--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun-Times interviewed Barack Obama
in 2004
> on his faith and spirituality. She's now published the
> <http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/11/obamas-interview-
with-cathl
> een.html> entire interview. Here are some highlights.
>
> FALSANI: Do you pray often?
>
> OBAMA: Yeah, I guess I do.
>
> It's not formal, me getting on my knees. I think I have an ongoing
> conversation with God. I think throughout the day, I'm constantly
asking
> myself questions about what I'm doing, why am I doing it.
>
> One of the interesting things about being in public life is there
are
> constantly these pressures being placed on you from different
sides. To be
> effective, you have to be able to listen to a variety of points of
view,
> synthesize viewpoints. You also have to know when to be just a
strong
> advocate, and push back against certain people or views that you
think
> aren't right or don't serve your constituents.
>
> And so, the biggest challenge, I think, is always maintaining your
moral
> compass. Those are the conversations I'm having internally. I'm
measuring my
> actions against that inner voice that for me at least is audible,
is active,
> it tells me where I think I'm on track and where I think I'm off
track....
>
> It's interesting, the most powerful political moments for me come
when I
> feel like my actions are aligned with a certain truth. I can feel
it. When
> I'm talking to a group and I'm saying something truthful, I can
feel a power
> that comes out of those statements that is different than when I'm
just
> being glib or clever.
>
What a guy, you gotta love him...so very self aware...
A self aware president, now that will be different.
R.G.
