aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Saturday, December 23, 2006

The perfect gift

Politically active family from Portsmouth, NH gave me Barack Obama’s Audacity of Hope last night. They got it at his book signing there, and were among those impressed by his charismatic speaking style:

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.-Brenda Bladen was trying to explain why she liked Barack Obama so much-he was authentic, selfless, and inspirational. He was restoring her faith in politics. “I’m not comparing him to Jesus Christ but … “ she said, before talking about the senator’s humble beginnings.

No description or venue seemed big enough to accommodate Barack Obama’s first visit to New Hampshire. In Portsmouth, it was standing room only as he signed his book The Audacity of Hope in a community ballroom normally used for wedding receptions. The 750 tickets for the event sold out in 24 hours. (One thousand people showed up.) [...]

It’s easy to see why New Hampshire Democrats were in a frenzy over Obama. He is a winning presence in a room. He is stylish in his uniform of white shirt, no tie, and dark blazer. He carries himself with the weightless self-possession men’s magazines achieve only by employing a team of stylists and wardrobe artists. Even his left-handed signature is elegant-a B and an O connected by confident slashes. If he really were a rock star, he’d have it etched into the side of his private plane. “I didn’t know about the charisma factor,” said Jessica Hayes leaving Portsmouth. “Now I know. I’m in love.” (In Portsmouth, people waited in line for over an hour to have him sign a copy of his latest book.)

Mine is not an autographed copy.