Some Thoughts from Ben

Excerpted from an email from my dad re: Obama -

"I knew nothing about the man until he jumped into the primary and challenged my first choice for the Democrat's candidate, Hillary, whom I saw as more seasoned and accomplished as an operative. Obama eventually convinced me after he beat the Clinton machine.

"My mind wanders back to a time when I was about your age (a few years younger, actually) when John Kennedy excited us so with the dream of Camelot. Although Kennedy and Obama have such divergent biographical and cultural backgrounds (Kennedy, the scion of our noble family; Obama, the self-invented, fatherless offshoot), they both share personal charisma, they both radiate an exotic aura.

"JFK was the first president in the 20th century to have been born after the fin de siecle. As a man of the new generation, he gave us youngsters the same hope for a promising tomorrow, as Obama gives youngsters (and a few old geezers) today. When Kennedy was elected, we felt that we could now be included in the American political scene. We could finally count, could be heard, could realize some of our youthful ideals.

"And now we hold youthful ideals so hopefully again today. No doubt there will be some disappointing moments ahead. Who could fulfill all of the hopes and aspirations of so many who are hurting, given the dire condition of our federal government? But we will weather those times.

"For now we can enjoy the bright optimism, and we can hope that this prince will reign much longer than one, brief, shining moment-and that far sturdier than the stuff of myth-he will create good, substantial work for the nation, as I am confident that he will."