cynicism relieved; obama draws 45,000 in albuquerque...

many of you know me for my cynical nature. some of you know that hidden beneath is a romantic idealist that just will not die. unfortunately, throughout my life, that idealist has been trampled again and again by the hard reality that the true america was being dismantled by our leaders. I've wanted so badly to believe in the american myth that I grew up with, that this was a nation where anything was possible and all peoples came together for the common good, where we commit to upholding the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness above all else. four years ago, I sat on the couch and felt that idealism being stoked by a state senator from my home state.

over the last few years, that idealist has battled that cynic, trying desperately to convince him that this time was different, that this was a leader, that this was a movement, this was the movement I had been pining for...give them a true progressive and the american people will come together in an astounding fashion to announce that the american creed is not dead. saturday night...he finally won.

I woke up saturday and made my way over to johnson field where a handful of people had already sat down at the front of the line for an obama visit rumored to be drawing upwards of 20,000.

as the gates opened and we gathered near the stage, I had no idea that a line wrapped around the campus, I had no idea just how many people had been as desperate as I was. we tried in vain to get an idea of the size of the crowd, holding cameras above our heads and bringing back photographs showing a sea of people disappearing into the darkness behind us. turns out, 45,000 arrived because a leader had finally inspired them to be bigger than our differences, to be better than this.

most remarkably, within a five foot radius I was surrounded by children as young as five and men and women as old as my grandparents, by people of every ethnicity and background. a woman next to me had traveled from out of state to be there. her view blocked, I asked if she wanted to swap locations with me so that she would have a better vantage point. she declined, patted me on the shoulder and told me "thanks, but that's ok. I am here for you."

it was a beautiful moment, and I hope she knows the profound effect that simple gesture had on me. at that moment, the cynic within me faded away as I looked upon the little girl on her mother's shoulders in front of me and thought to myself how we were all there for her. and as I realized this was the time I had dreamed of I began to get emotional, and as 45,000 roared si se puede, I actually believed those words.

the destiny of a nation...yes we can.