21 January 2009

Obama's Inauguration - 20 January 2009


I chanced upon this image of a painting of President Obama in the famous Kennedy pose here! I'd never heard of Dan Lacey before but after seeing these two pictures, I'm a fan now! I'd never heard of de minimis either, but after reading that particular post, I'm a fan now!

Barack Obama's inauguration was a much-awaited event both in the U.S. and abroad. Being a fan, albeit from afar, I watched the live telecast of his inaugural speech. It was well worth staying up for. It was watching history in the making.

I don't really know why I like him.

It could be that he represents a shift in what was once perceived as unacceptable! He's the epitome of a dynamic leader. At 47, he probably is young enough to remember his youth and old enough to be concerned about growing older.

I followed his campaigning and watched him closely. I was rarely disappointed by what I read or what I saw.

So much has been written about President Obama that there is nothing much to add. Every detail of his life, his wife and two girls have been analysed, dissected, commented on and published.

I guess I just wanted to add my tiny grain of sand to the heaps that are already circulating in the virtual world. Just for me to read this post, at some point in the distant future and to remember the pleasure it gave me that he made it to the White House.

A remarkable journey by an incredibly remarkable person!

May God guide him every day and every way.

6 comments:

Starmandala said...

Barack Obama came from literally out of the blue & became the name on everybody's lips within 2 years. My personal choice of US presidential candidate had always been Dennis Kucinich who, alas, lacks the necessary charisma of a World Leader, no matter how sound his principles. So I didn't pay much attention to Obama or Hillary's campaign (too much going on in our own backyard)... not until he won the nomination & I read his acceptance speech! From that moment on I was convinced. Barack Obama is an EXTRAORDINARY SOUL - his clarity of mind, his dignity of bearing, his composure, his good looks & his colorful ancestry (not to mention his charming family) converge to make him the Man of the Moment. In the local context Obama's career & his rapid rise to acclaim as a political icon is reminiscent of our own Anwar. In fact, I see a lot of parallels between America & Malaysia: starting from the similar flag designs & finsihing with the fact that we are both immensely rich in genetic & cultural diversity - a fact some WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) haven't quite grasped yet, just as the "dominant" race in Malaysia is only now beginning to realize that ethnic diversity is not a curse but a divine blessing.

SFGEMS said...

Antares: Thank you for that very interesting comment. Obama has an appeal that is very refreshing. Somewhat like the appeal which you also have! ;)

Anonymous said...

Why of course, its gonna be Obama. Even my kids are attracted by him before the final election.
I suppose there are some unseen energy that exeburate in this person. As for me, he reminded me a lot about JF Kennedy. Its was during trying times too, when both leaders are faced with wars and economic turmoil that cripples the country.

These are the leaders who talks about Hopes, The Can Dos, The positive life of people and things. They talk about Oneness and talk about multiplication One race and not division of some supremo race over another like out country. And he said it rightly, people who built not destroy.

The world awaits another new dawn, where US, whether you like it or not, will lead by examples. They have evolved many times over compare to many countries. Yet,I cannot comprehend how any of our leaders here can compare with Obama. Its like comparing a Lion and a kitten. Yes, they are just cats, and one that roars where the others like our leaders can only meow, No?

Rakyat@work

SFGEMS said...

Rakyat@work: Obama has the "x" factor. You either have it or you don't! :)

de minimis said...

Lita

All of us have an innate desire to embrace what is good. Obama is the embodiment of things that we dream about. Equality. Positive change. Loving husband and father. It's no wonder that we all like him. Having such a wonderful deep voice helps him too, I guess :D

SFGEMS said...

de minimis: I agree about the innate desire as well as all the positive virtues of Obama.

Thanks again for the pic, I can stare at it for hours! :)