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This won’t be long, as I’m not really a big fan of talking politics, especially here. As everyone will know by now, we have a new president-elect in the United States. As many people have been saying, it is a historical occasion—for me it’s historical because it is the first time I have ever voted for a candidate who went on to win the presidency. I must say it feels good, even though there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt that New York would go to Obama—a fact which I am sure caused my parents far more pain than it caused me pleasure.
So I am happy that Obama won, but I still have the greatest respect for John McCain as a person and a politician. He caught some bad breaks that were not his fault (the economy deciding to take a trip down the toilet), and he also made some tactical errors that he can’t blame on anyone but himself (one word: Palin). But when he says that he is going to do everything he can to support the new president, I believe him. Tonight, for the first time in a long time, I saw the John McCain I used to know—a John McCain for whom I once might have voted. But that was before a lot of things happened, and he became someone else, and then he chose a running mate that I could never support.
At the same time, I am not an Obama-ite. I did not proselytize for him, I did not try to convince others that he was the way of the future. I do not believe that Barack Obama is the messiah, as some seem to do. However, I do believe that he is an intelligent and sincere man, and that he truly wants to take this country in a better direction. Actually, I felt the same way about John McCain, but despite all the harping on Obama’s lack of experience, Obama struck me as more leader-like. He struck me as someone that I would be willing to follow.
Do I think that Obama is going to fulfill all the promises that he made during his campaign? Not hardly. I’m realistic enough to know that he has a long road ahead of him, and what is refreshing is that Obama seems to be keenly aware of this himself. His victory speech featured the expected slogans, but it also showed a man aware of the mammoth task he faces. I hope that he can fulfill his potential, even if he isn’t able to keep all his promises. And I pray that God will guide him through the next four years.
(And I deliberately ended on that note, as my next journal entry will focus on the issue of petitionary prayer and its efficacy, inspired by a post written by my friend Kevin. I’m in the middle of writing it now, and it’s turned out to be a bit thornier than expected, so it may take a little while.)