Larger Than

First posted on ThickWitness on May 17, 2008.

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There’s a photograph in the newly released Esquire Magazine, the one with Barack Obama on the cover.  In the center of the frame is his daughter Sasha, eyes wide, mouth open.  Michelle’s face is crinkled in a tickled laugh.  The camera catches the back quarter of Senator Obama.  His hand is reaching past his daughter to someone’s hand in the crowd to shake.  His face is tilted upwards, surveying the crowd obscured in the black background of the photograph.  Sasha’s yellow hair ribbon is tied in an askew bow and cute as hell.  The caption reads “The day after announcing for president in February 2007, Obama greeted a crowd in Chicago.  His daughter Sasha, trying to get her father’s attention, shouted, ‘I love you, Daddy!’”

I can’t stop crying.

This little girl might lose her daddy to things larger than her existence.  The look on her face.  That adoring, loving look on her face clamoring for her daddy’s attention in a crowd of adoration less personal than her own, is…heartbreaking.

But it is also indicative of my fears for my preferred candidate.   I worry that if elected, will he be up to the task?  And if up to the task, will he be allowed to excel?  And if allowed to excel, will his excellent choices be free of corruption?  And if free of corruption, will the path of this country be righteous?  And if the path of this country is righteous, will the world’s as well?

It's as if I don't want to lose my preferred candidate to the things that are larger than his daughter's existence.

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Post Script:  After ThickWitness published this on May 17, Senator Obama held that amazing rally in Oregon where 17,000 people showed up.  Many were there to see The Decemberists, a local band, but many were there to see Sen. Obama.  It looked like my fears were somewhat realized.