Anticipating History

dnc2008.jpg It's a few hours before Barack's speech tonight and I am on a shuttle to Invesco Stadium. The buzz around town is palpable, as people anticipate a historic speech by the Democratic nominee. Close to 80,000 people will attend an evening that is going to be shown around the world and around town it feels like tonight is all anyone is talking about.

Besides the excitement surrounding the speech, there is also an understanding of the gravity of the moment. 

obamamom.jpg This morning I asked Cornell West what the most memorable moment of the week has been so far. He said that the tears of Michelle Obama's mother made him emotional. "There's a lot of struggle in those tears," Dr. West told me. He's absolutely right. I have had the chance to talk with many convention attendees who grew up in a time where they thought that a night like tonight would never take place. Several of those attendees have gotten emotional when talking to me about what this means for them. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices.

I had some extra tickets to tonight's event and so at lunch today, I decided to give one of them to the young lady who was my waitress. She was about 20 years old, more than a  generation removed from the struggle that Dr. West talked about. But she was overcome with emotion and was so excited and thankful that she could be a part of history. The young, blonde, college student has so much in common with the older, afro-wearing college professor.  Michelle Obama's mom and her generation should be proud of the fruits of  their struggles and I hope they are all crying tears of joy tonight.

 

Marc Mitchell is an attorney who has managed the financial, business, and legal affairs of several influential entertainment companies. Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Celebrifantasy, an online news portal and celebrity fantasy league, and the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Dominion Media, a film and TV production company. Until recently, he was also the Chief Operating Officer of UrbanDaddy, a leading online lifestyle publication.  He is currently a member of the New York Finance Committee for Barack Obama.