Hello Mr. President

When I first heard of him, I was like, Da Rock who?

He sounded like an Arab wrestler.

I was flipping through TIME and in the middle of the 17 Hillary Clinton articles + all the Republican potential nominees, there was this tall skinny big-eared black dude from Illinois. First term senator. I didn't even read the article. How's this guy gonna become president?

That was Fall 2007. Then in January, He won Iowa, a state that is 90% white. With a limited budget + no brand-name, he flexed his community-organizing muslces, his listening skills in those town halls where Iowans expressed their fears, concerns, hopes.

The primary season was crazy, but I followed every punch and parry with relish. Through the whole Reverend Wright fiasco, the NAFTA ordeal, the campaign firings, the gamesmanship, + the mudslinging, I was thinking: Wow, can this lil' David really take down the Hilla-stine giant, all by his lonesome?

I wanted to get to know this guy, beyond what CNN told me. So I ordered his book "The Audacity of Hope" on Amazon. Slowly read through it over the summer.

It was a most unlikely story. From his single-mom, welfare-stamp upbringing to his $17,000 community organizer salary even after graduating @ Columbia Univ...from his underdog Illinois house rep campaign in '95 to his Christian conversion @ a run-down south side Chicago church, he was a man who'd defied the oddsmakers. He seemed to have a keen understanding of how messed-up politics was, + yet he had this hope. Not only for his own party, but for the country, + for the world. I gave $20 to his campaign.

Still, I wanted to get to know him, see him up close. So when he came by South Bend, Indiana for a rally, I waited in line for 4 hours. 3,000 of us crammed into a tiny high school gym, a crowd of every color, cheering his name, dreaming the same dream of a better tomorrow. Pinning our hopes on this man. + when he bounded onto that stage, he seemed so confident. Larger than life. He seemed to be speaking to me. + I knew then, that he'd already captured America's heart.

+ then, last night in his Chicago acceptance speech, he said, "This victory belongs to you"…I was smiling @ first, + a happy tear rolled down my cheek…but then I thought, No it doesn't Barack.

I mean, in the sentimental sense, yeah, it belongs to all of us in America.
But seriously speaking, Barack, you don't know me.

Sure, I know you. After all, I've followed you for a year, watching your stump speeches live on the internet, updating political tickers, bowling photo-ops, interviews. I've read your book, donated at your website, chanted O-BA-MA at your rally, prayed for you @ night (+ John McCain too), + photoshopped pictures of myself next to you.

But if one of your aides came up to you + said, hey there's a Chris Choi from Berrien Springs. He wants to know if you have some time to, I dunno, grab a Happy Meal @ McDonalds or something?

I have a feeling you'd probably decline.

I know all sorts of stuff about Barack Obama. But he doesn't know me. + probably never will.

4 years ago, he was just a two-bit state legislator. Only Illinoians knew who he was. Now, he's the president-elect of the United States. + the whole world knows his name.

+ I'm just Chris Choi. Just a regular person, like you. In a country of 300 million, in a world of 6.6 billion. Our name's not Oprah Winfrey, or George Clooney, or Rudy Giuliani. + President Barack Obama is never gonna take notice of us!

I heard, though, there's an important Person that wants to meet you. He used to be a two-bit woodworker in a podunk town. Now, they say He's become some kind of President. President of the Universe, supposedly! I'm not really sure why or how, but He says He wants to get to know you, have lunch with you. I wonder if you have the time...

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (Revelation 3:20)