You've taken an interesting tack here, hrebendorf. It's like the tack of someone who's been libeled and slandered. Like saying, prove the libel and slander. Or rather, prove that Obama does not possess the characteristics or the potential for greatness. I, like you, think he does. I've watched many so-called leaders. But Obama is head and shoulders over anyone we've elected president in my lifetime. We just had a long blog by another psychologist detailing his many positive psychological attributes. I, like you, am not calling him a saint.

In my view some people find it hard to trust. Or maybe it's hard for many to trust after so many failed leaders and problematic presidents. Some people may fear to be disappointed and thus reserve judgment.

I've given this guy my trust. And I don't do that lightly. I'm not ashamed to say I really like the guy.

I'd also say this. To be a great president, Obama cannot do this alone. He needs our trust, our encouragement, our insistence that he be all he can be. And he needs us to step up to the plate in moving things forward, not getting in the way. We can't assume all policies will be as we would choose. We have to be realistic. It will take all of us, pulling together - not pulling apart. That's what I urge.

Thanks for this blog!

Count me in too. He is smart and calm, and seems to see the big picture always. He is forgiving without being a patsy. He is one of those rare people who bring out the best in those around him, and seems to have the discipline to encourage that same quality in others.

The only leak in all this time, was related to Hillary, and I don't think that was from Obama's camp. He has handled this absurd "guilt by association" game with Rod with absolute aplomb. He will continue to impress us with his good leadership, I have no doubt.

I wish I had his ability to forget about the pettiness all around him and move on. Instead I have a mental list of all the talking heads who continue to ask "rhetorical" questions like "When will Obama come clean about Blago?" When? When? He already did!

But I digress...

Yes. He is the One. Let's hope they keep him safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa1hDJjWuYc

Right here, right now, he's what we need.

Me Too!!

I was there, in Grant Park on election day. To be there while he was speaking - with a couple hundred thousand people who also held that same hope, tears of joy streaming down our faces... there just isn't words to describe it.

And to convince me? - well, that is no easy feat. Those here who know me know I question everything and am always on the lookout for ulterior motives.

What I do know deep down is that this man is the greatest leader of our generation. He has been my state senator for 8 years and is the real deal.

Thanks for the post hreb. We can let the naysayers dampen our hope because only our collective attitudes will determine how well our country survives the coming hard times.

I recommend this post because I think it and the commentaries under it deserve to be read in American schools for generations to come.
When future American students and Chinese historians try to understand this period in American history, documents like this one will make enlightening and entertaining footnotes.

I personally shall treasure such gems as

Muhatma (sp?) Ghandi was a regular guy who decided to stick to his guns.

The history of Jesus of Nazareth is obscure, but He was clearly human. Who was he? No one really knows.

Buddha was an average human. JFK was average. Reverend Martin Luther King was human. Jesus was human. Is it not possible that Barack Obama is human too?

Ummmm.... dude? This worries me. And I love the guy.

Seriously. The problem isn't whether you're right or wrong about Obama, it's what it says about where WE are, that WE are feeling this, and will ACT out of this, and REACT out of this. God help him, but this stuff is too much.

As for Obama, look. He did some political stuff, fine. Wrote some books, good. Then ran a GREAT campaign. But based on that, you wanna have a discussion based on EVIDENCE, over whether or not he's in the same league as Buddha & Christ and Gandhi & King?

Great God in Heaven, on the one hand, Hreb, you tell us all to shut the fuck up because HE HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET.... And the next you're saying we've got evidence to have this kind of discussion?

And meanwhile, our nations have plunged over the cliff and are on their way to becoming pavement pizza? And I'm TELLING you, neither he nor his advisors know what to do, and are scared shitless, and then he's gonna have to deal with THIS?

I'm sorry. I'll walk with the guy, work for him, fight for the stuff we need... but this kinda thing is a bus headed to Bellevue.

There is absolutely something different about Obama. I sense greatness in the man. He may not be a lot of things, but I think he is a capable man who loves his country and wants to make the world a better place. He has compassion and smarts. He has poise and promise. He isn't perfect. He will make mistakes. But I think he will help move us in the right direction. Many conservatives hate his "empty message of hope", but when you've lost your job and your world is crashing down, sometimes hope is all you have to hold on to.

Here's the thing... History is full of charismatic figures that have been able to inspire people for good and evil. For every Gandhi, there's a Mussolini. So that's why we have the rational part of faith. Jesus' disciples didn't believe he was the won until he started doing stuff. You know - walking on water, etc. Winning a presidential election is not turning water into wine.

There is a difference between hope and belief. For many people, they may think Obama has the POTENTIAL to be a transformational leader, but that doesn't mean he is already. So for those who declare that Obama is already The One, what is the basis for your belief? Are you not allowed to question him or his decisions because you believe he is The One already?

There are plenty of folks who thought GWB was destined for the Presidency and was "The One" too. He was chosen to lead us during September 11th. However nutty that sounds to you, that's how nutty Obama being chosen to lead us in these times are to me now. I fear the same type of idolization regardless of what political party the candidate comes from. He's a man. He's a politician. Can we start seeing him do stuff before we declare him the second coming? And can we give him the opportunity to make mistakes AND call him out for them when we see them?

"He's the One god,
He's the Sun god,
Ra! Ra! Ra!"

Hreb, Obama says himself in "Audacity" that people were bound to project all their hopes and dreams upon him, and that most, if not all, were likely to be disappointed.

Obviously Obama is a very special guy, the most inspiring political figure I have experienced in my life (I'm 33). I truly believe that with lots of help, he can turn this country around and usher in a new era of prosperity. But this "the One" stuff is a bit much.

I honestly believe we got extremely lucky - he's a gift. The idea of The One doesn't do much more than bounce off my head - there are more than one Ones, so it belies its own meaning - but he is a great man, already, to have achieved what he has so far.

It speaks to Obama that so many of us do believe he is a great man and is going to be a great president. There are millions of us - that's not a cult. That's a legitimate reaction that Obama has produced. Cults don't have millions of members.

I really don't care what anyone thinks about how I feel about Barack Obama - I am going to enjoy every second of feeling this way about a president.

Hreb. A quick note. Because what I wrote was hasty, and harsh. An apology for that.

We each carry our own scars into any political experience. Mine include watching a couple of great politicians, and political advisors, melt down. And part of that was simply the extraordinary expectations they face. It never stops, and they can't get away from it.

If you've ever played live, you'll get this. The energy that comes from an audience can be enormous, incredible. Not many of us are wired to handle even a 1000'th part of it. And for politicians, it may even be worse than for musicians. The focus is directly on them, not the music. And the needs people bring to the table, are often even bigger. Kid in Iraq. Parent in hospital. etc.

It burns them out. The voltage is just so high these days, in this era. Which makes me, more than anything, want to turn the voltage focussed AT these guys down... and turn it into energy to walk, and work, WITH them. So they feel less pressure, more support.

I know you get all this. I know we both want good stuff for this guy, and expect great things from him.

But I was wrong to grind that baggage of mine out on you. Sorry Hreb.