Leader and healer

Every American who watched President Obama’s speech at the memorial service for
the victims of the murderous rampage in Tucson surely felt a swelling of pride
over how that community, and this country, is coming together in the face of
adversity.

The president’s remarks struck the right balance between memorializing the
victims, celebrating their legacies, and moving that community and the country
toward healing after this terrible tragedy.

Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age, but for the first time that I can
remember, this president moved me and connected with me emotionally through his
carefully crafted words and his demeanor. I listened to most of the speech on
the radio, racing home after a long day of work and trying to get there before
my own children, three girls, one almost the same age as the youngest victim,
went off to bed. When I got there, I caught the last few minutes on television,
adding a vivid visual spectacle to the stirring words of our president.

When he was finished, and as that entire auditorium of thousands of people
stood and applauded and cheered, I thought to myself and shared with my wife that
this speech, this moment, is when President Obama became president of the
United States. His remarks transcended the bitter politics of our time and took
us to a place where we all shared the pain of loss that those Arizona families
have suffered and then showed us a path forward toward healing and hope for a
better America.

I don’t believe that the deranged gunman was motivated by politics or
identified with a particular fringe element of a political party. Without proof
otherwise, I don’t believe he was driven to do this by political speech. He was
a troubled young man who chose his own path and I’m glad, relieved actually,
that the president didn’t use this opportunity to lay blame or offer political
solutions.

For the nearly 70 million Americans who voted for Barack Obama and his vision
of a better America in 2008, that candidate became president last night. The
visionary, motivational leader who electrified the nation with a promise of
hope for America in 2008 has connected again with them through his message of
peace and healing.

This speech may or may not hold up over time. But for now, when a nation needed
it most, its president strode to the podium and delivered one of the most
remarkable and unifying addresses of his presidency. For that, all Americans
can be proud.

David Di Martino is CEO of Blue Line Strategic Communications Inc. The views
expressed in this blog are his and do not necessarily represent Blue Line’s.
Follow David: @bluelinedd.