What an interesting week! First, Obama gets endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, then the LA Times and the Denver Post. Two old-time, big-time conservative newspapers going for a liberal, mixed-race, young senator! Then the coup de gras - Colin Powell comes out for Obama. McCain's candidacy is becoming a smudge on the history of U.S. politics, where it belongs.
It seems like even Joe Sixpack is getting the idea that we need a younger, steady, communicative, intelligent leader as president, not an older, combative, willy-nilly "maverick" who's had a silver spoon in his mouth except for five years in a North Vietnam prison. And Joe also knows its time for Sarah Palin to return to the job she might be minimally qualified for.
In my view, Obama is not the choice because McCain is so bad. In fact, he's not a bad guy...he would just make a poor president because he's not too smart or up-to-date, and his world view is dated. Obama is the choice because he is a person of high accomplishment and high morals, and because he understands complexity both at home and abroad.
America is not the simple place that many conservatives believe it is; it is really a melting-pot society with looming problems that, if not addressed promptly, will make it a poor and weak nation compared to its place in the world over the last 100 years. America needs a president who will work hard to help Americans understand where we are, where we need to go, and what each of us can do to get us back on track. We also need a president who can go in front of the world and start convincing them that America is on the right side of global progress, not a barrier to it. Obama is that man.
It would be great if Obama could begin his presidency on the heels of a landslide vote in his favor, without any doubt about the overwhelming support of the country. We don't need a disloyal opposition carping about "voter fraud", or "more states went red than blue", or "Obama got elected by blacks", or any other distraction. We need him to have a mandate, and we need a congress that will work with him rather than obstruct him. We need to trust our government to roll up its sleeves and do the hard work of really fixing America instead of simply being a platform for two warring parties to trade insults.
Today the end is clearly in sight. I'm hoping for a national celebration on November 5th!
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2 comments:
National celebration on the 5th? I hope so. I do know that I'm having a parade on 20 January when George W. leaves office. Even if I am the only one in the parade, there will be dancing, speeches and singing.
It'll certainly be a pleasure to stop hearing election 'news'.
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