I posted this several days ago, which I'd like to share, which explains my relative optimism as to what Obama would bring to the Oval Office.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Impeachment_Monkey/3In short, Obama's work doing community organizing and community-based development is the key to his unique insights as to how to get people working together for their own collective best interests. I know this from my own experience doing the same kinds of work, and when I watch how Obama has campaigned, how he's brought so many new faces and new energies to the Democratic Party fold, how he's stayed anchored to his principles in the face of fierce attacks, how he keeps winning new people over with a message of hope and constructive change, I can see clearly how it reflects on his earlier work to create positive change at the grass-roots of America. IMHO there could have been no better training ground for our next President to have under their belt, because it's all about bringing people together to find common purposes, where those purposes and actions had been diametrically opposed to one another. It requires mastery of a kind of psycho-spiritual alchemy that honors all the stake-holders interests and views, but rests ultimately on how intimately inter-connected we all really are underneath the egoistic illusion of "separation" and fear-based thinking.
Don't get me wrong: I take Obama at his word when he says he's "not the perfect candidate" ... he is fallible like all mortals are, and has his flaws and weaknesses. Yet, because he is self-aware enough to freely admit to having flaws, because he is capable of self-examination and self-reflection, somehow his character exudes a rare kind of wholeness and integrity.
So thanks for your post, as it challenged my thinking and helps me better understand why I support Barack Obama as our next President so fervently.
Peace out.