Primary Place Online

My intention in going to the rally today was to get a feel for who this man is: how genuine is he really, can I trust what he says, is he different from anybody else? His stump speech included the expected and well deserved excoriations of the Bush administration as well as a promise to achieve universal healthcare, scrap No Child Left Behind, end the war in Iraq, close Guantanamo, restore habeas corpus, stop the exportation of torture, support unions, stop tax breaks to companies that send their work overseas, etc. He addressed his purported lack of experience by reminding us that he has 20 years' experience, and that time served in Washington does not necessarily reflect good judgment nor strength of character. To him, he said, "Politics is not a game, but a mission. The times are too serious, and the stakes too high."

Two things he spoke of especially resonated with me. The first, the day he recently spent accompanying a home health aide in her daily duties, having been invited to do so by a union of service workers. He described her as a humble woman who, in spite of having her share of life's hardships, took joy in giving of herself to others in need. Obama noted that this reminded him we all have a stake in each other, "that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper."

The second, his admission that "I am not a perfect man, nor will I be a perfect president. But I'll tell you what I think, and I'll listen to what you say." And I believe him. Maybe I've found my candidate.