Barack Obama has finally been discovered by the Dutch media. And that was about time too. When I followed this young presidential hopeful in 2006 for the Dutch Embassy in Washington, DC I sent a signed photograph of him to a friend of mine in the Netherlands who happened to be an Amerian Studies graduate. Her reaction: "I just received a signed photograph of a young black man with terrible handwriting standing in front of the Capitol Building. Who is he, and what am I supposed to do with it?" I told her to keep it safe, for one day this young man would be the president of the United States.
Some months ago Obama's books were translated into Dutch and I was asked by the TV show "Goedemorgen Nederland" to comment on this young stranger who had announced to be running for the Demorcratic nomination. The books, "Dreams from my Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" are both extremely well written and testify to a heart for people and a vision that seeks to break through boundaries by clinging to that which binds us instead of dwelling on the things that drive us apart. No wonder Oprah Winfrey chose to endorse him....
Now, I just went to one of those websites that lets users select issue positions that are important to them to see who they should vote on...the result basically told me that whatever I do I should NOT vote for Barack Obama...Even so, my heart - which tends to be more liberal than my mind - still seems to go out to him. I must admit its a comforting thought that I don't have to vote, or better yet...am not allowed to vote for these elections anyway...
To watch my appearance in "Goedemorgen Nederland" on September 20, 2007 click here
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