I just posted this in reply to someone else's blog, but decided it was long enough to be my own...
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I've only come to be an Obama supporter recently, and will confess to be one of the dreaded "anyone but Clinton voters." BUT, I find it deeply refreshing, and did even before supporting him, that someone could rise to becoming a Presidential candidate the way Obama has.  

Don't get me wrong, he has an impressive record both in education, as a community organizer, a State legislator and freshman Senator, but he's not had to make the kind of political alignments most major players have to.  Sure, he's not squeaky clean, but for a politician, he is. Vetted? He's soaring through the Clinton attack machine. For the most part he's let her play the bad cop, and has continued talking about how we can all come together to fix the nation.

I truly believe that all of this is as much of an appeal to his supporters as the "pretty speeches" his opponents criticize him for. He exemplifies a true American success story, is not covered in the grease of the political machine, and is honest with us that it will take all of us to make real change and that the President doesn't legislate. This is why people barely getting by write him checks. 1,000,000 people aren't all sipping latte and cashing in their trust funds.  It's 1,000,000 people from many walks of life. It's 1,000,000 people hoping to invest in a better America.

This is why independents and Republicans are supporting "the most liberal Democrat."  This is why libertarians like me are supporting a moderate like him.  We want to work towards an American political system less cluttered with partisanship and corporate influence.

We want a leader who doesn't discount us, but includes us in the hard work, and believes that we too want the best for America. We want Barack Obama, who he is and what he represents, right now.  If he doesn't get the nomination, millions of us will always wonder what would have been possible. Right now, millions of us are ready to fight to make those possibilities tangible.  Discounting our hope doesn't dissuade anyone, it makes us more vigorous.

This isn't your typical apathetic American voting audience anymore. That's why HRC's rhetoric about substance, attacks on borrowed talking points, and lies about her own record aren't sticking. We've done our homework. THAT is why we're excited. The hope stems not from speeches, but for the possibility of cleaning up our government. There's a spirit of political renaissance.  I for one am excited by how excited the general electorate is, and am hopeful that yes, indeed, we can.