Monday, February 12, 2007

Looking for Inspiration

With a war in Iraq and new rumors of war with Iran, the American people are looking for a better future. For many Americans, Senator Barack Obama represents a break from the usual candidates. Obama is young, highly motivated, intelligent, and has not yet been tainted by the politics of Washington, DC.

When I was a young girl, a Democratic presidential candidate came to our small town in Western Pennsylvania. I don't know how my parents found out that he'd be there, but they made sure that we arrived early for his speech at the fire station. They told my brother and I, that they hoped that this man would be the next President. Although I didn't know a whole lot about the candidate, I did listen. The crowd was very excited about his visit and his speech. After the speech, the candidate moved to a roped off area to shake hands with the people near the fire station. Lucky for me, I was able to shake the hand of John F. Kennedy.

JFK inspired a generation of young people. He spoke about a promising future and public service. Today, Sen. Barack Obama has many of those same characteristics that inspire a new generation. Although it is still early in the presidential campaign, I think that Obama has the ability to gain many supporters in the months to come.