Barack Obama
Will a slender, young, colored frail man of African origin become the President of the United States? There is a strong possibility: he is already the presumptive candidate of the Democratic Party for the Presidency.
How did he defeat a white, far more experienced former first lady and a powerful senator in the closely contested primaries?
Obviously there is some magic in his personality which appeals to the blacks, Hispanics and the whites at the same time.
Is it his sincerity in whatever he says, the power of his words or the grasp of the American politics? How did he make himself endeared to one and all?
He is a proven genius at fund collection; he collected much more than any candidate so far (more than 93 million dollars!). But money cannot fool the elite educated American population.
There is something in him which is beyond my words and may be we will witness it as history unfolds in his life. Has he an appeal of the Kennedy of the 60s? Has he the greatness of the great Lincoln?
There is nothing extra-ordinary in his credentials.
He was born in 1961 to a white Mother and man of African origin. But they separated when he was 2 and later he went to live with his mother and step father in Indonesia where he did his primary education. Later he came to stay with his maternal grand mother in Hawaii and like any other American went to college and graduated in 1983.
He worked later as a lawyer and an Illinois senate member for 8 years.
He did community service for a number of years too. In 2005 he became a Senator from Illinois. After just a little more than 2 years he announces his candidacy for the Presidency! Hardly known at that time, he has come a long way to represent the aspirations of the people of the United States and probably he will be their President.
He is married to Michelle, a brilliant lawyer herself and has two girls. He is a devoted husband and a doting father. He has written two books and they have become best sellers with his candidature.
I find myself awed about this little ordinary man becoming a world leader. His life needs closer study and we have to glean out the qualities and the steel that propel him to dizzy heights.
Will he be one of the truly greatest men ever lived? Time will prove.