5) Finally, in Obama’s speeches he makes clear that he supports more inclusiveness, even thought it is a risk politcally. I’ve heard the lists a few times: “Christians, Muslim, Jews, Atheists, etc.” and also “Gay and Straight”. He could leave some of these words out at no political costs, but he doesn’t. Also, his mother seems like she was a freethinker along the lines of the people on this blog and he was very close to her. I can’t help but think he would represent the views of us skeptics better than any remaining candidate, including Hillary.

I agree. I think he would support our views.

mean I don’t think we are just voting in another election here. I think it is now or never for the dems, liberals and progressives included.
This is a fight we can NOT afford to lose.

I totally agree, which is why I’m voting for Obama.

I second that motion, Mike.

You asked “Evolouie, what is preventing you from simply going to Obama’s campaign site and reading about his positions and Plan for America yourself? There are a lot of specifics there.”
Again NOTHING on Obamas site that you can’t find almost word for word what is on Hillarys site.
Look I am just asking why vote for the untested candidate when all else is the same.

Because if all else really is the same then I’m going to go with the one whom I think is most electable. And in my opinion that is Barack, not Hillary. I’ve already explained why I feel that way in my comment above.

I’m also going for the one who will be least divisive (and therefore most effective) once they’re in office. I don’t want a repeat of the ’90s, which is exactly what led to the polarization we see today, and which is very likely what we’ll have another 4-8 years of if Hillary gets in. It’s not enough for me just to have a Democrat win (since I don’t consider myself a Democrat). I want someone who is interested in changing the whole culture of Washington, on both sides of the aisle, and Hillary doesn’t strike me as the person for the job.

I mean I don’t think we are just voting in another election here. I think it is now or never for the dems, liberals and progressives included.
This is a fight we can NOT afford to lose.

I totally agree, which is why I’m voting for Obama.

1) Clinton’s Iraq vote in 2002. I just can’t get past it. She defends it by saying that she was given false info by the Administration and knowing what she knew (or thought she knew) then, she says she doesn’t regret it. There was opposition to the war at that time, but it wasn’t a majority because Mr. Bush had high approval ratings and it was difficult to go against him politically on this. It meant you were “soft on terror”. I can remember checking the news that morning after the vote and being pissed at her, Senator Kerry, then-Senator Edwards and others. Yet, Kerry and Edwards said they made a mistake. That may sound like “flip-flopping”, but if Hillary wants to maintain that she trusted Bush and Co., and was willing to give up the constitutionally-mandate duty of CONGRESS to declare war, then I can only imagine that she either A) wants to portray the she is “tough on terror” (hate that term) or that B) she too would want to have the (again) unconstitutional role of deciding when we do or don’t go to war. If either is true, then that concerns me. I understand that Barack gets a free pass on this…he didn’t have to vote on it. However easy it may be to be critical of the war in the Illinois legislature, he still was outspoken against it and even if he had voted for it, I can’t imagine that he would continue to justify it. On a side note, the one (now former) Democratic candidate who voted against the war in Congress in 2002? My main man Dennis Kucinich.

2) Senator Obama has taken the high road in the campaign. Some of the comments from the Clinton camp (staff or supporters) are questionable at best (for example: dredging up Obama’s miniscule past drug use). Now Hillary didn’t make these comments, but she also didn’t take a strong stand against them. Case-in-point: Bob Johnson stabs Obama with the drug issue and Clinton laughs and claps…no rebuke, no “well, perhaps we should stay on the high road and talk about my issues” statement, nothing. And she still lost South Carolina. Obama’s team seems to be doing a decent job refuting false claims and doing it with class. Some claim that this is a liability against the Republicans and we need Clinton to play hardball with the Swift-boat Republicans come November. This may be true, and maybe my idealism is getting the best of me, but I like the fact that Obama has not played the “win-at-all-cost” game and I think people in this country are ready enough for a change to see past this during the general election (at least 51% are).

