I feel being lucky and even honored to be perhaps the only Yemeni journalist to report on the US 2008 presidential elections. I with other 22 international journalists have attended rallies and events leading to this landmark and historic event in the history of the US and maybe the world democracy. It is a vibrant and lively democracy that was created to live longer and inspire other democracies across the globe. When you get to discuss with officials* journalists* campaigners and even ordinary citizens in different States their election system and their hopes* you realize how the US democracy respects the diversity of the people with different cultural and religious backgrounds contributing into the making the United States of America. This does not necessarily mean everything is perfect in the US. We have met people of Hispanic* African and Indian backgrounds in New Mexico State who complained a lot against bad services* racism and other kinds of such stuff; people who aspire for change and a better tomorrow. Yet* it is the American democracy that has given hopes to Barak Obama* a black African American* to run for presidency and look ahead to the White House. When I compare our experience with the Akhdam who we failed to integrate into our community throughout centuries* I could see a big gap between us and the US society that was able to break these cultural and color barriers and not only accommodate the son of a black Kenyan national but give him a room to look ahead towards running the US at large. As a matter of fact* Barak Obama is setting an exceptional moment in the history of the US* being the first African American to run for the White House presidency. The charisma and competence he demonstrated through the campaigning rallies has attracted a lot of fans not only in the US but all over the world. Obama has revived in us what we read in text books that the US is a promise land to all people from all over the world. I have stood just few meters from Obama who stood last Saturday among a rally of around 25*000 people in Colorado. The whole crowd was very excited and enthusiastic* waiting for his arrival. He is eloquent* articulate and exceptionally inspiring. I talked to some American girls who were standing on one leg listening to Obama. They said they were influenced by his modesty and his ability to inspire them. I believe any great leader for a great nation has to have such qualities to be able to take his people ahead. It is not only his fans who felt such influence but everybody in my journalists group was electrified by Obama's power to influence and convince. Everybody felt it was worth traveling from New Mexico to Colorado by bus to see and listen to the person who is setting a new era in American history. The main thing in his speech is giving hope for all Americans in change which he said is the responsibility of everybody and not his government only. "We need a new era of responsibility*" he said and I understand responsibility is all what matters in building strong nations. A nation can never be strong and empowered* unless its people are responsible. It is a call* as some US writers describe* for a "politics of hope" and I think this hope can not translate into reality without responsibility. Minority groups like the African* Hispanic and Indian Americans strongly support Obama as they now identify with his family which has gone through all sorts of problems like migration* racism and the like. Therefore* they have hopes he will be close to them and address their plights. This is why Obama has given hopes to youngsters from these ethnic minorities that they can make it up to the top. Therefore* win or lose* Obama* as Domenick DiPasquale writes*" has broken new ground in the U.S. politics. His candidacy came at precisely the time when many Americans believed their country needed a fundamental transformation in its direction." But* I think if he wins* it will be an exceptional moment in the history of the American democracy....

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