OK, I need to throw my two cents in on this “historic” moment. I don’t want to repeat that which has been said by pundit after analyst after historian. So I’ll try to keep it personal and simple.
Yesterday brought to light two things for me.
One, I understand the power of democracy better today. Someone on CNN last night brought up the point of how confusing the US political system must be to an outsider. How could a country elect Barack Obama when only 4 years ago they put his antithisis, George Bush, in the White House? Democracy. That is how.
While obviously democracy has its pitfalls, don’t underestimate how amazing such a complete shift in rule is. For centuries around the world, and today still in many countries, it took or takes an uprising in which thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, would have to die for their belief in change. Yesterday, a country simply got together and decided to go in a different direction. George Bush will simply step aside and let Obama take over.
An aside: What must Bush be feeling? Not just the country but the enitre world took to the streets to celebrate the changing of the guard. That’s got to be at least a little shot to his ego.
Second, today I understand why so many had said we didn’t have politicians who inspired us anymore. For so long I’ve heard about politicians like Trudeau and Kennedy but lived with leaders like Chretien and Clinton. Great leaders no doubt but hardly inspirational. Obama makes me understand why people speak so whistfully about Kennedy or Trudeau. Watch his speech on Tuesday and try not to be inspired…
And now back to our regular triathlon programming.
