"You can call me Barack."

[Skidmore]

I read the story of how our President-Elect told the people he and his family were serving on Thanksgiving day that they could simply call him "Barack." I smiled to myself.

I'm conflicted a bit by this because I want Barack Obama to be honored with the title he sought and won. But, at the same time, I don't want him to wear the honorific like a piece of jewelry. I recall with sharp clarity all the carefully studied humility that * wrapped himself in before the 2000 election debacle which was all to soon replaced by wrapping himself in the title of the office in vanity and spiteful pride.

I want our Barack to be accessible to us--a President among the people. The kid down the block who made good but always comes home for grandma's birthday. The neighbor's child who earned a degree and a title but comes back home to the neighborhood and stops by to put his feet on the coffee table. Our national son, ever smart and achieving, but equally capable sitting on a curb and catching up on the news of the neighborhood with a flash of a smile and head bent intently, listening to pedestrian concerns amid the national ones.

I will call him Barack, my President. Barack--one man who stood up. Barack--one man who stands beside us all.

[Breeze54]

1. Hope you get your wish but with all the righties around him, I fear

all this "just call me Barack" is for show.

Seems a lot of everything else is... :(

[Skidmore]

3. I guess I'm not cynical about his motives.

For the first time in decades I think we do have a leader who genuinely is seeking to do right by the people and cares about what happens to the ordinary citizen.

His success will depend on us being willing to support his agenda and to hold the feet of those in the legislature to the fire.

[Breeze54]

4. No. I'll hold HIS feet to the fucking fire!!

:grr:

After all, he said HE'S the decider... now.

"It's 'his' agenda, it's 'his' job".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4547639&mesg_id=4547639

:eyes:

[BeFree]

5. Well

If'n you get burned, don't complain to us. 'Cuz you play with fire... ya gonna get burned.

Frankly, I find it much more beneficial to hold the jingoists feet to the fire. But hey, if you feel you have to ride hard on the first president WE have had in 8 years, all I can say is feel free to do so.

[Skidmore]

6. Obama has never said that people shouldn't hold him accountable.

He also said that he was seeking office to be the President of the United States of America, not red states or blue states. I don't really understand why other liberals are so upset now. The man hasn't even formally started his job. We need more than unity between the Hillary and Obama camp in this nation--we need unity on all fronts.

[cali]

9. I'm sure you'll find plenty to be outraged about, no matter what

Obama does.

[Crazy Dave]

2. Can I call your VP "Joe"?

:rofl:

[alphafemale]

7. Remember the opposite tales about *

How he insisted that everyone, even people he had known casually before, address him as Mr. President?

What a pathetic pipsqueak of a human being.

[TWiley]

8. Barak is better than Obama

There is something annoying about shouting someones last name without a Mr, Ms, or Mrs, attached to it.

[rurallib]

10. When he was campaigning in Iowa I was in a small group meeting

with him before an appearance. When he came in the room we stood and clapped in recognition. A modest smile crept over his face and he moved his hands to stop the applause and motion to sit down. And I will never forget what he said: "C'mon it's just me. It's just Barak."
I believe Obama is a truly humble man who will never forget his roots.

[gblady]

12. that's a cool story...

thanks for sharing it...
it certainly is the impression that I have of him...
from reading his books and closely watching his campaign.

I feel some are so jaded (and rightly so) by the past administration
that they are unable or unwilling to trust that he is of a different ilk.

I trust, over time, that more folks will see
the genuine goodness I feel is in the heart of this man.

[madokie]

11. I love it

:fistbump: