I avoided watching any political news other than Obama's actual live acceptance speech last night because

• I had no time to waste watching irrelevant rehashing of politics beforehand, and
• I had no time to waste listening to pundits repeat everything he said afterwards.

My conclusion is that we should hurry up and elect this man before this moment of opportunity passes. Obama is a great mix of practical leader and visionary. Although there is certainly a celebrity aura to him, I do not get the sense that it is about him personally. Like any great person who wants to make a difference, he has a big ego, but I expect and want that. I want a confident leader who wants to make a difference.

I felt the most significant thing he said last night--and the thing I felt inspired the most passionate response from the audience--was his setting a goal of energy independence in 10 years. I think Americans have come to feel the root cause of so many problems is dependence on foreign oil. It is not necessarily that we all want a green America or that we believe the Iraq war was "blood for oil," but the price of gas and the significance of foreign oil colors our relationship with the world. We are acutely aware that the carpet can be pulled out from under us at any moment:

• for no apparent reason, gas prices can spike over $4 a gallon and there is nothing we can do about it
• what will happen this winter, for home heating oil customers?
• the price of oil plays havoc with our economy, creating inflation without growth
• our lifestyle is dependent on oil--perhaps even our home prices have tanked because of the expense of commuting from the suburbs
• While the war in Iraq had many causes, depending on your interpretation, there can be no denying that the reason we care so much about that region is because we realize the oil matters. We must maintain and project our influence in the Middle East, increasingly by force and occasionally against the sentiments of other allies because we know if the oil stops flowing, we are, pardon my french, f---ed.

In a world of many things we cannot control, it feels like this is one where we can all take small steps to make a difference. It is a great opportunity for a visionary President to harness that awareness and self-interest to launch a comprehensive national campaign where government, business, and individuals each do their part to declare our energy independence and secure our future.

It is an issue that can bring us together--and that's what Obama seems ideal to do.