Maria Endorses Obama

California First Lady Maria Shriver was the surprise guest this weekend at the Oprah Winfrey/Caroline Kennedy/ Michelle Obama UCLA rally. She came out officially to endorse Barack Obama. When I saw this on the news my mouth dropped open! You go mama!!!! She said she was standing not because she was cousins with Caroline Kennedy or because she she was friends with Oprah. She said if Barack were a state he'd be California! Her husband officially announced his endorsement of John McCain last week...as I knew he would. My husband and I don't always agree on everything but this is the height of different sides now isn't it. I believe that Maria has shown courage and judgement. She is absluetly correct (IMHO) regarding her endorsement and it underlines that "something is happening here!". I love that the Schwarzenegger household's ideology that it consists of a husband and a wife who think for themselves, regardless of stereotypes or party affliliation. Maria is not just "Arnold's wife". She is a journalist, a mother, the First lady of California and a proud Democrat who happens to be intelligent, independent-minded and yes...a Kennedy. The momentum continues to build. If Barack can carry California, I think he will be our nominee. His inspiration is astonishing. Only one mention of "Clinton" in my thoughts for today. Yesterday during a speech at a black church he said "All my life I wanted to vote for a woman, all my life I wanted to vote for an african american, God answered my prayers" Amen....tomorrow's decision is important. Please remember to take part. Your vote does count.

Obama and the Audicity of Hope

In July 2004 I watched BO electrify the Democratic National Convention with his address that spoke to Americans across the country. His main focus was what he called the "Audacity of Hope". Obama calls for a different style of politics. Politics that is rooted in faith, nobility of the spirit at the heart of our experiment with democracy. He dares to explore the forces, the fear of losing to the need to raise money to the power of the media that sometimes hurts the most well intentioned politician. I enjoyed reading the Auducity of Hope so much, and his self-deprecating humor, especially about settling in as a senator, trying to find balance with the demands of public service and family life, and his religious committments. Obama's vision of moving beyond "ourselves" to tackle problems was awesome. Especially touching on the growing economic insecurity we have reached, racial and religious tensions within politics, and terrorism beyond our nation. His discussions with how faith plays itself in politics was interesting, especially about how it must never intrude. (more on this late as the next few weeks shape the "new history" of the US)