by Eun Sook Kang
I grew up with no heroes and no favorite movie stars or favorite rock star. I didn’t put up posters of pop icons on my wall. I thought generally of the popular culture scene and was not so motivated by any particular image until I heard about Barack Obama. I began hearing about him through the publication of his book and observed him throughout his campaign. I saw Barack Obama for the first time in person up close like within two feet of him at the Convention Center when he spoke to the organizing group of volunteers. I was captivated, inspired, overjoyed and thought to myself that I am like a kid at a candy store; so wonderful, pleasing, and delightful. It was an awe invoking moment seeing him walk out unto the platform and address the crowd. He seemed larger than life and yet at the same time real and down to earth and spoke “with some sense.” I was star struck such that I couldn’t move. When he came round to shake hands with the 12 security guards around him, I was frozen and couldn’t reach out my hand over the shoulders of those in front of me to shake his hand. At least I got to see him within inches of me. It was memorable. Someone said, “I ‘m not going to wash my hand,” and I thought, “gee if I hadn’t been so frozen I would be saying those very words myself; a little campy in sentiment, but what the heck, it’s Barack Obama, not any ordinary run of the mill type of individual.

He’s like a twinkle in the night’s clear sky that electrifies the whole world.