Leslie Odom, Jr., Sara Bareillis – Seriously

A little more than a week before the election, This American Life released this song written by Sara Bareillis, imagining what President Obama might be thinking about the election that he can’t say publicly. Leslie Odom, Jr., of Hamilton fame, knocks it out of the park.

I haven’t had the stomach to watch any of the speeches. I did see a snippet from the Orange One’s visit to the White House, maybe you saw it too. The uncomfortable handshake, the strained words, the drained expression on Obama’s face. I think this song is damn close to right.

I did not love everything about Obama. There were plenty of things I felt he didn’t get right or wasn’t quick enough about setting right. But he was dignified, smart, classy, morally upstanding, eloquent, and even had a finger on the pulse of popular culture. His presence was warm, welcoming, reassuring, compassionate, and his flair with kids…shit, just thinking about it makes me tear up.

Putting aside all of the more frightening aspects of the election for a minute, I think a tiny part of the awfulness of the last few days, even if it’s such a minor point that this hasn’t been on your mind, is that we were already going to miss the whole Obama family, but to be followed by a family that is so odious is just adding insult to injury. Can you picture his successor at the next (because you know it’s just a matter of time) national tragedy? There is nothing genuine about him. It pains me to even think about it. Seriously.

I have a lot more to say about the election but I’m not still able to do that yet.