In the exceptional heat of this moment in our political history, the historical significance of our 44th president is at least partially obscured by people and squabbles we suspect will decline in importance over time as Barack Obama’s legacy grows.

Conservatives suggested Michelle Obama showed a lack of patriotism when she declared she had never been prouder of her country than on election night 2008, but she spoke for many of us who dared dream of a country capable of expurgating its original sin.

Basketball great Michael Jordan was among those who called Barack Obama the Jackie Robinson of politics. Just as Robinson required a combination of transcendent ability and superhuman forbearance to break baseball’s color line, Obama had to be not just equal but superior – cerebral, cool, dignified, passionate, graceful, oratorically brilliant and preternaturally able to shake off insults and prejudice that would have driven most mortals to fury. For all the bizarre accusations that he was secretly a Marxist Kenyan Muslim, no president in modern times more often personified the Christian value of turning the other cheek.

Read more at The Boulder Daily Camera.