The Great Barack Hope

I caught the TV coverage of the Democratic National Convention today, and for some strange reason, I found myself in tears. During Bill Clinton's speech, no less. Weird.

So I took a look at why I was uncharacteristically moved, and I now know.

Clinton's magnanimous endorsement of the man, who, just a short while ago, had been fighting tooth-and-nail with the former First Lady for the Democratic nomination for the US Presidential race, was something new and outrageous - for me and my view of the political process, anyway.

I was moved by possibility - this outpouring of love and support for a former rival in a nomination bitterly sought - a possibility I have not ever experienced in the political processes of my own country.

It just goes to show how resigned and cynical I'd become by the political goings-on in the Philippines. My experience of it is that there is no loyalty to party or principle, only to individual interest; and if this had ever happened in the Philippines, Hillary would go on to form her new party and insist on running for President herself, hell or highwater notwithstanding. Which probably explains the proliferation of all of these Philippine political parties - the inevitable result of the phenomenon of a sore loser. Matalo, pikon.

But what if we just stood behind each other to have all of us WIN, instead of jockeying for first place? Now that's a possibility for Philippine politics.

And may I just say that I LIKE Barack Obama. One, for the words that come out of his mouth: words of possibility, not predictability. I think America needs that kind of buoyant spirit...heck, I think many nations, particularly my own, would benefit from that breath of fresh air. Secondly, I remain amazed at the possibility of "altering the conversation" - a conversation that once said that the earth is flat, that women could not vote, that a person of color could never, ever be President of the United States.

I trust that Obama will put his money where his mouth is; and if he does, he would be the shining standard for politicians around the world. The audacity of hope, indeed.