awareness. narrator: tonight on frontline. you have people who never thought that they would see something like this in their lifetime. he s smart enough to look into the future and gutsy enough to take it on. very idealistic, very romantic, very symbolic, and very much charisma driven. obama has got inner toughness, the velvet glove around the steel fist. somebody who started out as a state senator is now the democratic president of the united states that s a pretty spectacular rise in 12 years. this is our moment, this is our time to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace. he really believes that he has something to offer and that he can make a difference in the way people live their lives. narrator: tonight on frontline, the story of barack obama his life and his rise to the presidency. dreams of obama. the delegates are trickling into boston. 35,000 people are expected to descend on boston. the convention is being held in the he