Some months back, I remember saying this in a comment somewhere on Newsvine. It's still true.
'No one said it was going to be easy to become America's first African-American President...'
And while the Republicans try to sell you on fear, a flashy VP with little substance, and more of the same economics, Barack Obama continues to get his message out to people. He's been kicked around plenty in the last nineteen months, ever since he had the audacity to believe he could lead the country in a better direction.
That's expected. Anyone supporting Obama for President is supporting an idea somewhat against the norm. But the norm hasn't been too good lately. The Republican Party offers nuclear plants, offshore drilling platforms on our beaches, and the raping of Alaskan wilderness as a solution to our energy problems.
Right.
Obama offers the future.
McCain uses 9-11 as a campaign tool.
Obama does not, although he speaks of it when asked. He wants to catch the bad guys, too. But he has more respect for that awful day than John McCain, because Obama doesn't try to use it to his advantage.
Funny thing about Barack. No matter what you think of him, you have to admit he knows how to connect with people. Every time he's been down in this election, he picks himself back up. He sticks with the issues, the message. He would rather lose the election, it seems, than to abandon the message. Some folks might call that character.
Over the last two weeks, Obama has had to deal with the addition of Sarah Palin onto the Republican ticket. It was a distraction, a desperate move from a candidate who knows that no matter what the polls say, his opponent would still win if the election were held tomorrow.
Obama's been speaking to people in cities and towns all over this country for going on two years. And even guys like him get tired.
Unlike McCain, who used 9-11 as a lever to further his campaign, Obama took it as a welcome intermission from the mud-slinging and the craziness of the election.
He hasn't had a break since he took his family to Hawaii, and the Obama family have stuck their noses to the grindstone since.
During their recent appearance on the Service Forum, Obama was the winner over McCain hands down. Obama wasn't pandering for votes, as McCain did with a few references he slipped into his answers to the hosts. He addressed the questions and gave it his best shot.
Okay, I was ranting there.
Just make sure you tune in to NBC this Saturday night and watch him on SNL.
Barack Obama needs a break and SNL is just what the doctor ordered.
Put yourself in his shoes. Would you want to defend yourself against stupid 'lipstick' questions the rest of the week, or go to New York and have a little well-deserved fun and rest on Saturday Night Live?
'Hello...hello...is there anybody IN there...'
Of course, you just know Obama will slip his message into the show somehow, but he'll do it in a way that will make you laugh - not pander to you or insult your intelligence.
You gotta love it, and even if you don't support the guy for President, you have to tune in just out of curiousity.
Maybe he'll get a good joke from the writers. You never know. Obama isn't afraid to poke fun at himself.
But that's the nature of the guy.