Obama in Cleveland

Clevelanders came out in mass last evening to support Barack Obama for President. I was fortunate to get a good spot in the crowd to catch the enthusiasm and hope that everyone was counting on to bring a victory in this Tuesday's election. Standing among the thousands gathered there, praying together with the Rev. Otis Moss, listening to our National Anthem, reciting together the Pledge of Allegiance and singing “This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land” with Bruce Springsteen one couldn’t help but reflect on the diversity of the crowd and the urgency that we all feel to heal the divisions in this nation and pull together for a brighter future.

If Senator Obama wins Ohio tomorrow, the economy and Ohio’s position as second in the nation in unemployment will certainly be a factor, but the possibility of having a leader who will bring this nation together has been the energy that electrified his campaign from the very beginning. Ohio has seen more than its share of divisive and negative politics over the years. The reason we are a swing state is that our population reflects the tremendous diversity of the country providing ample opportunity for politicians to point out and capitalize on our differences. The crowd last night was desperate for the message that Obama gave us, “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the United States of America.” His appeal is to the America we can be when we work together, and that is a welcome change for a state that has been one of the major political battlegrounds .


We have heard a lot of criticism of Obama as being all lofty rhetoric and idealism. Yet traveling on the Interstate past farms and suburbs, riding on the rapid transit, standing among the tall buildings, I was reflecting on the tremendous idealism of our Ohio ancestors, people who came here with hope, dreams and a can do attitude. This city, this state, this nation wasn't built by cynics; it was built on dreams, hopes, and faith that if we worked hard together we could do anything. No particular group can take credit for the wealth that was passed on to this generation. It came to us because of the hard work of people who overcome tremendous differences and obsticles to create a better life for all of us. We have to believe in us again and somehow, we have to come overcome our differences to pass it forward for future generations.

Yes we can!"
I may be an idealist, but I believe in the people of the United States of America.

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See the Cleveland.com Video below.