Obama, Nutshelled

In response to Dingo's request, here's why Stave It Off is endorsing Barak Obama for the 2008 Presidential Primary.

Many seek to douse Barak Obama’s fiery aura of change as hypocrisy: But I am a cynic. I believe that ALL the candidates are hypocrites. The only two who are likely to speak the truth (Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich) are ridiculously unelectable toads. I do not care that Obama changes his tune when he speaks to different groups of voters. Or that he’s sounded hawkish on foreign policy issues during the debates (all Democrats trip over themselves in pathetic attempts to look tough… we know it’s a show.) Or that his rhetoric of revolutionary change is undercut by his record of incremental reform. None of that matters. No president gets elected with a realistic expectation of massive change. People just want something different than the steady stream of sewer water that’s been poured down their throats by the previous administration.

The radical leftwing believes the difference between the two parties is illusion: That it’s an artificial and meaningless choice between a Whopper and a Big Mac, when the real choice should be between a locally-made goat cheese sandwich and an organic vegan veggie burger. While I’m sympathetic to this view, I fundamentally disagree. The hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis disagree. It may be a “lesser of two evils” approach, but I can’t stomach another ruthless GOP administration. We need a president capable of reflection and diplomacy. The Bush administration was a textbook example of treating every problem as a nail because their only tool was a hammer. We need an administration that has an entire toolbox at its disposal, not just an ugly hammer that has worn out its welcome on the world stage. Electability matters because we cannot afford another GOP administration and the subsequent continuation of our current foreign or domestic policy. And while I don’t agree with Obama on every issue, I agree with him enough… and I think he’s more electable than Clinton… and that’s crucial.

“Why is he more electable?” you ask.

Obama is a powerful speaker and a natural leader. As a community organizer, he instills hope and confidence when he speaks. He’s capable of being both personable and iconic... of cracking a joke and of striking a dramatic chord. I don’t believe Obama is another Kennedy (Jack or Bobby) or the second coming of MLK. I don’t think he’s in danger of being assassinated (mostly because he doesn’t represent a serious threat to corporate agendas.) But I do think he’s an intelligent, decent human being who would make a great figurehead as our Commander in Chief. He will bring out the vote because he (unlike Clinton) is a person we want to rally behind. And he will be served by that same leadership as he begins the work of his administration.

Being a figurehead means instilling confidence, restoring national pride, building alliances, and leading the country in our efforts to repair the damage left over from 9/11, Katrina, Afghanistan, Iraq, port security, habeas corpus, etc.. This damage will not be repaired alone; it will require a mobilized and motivated America… and I think Obama is the only candidate with the charisma and passion to achieve that. If Obama makes a photo op at a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans, there will be thousands of volunteers signing up the very next day. If Clinton makes the same appearance, there will be thousands of conservative pundits criticizing her for political opportunism.

For the record, I like Hillary Clinton. I think she would make a fine president. She’s smart, she’s experienced, she’s right on the issues. And I think that many Clinton-bashers are spewing sexist crap. But I think there’s a chance Obama will go down in history as a great president and I want to see that happen.