A Fresh Breath of Barack

We knew it almost four years ago when we heard him speak at the Democratic National Convention. Not many of us had ever heard his name before. I heard his voice before his name, and came running from another room to see what voice of sanity was being broadcast from the TV into our world.

Just when we had thought there was no hope, there he was…and there he still is…even after multiple batterings by Clinton & Clinton Wrecking and Demolition Services. A miracle waiting to happen.

Some say he is too inexperienced and he is not yet ready, despite our being beyond ready for him. I’ll take steady, rational, and intelligent any time–especially over shrill, irate, and more memory problems than a resident on a dementia ward.

Just think how it would be to not have to endure any more blustery bursts of hot air, full of false bravado being spewed as if from a volcano that just won’t quit. It’s been so long since we haven’t had to endure all of that, that it’s almost unimaginable to think of the sheer joy of having to endure it no more.

Think of what it would be like to be able to take pride in our leadership again–how it would feel to have a leader whose intellect, integrity, high mindedness, and calm under fire were each reasons to stand up and cheer. It’s been so long since we’ve had any of that–will we know how to act?

As for what has become the question of this primary campaign, “Who do you want answering the White House phone at 3:00 a.m.?,” that’s easy. It’s definitely not anyone who confuses sniper fire with little girls bearing flowers.

The other night I attended a performance by the master impersonator and comic, Dana Carvey. For over twenty years he has had great fodder for his craft, delivered daily, direct from the White House. He considers his current appearances as a farewell to all of those characters that have helped insure that he was never lacking for material.

He set up an imaginary scene in his political piece the other night–one in which the year is 1988 and Ronald Reagan is outlining the way things will go for the next twenty years in the White House–who its inhabitants will be, or not. Carvey then proceeded to impersonate, with one exception, each of those who has run/is running for the office, and each of his/her personal conversation with the Great Communicator, whom he was portraying as “The Great Decider of The Future Presidents of the United States.”

Each character from Bush, Sr. to W, including Bill, Hillary, Al Gore, John Kerry, and John McCain carried on conversations with ‘The Decider’ about their predetermined presidential fates.

Although Obama was mentioned in the sketch, he was not represented through an impersonation–therefore appearing as the only candidate, former or present, to have earned enough respect and admiration not to be parodied, even in a good natured, light-hearted way. I’m sure this did not go unnoticed by others in attendance, nor will it when it airs on HBO as, happily, the performance was recorded for that.

Barack Obama is the clear, cool, and calm breath of fresh air we have been gasping for. May the fresh breath blow in and clean up the disaster area this country has become since the take-over by the Bush-Clinton dynasties.

Can he do it? Yes he can—providing we put him in the position he needs to be in to do his work.

Can we do it? Yes we can.