I watched Mr. Obama’s address the other night and again I was struck by how much I like the guy, at least his appearance, and why I voted for him. He really seems honest and has a strong desire to WORK…to help the country get through this mess. There are damn few people in this world that I could honestly say that I would make a real effort just to meet, to shake hands or be in the presence of; he is one of them. I have never followed politics, I think for the most part it’s all pretty shady, but here’s a guy I could say that I would follow, that I would call a leader.
I like the way he lets us see his interactions with his family. I also like that we have that in common….a young family. There is so much to learn from observing a man and his family. I really enjoyed watching him at the pre-inauguration concert in Washington with his family. The way he interacts with Michelle and his girls says so much about the guy. He enjoyed himself with his family and included them; they were all in it together. I enjoyed watching the girls. Here they are, probably the most famous two little people on the planet that day, and they are snapping photos and getting autographs of the likes of Bono and Bruce Springsteen.
Children reduce us all to real personalities, they have an uncanny way of stripping away the hubris and pride. I remember a dinner at a nice restaurant when my son was a baby and how in the middle of dinner he cried and so I picked him up. What a nice Dad! He then projectile vomited honey-mustard and chicken nuggets all over the side of my head. The waitress’ and even some guests made a bee-line for anyplace other than near us. Oh well. He was my buddy and he was sick…you have to love your kids. All children do stuff like that, and to see how a guy reacts to these things says so much. I get the feeling Barak would have (and probably has) handled these kind of situations with dignity as well as a sense of humor. What else is there? Barak seems like a real person and at least he appears to be not only a highly intelligent and motivated leader, but a real stand up guy who loves his family and who makes friends easy.
In earlier posts, I’ve talked about friendships. Here is a guy that I would follow as a leader, but also, if the opportunity presented itself, I would be glad to call a friend. He seems like someone who could enjoy a backyard BBQ at my house just as easily as a formal dinner with heads of state.
I know he has a big project ahead of him, cleaning up a county that is in such a mess, and it’s naive to think he can get it all done, but I’m proud to say I’d follow this guys who actually wants to and has a plan to try.
As for my Back…It still hurts…probably lay off the snowboard this week.
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