Barack Obama, now the 44th president of the United States, is a global phenomenon.
But keep in mind that he was a state legislator in Illinois a little more than four years ago.
That’s something Bronx lawmakers can relate to, which is good, because there are lessons in the Obama brand of politics that we hope our elected officials will emulate.
Obama is not thin-skinned, not resentful, not paranoid, not vengeful. He has an ego but it is powered by confident self-assurance, not paranoid self-doubt.
He surrounds himself with super-smart, highly competent staff and advisers. This is made possible by the personality traits listed above.
To Obama, political competition is not war, but competition, like basketball. He plays hard, breaks a sweat, and afterward treats everyone with respect regardless of what side they were on. Just ask Hillary Clinton about that.
Here in the Bronx, we can learn from Barack Obama, the campaign he waged and the person he is. It’s good timing, too, considering Bronx politics is also brimming with change.
The new chairman of the Bronx Democratic Party, Carl Heastie, is already emulating Obama in a key area.
"No door is closed," he said in a recent interview, referring to his willingness to work with any Bronx leader, regardless of what side they were on in the bruising battle over the party’s leadership last fall.
