by Anita S. Lane
It’s been called Obama-mania. Some refer to it as being "Obamafied." Whatever you call it—and as ridiculous as you think it may be— it’s real, and I experienced it first-hand at the Obama Campaign’s “Keeping America’s Promise Rally,” in Toledo, Ohio last Sunday.
You see, I’m a historian of sorts. I love chronicling events and taking photos as a record of events past. I’m also a political scientist and public policy analyst. Thus, I know that no matter the outcome, the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama is ground-breaking on many levels. Years from now I knew that I would regret not experiencing this small piece of history. I was not alone.
In fact, I was joined by another 10,000 individuals in the packed arena. We were all part of an historic event taking place at the University of Toledo’s Savage Hall—a very typical campaign rally for Senator Barack Obama—but a very atypical rally for any other politician.
Every Race, Age, Gender and Creed
One of the best aspects of the experience for me was the people I met. Seated in front of me was Dave of Ohio—a Mexican American and Vietnam War Veteran in his early sixties. He’d come by himself, but he had plenty company.When I asked Dave when and why he decided to support Barack Obama, his answer surprised me. “I’ve been looking for leadership like this since I was eight years old,” Dave said.
Dave says he first found such leadership in President John F. Kennedy and in his inaugural words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” At the age of 15, Dave recalls walking 50 miles in response to JFK’s “Shaping Up America” challenge. Dave was inspired.
Forty-seven years later, Dave is once again feeling that same kind of inspiration. He says he first heard Obama speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and he immediately thought, “That’s leadership…True leadership inspires us to action.”
Inspiration is also what motivated the young gentleman seated behind me—eight year-old Andrew—to action. An avid Obama supporter, he woke his mother up at 6:00 a.m.Sunday morning demanding they get Savage Hall to see Senator Barack Obama.
Andrew, a close follower of the campaign didn’t want this opportunity to pass him by. It’s likely that Andrew, a very bright and hope-filled bi-racial boy, probably sees himself in Barack Obama. When I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up he said, “I want to be a lawyer and a judge.” Obama is his inspiration.
To my left was Rhonda—a middle aged Caucasian woman from Michigan— who is working diligently to help Obama win the nomination and become president. “I want this man to become president more than anything,” Rhonda shared.
Rhonda, who took time away from planning her wedding in three weeks to come to Ohio— found herself wiping away tears as she listened to Obama speak. “I just know he will be so good for America…” Rhonda concluded.
To my left was Cliff—a sixty something independent film maker whose Grandfather was from Panama and whose mother was from Belize. Cliff, a long-time Democratic activist, worked on the presidential campaign of Robert Kennedy in 1968. “We’ve not had this in 40 years,” Cliff says of the engagement, excitement and enthusiasm engendered by the Obama campaign.
Rekindling the Kennedy Era
While I wasn’t born at the time, history reveals that now is not the first time that America has experienced the “inspiration factor” in American politics. As Cliff mentioned, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
In his book, Robert F. Kennedy and His Times, Historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., referred to Robert Kennedy’s campaign as "uproarious” and “filled with enthusiasm and fun.” He also stated it was a campaign “moving in its sweep and passion." Sound familiar?If we go all the way back to June of 1840, presidential candidate William Henry Harrison of the Whig Party actually drew a crowd of 60,000 to his campaign rally at the site of the Tippecanoe battle. It’s stated that by the end of his campaign, there were “parades three miles long of voters singing, chanting and drinking.” (Miller Center for Public Affairs Online Reference Resource, University of Virginia.)
Lastly, let us not forget the first Kennedy with broad popular appeal—President John F. Kennedy. JFK was young, inspirational and wildly popular (in addition to being intelligent and experienced, of course). And in spite of the challenges that faced his administration—including his acknowledged missteps—he managed to come through it as one of America’s favorite presidents, and an icon of American hopes and aspirations.
