A steady hand for another "period of gloom"

“It was a period of gloom….when no man could foretell the happening of the morrow, when strong men trembled at the possibility of the destruction of our Government.”

So begins the 1909 tribute to Abraham Lincoln by Adlai E. Stevenson, Sr. on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the birth of our 16^th President.

While I doubt there are many who believe our Government is at risk of destruction today, hardly anyone doubts we are in a “period of gloom.”

As we approach two milestones in the life of our nation – the swearing-in of the first African-American President and the 200^th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth – Stevenson’s tribute is particularly apropos to these times.

Stevenson, an Illinois native, who became a congressman, and still later, Vice President, knew Lincoln, and thus, was well suited to the task of paying tribute to the beloved President.

“He came from the common walks of life,” recalled Stevenson. “His early home was one of the humblest, where he was a stranger to the luxuries and to many of the ordinary comforts of life…“How inspiring to the youth of high aims every incident of the pathway from the frontier cabin to the Executive Mansion…”In no other country than ours could such attainment have been possible for the boy….whose only heritage was brain, integrity, lofty ambition, and indomitable purpose.

Are there any parallels to be drawn with the lanky young lawyer from Illinois now preparing to take the oath on January 20^th, 2009? For Barack Obama, born in 1961 to a struggling bi-racial couple, his beginnings were humble indeed. Certainly, it can be said his only heritage was “brain, integrity, lofty ambition, and indomitable purpose.”

As the 1909 tribute continued, Stevenson praised Lincoln’s judgment in handling the question of slavery, an issue, he acknowledged, that “had been the subject of repeated compromise by patriotic statesmen.” This “apple of discord,” as Stevenson described it, had “darkened our national pathway from the beginning. It was well that in such an hour, with such tremendous issues in the balance, a steady hand was at the helm.”

Stevenson concluded his centennial tribute by selecting one particular paragraph from the inaugural address to share with his audience. It was the closing paragraph:

“We are not enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot’s grave to every heart and hearthstone of the broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when touched as they will be by the better angels of our nature.”

In America’s most recent history, passion and stridency have divided us – on a distant war and on a broad range of social issues at home. Such divisions weaken the Union. In Barack Obama, Americans have discerned a leader who – like Lincoln – believes our Union is stronger when we subscribe to “the better angels of our nature.”

In his memorable Philadelphia speech of March 18, 2008, Obama sounded a lot like Lincoln:

“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together – unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction – towards a better future for our children and grandchildren.”

President-elect Obama is demonstrating already that he meant it—he really meant it – when he said he would reach across partisan lines, across ideology, across any social issue that would divide us, in order to keep us united and our collective eye steady on the goal of strengthening the republic before we hand it to the next generation.

President Lincoln is surely smiling today as Barack Obama prepares to become the next steady hand at the helm.

Change? You want change?

Every day, I hear from friends who say something along these lines: So far, I honestly have to say I don't see as much change as retreading in the Obama cabinet selections. (Clinton, Richardson, Daschle, etc.)

I tell them all, "The change is before you; open your eyes."

Look no farther than Barack Obama. The "change" is the judgment, integrity, intellect, and instinct required to surround himself with the best brains in the business.

Yes, Obama could go down to Main Street and pick up Joe Jones, Sam Barley, and Dick Frick -- that would be change, and the media would say, "Wow, he really meant it, we certainly have change." And 15 minutes later, the media would say, "But will this change work? Are we sure we trust this change? What do we know about these selections? Shouldn't Obama have selected men and women of substance, and ability, and experience to help him affect the change he talked about?"

I find it incredible that reasonable people aren't telling the talking heads to sit back and give the man a break ...and a chance to do the job we elected him to do. He has a mountain to climb, and he is hard at it. In fact, he hasn't taken one day off since the election. He is the de facto President because Bush 43 is NOT. Obama has been forced already to deal with a range of national security issues, an economic meltdown with international repercussions, and a criminal in Illinois attempting to sell his Senate seat. Good grief!

So, I say to you: sit tight. January 20 is still 39 days off! He is not even on the payroll yet! And by the way, 79% of the American people approve of the way he is handling his transition so far.

You want change? You got it already...and you are going to get a lot more!!

First Time Voter!

I met a first time voter today. Not just any first time voter. She is a middle aged woman, an immigrant from South America, who came here several years ago and became a US citizen earlier this year.

She saw my Obama button as I walked through the grocery store on my way to pick up three lemons. As I passed, she grabbed my arm and immediately started to tell me why she also supported Obama. I was in hurry, but the sparkle in her eye as she talked about Obama told me I should listen.

It turns out she knew a lot about both campaigns. She had been listening to both sides closely. The first thing she wanted to say was, “I can’t vote for McCain because he chose a woman who is not very smart to run with him. She doesn’t seem to know anything about anything. And how can he think she is ready to be President? He is an old man…and sick…and he needed to name someone much younger, someone people know about, someone who could help him right away.”

Her voice slowed a bit as she talked about Obama but lost none of its fervor. “Obama seems like a man you can trust. He seems like a man who cares about everybody. Obama seems like a man with a good heart…AND he fills my heart with hope.” I could see a tear starting to well up. “America is the hope of the world; everybody I know wants to come to America. It is the land of opportunity. You can be what you want to be. I love America. “She paused, and then added, “Please tell me Obama will win!”

Clearly she has paid more attention to this race than many Americans who have voted many times.

I told the lady from South America she was not alone in her exuberance. I assured her she was about to vote for a candidate who possessed the personal integrity, raw intellect, life experience and good judgment necessary to lead all of us as President. She liked that. I hope we don’t disappoint her.

How to Choose a President

Every day I receive e-mails from friends and family who are unhappy with the positions taken by the major candidates for the office of President of the United States. Their support drifts from one candidate to the other and back again. Sometimes, they're just not sure what to do. Some wonder if they ought to look at an independent candidate, or perhaps write in another name. All such alternate choices are silly…and would be a waste of a good vote.

"First of all," I tell them, "if you are looking for a candidate without flaws, you won’t find him. Unless you are looking for a Benedictine monk as your President of the United States, candidates will always have flaws and you will never agree with all they say and do. A candidate without flaws is not a requirement for the office and it never has been."

All have flaws. The proper questions to ask are:

Which candidate has the requisite judgment to make the right call when required?

Who has the intellect to analyze the tough issues and find the compromise that will work for all America?

Who has the integrity that will earn him the trust of the people in order that he might lead successfully?

You will notice that I did not suggest a single question about issues. My questions are focused on the bigger, overarching criteria that should be the true measure of the President we seek.

The right answers to the above three questions will put you not far from the next best President for America in November.