Alan Brady Presents

I didn’t think it was Obama’s time. I didn’t think it was Hillary’s time either. It was time to be quit of our modern-day King George and all his cronies – but given the mess he would be leaving behind, I felt that the pressure and scrutiny on whoever was taking the job would be intense. The expectations of being the first woman or the first black man to take the oath could prove insurmountable and thus destine him or her to failure.

So, my first instinct was to back a safe candidate. Long before the discovery of moral inconsistencies, I thought John Edwards would make the best candidate. Not having to break racial or gender barriers, he could do a reasonable job and start the healing process. While the prospect of turning the mess around in a mere four years would be doubtful (and still is) he might serve but one term – but display the differences and advantages to a Democratic (and non-Bush) administration.

I also thought that Barack Obama might make the ideal running mate – four years in what I thought would be a reasonable term might quiet those who worried about his relative lack of national experience (and I was among them).

But that was a whole two years ago.

The somewhat pointless war in Iraq and the rampant cronyism of Bush and Cheney and all the “good old boys” were in the forefront of our concerns. True there were many other concerns, including economic downturns; environmental decay; healthcare; and racial, gender and sexual inequality issues, but those were all things that should be of concern to any good Democratic ticket.

Then came the crash of the last year – the last damning stroke of the Bush Regime – and it became apparent that the safe candidate would no longer suffice.

This morning I heard Vernon Jordan speak in the early inauguration coverage. He spoke of how he didn’t think it was Barack’s time, how he was going to back his old friend, Senator Hilary Clinton. He added that he was wrong.

I started to think about my own reservations and how I had changed my mind. Edwards misstep notwithstanding, I had truly come to believe that Obama was the right choice. Why him and not Hilary? – he spoke the words and showed the demeanor of a uniter – which did not strike me as Sen. Clinton’s strength. Moreover – he has shown that he is an inspirer – perhaps he would be the one to breathe hope into this country at this dire time.

When JFK was president I was alive, but very young, I had only the historical accounts and archival footage to appreciate the fervor and hope that he inspired. Watching Barack speak – I had a truly visceral appreciation for that which might have been – and, for the first time in eight years, had real hope for my country.

This was no longer a time for playing it safe – it was time to throw a Hail Mary pass on this one.

Hoping not to overextend my sports metaphors, I finish with this observation. One of the all-time great African-American ballplayers, Hank Aaron, long-time holder of the home-run record, a man who strode to the plate and did his job over and over – sent it out of the park, was a man who had to overcome great odds – not the least of which were racial barriers which seemed insurmountable and he did it with grace and quiet honor.

Hank Aaron wore the number 44 and Barack Obama is now the 44th president of the United States of America. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I hope and pray that during what I think will be a long and successful term of office, President Obama will knock it out of the park.

Congratulations and good luck to us all.