Perhaps I should stop using this high school-like photo of Obama. It reminds me of this guy I went to school with, Terry Thomas. No, not the poor man’s David Niven but a nice kid that was my lab partner through most of 10th grade Biology. I kind of remember doing most of the work. He was very charming. He went on to a successful academic career at Cornell, why he cheated off me is a mystery.
After returning from 36 hours floating and camping on the Alumine River I was greeted by the happy news that Obama had won the Iowa Caucuses. I know that its Iowa with only 57 delegates, but it is the first contest and momentum and perceived sentiment is everything in this very long campaign season. The victory is important for the Obama campaign. He now goes to New Hampshire, which is more representative of the democratic demographic that will be electing the president, with the energy and momentum to get the voters that are young and those that don’t always show up on election day. His message of hope is working. People want solid policy thinking but they want something else after the last 8 very dark years. They want to believe in a fundamental change in our politics and government, and its not cynical. I know how he makes me feel and that is hopeful.
Read this speech he gave before the Caucuses and this postmortem by John Dickerson. Their words can articulate the beginning of this movement better than mine.
