A little over eight years ago, as the 2008 election was getting under way, my teacher held up a magazine with a picture of a man’s face and asked if anyone knew who he was. I knew immediately that the man pictured was Barack Obama, and looking back I’m grateful to have been so excited about our future president.
The 2008 election was the first time I really paid attention to and comprehended what was going on in our country’s politics. I followed the candidates and read articles about them with interest. I’m not sure exactly when I first heard of the future president, but when I did I was captivated. I eagerly read The Audacity of Hope and found the parts that I understood (only being in 7th or 8th grade) fascinating. I thought about his stances on social, economic, and environmental issues (again, with my somewhat limited understanding) and found I agreed with many of them.I’m grateful for Barack Obama because he was a wonderful candidate to be my first real introduction to politics. As I formed my own ideas about the world I found a reason to be excited about democracy. As I watched him go through a grueling election and emerge victorious, Barack Obama was someone who gave me faith our country could produce admirable candidates for office.
After the recent election, I realized this is no small thing. My foundational president was someone I was proud of, and pride in democratic institutions is incredibly important. Pride keeps the civic flame alive and gives people a reason to have faith that the work they do for them will be valuable.
I’m grateful for Barack Obama because of his commitment to the arts and public media. During his tenure as president, the White House had a welcoming culture for writers, actors, and entertainers of all kinds. Lin-Manuel Miranda debuted the first version of “Alexander Hamilton” at the White House Poetry Jam, which eventually led to the musical I, and millions of others, know and love. While it’s not a perfectly straight line from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to Broadway, an event like the Poetry Jam where talent is nurtured and appreciated, was incredibly valuable.
In the last paragraph, I mentioned Obama’s commitment to public media, which in the past day has been thrown into sharp relief. I don’t know exactly what his stance on NPR and PBS was, but I do know that for eight years I was never worried about these staples of American culture and society being defunded or disappearing. I’m grateful that Obama is a morally admirable man. His term was unscathed by personal scandal and he has a strong and equal relationship with his wife. I’m grateful that he was a president I could be proud of when he interacted with foreign heads of state.
More than anything else though, I’m grateful to Obama for being someone who truly had the country’s interests at heart. I recognize that not everyone agreed with all his policies, and he certainly wasn’t perfect, but I knew he sincerely wanted to do his best.
So, thanks Obama. And I mean that.