To be honest, the historical context did not hit me until after the win. I told my wife that he would win after Iowa, for no other reason than I thought the he was the best democrat in the field. I went back and read his books and saw what others we seeing in him. Like most black people, I wanted him to win, but up until the last minute felt that something fishy would happen and change the outcome. While other people want to claim he is the next Lincoln, I just see it more simply. Over the last several elections, the winner has been the person that is the most comfortable in his own skin. I think George Bush has been one of the worst presidents ever, but you cant deny that he was self confident in a way that Kerry and Gore simply were not. For all of Obama's organization and get out the vote efforts, I still think he looses the election if he doesn't have this inner strength. This is something Hillary and her team, never quite understood.
It wasn't until I saw Jesse Jackson crying until, that the living history caught up to me. For him to see his friends beaten and murdered for the right to be treated a citizens. To see the federal government take active steps to try to destroy the civil rights movement. To you have you own life threatened on so many occasions for simply attempting to assert the rights that others take for granted. When his tears flowed, mine did to. It seems much of the country was having that moment as well.
