DNC: King's "Dream" come true

DENVER · James Tucker didn't think he'd ever see this day.

He was born in the small town of New Madrid deep in the boot heel region of Missouri in 1951. The earthquake-prone town straddles the New Madrid fault, and the fiery Tucker was destined to shake things up from the day he entered the world.

Nevertheless, after a lifetime of fighting for civil rights in his adopted home of Colorado Springs, Tucker is astonished to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention that made Barack Obama the first black nominee of a major party. He will watch tonight as Obama formally accepts at an outdoor rally in Denver's Invesco Field at Mile High on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King. Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

"I'm so proud to be a part of this convention," Tucker said. "We're talking about progress in the areas I've worked so hard on. That's why I'm so proud to be an American."

Pundits have had plenty to say about race during this election.

Obama ran into trouble when the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, minister of Obama's longtime church, made a string of controversial remarks. Obama was left to clean up that mess with a speech that addressed the race issue head-on.

And the issue flared up again when the Rev. Jesse Jackson made demeaning remarks about Obama, and caused onlookers to wonder if there's a rift between older civil rights leaders and Obama. Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. - who publicly criticized his father - was left to bridge that gap with his convention speech on Monday.

"Fellow Democrats, this is an historic moment," he said. "I know. I grew up with the lessons of another generation, my father's generation. I know his stories of struggle and sacrifice, of fear and division. I know America is still a place where dreams are too often deferred and opportunities too often denied.
"But here's what I also know. I know that while America may not be perfect, our union can always be perfected."

Jackson hinted that when King said he went to the mountaintop and saw the promised land, the vision he saw might have looked a bit like Obama speaking to 75,000 people inside Invesco Field.

"He gives us a lot of hope in ourselves," the Rev. Al Sharpton said as he entered the Pepsi Center on Wednesday. "I always fought for this day, even though I didn't think it would get here."

The Obama campaign, for its part, seems to broach the topic of race as little of possible. Other than the King legacy that hangs over today's speech, that has held true at this convention.

"I expect that race will continue to be downplayed by the campaign, as it has been," said Bob Loevy, political science professor at Colorado College, who is attending the convention with students. "He's not running as the African-American candidate."

But for many black Americans, this election transcends politics and even Obama.
"It's taken 45 years to get to where Martin Luther King was talking about," said Ronnie Houston, a Colorado Springs truck driver and former international vice president of the Teamsters National Black Caucus. "This is a ray of sunshine."

At the same time he expects Obama's achievement to bring more racism out of the woodwork.
"Bigotry is going to come to the forefront. It's going to rear its ugly head," said Houston, 55. "I'm already so tired of hearing that he's Muslim." Obama has repeatedly said he is a Christian.

Tucker sees in Obama the fruition of a lifetime of work. A well-dressed man who stands 6-foot 3-inches, Tucker is an imposing presence whose strong personality has won him many friends and enemies.

His life has many aspects - retired social studies teacher from Harrison High School, veteran of the Persian Gulf War, publisher of the African American Voice newspaper, former head of the local NAACP chapter before he was expelled by the organization, and single parent to an autistic son who now inspires him to fight for the rights of the disabled.

He brings a warrior's mentality to nearly all aspects of his life. Yet, as he thinks about the milestone he's about to witness, his sharp eyes begin to soften and his tough demeanor goes out the window.
"All the work I've done, the work of all kinds of black folks and white folks makes today possible ... by their fruit you should know them," he said.

For many of those folks, this is a moment in history they simply can't miss.

Corliss Hale, 42, brought her family from Chicago to Denver, even though they can't get into the convention. Her girls - ages 9 and 7 - have been interviewing delegates and politicians around town as their mom records it on video.

"They deserve the chance to be here and witness history," said Hale, who is black. "I never thought I'd be here to see this."

As she said it, she began to cry.

"I'm just awestruck, and I feel for the first time like I'm part of the process, rather than just a witness to the process. It would be inspiring to see a family in the White House that looks like my family."

"Why are you crying?" 9-year-old Nayla asked as she hugged her mom.

"Because I'm happy. I'm proud of you. I'm proud to be here. And I'm happy for your tomorrows."