A moment to remember

You cannot imagine the elation I get from being able to say these three words – President Barack Obama. From the night back in 2004 when he gave the main speech at Democratic National Convention that nominated Al Gore to be president, I knew that someday Obama would run for the highest office in the land.

Little did I think it would happen in 2008.

Like many Americans, I thought the Democratic nominee would be Sen. Hillary Clinton. In fact, when Obama first announced his intent in 2007, I wondered why.

Believing Obama was doing nothing more than making a symbolic run, most people, especially African-Americans, knew Hillary Clinton would be the next president.

Given the way President George W. Bush in particular and Republicans in general had made a mess of leading the country, there was no doubt that a Democrat would be the next president. And there was no doubt that Hillary Clinton was the Democrat.

As I have written in the past, it wasn’t until the results of Iowa’s Caucuses that most Obama supporters actually believed he was legitimate. His campaign platform of “Change” gained credence that Tuesday night, Jan. 3, 2008.

Obama’s historic win in Iowa got my undivided attention. And I wasn’t the only one to take notice. So did the rest of America.

For instance, the usual weekday television viewing at home began with watching reruns on TNT of “Law and Order.” Following Obama’s win in Iowa, my wife and I spent the rest of the long campaign season watching CNN and all things Obama-related.

On primary election nights we didn’t want to be disturbed. We were glued to watching “red” or “blue” results. As late winter and then the spring elections came, it became obvious that Obama was, as Republican candidate John McCain referred him to, “That One.”

After the grueling primaries and Clinton’s eventual concession, Obama still wasn’t officially the nominee until the August Democratic convention. For 12 hours, Obama was “the man.”

Then McCain announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his pick for vice president and suddenly the Republicans were rejuvenated and the race for the White House was on again.

To my way of thinking, Palin became a distraction. Neither McCain nor Obama discussed issues. The presidential race was reduced to arguments over personalities.

Then in mid-September everything changed. America and the world realized the country’s dire financial situation. Our economy was mostly a house built of cards.

First, banks and mortgage companies collapsed, then AIG insurance company officials went to Washington, D.C., with their hands out seeking federal bailouts and finally the Big Three auto companies followed suit.

McCain temporarily suspended his campaign wanting to seem presidential. Obama stayed away and studied the problems and their solutions. To the public, it looked as if McCain panicked while Obama looked presidential – cool and calm.

When most blacks went to the polls Nov. 4, we were skeptical about the outcome. Too many times we voted hoping to become equals (to whites in opportunities) only to find out there’s always a “but.”

It wasn’t until about 11 p.m. election night, when CNN announced Obama was the next president of the United States that I said, “OK, he did it.” I refused to go to bed before Obama appeared with his wife and daughters to acknowledge he’d won.

The thing about Obama’s election that’s ironic is how quickly he’s depended upon by all Americans. It’s almost as if 389 years of slavery, racism, prejudice and bigotry have been washed away with one election.

Think about it. Africans were brought to Jamestown in 1620 and became slaves. America grew and prospered because of free labor provided by blacks. And now almost 400 years later, America is again depending on a black (president this time) to rebuild the country.

Can you imagine what all those slaves that tried to escape the system would feel today? And what their descendants, who bled and died trying to vote, would think?

Our granddaughters, 10 and 4 years old, visited after Christmas. I asked the older one about the past presidential election. She said most students in her class backed Obama. Even more amazing, when I visited them for Christmas I noticed a picture of Obama on a wall in her room.

I know they don’t the “whys” (politics) of Obama but somehow they got caught up and became aware of what he represents.

On Tuesday, Barack Obama was inaugurated as president of the United States. I couldn’t go to D.C. in person but I was glued to our TV. Only one other day will surpass Jan. 20, 2009. That day will be when Obama holds his first news conference. I can picture it now.

All of the reporters are standing as he enters the Rose Room in the White House. After he makes his speech, and then asks for questions.

A reporter will stand, be recognized and then say, “Mr. President ...”

Oh happy day!

Nelson Graves, of Augusta County, is a columnist for The News Virginian. E-mail him at .