Vicarious Experiences...

...are fun, too.

My friend Sam scored tickets to the final night of the Democratic Convention in Denver. She has shared her experience with her readers if anyone wants to live vicariously.

It was a special night for me in all the ways that she describes. I, too, have been an Obama fan since the 2004 convention. And while I admired all of the candidates during the primary run (Kucinich rocks!) and actually thought seriously voting for Hillary for a short time, I never really strayed far from Barack.

I described below how the opponent VP candidate pushed my son over to the final decision to vote this year, but the process started at this convention. He had managed to avoid all television surrounding the convention. On that last day, I rushed straight home from work, planted my flag on the television set, grabbed my 'monster boss' (52oz) water cup and settled in for the evening. DH joined me a little later. DS wandered into the kitchen just as Stevie Wonder was introduced. "Stevie!" we heard from the kitchen. "I'll listen to Stevie!" and he sat down to enjoy Stevie's set. ( DS is a jazz/rock/funk drummer and a big fan of Stevie Wonder). I expected him to leave after the set (short as it was) but he didn't. He whooped it up for Al Gore and listened to Barack's entire speech.

In my son I see the hope for this country. It's no surprise that a bleeding heart, left wing, liberal such as myself would be moved by Barack, just as it's no surprise that the conservative Republican base thinks Sarah Palin is some kind of heroine. The key to this election will be people like my son, disillusioned, cynical Americans who will be willing to sit down and listen with their hearts and minds open to a new message, opening a new path back to the values upon which our country was founded.

..That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government...