If you’ve ever touched another person’s life in a meaningful way, a way that gives them a vision out of whatever they’re struggling with, you know what the moment is like. It’s a good feeling. As a public figure who has visited classrooms, campuses and homes over the years to connect with youths, I have been party to many moments like that over the years. That’s why I smiled to myself when I heard the comments from the kids who met Mrs. Obama and her famous coterie. “If I try and I do my best, I can reach the top!”, said one girl whose face seemed electrified after talking with Alicia Keys. A young man said to us about Keys, “I didn't think she'd be so down to earth as she was--she was cool, real nice lady.” He connected with her in a way that made him see more worth within him. Perhaps the kids’ observations should be accepted faith, but the fact is it may not have been until they connected with the First Lady’s “role model brigade”.
That connectedness that the Obamas are exhibiting and encouraging is something that I think makes this town uncomfortable in many quarters. They seem to be intent on being as “normal” as they were before they arrived. President Barack Obama took a few moments – a few moments – to fill out his NCAA Basketball Tourney brackets on ESPN and he then made an appearance on Jay Leno’s show. As a result, he was criticized by some who said he should be spending all his time on the economy, not on college basketball brackets or sharing laughs with one of the largest TV audiences available in an important (for the young) time slot.
I’m sorry, but count me among the ranks of those who thought the brackets, the Leno stop and the school stopovers were all … cool! The basketball picks struck me as something that millions of us college sports fans across the country, a) were doing ourselves, and b) thought “he’s like me… he gets what I get! There’s a connection here …”. The Leno show did more than Clinton’s playing of the sax that excited so many years ago did – it kept Obama connected to the millions of young folks who FINALLY showed up to vote last Fall! (I suppose Obama was just supposed to stop reaching out to them until 2012, and then try to get them energized from scratch?)
Did the complaints come from the very same people who said a couple of weeks ago that the President was too focused on “scaring us” with gloom and doom, and that he should try to lift the spirits of the nation while lifting the economy? I wonder. I know this – my friends and family in other states thought there was no big deal, and liked what they saw.
President Bush presided over nearly six years of wars, and spent almost 1/3 of his time on vacation or at Camp David and the nation survived. (Mr. Bush’s advocates would argue the down time made him sharper.) Five minutes with ESPN or 15 minutes with Jay shouldn’t be a problem.
Remember that statement about not looking like the other presidents that was turned into a race card issue? Well, I think what he is doing now shows it WAS NOT a race card issue. He is not sitting on his promises. He is working on them and willingly admits to any mistakes.
President Obama has caught so many off guard by being active, aggressive and taking it all on. He is not allowing anyone to SIT for 4 years on this issue like Washington has gotten accustomed to doing. They debate one or two issue until it is time for their break and they take it. Obama is putting them to work, so I agree with him taking it all on at once. That is the job of our government and I think he is doing a fine job.
First Lady Michelle Obama is awesome!!! She is a very powerful woman who can and is working to make a difference. What a great example she sets. Who said the Huxtables aren't real. lol I enjoyed watching them come to Washington with my wife, daughter and mother-in-law.
I wrote a song for him when he was campaigning, but too much going didn't allow me to submit it to him and Stevie. I do plan to send it to them to hear after I change a few lyrics to reflect his present status. That and a video from me, my wife and 10 yr old daughter welcoming them.
The complainers allowed us to get in this position with their votes 4 and 8 years ago. I say to congress stop the delays and let get moving so we can become a better America. This is the time for true American innovation. I've been reading Popular Science for years and the Electric car should be the vehicle of today and yet we are still on gasoline. We have the technology to make efficient vehicles at least for the common vehicles we all drive. Commerical vehicles might require a little more work. They want to drill to make that last drop of oil money. Then there is no doubt in my mind the same people drilling off shore would try to hijack our political process and decisions.
President Obama has connected with the people all across this country in a way no other president has. The complainers need to wake up and do their duty. They are there to service the will of the people. We say, "No", they say, "No". We say, "Yes", they say, "Yes". We say, "Obama!!!", they say, "Obama!!!".
First Lady Michelle instills that, seed by seed, every time she and any other positive role model stops to take the time to mix minds with and encourage those coming behind us. In fact, it is an inspiration to some adults who can now look and say.."What are my dreams?" "My gifts?" "How can I plant them and where is the good soil, so that I can impart something positive into the earth?"
I know by plain agriculture that if you plant seed, you get harvest. The question I ask our youth (and others who are drifting) is, "What seed will you plant for your Life's good harvest?" Seeds, or Weeds? My newly released books addresses that question across the Board of Life for the reader. Why did I do that? Had to for my sake, then expanded it for the benefit of anyone else who needs to 'catch a new vision' after a valley experience, too.
