imagine a different world of grilled cheese.

In 2000, when America was deciding who would be the 43rd President of The United States of America I was 17 years old, one year away from being able to exercise my right to vote. I was able to follow politics and learn as much as I could, but I was unable to actually partake when it came to deciding who I thought should be president.

In 2004, when America was deciding if we should re-elect our 43rd President of The United States, George W. Bush, or choose a new, Democratic president, I was 21 years old and able to partake in all political festivities. There, however, was one slight problem. I backed John Edwards in the primary, who eventually lost to John Kerry, the Democrat’s nominee. Then, I encountered another slight problem, which I believe every critic of President Bush experienced: We liked John Kerry simply because he wasn’t President Bush, not because we liked his political views. We were voting for Kerry simply to rid ourselves of the current president, not our best plan.

Many people mentioned this at the time, but I did not believe it, I wanted to act like I was actually voting for Kerry because of his views, not because of who he wasn’t. However, that wasn’t the case for me and I am sure it wasn’t the case for many other people. We wanted President Bush out of the White House so much that we would basically try and elect anybody that would take him on. Unfortunately, we chose the wrong man who couldn’t finish the job.

This mindset of simply voting for a party or idea and not a specific person energized no one. No one was excited, including myself. No one truly cared. Sure, there were rallies and the Vote For Change Tour, among other things, but the young people (excluding me, I did vote) simply did not vote. The hype was huge, but the end result was exactly the opposite. The immediacy of change was not there and therefore we were forced to live with President Bush for 4 more years.

That all has changed. For the first time since 1952, there is not an incumbent President or Vice President running for President. The field is wide open and everyone is watching that unfold in front of their eyes. The announcements of who would “throw their hat into the ring” started earlier then ever. Everyone moved up their primaries, having them start earlier then ever. The campaigns have been going on for what seems like forever. However, as we are right in the middle of the primary season it seems as though people aren’t getting bored, they are becoming more interested. Or so it seems to me.

Yesterday was Super Tuesday, which some are saying was the closest thing to a National Primary. (Side Note: I believe a National Primary will occur during my lifetime, especially after yesterday.) 24 states, the most ever on one day, held primaries or caucuses. For weeks, even before some earlier states had their primaries, people were mentioning and discussing Super Tuesday and what impact it would have on the race. Afterwards, would we know who would be the Democratic nominee? Would a clear Republican front-runner emerge? And so many more unanswered questions.

In 2000, I do not remember the primaries. In 2004, I only remember that I voted in the primaries. I will never forget the 2008 primaries. Prior to Super Tuesday, I would follow the results of the primaries and caucuses and go on with my life. Yesterday, I began watching at 7 PM and only turned it off after Barack Obama was done speaking, sometime after midnight. I was enthralled by the events and couldn’t turn it off. I became a political news junkie.

At the beginning of the current primary season, I was once again backing John Edwards. Once again, he exited the race early because of lack of support. I was heartbroken as I truly believed he might have a chance this time around. However, even as I was believing I was 100% pro-Edwards, I was beginning to follow Barack Obama and listen to his speeches. I was beginning to be inspired. I was beginning to see what everyone else was already seeing. I had a new candidate and his name is Barack Obama.

Yesterday, when Hillary Clinton’s name would be projected to win a state, I felt something. When Obama was projected to win a state, I felt something else, something better. I followed as intently as if this was the general election. I was excited as if this was the general election. I hung on every state, every delegate, every vote. This is the most I have followed politics since, well, since ever. It was an amazing night that was topped off by an amazing speech.

I have succumb to the hype and am pro-Obama and will be until he is President. The man can deliver a speech and topped himself once again last night. Sure, it might have run a little long, but the fact that CNN and MSNBC both cut off John McCain to follow Obama’s speech in its entirety says a lot. Fox News was the only channel that I noticed that stuck with McCain the whole time and that should be no shock to anybody. Obama’s speech was something to be seen, something to experience, something to witness. The crowd participation says it all.

This man has the charisma and smarts, something we have not experienced in the White House for 8 long years. I have become so used to Mr. Bush as President that I wonder sometimes if Obama is too smart to be President. How sad is that? Based off of our current President, I wonder if a candidate is too smart to fill the role of the 44th President of the United States.

When you are thinking like that, it means it is time for change. It is time to believe that, yes, we can. It is time to elect Barack Obama as the next President of The United States of America.

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