john.he.is

On January 8th, Barack Obama narrowly lost the New Hampshire primary to Hillary Clinton. He had been leading in all the polls just before the vote — in some by as much as 10% — so the outcome was a big disappointment for his supporters. Ironically, his concession speech that night was one of the most uplifting orations he's ever delivered. It's now known as the "Yes We Can" speech.

You've probably already seen the music video inspired by that speech, created by will.i.am and Jesse Dylan. If not, here it is:

(Click below to play video)

I have to admit it, I feel like a real dupe. I'm so embarrassed.

I've been going around telling my friends, "You have to see this 'Yes We Can' video. It's so cool!" Blah blah blah. Jeez... I can't believe how naive and gullible I am.

I just discovered the truth about that video. Now I have egg on my face. Of course, it's been there for a while now, I just didn't know it. Why didn't one of you stop me from making such a fool of myself?

Okay, I'll try to make amends for being such an idiot. That whole will.i.am "Yes We Can" thing is just a blatant, cheap ripoff of this earlier and much more inspiring video, created by john.he.is:

(Click below to play video)

Just to rub salt into my wounds, here are the lyrics/text of "Yes We Can":

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. They will only grow louder and more dissonant. We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of L.A. We will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea....

Yes. We. Can.