Oh, goodness me. I used to loves me some Barack Obama and now, well ... I loves me some Barack Obama. (I'm sure it'll pass, sooner rather than later - don't worry. :P)
I just saw that Q & A President Obama had with House Republicans today and, Jesus Christ, it was just wonderful. It was fucking wonderful!
I elected a guy, I thought, who had balls and gumption and nerves of steel. A guy who was an uber-intelligent dude, with an impressive education and a social activist resume, that I just adored. I thought he was the "real deal". I have since undone much of that feeling of goodness, in benefit of reality. It's been hard, but very necessary for me.
And today (January 29, 2010), Obama has shown those balls and that intelligence and, yet again, I feel that he's the "real deal".
For someone who's become marginally cynical, that's a sincerely nice change. I can't even tell you.
With many on the uber-left, I disagree only slightly, in that I don't think Barack Obama is the devil, or should/could be primaried, or is the equivalent of George W. Bush, or is a corporate-fueled asshole, etc. I've never believed any of that, and I still hesitate to believe it, because it just doesn't feel "true" to me.
(Whatever that means. "True", that is.)
I have a fairly strong gut reaction to people, and my gut is now telling me that this Obama guy is not only extremely necessary right now, but that he's a bridge between Dubya and our next presidential leader.
It's a good feeling, I tell you wut.
President Obama is a centrist. I knew this going in and, as is especially tough for those of us who are true socialists, it was hard enough for me to reconcile my beliefs with those of a man whom I not only vehemently disagreed with at times (see: FISA, the low-ball bailout number, healthcare reform with no public option, etc.), but a man that I sincerely believed was a good person with good, solid beliefs.
This Q & A brought back all that I loved about Campaign Obama.
The feistiness. The level-headedness. The cutting to the quick. The "no bullshit" factor. The expansion of rhetoric into true action. And, even though I disagree to a fair extent, the willingness to work with Republican colleagues to achieve lasting and sustainable change.
I fucking love that. I love that! Even if I don't agree with it, I suppose I love the ability that Barack Obama has to stand up for himself and, when the time is right, to kick some serious Republican ass, like he did today.
I no longer care if you think that I'm Jane Hamsher's best bud. It doesn't bother me at all, mostly because I know that I'm not. I no longer care if you think ill of me because of other shit said on Dkos - that's your crap, not mine. I no longer care if you think me an "unserious" blogger who has too much time on her hands. Big deal.
Because, today, I saw the real Barack Obama, the way he appeared in the run-up to the 2008 election. And I fucking loved him, all over again.
So you can suck it. :)