Barack Obama: Another American Story

No matter the outcome of this 2008 Election season, the story of Barack Obama will go down in history. The promise that Obama brings to Americans will have a lasting impact on generations to come--including yours. We have all witnessed the rise of an educated self-made man of color. Throughout all of the negative campaigning and rigorous screenings, Barack Obama defies all the odds set before him at birth.

So the question is: What will you tell your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren about Barack Obama?

How much of your discussion will focus on his roots: mixed ancestry, working class background, single parent/grandparents upbringing, absent father.

As much as I want to make sure that the history books get his story "right", most of my story about Obama will focus on the process to which he became the man that we love and admire at this very moment. I will be anxious to talk about his intelligence, determination, optimism, candor, down-to-earth personality, strategy, competitive spirit, bottom up perspective, faith, and commitment to family. I cannot wait to talk about his demeanor during uncertain times, like the infamous metaphor of the swan gliding across the pond.

It will be important for me mention how he confronted the issue of race head-on with an amazing speech that pressured all Americans to consider their contradictions. My story would be incomplete without the details of how he faced his opponent--an American war hero who was completely out of touch. I will be sure to mention how far too often the McCain campaign got it "wrong." I would include the arguments about Ayers, Acorn, Taxes, Joe the Plummer, the "suspension" of McCain's Campaign, and McCain's choosing Sarah Palin.

This story will go down in history much like David & Goliath.

The children and grandchildren will be fascinated, but most importantly, they will live to tell their children and the legacy will continue.

We should consider ourselves privileged to be alive in these moments.

I hope you, too, will vote Obama/Biden on Nov. 4, 2008.