Monday, February 4, 2008 | by nathan

I’m Voting For Barack Obama And Here’s Why

So, I’m supporting Barack Obama. No secret there. About a month ago, Salon.com’s Gary Kamiya wrote a piece that summed up very well my reasons for supporting Barack over Hillary Clinton and, then, John Edwards:

…after Bush, the appeal of throwing the dice is irresistible. If Obama wins in November, a political miracle will have happened: We will have gone from following an authoritarian fool into an insane war to electing a progressive black president, without missing a beat. Can it happen? Who knows? But if America can go down that far into the dark side, perhaps we can emerge just as quickly into the light. And after eight years without it, I don’t want to be the one to bet against hope.

It’s worth reading the entire piece, but I wanted to add my two cents on the eve of Super Tuesday.

I’m going to go ahead and quote Oprah, which is something I never thought I’d do on this blog. But she said something that stuck with me: "I’m not voting for Obama because he’s black. I’m voting for Obama because he’s brilliant."

While I do love the symbolic aspects of the fact that next November will likely bring us either a black or a female president, I find it a little ridiculous when someone tells me they’re voting for Hillary just because she’s a woman, or for Barack just because he’s black. And while I think Hillary would be a wonderful president, I think she lacks the unifying element that Obama has.

The country’s been too wounded for too long for people to say, "I don’t want to vote for someone who’s going to work with Republicans!" It’s petulant, it’s petty, and it’s harmful. It’s time for us to be adults. It’s time to do repair some of the divisions in this country. We can do it without losing who we are as liberals; I believe this deeply. Again, from Kamiya’s piece:

…anger can itself become a toxin, self-perpetuating and self-destructive. It must be expressed — but then it must be overcome. To fall into a state of permanent anger, of righteous indignation, is to become the very enemy you are fighting. This is the error that George W. Bush made when he launched his Manichean "war on terror," and turned America into a country far more like its fundamentalist enemies than it had ever been before. Barack Obama’s unique appeal is that he allows voters — Democrats, independents and fed-up Republicans alike — to simultaneously express their anger and transcend it.

Anyway, I hope that we can all at least put aside the petty requirements of identity politics - I received four messages this week about how much more "pro-gay" Hillary is than Obama, which is ridiculous, as their LGBT statements are identical, and we should all be voting for a whole platform instead of a single issue. I’d support Hillary in November, and I honestly hope we have them both on the same ticket no matter what, but tomorrow I’m rolling the dice on Obama. I hope you’ll consider doing the same.

Living In America

4 Comments »

Comment by The Dirty Calvinist

I am a conservative(with libertarian leanings), and for the most part a Republican, but I very much want to see Obama win the Democratic nomination. Not out of cynicism, since I do not believe it would be easier for the Republican candidate (Mitt Romney!) to win against Obama over Mrs. Clinton. In fact, the opposite is true. (The Republican base HATES Mrs. Clinton with passion unbridled) The fact is the Clintons (and make no mistake, both of them will be in the White House) were no good for the country and no good for the Democratic party. Bill Clinton presided over one of the most scandal ridden presidencies in American history. He lied under oath. His wife was with him all the way. Sure, neither Clinton has ever been convicted of anything. Normally, if there is no conviction, we should give the accused party the benefit of the doubt. However, that indulgence weakens as the indictments pile up. Sure the Clinton’s may have never been convicted of anything, but there are huge numbers of people around them who have. That should say something about their character. If that doesn’t do it for you, take this argument. It is a testament to Bill Clinton that we have George Bush. There should have been no question as to who won that election in 2000. Al Gore was running as an incumbent, with a roaring economy. Life was pretty good. VP Gore should have taken most states by a hefty majority, including Florida. He didn’t. One reason was the presidency of Bill Clinton.

