I almost thought of not posting anything about the election, figuring what could I possibly say that hasn’t been said by the national news media 4 billion times. However, every time I turned on the news I never heard the most compelling story of the entire campaign. The fact that I was right.

Now I’m just kidding, this post isn’t about how I made Obama my guy back in 2005 and how I posted (link) about him running for president in January, 2006. It is about the fact that the American people finally got up off the couch and elected an intelligent man who has managed to rise above all the political nonsense that we have been subjected to for the past 14 years.

I’ll admit I had my doubts about Obama around October-Novemeber of 2007. He was flailing around trying to figure out a consistent message to present, and had been doing pretty badly in the huge snow white and the seven dwarfs* style debates. But then one Saturday afternoon I tuned into a town hall meeting with Obama hosted by MTV and a bunch of college kids. I’d been upset with Obama and frustrated with his response to questions and not presenting himself as the smart, quick witted guy I knew him to be from his podcasts, speeches and books.

He then proceeded to remind me why he was my guy. He spoke honestly, he spoke with authority, and when necessary he spoke in an educational tone that reflected the intelligence of his audience. The fact that he managed to get his point across without treating his audience like a bunch of idiots jump started the audience and you could tell he was hitting his stride in terms of policy and its presentation.

You can watch the whole thing on the poorly implemented MTV website here on mtv.com.

It was this moment specifically, as I chilled out on the couch probably snacking on something, that I was shown that this guy was going to stand up and take the Presidency from all the candidates that felt it was “their turn” to win. For me he did so that weekend and never looked back. He did it all, I feel with this quote from the end of the discussion. It is what I feel truly defined his campaign. Not his race, or name, or family, or upbringing, or education, or friends, or religious beliefs. It was this simple statement that ‘I want people to be for something.’ That was an idea that I don’t think the American people has truly heard since Kennedy. And history has now proven that they were ready to hear it. Here is the rest of the quote.

“I’m not interested in just rallying people around being against something, whether its George Bush or one of my opponents. I want people to be for something. I want, especially young people, to feel that at the end of the day, we still have the capacity to rally around the country. That were not just a collection of red states and blue states, or politics is this petty partisan trivialized business. I want people to feel that, you know what, we’ve got some big problems and you guys are part of the solution. You can make a difference.” – Sen. Barack Obama, Oct. 29 2007

Now I can’t wait for January ’09 when I can enjoy another January of relishing my Obama fanhood.

*Reference to the West Wing tv show.

“Well, the correct answer is, ‘He’s not a Muslim, he’s a Christian, he’s always been a Christian.’ But the really right answer is, ‘What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?” -FMR Sec. of State Gen. Colin Powell

As Teressa and I enjoyed out Sunday coffee and political-talk-shows, we both cheered when Powell made that very simple comment. I was planning on a big rant about this, but for now I point you to my favorite news source. The NPR.

Considering the deal brokered in the House yesterday concerning the FISA courts, I thought this sticker was more than a little timely. This particular pay phone is located just outside the Kwik Shop across from my office, and seriously made my day today. Thank you crazy-left-wing-Lawrence-hippies.

All in all 2,218 people showed up at at my location, overwhelmingly for Obama. In fact, during the first alignment of the caucus Hillary was 20 votes short of being inviable, meaning that had Hillary started out with a 20-30 less people the entire State Congressional district would have gone Obama. Instead, after the Kucinick and Edwards people re-aligned themselves, Obama ended up with 9 delegates to her 2.

As you can see I snapped a few photos last night, however try as I might I couldn’t get a wide shot of the mass of democrats that showed up. For that, check out this panorama by an LJWorld photographer.

Also, Joel, formerly of my favorite LJWorld blog Cup o’ Joel, shot some video of the event for his new blog redblueamerica.com. He also liveblogged the event, which I attempted to do via Twitter but my phone’s lack of a keyboard made it a little cumbersome.

Here are a couple more links as to how the caucuses played out in Lawrence, and also in Hutchinson. I would have killed to see that kind of Democratic turnout in Hutch (my hometown), especially after reading some of my friends parents switching party affiliation just to have their voices heard in this Democratic primary.

