in the Democratic ranking behind only Hillary Clinton, clearly more popular than John Edwards, Al Gore, Dennis Kucinich, etc.
Almost like that child prodigy in your family or the athlete who seems destined to make it big, we, as a society, became enamored with Barack from the beginning.
In a New York Times article on October 19, 2006 entitled "Run Barack Run", David Brooks eloquently writes "…the times will never again so completely require the gifts that he possesses. Whether you’re liberal or conservative, you should hope Barack Obama runs for president".
With that said, if people have loved you from the start, with the support seeming to grow more each day and with us believing that hype soon disappears, why not make the most of the moment?!
Part II with begin with the segment entitled: BARACK SEEMS REAL, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME. It will be in the January 7, 2007 – January 20, 2007 edition.
