Obamania

In 2002 (or was it ’03?), in the fog of a new baby and not long after 9/11, my in-laws, who live in central Illinois, called up all excited about a candidate running for Senate. “You should send him some money,” they advised. We did, but not without a bit of good-natured joking about our family’s (non-) ability to pick winners. I mean, Karl Rove & Co. were running the table, playing on people's fears, and this guy’s name was Barack Obama?

Others have written much better things about Obama and the issues, and, especially, his religious views. See Chris’ take on Obama’s Neibuhrian theology, Mark Kleiman's comments on his gutsy defense of human rights in the Illinois Senate, and Jonathan’s legitimate questions about a first 100 days of an Obama presidency.

All of my response so far is purely emotional and anecdotal, such as the fact that the most outspoken Republican of my last parish is now active in Obama’s campaign in Minnesota. When Obama says, “We are one people,” he makes me believe, or at least really, really want to believe.