When Tom and I got married, I was introduced to the West Wing. I was not the least bit political at this time. I understood very little (I still don't understand very much), and I spent most of each episode struggling to follow the fast-paced political happenings of the show. I ended up becoming quite enamored by each of the characters, finding President Bartlett to be one of the most endearing men to exist on television. And then, during the last two seasons, there was Santos. I loved this man, and as the series came to an end, I found myself wondering aloud over and over again why someone like Santos didn't run for president (so much that I drove my husband crazy--because "you can't get all of your politics from the West Wing!").
A year or so later, Tom was watching Meet the Press, and Tim Russert(may he rest in peace) was interviewing a man I had never seen before. But I figured that he must be important, with the way the he talked, the intelligence in his demeanor, the confidence in his answers. He was brilliant, but in a genuine, trustworthy way. And I was captured by him. Why couldn't someone like him run for president?
And then he did. Tom sent me a link one day that led me to a video in which Barack Obama announced his campaign for the presidency. The genuinity, the passion, the vision and hope of this video was breathtaking. I cried. So did Tom.
And then I read his book, "Dreams from my Father". It was this that solidifed Barack Obama for me. I journeyed through life with him as he struggled to find his identity during a time of crisis, to serve in an place that did not easily receive him, to build in a community that was falling apart, to find his home in a land far removed from his father's family. The honesty, humility and sheer brilliance with which he wrote this book convinced me once and for all that this man was more than just an idea.
And so we supported Obama through the primary season. We gave money. I stayed up until 2 in the morning plastering A&M with Obama posters. We caucused. We gave more money. We anxiously watched each primary, rejoicing with each win, agonizing over each loss. And we cried when it was over and our candidate was now THE democratic candidate for president.
And now we are at the end. Tomorrow we will vote. I think we are going to win. And it will make history. I will have my Santos as president. But he will be real, and he will be my president.
He will be our president.
A year or so later, Tom was watching Meet the Press, and Tim Russert(may he rest in peace) was interviewing a man I had never seen before. But I figured that he must be important, with the way the he talked, the intelligence in his demeanor, the confidence in his answers. He was brilliant, but in a genuine, trustworthy way. And I was captured by him. Why couldn't someone like him run for president?
And then he did. Tom sent me a link one day that led me to a video in which Barack Obama announced his campaign for the presidency. The genuinity, the passion, the vision and hope of this video was breathtaking. I cried. So did Tom.
And then I read his book, "Dreams from my Father". It was this that solidifed Barack Obama for me. I journeyed through life with him as he struggled to find his identity during a time of crisis, to serve in an place that did not easily receive him, to build in a community that was falling apart, to find his home in a land far removed from his father's family. The honesty, humility and sheer brilliance with which he wrote this book convinced me once and for all that this man was more than just an idea.
And so we supported Obama through the primary season. We gave money. I stayed up until 2 in the morning plastering A&M with Obama posters. We caucused. We gave more money. We anxiously watched each primary, rejoicing with each win, agonizing over each loss. And we cried when it was over and our candidate was now THE democratic candidate for president.
And now we are at the end. Tomorrow we will vote. I think we are going to win. And it will make history. I will have my Santos as president. But he will be real, and he will be my president.
He will be our president.
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