In 2008, there appears to be a new icon of American hopes and aspirations. His name is Barack Obama. And many are comparing him to President John F. Kennedy—everyone from the average American who lived during that period—to even JFK’s younger brother Ted Kennedy, and JFK’s own daughter, Caroline Kennedy.
My new friend Cliff drew the comparison in a very interesting manner: He asked me, “Didn’t Moses and the children of Israel wander in the wilderness for forty years?”
“Yes,” I affirmed.
“Yeah…well, it’s been forty years…”
The “Inspiration Factor”
It’s this type of rhetoric and association with the Kennedy era that has mystified much of the media—and perhaps the Clinton campaign as well. Why? Well, the “Obama factor” (as it’s often called) can be difficult to quantify or put your arms around.
However, I don’t call it the “Obama factor,” I call it the “inspiration factor”—the ability to inspire individuals to action—whether the action is voting, giving to a campaign, volunteering on behalf of the campaign or getting involved in politics in other ways. However he does it, Obama is able to inspire.
Some want to disparage Obama’s inspirational message of hope and inclusiveness and dismiss his pop star appeal. However, we must realize that when America is in a time of turmoil— today, as it was 40 years ago—Americans turn to a leader who can lift their collective spirit, and unify and inspire them to believe in a better, brighter tomorrow. I believe that it’s the magical “inspiration factor” to which Americans find themselves drawn. And with over one million contributors to the Obama campaign, the inspiration factor appears to be spreading like wildfire.
“This is just the beginning,” Cliff remarked about the Obama campaign.
“You see this…” He said as he looked around the arena,
“This is a movement. The Obama campaign has mobilized millions of people who are now ready to make change happen. We can solve the problems facing America if we come together.”
Cliff’s words mirror what Obama has been saying throughout much of his campaign—and perhaps this is what the Obama campaign’s grassroots organizers already know, and what most Americans desperately want to believe right now—that “We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy were leaders who inspired a similar kind of excitement, hope and enthusiasm—and history was kind to them. Maybe history will be kind to Obama as well.
It’s been called Obama-mania. Some refer to it as being "Obamafied." Whatever you call it—and as ridiculous as you think it may be— it’s real, and I experienced it first-hand at the Obama Campaign’s “Keeping America’s Promise Rally,” in Toledo, Ohio last Sunday.
You see, I’m a historian of sorts. I love chronicling events and taking photos as a record of events past. I’m also a political scientist and public policy analyst. Thus, I know that no matter the outcome, the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama is ground-breaking on many levels. Years from now I knew that I would regret not experiencing this small piece of history. I was not alone.
In fact, I was joined by another 10,000 individuals in the packed arena. We were all part of an historic event taking place at the University of Toledo’s Savage Hall—a very typical campaign rally for Senator Barack Obama—but a very atypical rally for any other politician.
Every Race, Age, Gender and Creed
One of the best aspects of the experience for me was the people I met. Seated in front of me was Dave of Ohio—a Mexican American and Vietnam War Veteran in his early sixties. He’d come by himself, but he had plenty company.When I asked Dave when and why he decided to support Barack Obama, his answer surprised me. “I’ve been looking for leadership like this since I was eight years old,” Dave said.
Dave says he first found such leadership in President John F. Kennedy and in his inaugural words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” At the age of 15, Dave recalls walking 50 miles in response to JFK’s “Shaping Up America” challenge. Dave was inspired.
Forty-seven years later, Dave is once again feeling that same kind of inspiration. He says he first heard Obama speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and he immediately thought, “That’s leadership…True leadership inspires us to action.”
Inspiration is also what motivated the young gentleman seated behind me—eight year-old Andrew—to action. An avid Obama supporter, he woke his mother up at 6:00 a.m.Sunday morning demanding they get Savage Hall to see Senator Barack Obama.
Andrew, a close follower of the campaign didn’t want this opportunity to pass him by. It’s likely that Andrew, a very bright and hope-filled bi-racial boy, probably sees himself in Barack Obama. When I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up he said, “I want to be a lawyer and a judge.” Obama is his inspiration.
