Obama becomes Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee in 2008 Presidential bid

Since throwing my support full throttle behind the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, I have tried to follow his lead when I can. There hasn’t been a lot of talk here about the historic nature of Barack Obama’s candidacy because in the end, history doesn’t get you many votes.

But I have to admit, last night watching Senator Obama brought feelings of pride and history that I hadn’t felt since his win in Iowa. I never thought I would see the day when a man or woman of African-American decent would declare victory in a bid for the their party’s nomination. Last night Obama did just that with a memorable speech in St. Paul Minnesota, the site where John McCain will accept his party’s nomination this summer.

She who must not be named couldn’t do the right thing, and thus doesn’t deserve the two sentences I’m devoting to her here. Grace, class, humility; those were the characteristics I thought I would see last night, but they weren’t invited to her New York speech.

As has been the case the last couple of weeks, Obama highlighted the difference between he and John McCain. I especially liked the part where he suggested McCain stop talking about trips to Iraq and start making more trips to cities across the U.S. that have been affected by the economy.

So I’m hopeful today, and in these times that’s about all you can ask for. Hope can be a challenge as you watch the gas pump push higher and higher.

I believe that the American people are ready for a debate about the issues and not the some old gotcha politics that doomed McCain’s first run for the White House. I’m not dumb enough to think that this will be easy, but I am dumb enough to think that Barack Obama just might be America’s next President.