Law Students

The Work Begins

By Andrea

I never thought Barack Obama was Jesus. I do think he is incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, and inspirational. And that he is ready to get to work. And that's why I voted for him.

This moment matters. I think a lot of us policy wonks who know minutiae of federal policy and read political blogs and polls a lot got a chance to step back and just experience people crying in Chicago and cheering on the street in front of the White House. To watch and understand, without jumping ahead to the first law he'll propose that disappoints us, or the first legislative battle he loses. Just to see that we made a notch on the American history timeline.

One television commentator said yesterday that people look at Obama and see themselves in different ways, and that they find that inspiring. Yes. I am one of those people. I see a person who isn't white, whose dad wasn't in his life, who didn't always have a lot of money, who ended up at a good law school and did community work and public interest law and I say, He is like me. And I look at my biracial child and our new biracial President-Elect and I say, She will always think that this is normal.

It makes my throat hurt.

I am not going to go easy on President Obama, I can tell you that. I am a politics junkie for life and I will return quickly to my blogs and polls and legislative battles.

But not today. The moment is still here.

Full post as published by Peanut Butter Burrito on November 05, 2008 (boomark / email).