Change We Can Believe In

One of my first assignments for Advanced Comp is to write an essay about a celebrity figure I admire. Being the stinking liberal that I am, I chose Barack Obama. Not only will this give my professor and classmates a chance to fully grasp the extent of my open-mindedness (i.e. pro-choice, universal health care, accepting that it’s far past time for W to be put out to pasture), it will be an excellent reminder for all that the apocalypse is coming soon (namely, Tuesday), and that we better go down into our homemade morality shelters to wait out the bombard of change and hope raining down on us these next four years.

I apologize for the brevity of the essay, and especially the lack of political endeavors; there’s really no way I could fully detail the amazing things Obama has accomplished in 750-1000 words.

Happy inauguration!

Throughout our history, there has been only one man whom Americans feel encouraged to extol praises upon or levy offenses against simply because of the job he applies for and how he carries it out. Said individual is often charged with not only the current state of our union, but also for not instantaneously fixing any blunders of the past or all possibilities for faux pas in the future. As one of the most stressed, most critiqued, most diligently observed, and least credited key figures of our society, the President of this United States really gets a sorry bargain for the ordeal he endures those four to eight (or ten, or twelve) years he serves in office. My admiration is not markedly greater than the sympathy I often feel for Barack Obama, the 44th man to undertake the daunting task of representing and governing our country.

A part of me fell in love with Barack Obama a few years before his presidential campaign, when he delivered a keynote address at the Democratic convention in 2004. I have always had a profound respect for any good orator, simply because of the courage required to speak with the agenda of establishing a point and persuading the audience to actively support and rally behind it (and also because I am not near so adept as he at this arduous skill). Obama’s homage to his deceased parents, the current of love outpouring from him for America, his continual reference to and care for the common person: all these won me over to his cause before he even mentioned the name of then-Democratic candidate John Kerry. The deliberation of his speech made me believe that he truly meant every word he was saying; the faltering quality of some of his words left the impression that he must get everything conveyed exactly as he means it. This distinctive elocution has not wavered throughout his long ascent from law school lectures to the Senate floor, from presidential debates to Presidential-elect press conferences, and the ease with which such beautiful rhetoric flows directly from Barack Obama’s heart to his mouth is one of the main proponents for why he won over the majority of the American people.

His speech would be worthless if it were not stemming from the fortitude of his person. Throughout his campaign, Obama proved himself to be the epitome of composure. This was especially apparent throughout the presidential debates. At that point in the campaign, most candidates find themselves so stressed and weary that they lose their footing constantly, becoming irritable and snappy; Obama, even when provoked, respectfully agreed with his opponent and expanded upon his platform for the future America. The debates also revealed him to be direct, attentive, and thorough. He elaborated as much as he could about his disciplined campaign within the time constraints, detailing his hope for the future and the lessons he has obtained from the past. Instead of stumbling into the pitfalls that so often accompany the presidential candidates in the months before the election, Obama patiently endured the jibes upon his character and his career, disregarding the critics to prove to those rooting for him that he had what it takes all along.

It would be difficult to expand upon Obama without at least mentioning his family. His wife and two daughters are so much a part of his life that neglecting to include them in a summary of his positive attributes is an insult. In almost every interview, Obama makes some reference to his wife or daughters: how supportive they are or how much he misses them with his busy schedule. He often makes time to do the little things with them, such as going grocery shopping or playing. There is scarcely a photograph of the Obama family where Barack is not embracing his wife or daughters; the union looks so natural and regular that “posing” for a picture would require separation. It seems superfluous to expand upon the family life of our next president, but in times of such familial discord, it is also pertinent to tribute such a pure and honest bond when it exists.

While some may not approve of his policies or ideologies, they cannot disparage Barack Obama’s personal integrity. Established and exhibited clearly in all he does, from his speech to his actions to his home life, it is trying to find a man surer of his history, his character, and his country. I can only hope that this strength of mind will help him to persevere through the years ahead and forge a new path to create a better nation. While I do not know what the years ahead will bring for America, I am sure that this man, with his optimism and assurance, will do his best to lead her somewhere her citizens can call home.