Never supported him in 2008 because I thought he lacked experience, and mostly because he beat out Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination and, for the record, I didn’t support John McCain either.

In 2012 President Barack Obama ran for a second term and he impressed me with his work and commitment. It was obvious he supported many minority communities including the Latino community. He granted La Voz newspaper an exclusive face-to-face interview (audio is on our website at www.lavozcolorado.com), and spoke about the issues affecting Latinos

Over the past several years I came to admire and respect a man who was not my choice for president in 2008. Former president Barack Obama has accomplished great things for the American people, but was deterred from even greater accomplishments because of a defiant Republican Congress.

An articulate individual with an urban swag, President Obama was a caring, intelligent and fair-minded president. He represented real America. Born from a bi-racial union and raised by his mother and maternal grandparents, his life experiences contributed to the person he is today.

While his critics cite that he was an ineffective leader, his supporters will provide statistics that say otherwise. It is easy to overlook the good in others when you are blinded by their skin color. Yes, I dare say, that President Obama, in spite of his many great accomplishments, was disliked because he is black.

What does that say about our country that has reportedly progressed from days of discrimination in the 60’s, to 50 years later? We have not made progress if we are still judged by the color of our skin.

Definitely not holding President Obama or his family on a pedestal, but his personal character says this; he is a good man, who became a good leader, served in the Oval Office with grace and style, and absent of any personal or national scandals. He is a good father, a good husband who speaks with style and grace, has a natural swag, a natural charm, unlike no other.

From my viewpoint, it is an ironic turn of events. President Barack Obama was elected as the first black President because he was not entirely black, yet he could not and would not be allowed to fulfill his capabilities because he was not entirely white.

Adios President Barack Obama. We know your work is not over.