Barack Obama gave an important speech today on race, religion and America.
It was powerful, simple, full of stories, full of our pain, full of his pain.
And before, during and after the speech, he did what he has been doing day after day since he began his campaign on February 10, 2007.
He taught us new ways to consider these issues, and modeled in his demeanor and in his very bones how we might best approach the problems facing our country today.
He is first and foremost a teacher, taking these issues apart, right down to the core of their impact on us. And then he puts all of it back together, in such a way that we can see a new path forward.
He is not surprised nor appalled by what we are all thinking and how we’re acting, whatever our color, age, income or belief system. He accepts that we haven’t really understood, and firmly believes that we are Americans and we will do better.
His calmness, his logic, his insightfulness – his big smile that pulls us all in to work with him for America. He knows we want our country to do better and that Yes – We Can! do better.
Not a politican, not a preacher, not a politician – at his core, Barack is a teacher.