King, thanks for replying.

My point is that the hope and change train left the station five years ago and no one has seen it since. We get that during his initial campaign his supporters around the world felt his election would usher in a new day.

But it didn't! And no one is arguing that.

I too, while I never would have voted for him, in the aftermath of the American decision to elect him in 2008, 70 million to 60 million, had hope his election might be a watershed moment in American race relations. A casting off of a heavy yoke. Sadly King we are all aware that has not been the case.

So my question is still, why are you talking about Obama inspiring hope when he has a proven track record of not being able to do anything to justify that hope? He is no longer a rookie.

I hope I win the lottery whenever I buy a ticket. I also know, by examining the historical record and the science of probability, that it is exceedingly unlikely my hope will result in anything tangible. But I do it because the occasional ticket allows me to day dream about the 10 million dollar SxS collection I might acquire.

Is that what you are doing, happily daydreaming about possible events exceedingly unlikely to occur?

I think specifically what I have difficulty with King is that you talk about the "hope" that emanates from the Obama election as though it is a current thing. And while it may have been there five years ago, that hope has evaporated.

The world cries out for such: he is needed & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia