Obamamania

As I mentioned in my last post, the marathon that was the 2008 Presidential Campaign has finally come to a close and one thing is official: America has become infused with Obamamania. It was my opinion, in concurrence with millions of other Americans before the election, that America needed an Obama election to bring the country together and begin the collective healing process. Over the past eight years, America's collective psyche both domestically and internationally has taken quite a beating. Between 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq war, the collapse of the economy and housing market, and much more, I felt Americans needed a sign or glimmer of hope that sent the message all was not lost.

While this type of intangible idea of America being "united" by one man is debatable, after the collective roar of America early in the morning on November 5th, I think there is no question the healing process has begun. Millions of Americans, young and old, black and white, came together on election night (and morning) to celebrate the election of America's first black and certainly most cultured President.

You can debate whether Obama's economic policy will further destroy America. You can debate if Obama's Universal Health Care plan will do more good than bad. However, there is one thing that is absolutely, 100% clear and not debatable: There is a sense of energy and hope reverberating throughout a majority of America that has not been felt in over a decade.

To me, there is an obvious reason that Obama represents change and hope to most of America. Barack Obama's race is not the only reason America has never had a President like him before. I believe Obama, unlike most of the 43 Presidents before him truly earned his spot at the top of the American government.

His parents, Barack Sr. and Stanley Ann, certainly didn't provide him an easy path to success. Obama only saw his father once after the age of two, lived in Indonesia and Hawaii during his childhood, including years he spent with only his grandparents while his mother studied in Indonesia, before working his way from Occidental College to Columbia to Harvard. In spite of all these difficulties, Obama has always come away the victor, staring down pressure and delivering success. Unlike #43, (George W. Bush), who virtually rode his surname to success, Obama did it all on his own and America can't get enough of his success.

Now, for the first time in many of their lives, those that feel they had no hope for success have a new role model: Obama. Now Americans have someone running their country that not only earned his spot at the top, but showed that success could still come via the old fashioned formula: hard work.

WIth many of America's "elite" falling victim to their own greed in recent months, such as the CEO's at Lehman Brothers or Bear Sterns, Americans not at the top of the economic or political food chain know somebody is looking out for them. While those in the upper tax brackets may feel left out by this whole feel good story, they must continue to hope that through the revitalization of America will come a happier and safer America for them too.

Of course, this honeymoon period of good feelings with Obama will inevitably end sometime in the near future. Obama will need to step up and show that he has what it takes not only to boost America spirits but also their economy and international safety too. However, I think that in the back of Americans minds will remain this newfound sense of hope that was brought by the election of a once little boy from Hawaii: Barack Obama.