Distant euphoria

My father called from Germany to say congratulations: 8220;Obama8217;s got the nomination for president!8221; Finally.

My father called from Germany to say congratulations: 8220;Obama8217;s got the nomination for president!8221; Finally. Squealing into the phone, I was euphoric. My instantaneous reaction was to jump around the room singing, 8220;Yes, we can8221; 8212; punching ferociously into Google for more information. I updated my blog with a regal picture of the senator from Illinois in front of the Capitol, while watching his gracious acceptance speech at St. Paul, Minnesota in front of a roaring crowd that refused to stop cheering. 8220;It is because of you that I can stand here and say that I am the Democrats8217; presidential nominee,8221; he said to the elated gathering at Minnesota.

Mine may not be the generic teenage reaction, but surely I8217;m part of the growing momentum of passionate youth rooting for Barack Obama in India. The time I first heard of the senator vying for the Democratic nomination, his speeches and ideals were a whiff of fresh air. 8220;Change, wow!8221; I had exclaimed.

Obama8217;s policies on outsourcing and free trade may not be as congenial to India8217;s progress as those of his rivals. So what is it that really connects him with us? Besides his speeches and baritone, of course, it8217;s his candour, humility and perseverance. He is constantly fighting for change, whether he just lost a caucus by a wide margin or won one narrowly in a state. His larger than life credentials can never overshadow the human factor.

His enthusiastic and eloquent speeches, his candid opinions on state matters and his desire to break away from the stale incumbency are just a little of his enormous appeal. Obama is obviously someone different from the rest, who wishes to 8220;unite the blue states and the red states8221; and all people regardless of race, gender and religion. Seeing a presidential nominee sweating in a basketball jersey leaves me gasping at his versatility and cooldom. Obama has awed me to the extent that even Yao Ming, Bill Gates or Justin Timberlake couldn8217;t.

I don8217;t think he is an elitist, I think he is class defined.