The Knoxville News Sentinel endorses Obama

[Colobo]

With that said, we are happy to endorse Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primary and Arizona Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary. Both candidates have demonstrated they have broad appeal and can reach out to opposite sides to help resolve the overriding issues of the day: health care for the 47 million without health insurance; the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and foreign policy in general; the faltering economy; the search for a solid energy policy; and, most important, the future of this proud nation.

Obama, 46, was challenged early in the campaign for his lack of experience in Washington, but he has deftly turned that criticism into an asset, pointing out that those who got us into war in Iraq and built the deficit had a wealth of political experience.

He also said that his critics would prefer that he "season and stew a little bit more … boil all the hope out of him, so he sounds just like us."

He also has said the central question is not who is ready on day one of the new presidency but who is right - who can build majorities in both Houses.

If he is elected, Obama told Newsweek recently, he would like his accomplishments to be a universal health care package, including a more efficient system overall; an energy agenda that reduces greenhouse gases and an end to the war in Iraq "in an honorable and strategic way as part of a larger process of rebuilding our standing in the world."

http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/feb/03/obama-mccain-best-picks-primary/