Why I am supporting Obama

[XemaSab]

He's Black, with a Kenyan dad (who was raised Muslim) and a white mom from Kansas. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. His parents were divorced, and he grew up with an Indonesian stepdad. He was the first Black president of the Harvard law review, and graduated magna cum laude.

After he graduated, he directed a voter registration drive and worked as a lawyer in discrimination and voting rights cases. He also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago.

He was elected to the Illinois State Senate from the south side of Chicago. His major legislation in the state senate concerned helping the poor, health care, and racial profiling by police.

Elected to the US Senate in 2004, he didn't vote for the war.

His primary issues in the senate have been border security, ethics reform, transparency in accounting, and arms reductions and non-proliferation. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he's taken trips to the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and Africa. While in Africa he and Michelle took HIV tests in order to encourage more Africans to get tested.

All this is just background, though.

Ultimately, I think he would be the best president of the current front-runners because electing a Black man with Muslim ancestry would show the world that we've turned over a new leaf as a country.

[TSIAS]

1. K+R

About the same reason why I support him.

[cboy4]

2. Actually, electing **any** Democrat would show the world that

we've turned over a new leaf as a country.

[superkia]

9. I dont think the world trusts our govt. like most here do.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. He also opposed passage of the Iraq War Resolution.

Obama was against the war from the very beginning. Had he been in the Senate at the time of the vote, he would have cast a no vote.

Another Obama supporter.

:)

[ginnyinWI]

4. He's also smart and articulate

I hope that doesn't turn off the bulk of the electorate, though! An electorate which seems to be getting dumber and dumber with each election!

[frogcycle]

5. WOW

you just pretty much damned him with faint praise.

you want to elect him as a gesture??

"he would be the best president of the current front-runners because electing a Black man with Muslim ancestry would show the world that we've turned over a new leaf as a country"

You don't want to throw in something about competence? There are tons of Black men with Muslim ancestry. Probably quite a few are smart, some are lawyers, and maybe even some have traveled extensively. None have been US Senators, so that's something, but I bet some have been quite successful businessmen, demonstrated managerial smarts. Maybe the Muslim ancestry would cut out some of them, but I have a hard time giving it much weight.

Once you get past "showing the world that we've turned over a new leaf as a country" are you at all concerned about what exactly that new leaf would be? How he would handle, say, something like the Cuban missile crisis? I'm not saying he isn't qualified, but your argument is way, way short of convincing. Don't try it on an unsympathetic audience!

[XemaSab]

7. I think he'd be able to solve problems internationally

that certain other front runners would not be able to. He would usher in a new era.

(Trust me, I am usually damning with no praise for politicians. :P )

[frogcycle]

12. usher in a new era

now there is something concrete I can hang my hat on

[Laurab]

22. I agree and I'm leaning Obama - unless Gore jumps in

but my reasons have nothing to do with the fact that he's a black man, has Muslim ancestry or turning over a new leaf. Maybe a new direction equals a new leaf, but the other reasons are just silly.

I've read both of his books, and was very impressed with the man (especially his first book, which was written before he was known by anyone, and thus, quite honest). I like his thought process, his intelligence, the fact that he turned down big money to take a job that helped people. I got the feeling from reading them that he would be somewhat similar to Bill Clinton in how he made decisions - get the finest minds together, discuss, look at all sides, and then make your decision.

I don't think he does nearly as much pandering as the other "top candidates" do, and his optimism, and his hope of not just being President, but being a "great" President.

I also think he has the greatest crossover appeal, for undecideds, and repugs not happy with any of their choices. He is also the only candidate that I've seen who constantly talks about the subject of transparency in government. It would be so nice to have a President who knows he works for the people, and who doesn't hide things from the people he works for.

Those are some of my reasons, I have many more. There is also the fact that the other "top candidates" don't inspire me in the least. Obama does, at least some of the time. I have more trust in him and his judgement than any of the others, although I'm sure any one of them would do a decent job, and would be far better than any of the jokes on the repug side.

[frogcycle]

26. well said

and let's hope Gore jumps in and makes the whole thing moot!

[freesqueeze]

6. Right on Iraq ... when it counted

This means a lot to me.



The Democrats could do worse.

[nevergiveup]

8. I think he would be a great president

I have not been this excited about a Democrat since 1960. He is up against incredible odds but I still believe.

[laugle]

10. He didn't vote for the IWR, since he wasn't even in the US senate to vote!!

I think that line in your post is deliberately misleading.......

[XemaSab]

11. If you know that the Iraq war vote was in 2002

(which I assumed most DU'ers know) then you'll know that he wasn't in the senate at the time. :shrug:

[UrbScotty]

20. He opposed it when others supported it

http://www.barackobama.com/2002/10/02/remarks_of_illinois_state_sen.php

[Imagevision]

13. I support Obama because I agree that Hillary will ultimaely become, "Bushlite"...

[XemaSab]

14. Will become?

:shrug:

She'll be our Maggie Thatcher is what I predict. :P

[Olney Blue]

15. Barack Obama would indeed be a great president.

[Colobo]

16. will be... will be...

:hi:

[Olney Blue]

17. If all his supporters are like you....

he will be! :)

[sundancekid]

18. Count me in. An all around "A" man - care to add a few more A's?

AUTHENTIC
AUDACIOUS
AVANT-GUARD
AMAZING
AUSPICIOUS
ABLE
AMIABLE
ABLAZE
ACCESSIBLE

[UrbScotty]

19. That's important, no doubt

That said, my reasons for supporting go beyond that. He has shown character, vision, and sound judgment. He also seems to have the ability to get people enthusiastic about getting involved with their communities and with politics again. None of the other candidates seem to have that quality.

[illinoisprogressive]

21. We need new leadership like Obama desperately

[provis99]

23. Elect him just because he's half-black? Why not vote for Alan Keyes then,

because he's all-Black? Identity politics makes me puke. I vote on policy ideas, not what a dude looks like.

[Dawgs]

28. Geez, did you even read past the first few words?

[XemaSab]

32. Half-black= not a silver spoon WASP who grew up on a yacht in Maine.

It would be disingenuous to pretend the color of his skin didn't matter. This is America, and race does matter.

The fact that he's part black says to me that he understands where the poor and middle class are coming from, and what it's like to have to work to get ahead instead of having things handed to you.

[hfojvt]

24. skin color and ancestry, eh? - I still don't like the things he says

talking like a centrist and his big thing is that we need to end partisan bickering. As if Democrats have been doing the partisan bickering for the last 15 years.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/hfojvt/5

[Lucinda]

25. Congratulations on making your choice! n/t

[Dawgs]

27. Great post, but throwing around 'Muslim background' like you're doing will hurt Obama - not help.

It is nice to see someone post the good things Obama has done.

[XemaSab]

31. The Christians love him

He was born basically atheist but he became a Christian as an adult.

[Adelante]

29. I like Obama

I don't really care what color he is, black or white or both. There are some things I don't like, but a lot I do, and there isn't a single candidate I like everything about. I especially like that Obama showed good judgment about the Iraq invasion and he has no IWR vote to live down. I also like that he is intelligent, seems open-minded, and is showing some freshness on foreign policy. I'm not a committed supporter and I may yet remain neutral for the primaries. But I do watch Obama carefully. Mainly I'm concerned that he may not have the fight in him, despite his Chicago training, that it will take to win. I haven't seen it so far, anyway, but I still have hopes for him. Like I said, I'm watching.

[Kolesar]

30. A non-white president would represent the end of Euro-colonialism

That would have to be well received around the globe.