DREAM MAKER: THE PRESIDENT WE CAN TRUST

FIRM OF PURPOSE.

This is the making of President Barack Obama - the young man who defied all odds at a little known Occidental College, transferred to Columbia University to become the President of Harvard Law Review on his way to the Oval Office. It is an amazing journey by a man who is not afraid to take the high road and stand by what is fair and just. It is about trust. It's about substance. It is about honesty. And it is about a purposeful leadership and a future we can be proud of. That is why I stand by Mr. Obama. And that is why I am voting for him again for the President of the United States of America.

 "He's the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work...because for Barack, success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives." - The First Lady of the United States of America.

The two decisions that transformed Mr. Obama and made him who he is today are: (1) Transferring from Occidental College, Los Angeles, after two years to Columbia University, New York City, New York, and (2) Falling in love with the love of his life, Michelle Obama - behind every successful man or political leader, there is a strong, loving, intelligent, and an understanding wife.

Of all the thousands opinions so far written by prominent and not so prominent a writer about Mr. Obama, and of all Mr. Obama has written about himself, for me, that timely decision  – leaving LA and relocating to NY, made the most significant difference in the life of the would-be President. It was a positive transformation. At that moment of decision at Occidental College, there was no Dad to run to or to consult for a second thought, and although Mom was near, Mom was far. Obama was in the World. But he was by himself. It was a defining moment in the life of a young man - a dreamer searching for his "true north." 

That, my friends, was the beginning of wisdom and the making  of the man who is presently our pride and joy - President Barack Obama. He is bi-racial. He is light skin. He is strikingly handsome and he is smart - a potential Hollywood phenom and instant celebrity. No, not Barack - he had a bigger "fun" in mind. And a bigger "dream come true" in sight. That's what defines the man - the ability to ponder hard, dream big, and act decisively. Growing up without a Dad, yet full of ambition, energy, and drive. That is why I love him so much.  I know about loneliness and frustration. And I know about dream and perseverance. There is a part of him in us. He is an inspiration to us all.

Had he remained at Occidental College, Harvard Law School would have been out of the radar. There would not have been a Michelle, and there would not have been the President of Harvard Law Review. “The Audacity of Hope” would not have been written and the World would not have known his name. Most importantly, becoming Editor of the Harvard Law Journal shows he is first among equals, and together with "The Audacity of Hope", they tell a compelling story, that indeed, Obama can read, can write, can think, and above all, he is learned -  an intelligential of no mean repute.

After reading his book, “The Audacity of Hope”, I was not surprise when on that faithful morning of October 19, 2006; I saw an elegantly written article, titled “Run, Barack, Run” by the inimitable and irrepressible  conservative columnist of the New York Times, Mr. David Brooks.

According to Mr. Brooks, “Coming from my own perspective, I should note that I disagree with many of Obama’s notions and could well end up agreeing more with one of his opponents. But anyone who’s observed him closely can see that Obama is a new kind of politician. As Klein once observed, he’s that rarest of creatures: a megahyped phenomenon that lives up to the hype.”  “It may not be personally convenient for him, but the times will never again so completely require the gifts that he possesses. Whether you’re liberal or conservative, you should hope Barack Obama runs for president.”

That Mr. Obama is intelligent was out of the question. That he is too intelligent and may be too professorial and elitist as a political leader became the issues. And as a black man in the society that we are in - to me - that is good news and a sign of relief.

He ran and won. And the rest is now history. Let’s do it again, America. He deserves a second chance, because he is a man we can trust. He knows the American dreams and the American realities. He is an American dream. He is giving every one of us the ladder to live the American dream. That is why we must send President Obama back to the Oval Office to finish a good start.

President Obama is decisive, he does not flip-flop. He is a man we can trust. He is intelligent and he is firm of purpose. He stood by General Motors and the American Auto industry. He did not give up on reforming our Health System, in spite of the fierce opposition from Republicans and other powerful interest groups.  He made education affordable. Above all, America is safer now than before. Let's rally around a President we can trust and send Mr. Barack Obama back to the Oval office to complete the work he started. We should not forget the hole we were in when President Obama took office. Now that we are out and sailing like the eagle, let's maintain the momentum. It is the best thing to do because "the hope still lives and the dream shall never die." Senator Edward Ted Kennedy.