The final straw for me on being “ok” with a Clinton presidency (c’mon, I was never going to vote for her, but maybe she was a little different from her husband) was when she cried before the New Hampshire primary. Think about it. The crying was either genuine or they were crocodile tears. I’m not going to speculate on which, but if they were crocodile tears, what does that say about Mrs. Clinton’s character? Exactly what the Republicans have been saying for years, that she will do and say anything to win, that she is without scruples. If they were genuine, and it was the stress of campaigning that brought her to this, is this the person we want on the nuclear button? When and if another 9/11 hits, will Mrs. Clinton start crying? Will she be able to lead in the way a President needs to lead?

So if you are a Democrat, do yourself a favor, do the party a favor and do the country a favor. Vote for Obama tomorrow.

4 February 2008 3:50 pm

Comment by Nate

Aaron, you make a good point, and the unbridled (and often unreasoned) Republican hatred of Hillary has factored into my vote for her - not because of “electability” (a word I hate because it’s like, “Hey, let’s sacrifice our principles so we can get someone into office!”) but because I remember how hard it was for Bill Clinton to govern because of all the sentiment the Republicans leveled against him.

As to the scandals of the Clinton presidency:

I’m REALLY sick of hearing about those. The scandals of the Bush years have been legion, and far worse, than anything the Clintons ever cooked up. I won’t get into why I vote Democratic (I once was registered independent), but suffice it to say that given the country that the Republicans have handed us since 1994 - and I place the blame of Clinton’s impeachment debacle as much at their feet as at his - I’m not sure how anyone can trust them anymore.

I always tell people to keep in mind that when you’re voting for a president, you’re not just voting for the one person. You’re voting for their cabinet members, their possible Supreme Court appointees, their federal judges, their advisers. Even if there was a Republican candidate I could stomach - there isn’t, but let’s say if - I’m not sure I’m ready to trust this same cloud of people that have surrounded George W. Bush the last 8 years, and if we elect another Republican, that’s going to be largely what we get.

At least with Clinton we had a measure of transparency as to our energy policy, we didn’t have domestic spying, we didn’t have no-bid contracts to companies run by the president’s political contributors, and we didn’t have people telling us not to ask questions lest we give aid to the terrorists.

One last thing and then I’ll shut up. This comment: “If they were genuine, and it was the stress of campaigning that brought her to this, is this the person we want on the nuclear button? When and if another 9/11 hits, will Mrs. Clinton start crying? Will she be able to lead in the way a President needs to lead?”

I hope that, after the tragedy that has been this war, that we would have a president who would hesitate - at least for a MOMENT - before using the military option. Perhaps that makes me weak, and if it does, I absolutely could not care less. That’s another reason I’m supporting Obama, actually, because he expressed that exact hesitation. People may call that weak leadership; I call it sanity.

Okay, I’m not debating in my own comments. Readers, feel free to debate each other - KINDLY - but I’m done.

4 February 2008 4:03 pm

Comment by tish

you know I like obama…and am wanting him to get nominated. your post is well-reasoned and I am happy you voted. GO nate! Furthermore, way to GO on calling the newspaper on sloppy (or malicious) reporting. So civic of you.

5 February 2008 6:16 pm

Comment by Jonathan

Hey Nate, good post man. I agree with your reasons for voting obama, but your state let us down man! What’s wrong with you Okies? I’ll be voting Obama in the Texas Demo primary, not because I think he’s less ‘bought’ than Hilary, but because he’s less robotic and less divisive.

5 February 2008 10:57 pm

Okay?

Comment by The Dirty Calvinist

I am a conservative(with libertarian leanings), and for the most part a Republican, but I very much want to see Obama win the Democratic nomination. Not out of cynicism, since I do not believe it would be easier for the Republican candidate (Mitt Romney!) to win against Obama over Mrs. Clinton. In fact, the opposite is true. (The Republican base HATES Mrs. Clinton with passion unbridled) The fact is the Clintons (and make no mistake, both of them will be in the White House) were no good for the country and no good for the Democratic party. Bill Clinton presided over one of the most scandal ridden presidencies in American history. He lied under oath. His wife was with him all the way. Sure, neither Clinton has ever been convicted of anything. Normally, if there is no conviction, we should give the accused party the benefit of the doubt. However, that indulgence weakens as the indictments pile up. Sure the Clinton’s may have never been convicted of anything, but there are huge numbers of people around them who have. That should say something about their character. If that doesn’t do it for you, take this argument. It is a testament to Bill Clinton that we have George Bush. There should have been no question as to who won that election in 2000. Al Gore was running as an incumbent, with a roaring economy. Life was pretty good. VP Gore should have taken most states by a hefty majority, including Florida. He didn’t. One reason was the presidency of Bill Clinton.

