Communicating hope: Lincoln, Obama and the Hudson river miracle

If you are a Daily Mail reader you will see that today is Blue Monday, and as such will be the most depressing day in history. However if you are currently based in Washington DC, living on the adrenalin of hope being whipped up by the Obama-fest currently going on, I suspect that depression is not getting a look in. And nor should it. Tomorrow will mark a spine-tingling day in history – one that must be treasured and enjoyed.

Today is Martin Luther King Day marking the anniversary of his “I have a dream” speech – full of hope looking towards a brave new world. And this theme of hope is very much the theme of Obama’s presidential campaign, and along with the Lincoln story, looks set to provide the foundations for tomorrow’s historic speech.

In Thomas L Friedman’s fabulous new book ‘Hot, Flat and Crowded’ he talks about the devastating impact that 9/11 had on the American psyche. Under the Bush regime, the ‘War on Terror’ response turned the country inwards, barbed wire was thrown up around borders and embassies, and even the metaphorical home-birds of hope, peace and creativity no longer flew in the U.S. airspace. I shouted at the radio when I heard Bush’s farewell speech last week. Perhaps unsurprisingly it’s theme was one of justification of his actions. The low point was when Bush leveraged the concrete boots of fear by saying that there hasn’t been a terrorist outrange on U.S. soil for 7 years. It seemed such an inappropriate reminder at such a hopeful time.

One of Freidman’s main messages in this book is a rallying cry to the American people’s inherent and historic creative nature, urging them to rediscover this strength once more and demonstrate to the world its positive power. He urges America to use its tradition of innovation to tackle the world’s biggest challenges – climate change, globalization, and population growth.

With spectacular timing – one that couldn’t have ever been manufactured – last week’s U.S. Airways miraculous landing on the Hudson river may well be just what the country needs to kick-start this healing process. And for the events to unfold in New York – the scene of such hideous trauma and scaring meted out by despotic terrorists in planes, perhaps the healing process might progress further. This miracle almost underlines Obama’s coming, and validates his message of hope.

So I too join America’s feeling of hope that something better is round the corner for America and the world. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, may Obama bring America and the world a "government of the people - by the people - for the people".