Among the things about Obama that has really been interesting to me during the primary contests has been his willingness to tell the Dem base what they might not like to hear, and offer praise where it might not always be welcome. He has used the rhetoric of the overtly religious on any number of occasions – which the liberal stereotype would certainly advise avoiding (and I do believe he is still successful because it is in fact a stereotype). Remarkably to me (and along the same lines) he spoke of his concerns regarding homophobia during services in front of a devout African-American congregation. It seems to me that these are the actions of a man who is unwilling to sell his soul for expediency -the very opposite of Sen. McCain (whom I actually have admired, but who has deeply disappointed me in the last year plus as he laid out his path to the nomination) as well as Sen Clinton, whom I also respect, but see as just more of the same.

I have come to the realization over the years that the presidency requires a leader, not a manager. A leader hires the right managers. A leader inspires, and points the way forward. His managers will deal with the negotiations and compromises that inevitably must be made. Obama, I believe, offers that leadership – that (I hate to say it shoot me now) transcends the political divide we face today. Yes, the devil is in the details – which managers? But his willingness to say what others might not want to hear, the ideas that he expresses, his need to accomplish something unifying to move any part of an agenda forward, and yes, his popularity despite his “minority” status, offers me real hope that he, more than the others running, represents a real break with the past , a hard thumb to the reset button of American political reality.