Most of you know that I was an early supporter of President Elect Barack Obama. June 2007, to be exact. As I reflect on our pivotal shift in American politics, I recall receiving the Christmas card from the Obama family in December 2006. I was surprised to receive the card, and figured that my name was on that list of supporters and campaigners for Deval Patrick, our governor of Massachusetts who swept into office in 2006 as our first black governor. Obama and Patrick are very good friends, both have Chicago connections (Patrick was born and raised in poverty in Chicago…Obama relocating to Chicago as a young adult) and both graduates of Harvard Law School.
For those of us in Massachusetts, we know that we’ve just seen the Patrick campaign expanded to the national landscape. Both the Patrick campaign and the Obama campaign shared David Axelrod as chief strategist for their winning victories. Grassroots base. Longshots. Small donations over the Internet. Keen vision and strong leadership skills. Commitment to diversity inside and outside of their campaigns.
That describes BOTH the Patrick and Obama campaigns.
So as excited as I was on November 4th at 11 pm when the news rang out that Barack Obama was elected as our 44th President of the United States, I felt a wonderful sense of pride to have been an active part of BOTH successful campaigns.
Patrick’s campaign slogan was Together We Can.
Obama’s campaign slogan is Yes We Can.
Since his 2006 election, I receive regular emails from Governor Patrick. Here’s the latest email I received from Governor Patrick:
“On Tuesday morning, I started the day participating in and witnessing the historic turnout for the election here at home. I ended the day in Grant Park in Chicago seeing the result of that turnout in Massachusetts and all around the country in the election of Barack Obama as our next president. And I remain enormously moved, excited and proud.
We are, all of us, going to have to continue to focus on what we can and must do to our communities and our country. I look forward to working closely, as Governor, with the President-elect and with ordinary people alike to answer his call for service and sacrifice.” --Governor Deval Patrick
I won’t be surprised if Barack Obama also continues a similar online presence as his presidential journey takes shape.
I have been crying, cheering, and dancing around my house since Obama won the election. I knocked on doors in New Hampshire, made phone calls from the New Hampshire campaign office, and held an Obama/John Kerry sign until 8pm at my local polling location on November 4th. I celebrated with my daughter, Michelle, at the Fairmont Copley Hotel in downtown Boston and watched the electoral count go over 270 with astonishment. The hotel room, filled with thousands of people of different races and ages erupted in jubilation when Democratic Party leader John Walsh took the stage and announce our next president of the USA.
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!!!!
Yes, our country is facing shockingly frightful threats to our nation’s economic infrastructure. The big 3 auto manufacturers on the brink of bankruptcy if they can’t negotiate new government-backed loans. Our unemployment rate at an alarming 6.5%. We’ve had thousands of jobs lost in this fiscal quarter alone. We face uncertainty with our jobs and economic stability for 2009.
As bleak as it looks, I am more hopeful than ever that the American people have elected a man who can LEAD us through these perilous times with his message of hope, change, and strategic planning.
Barack and Michelle Obama heard the call and accepted the path laid out for them. They beat primary election giants like Hillary Clinton. They beat the forces supporting a John McCain/Sarah Palin ticket.
The Obama/Biden presidency will have high hurdles to climb. But I am confident that they are equipped for the journey and prepared for the steep road ahead.
God Bless America. God Bless the People of America, Kenya and All The Countries of the World.
God Bless The Obama Family.
Gob Bless The Biden Family.
God Bless Us All.
Yes…We Can!
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