Obama- The Man and the Campaign

“Not since the days of Franklin Roosevelt had so much fallen on the shoulders of one president.”  









Air Force One is winging its way across the Fruited Plain. Aboard, a solitary figure sits alone in his seat, chin in his hand, as he contemplates his next great decision. There are only four more hours before his plane touches down in Hawaii. The fate of the world rests in his decision. And only he, President Barack Obama, can make that fateful decision.




"Do I use a 4 iron or a 5 iron?"


Here below is the man. Here below is the message.








The film switches reels to another moment of great decision, a decision that only the President of the United States can make. As Air Force One makes its way across the Potomac, on its journey from the Nation's Capital to Virginia, the President knows that only he, not David Axelrod, not Hillary Clinton, not Rahm Emanuel, not even Joe Biden can make the decision. It is his alone to make.


"Fries, cole slaw or macaroni and cheese?"


What is the measure of a man, who can order his government to print more money, call on the American people to purchase health insurance, and motivate an entire nation to move from putting gasoline in their cars to algae? They say that Hitler provided the impetus for Germany to produce the Volkswagen. This man, this President has provided the impetus for America to produce the Chevy Volt.

"Ah wunnerful, ah wunnerful, ah."


Not even FDR had the burden of running the US Government, the auto industry, the banks, the health care system, and the insurance industry all at the same time.




It is truly a lonely world when you are the president of the United States having to deal with the monumental issues of the day, when the people look to you for the answer to problems like rising oil prices. The choices are not easy. Keep paying higher prices for oil from unstable countries, many of whom hate us, make cars run on algae, the sun or the wind, or dig for our own oil, which is bountiful?


"Hi yo, no silver bullet!"


And what about the vision of a man who told us that if we didn't pass a massive government spending stimulus plan, that unemployment would rise over 8%?

Imagine the stress of being in the Oval Office, day after day, having to evaluate the advice of countless aides, advisers, cabinet members, campaign contributors and lobbyists.

And we must not forget America's role in the world. Was it not this president's speech in Cairo that sparked the Arab Spring and brought freedom and democracy to the Middle East, as well as a reservoir of love for the United States of America? Was it not this president's leadership that enabled us to support France, the leader of the free world, in bringing about a free and democratic ally in Libya?


"It's a lousy job, but somebody's gotta do it."



That somebody is Barack Obama.

(Hat tip to Tom Hanks)