What drew me closer to Barack Obama was his larger-than-life, transformational image, yet a down-to-earth, humble and gracious self. Change and Hope were two words in the Oxford Dictionary which Americans had heard before, perhaps in 1992 – when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush, but were never more relevant than in today’s context. America never needed Change more desperately than today, after eight years of failed economic policies and strategic blunders. And, America had to choose. Vote for a man who offered Hope, Change and belief in the average American’s ability to change the country or a Vietnam War veteran promised nothing but an extension of the Bush policies for four more years of the same. And, they chose in large numbers, unprecedented in the history of the elections in the United States. To imagine a Black President in the White House was a quite long shot, given the history of slavery, exclusion and racism in the country – but America knew and realized what was at stake. And as decisive as the verdict was, it showed how America had come out of its own cocoon and voted Barack Obama as the President of its country.
Someone asked me the other day about what I thought of Barack Obama’s chances in the elections. I was quietly confident about victory, but more importantly alluded to the manner in which that victory would come. A movement was on its way. A social movement that transcended race, religion, gender, economic class and redefined the way Americans saw politics as. A movement that was so rooted to common Americans i.e. the very grassroots that built the nation. And indeed, Change was on its way. Having virtually followed the campaign on the web and Obama’s campaign website regularly, it wasn’t surprising that this movement-turned-political campaign could attract large crowds. Passionate chants of “Yes, We Can” from the crowds demonstrated how America gave its voluntary consent to be a part of this historic movement. A movement that redefined imagination and defied conventional politics.
Barack Obama, in my view, always looked Presidential. That image of a man poised, calm under the usual barrage of personal attacks from his Republican opponents, the stoic leadership he displayed through the economic crisis and the warmth he drew from the American public indeed defied imagination. Remember the “ENOUGH” he said, as he delivered his acceptance speech during the DNC in Denver ? Watching the event back home in India, it sent a chill down my spine. That was the moment I thought Barack Obama came alive, not that he was under the carpet till then. That was President Obama for me. And then, right through the three debates when he addressed every issue with clarity and confidence and won every argument against John McCain.
Barack Obama’s campaign was one, where strategy prevailed over tactics – and looks to have settled that debate, at least for now. A campaign that had the best blend of the traditional and the modern and used it more than effectively to send the message across. Be it the Obama Facebook Application or the Obama ’08 offices in every lane of America – they both worked with one cause – to elect their candidate as the President. The internet, in the past campaigns was just nothing but a fund-raising medium. Never before did the world see the internet playing its role in community organization and perhaps, with the medium – came the voters – the youth. Text messages, Youtube Videos, and constant e-mail reminders to Donate to the campaign (sadly, I couldn’t as the Campaign Finance Committee suggests that only American citizens can donate to the campaign) and updates from David Plouffe and David Axelrod, the architects of the Obama victory gave this campaign a surreal experience. The real, eventually turned virtual and vice-versa. Some initiatives like the GOTV – Get out to Vote and exploiting the internet’s untapped potential – was a hallmark of this campaign.
As I heard President-elect Obama’s speech last night, like many others in the Park in Chicago, I was moved to tears. As I wiped them off, a certain realization that it has all ended, ended in joy and victory. No more will I wake up the nights to be a part of this movement, no more will I skip dinner to watch an Obama rally at Manassas, Virginia and no more will I try to convince my Republican friends about who’s the best man for the job. They have the answer, and so do I.
Venkat Unplugged 