To my left was Rhonda—a middle aged Caucasian woman from Michigan— who is working diligently to help Obama win the nomination and become president. “I want this man to become president more than anything,” Rhonda shared.
Rhonda, who took time away from planning her wedding in three weeks to come to Ohio— found herself wiping away tears as she listened to Obama speak. “I just know he will be so good for America…” Rhonda concluded.
To my left was Cliff—a sixty something independent film maker whose Grandfather was from Panama and whose mother was from Belize. Cliff, a long-time Democratic activist, worked on the presidential campaign of Robert Kennedy in 1968. “We’ve not had this in 40 years,” Cliff says of the engagement, excitement and enthusiasm engendered by the Obama campaign.
Rekindling the Kennedy Era
While I wasn’t born at the time, history reveals that now is not the first time that America has experienced the “inspiration factor” in American politics. As Cliff mentioned, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
In his book, Robert F. Kennedy and His Times, Historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., referred to Robert Kennedy’s campaign as "uproarious” and “filled with enthusiasm and fun.” He also stated it was a campaign “moving in its sweep and passion." Sound familiar?If we go all the way back to June of 1840, presidential candidate William Henry Harrison of the Whig Party actually drew a crowd of 60,000 to his campaign rally at the site of the Tippecanoe battle. It’s stated that by the end of his campaign, there were “parades three miles long of voters singing, chanting and drinking.” (Miller Center for Public Affairs Online Reference Resource, University of Virginia.)
Lastly, let us not forget the first Kennedy with broad popular appeal—President John F. Kennedy. JFK was young, inspirational and wildly popular (in addition to being intelligent and experienced, of course). And in spite of the challenges that faced his administration—including his acknowledged missteps—he managed to come through it as one of America’s favorite presidents, and an icon of American hopes and aspirations.
In 2008, there appears to be a new icon of American hopes and aspirations. His name is Barack Obama. And many are comparing him to President John F. Kennedy—everyone from the average American who lived during that period—to even JFK’s younger brother Ted Kennedy, and JFK’s own daughter, Caroline Kennedy.
My new friend Cliff drew the comparison in a very interesting manner: He asked me, “Didn’t Moses and the children of Israel wander in the wilderness for forty years?”
“Yes,” I affirmed.
“Yeah…well, it’s been forty years…”
The “Inspiration Factor”
It’s this type of rhetoric and association with the Kennedy era that has mystified much of the media—and perhaps the Clinton campaign as well. Why? Well, the “Obama factor” (as it’s often called) can be difficult to quantify or put your arms around.
However, I don’t call it the “Obama factor,” I call it the “inspiration factor”—the ability to inspire individuals to action—whether the action is voting, giving to a campaign, volunteering on behalf of the campaign or getting involved in politics in other ways. However he does it, Obama is able to inspire.
Some want to disparage Obama’s inspirational message of hope and inclusiveness and dismiss his pop star appeal. However, we must realize that when America is in a time of turmoil— today, as it was 40 years ago—Americans turn to a leader who can lift their collective spirit, and unify and inspire them to believe in a better, brighter tomorrow. I believe that it’s the magical “inspiration factor” to which Americans find themselves drawn. And with over one million contributors to the Obama campaign, the inspiration factor appears to be spreading like wildfire.
“This is just the beginning,” Cliff remarked about the Obama campaign.
“You see this…” He said as he looked around the arena,
“This is a movement. The Obama campaign has mobilized millions of people who are now ready to make change happen. We can solve the problems facing America if we come together.”
Cliff’s words mirror what Obama has been saying throughout much of his campaign—and perhaps this is what the Obama campaign’s grassroots organizers already know, and what most Americans desperately want to believe right now—that “We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy were leaders who inspired a similar kind of excitement, hope and enthusiasm—and history was kind to them. Maybe history will be kind to Obama as well.
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