The New "Great Communicator"?

One of the things that absolutely thrills me about President-elect Obama is that he can speak. English. Like someone who has adequate command of the language. Won't it be grand not to hear the word "nuke-you-ler" from the mouth of the man who has the power to call forth that weapon of ultimate destruction?



Tears streamed down my face as I listened to Barack Obama's speech Tuesday night, not because it was all that brilliant a speech, but because it poured out so effortlesly. Like the words he was saying were actually connected to what was going on inside his head. Here was our future president, speaking in public and NOT sounding like an eight-year-old standing in front of the class attempting to recite The Charge of the Light Brigade.



And apparently, Mr. Obama has command of other languages besides English. One of my regular customers is a young woman who owns a nearby dairy farm. Sandra is deaf. She came in for breakfast this morning, all excited about the Obama victory. She pointed to a picture on her phone or PDA or whatever it was... A picture of Barack Obama flashing a hand signal that I did not recognize.




"What is that??" I asked.


"It's 'I love you,'" she grinned. "Obama is saying 'I love you' to deaf people!" She was so enchanted by the gesture.


Thank you, Mr. Obama. Thank you for knowing what to say and how to say it. Or sign it...