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I’ve been thinking a lot about worldviews lately. Electing a president, I think, is only somewhat about the person we choose to occupy the Oval Office, and much more about the worldview — the lens through which we view the world and our place in it — that we endorse and put our power, treasure, and collective awareness behind.

This worldview choice is a big deal because it affects nearly every aspect of U.S. policy, life, and discourse. And, because of U.S. far-reaching influence (and effluence) in world affairs, our worldview choice proceeds to affect every person on the planet to one degree or another.

An easy way to recognize the radical difference in worldviews between the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. these days is to compare the keynote speeches from each party’s convention (nod to Al Franken).

Assuming each speech is representative of its party’s worldview — and I think it is as each was its convention’s keynote — the difference really is astonishing. Check it out:

Barack Obama (Democratic Convention keynote, July 27, 2004)

• full video, excerpts
• transcript, alt

Zell Miller (Republican Convention keynote, September 1, 2004)

• full video, excerpts
• transcript, alt

(Each speaker’s name above is a link to his Wikipedia entry that contains bio info and numerous links to further related information.)

For me, my Christian worldview preempts all others, and as I find it generally compatible with the Democratic worldview and almost completely incompatible with the Republican worldview — a finding made stronger by further study, interestingly enough — you can understand why I come down on the side I do.

Now presumably, a Christian worldview transcends both Democratic and Republican ones by encompassing more truth than either alone could hope to. But here and now as a U.S. voter I’m forced to choose between these two, so I choose the nearer approximation.

Mark Kleiman: ‘Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what sort of deity or demon the political leaders of the Red States bow down to.’

Teresa Heinz Kerry. I sense great power in Teresa (video, transcript). Not because she’s a particularly dazzling speaker, or only because she’s deeply knowledgeable and passionate about her interests. I find great power, much-needed power, in Teresa’s linguistic prowess (she’s fluent in five languages). Speaking another’s language empowers one to understand others, individually and culturally, in ways that monolinguistic people like me can only imagine.

IOW, Teresa has through years of study wired her brain to comprehend other cultures at a deep level.

Hence, when Teresa greeted attendees near and far in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, I instantly knew this is a person I want representing my country to the world. Because I as an American want to understand my brothers and sisters who live elsewhere — and I want to be understood.

Barack Obama. I had read bits here and there about Barack Obama, upcoming Senator from Illinois, even saw him on Meet the Press Sunday. But I’d never heard him address a crowd. Until tonight.

Barack Obama is one of the most powerful speakers I’ve ever heard.

Slow, steady buildup for several minutes. Then liftoff. …

I am stunned. I am wiping away tears. Hope wells up. “The audacity of hope.” Yes.

If you’ve ever wondered what “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” looks like, I think here’s your answer. This is what it looks like, and this is the effect it has on others.

Just watch it (Real video or QT/WMP). Or read it (transcript, alt).

A few hours later I realize that what Barack is doing is smashing the negative “liberal Democrat” stereotype. He exemplifies what liberal really means, and surprise, it’s not what endless right-wing repetition says it is. The man talks frickin’, compassionate sense of the kind that nearly all open, honest, thinking people identify with and aspire to, regardless of their political affiliation. Conservative extremism would have us believe otherwise, that “conservatives” and “liberals” are hopelessly and irredeemably divided, but the truth is it’s all us, by and large, living, loving, hoping, seeking as humans do.

It’s genius, I tell you. And it happens to be the truth.