I hope everyone who could got out and voted/caucesed last night. It was a big pain to wait 20 minutes in traffic to drive one mile, walk in the mud and snow, stand in line, stand around while everyone else waited in line just to stand in a big group and caucus. However, I couldn’t be happier with how the night turned out, or more excited to wait and watch Obama win the rest of the country!

p.s. Mike, I didn’t steal the headline from your facebook status…I actually wrote half of this last night until I fell asleep. Honest!

I live in the blue-est county of a very red state. I’m not really one for those distinctions, but put it this way, we elect a democratic congressman year in and year out while the state is decidedly republican. Now that’s all fine and good, to each his own, but whenever I vote it feels very shallow as I am very aware that my vote for president or congressman does little to alter national politics. I am always drowned out by my local compatriots on the left and the greater Kansan population on the right when it comes to electoral votes. And while I always make it a point to get out and vote, I mean, I live across the street from my polling place, it feels like I am just going through the motions.

Cut to this Tuesday. Kansas is caucasing as part of the super (duper!) Tuesday dance party, and it is NOT a winner take all contest. Meaning that every single person who shows up to caucus is going to have their presence count for something in the greater democratic primary election. Needless to say that very much excites me.

I’ve ranted to raved about Obama since 2005, and he is very much a candidate that I’m passionate about and subscribe to his vision of America. I also enjoy feeling inspired by the words of a politician something I had never experience before, short of Aaron Sorkin’s fictional White House.

So check out this video set to the words of Obama’s “Yes We Can” speech, and tell me that it doesn’t inspire you to believe in a world where this man can become President of the United States of America.

Click here to find information on caucsing this Tuesday in Kansas.

p.s. Check out Herbie Hancock on the piano!

“A President once said,
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”
Now it seems like we’re supposed to be afraid
It’s patriotic in fact and color coded
And what are we supposed to be afraid of?
Why, of being afraid
That’s what terror means, doesn’t it?
That’s what it used to mean” -Randy Newman

How far we’ve fallen, but at least now we have a chance to pick ourselves up.

“Hope is what led a band of colonists to rise up against an empire; what led the greatest of generations to free a continent and heal a nation; what led young women and young men to sit at lunch counters and brave fire hoses and march through Selma and Montgomery for freedom’s cause.

Hope—hope—is what led me here today – with a father from Kenya; a mother from Kansas; and a story that could only happen in the United States of America. Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.” -Barack Obama

I seriously can’t wait for New Hampshire.

I’ve been ranting ‘n raving about Obama for over two years now and I thought I’d be fun to take a trip down memory lane…so here’s a link to all my posts about him. Notice how in the first one, way back in 2006, I was already pleading for him to run for President. Next stop, New Hampshire people.

Oh, and if you haven’t seen his victory speech from last night do yourself a favor and take a look. At around nine minutes I get goose-bumps every time.

Anyway, I wanted to throw up this post dealing with a speech Obama gave on Sunday. Here is a snippet:

“But somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together. Faith started being used to drive us apart. Faith got hijacked.” -Sen. Barack Obama

Oddly enough, Teressa and I were having this exact same discussion in car on Sunday…coincidence, I think not.

Check out the article on the ol’ NYTimes. Via: CrooksandLiars.com

Long story short, 5 very influential political bloggers will be presenting a round table on the topic of “The Impact of Political Blogs on the 2008 Election.” The event starts at 7:30 at the Dole Center but unfortunately I have a video/sound test until 8. I’m hoping to make it for the second half, maybe see you there?

Oh, and this event isn’t just some joe schmo bloggers, these people are the real deal including:

• Joan McCarter (contributing editor at Daily Kos)
• Scott Johnson (co-founder of the blog Powerline)
• Patrick Hynes (Consultant for Sen. McCain and author of Ankle Biting Pundits)
• Jerome Armstrong (MDD and architect of Dean’s Internet campaign)
• Rick Erickson (Managing editor of RedState.com)

As you can see both sides of the aisle will represented tonight, and it is yet another cool thing that living in a university town offers. For more info check at lawrence.com‘s preview of the event.

Update: I didn’t make it last night as the gf has fallen ill with some kind of sore throat/head cold…no fun at all. However, here is a great live blog of the event. It’s almost like being there. I just wanted to add that I don’t support or promote the general content/pov on that site, I just felt that their coverage of the event was to good to pass up.