The final straw for me on being “ok” with a Clinton presidency (c’mon, I was never going to vote for her, but maybe she was a little different from her husband) was when she cried before the New Hampshire primary. Think about it. The crying was either genuine or they were crocodile tears. I’m not going to speculate on which, but if they were crocodile tears, what does that say about Mrs. Clinton’s character? Exactly what the Republicans have been saying for years, that she will do and say anything to win, that she is without scruples. If they were genuine, and it was the stress of campaigning that brought her to this, is this the person we want on the nuclear button? When and if another 9/11 hits, will Mrs. Clinton start crying? Will she be able to lead in the way a President needs to lead?

So if you are a Democrat, do yourself a favor, do the party a favor and do the country a favor. Vote for Obama tomorrow.

4 February 2008 3:50 pm
Comment by Nate

Aaron, you make a good point, and the unbridled (and often unreasoned) Republican hatred of Hillary has factored into my vote for her - not because of “electability” (a word I hate because it’s like, “Hey, let’s sacrifice our principles so we can get someone into office!”) but because I remember how hard it was for Bill Clinton to govern because of all the sentiment the Republicans leveled against him.

As to the scandals of the Clinton presidency:

I’m REALLY sick of hearing about those. The scandals of the Bush years have been legion, and far worse, than anything the Clintons ever cooked up. I won’t get into why I vote Democratic (I once was registered independent), but suffice it to say that given the country that the Republicans have handed us since 1994 - and I place the blame of Clinton’s impeachment debacle as much at their feet as at his - I’m not sure how anyone can trust them anymore.

I always tell people to keep in mind that when you’re voting for a president, you’re not just voting for the one person. You’re voting for their cabinet members, their possible Supreme Court appointees, their federal judges, their advisers. Even if there was a Republican candidate I could stomach - there isn’t, but let’s say if - I’m not sure I’m ready to trust this same cloud of people that have surrounded George W. Bush the last 8 years, and if we elect another Republican, that’s going to be largely what we get.

At least with Clinton we had a measure of transparency as to our energy policy, we didn’t have domestic spying, we didn’t have no-bid contracts to companies run by the president’s political contributors, and we didn’t have people telling us not to ask questions lest we give aid to the terrorists.

One last thing and then I’ll shut up. This comment: “If they were genuine, and it was the stress of campaigning that brought her to this, is this the person we want on the nuclear button? When and if another 9/11 hits, will Mrs. Clinton start crying? Will she be able to lead in the way a President needs to lead?”

I hope that, after the tragedy that has been this war, that we would have a president who would hesitate - at least for a MOMENT - before using the military option. Perhaps that makes me weak, and if it does, I absolutely could not care less. That’s another reason I’m supporting Obama, actually, because he expressed that exact hesitation. People may call that weak leadership; I call it sanity.

Okay, I’m not debating in my own comments. Readers, feel free to debate each other - KINDLY - but I’m done.

4 February 2008 4:03 pm
Comment by tish

you know I like obama…and am wanting him to get nominated. your post is well-reasoned and I am happy you voted. GO nate! Furthermore, way to GO on calling the newspaper on sloppy (or malicious) reporting. So civic of you.

5 February 2008 6:16 pm
Comment by Jonathan

Hey Nate, good post man. I agree with your reasons for voting obama, but your state let us down man! What’s wrong with you Okies? I’ll be voting Obama in the Texas Demo primary, not because I think he’s less ‘bought’ than Hilary, but because he’s less robotic and less divisive.

5 February 2008 10:57 pm

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