Obama fans: from Denver to Africa

The night that Sen. Joe Biden took the stage at the Democratic National Convention and was later joined by Sen. Barack Obama, I wasn’t in the Pepsi Center.

Instead, I was in a taxi heading back to Regis University. After waking up at 5:00 a.m., it was time to go home, even though it meant I would miss the Vice-presidential nomination acceptance speech.

And you know what? I could care less, because I heard a much more interesting story. (No offense, Biden).

From Morocco-bama to Discobama, the Democratic nominee has a quite a versatile last name.

When I sat down in my taxi the Biden speech was on the radio. As we started to drive away from downtown, my driver suddenly said to me, “Obama has to win.”

Then he began to explain why. A native of the Morocco, my driver fled to the United States 23 years ago. While his roots are in Africa, America has been home. He has not returned to see his sisters, mother, or father since he left.

“America gave me a new life,” he proudly said.

But during his life in Africa, he claimed he could not sit by while government was corrupted. He joined a political party (the name was lost in translation) that fought to gain control along with at least 20 other parties and a king. In the end, he said many fellow politicians were jailed or killed, and he knows that would have been his fate as well. After 23 years of solace in America, he has seen the presidency of Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Now, he said, it’s time for a change. It costs $120 to fill up his gas tank. He sees our economy dwindling. While either candidate will bring some form of change, my driver from “Morocco-bama” explained why he would cast his vote for the Democratic nominee.

"Rednecks for Obama," is just one group of supporters from around the country and world.

“If the people of Africa could vote, he would already win. When you tell them, he will be the U.S. President, they say ‘No, he will be ours, too. He will fight for us, too.’”

No, it’s not because of Islam or the color of skin. Instead, he said it’s a universal sentiment.

“Around the world, they love him.”

Even though the world might be behind the country’s first black presidential candidate, Obama must prove himself to America as well. With the support of multiple groups such as the small-sized “Rednecks for Obama,” it was apparent more than ever this week that his reach is domestic and global.