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Obama Inspires Us
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Published: January 11, 2008
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Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is an inspiring candidate for a nation discouraged by the partisan war in Washington.
Obama makes a large number of Americans – young and old, black and white – believe this nation can accomplish anything it sets its mind to. He talks about "replacing the politics of cynicism with the politics of hope." And he doesn't see Republicans as the enemy.
Obama is the Democratic Party's best chance for change and today we recommend him for your consideration.
Obama's resume is short, but impressive. He's a graduate of Harvard Law School and was the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. He's worldly, too, having grown up in Hawaii and Indonesia.
He started his career as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago, a city known for hard-nosed politics. He developed a reputation as an organizer who got things done. He was elected to the Illinois Senate, where he appeared comfortable working across the aisle to move things forward.
It was while he was in the state senate that Obama spoke out against the invasion of Iraq. Since arriving in Washington, he has supported funding for the troops.
Obama is the most uplifting orator of his generation and he isn't afraid to tell an audience what he thinks it needs to hear. He argued for merit pay before unionized teachers and fuel-efficiency standards before automakers. He says it's important for people to raise differences and "disagree without being disagreeable."
He avoids, as much as possible, the politics of race. He didn't blame the slow response after Hurricane Katrina on the race of most storm victims. "The incompetence was color-blind," he rightly said.
On the domestic side, Obama favors expanding health-insurance coverage for all children. But unlike Hillary Clinton, he doesn't believe that adults who don't buy health insurance should be fined. He understands that many people just can't afford it.
On too many issues, though, Obama is short on specifics. His speeches may be electrifying, but they lack detail. The senator should flesh out his proposals soon.
Despite his star power, Obama has some negatives. He lacks national-security experience. He also vows to repeal the Bush tax cuts, which would bring about the biggest tax increase in history. And though he talks of bipartisanship, he almost always votes along party lines.
Still, Obama gives the nation hope. And if nominated by Democrats, he would close the door on the Bush-Clinton era.
Obama is a worthy contender.
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