garoos blog

Last night I watched a future president of the United States give a speech

...and it was magnificent. I've not felt inspired as he made me in years.   My favorite line of the speech....

"Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America - there's the United States of America. "

As if that wasn't brilliant enough he continued...

"The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States"

I was inspired by his life story...awestruck by the genius of my country and by the promise fulfilled by his life... Barack made me so proud to be an American, I was almost bursting with pride. He eloquently detailed exactly what we love about this country...all of us...

"That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will he counted - or at least, most of the time. "

It was my honor and great privilege to watch Barack Obama last night.   And even greater honor is that I am an Illinoisan and I'll get the privilege of having him represent me in the senate.