3) According to most recent polls, Obama fares slightly better than Clinton in the head-to-head matchup. I can’t see Senator McCain unifying the GOP, but I can see Senator Clinton doing so (against her of course). Picture a youthful, eloquent Obama in the debates against McCain. Slam dunk, indeed. Now, I realize that “electability” is not the best reason to vote for or against someone, but here, it could play a role. I also realize that John Kerry ate Dubya’s lunch in the debates in 2004 and still lost. Yet, before the first debate, polls were showing Buh in a landslide. Afterwords things evened up.

4) If Clinton gets elected and serves two terms, that will be 28 years of the Bush-Clinton dynasty. This sounds a bit too “developing country” for my tastes.

5) Finally, in Obama’s speeches he makes clear that he supports more inclusiveness, even thought it is a risk politcally. I’ve heard the lists a few times: “Christians, Muslim, Jews, Atheists, etc.” and also “Gay and Straight”. He could leave some of these words out at no political costs, but he doesn’t. Also, his mother seems like she was a freethinker along the lines of the people on this blog and he was very close to her. I can’t help but think he would represent the views of us skeptics better than any remaining candidate, including Hillary.

All this said, if Hillary wins, I will proudly support her. I’m encouraged by the fact that in just about every state, Dems are doubling the GOP’s turnout. And all three reaming viable candidates are not as theocratic as our current adminstration is, nor as Romney or (espcially) Huckabee would be. I doubt most conservative Evangelicals would even say John McCain was a Christian. So, even thought I disagree with him on many issues (and fear some of his hawk-like policies), I am happier!

Sorry this was so long.

Evolouie said,

February 6, 2008 at 12:44 pm

Mriana,
I went and read the blog post in the link you posted and still nothing but hope and a dream.
Not one substantial statement of fact or even a hint of his plans. NOTHING!
This is what makes me so confused about the Obama crowd. they have NOTHING.

You asked why I support him. You didn’t ask of his plans. IF you want that, go to the main Obama site and then click the issues tab. You will see PDF files detailing his plans.

It’s not because he isn’t in the position to vote, it was because he was against it from the start. He didn’t want us to be in Iraq to begin with. He wasn’t to pull us out of Iraq. It has NOT been like Billary’s. She flipped-flopped- one day for it, the next day against it. Obama never flipped or flopped once.

He is not a cocaine using Muslim. He NEVER was a Muslim. He lived over there for a while, but he never went to a Muslim school nor was he a Muslim. The issues he has when he was kid were then, not now. He’s overcome whole lot and I admire him for that.

I’ve campaign for this man for months. I know what his stance is on the issues and I know what he’s about. IF you want to know his stance on the issues go to his site and click on the issues.

Aj said,

February 6, 2008 at 11:24 am

Mriana,

I took the time to read your blog post, and while it’s not contentless, it’s certainly not a compelling, or detailed presentation for why you support Obama.

#1 “He has my family’s values”
#2 “…his childhood story is the combined story of my sons…”
#3 ” I have always believed in hope- there is no such thing as false hope.”

The first reason is a perfectly good one, although I should hope that your family is not like the borg, and you actually mean your independent values, and your family has varied views on lots of subjects.

AJ, #2 was inspiration.

So, inspiration is the #2 reason.

You completely missed that I guess and #3 was speaks the same language.

Do you have to go through an iniation ceremony, or pay money, before you actually get to hear Obama’s values?

Does anyone know how to read or listen? He’s been talking about all it the whole time. Go to his main website and click the “Issues” button. You will find PDF files giving full details of his plans under each issue.

Would that mean if you would have had girls you’d be voting for Hillary?

Hell no! She doesn’t appeal to me at all. She wants to stay in this war with Iraq and has been flip-flopping from the beginning. She shares none of my values.

MikeClawson said,

February 6, 2008 at 2:03 pm

Come on, anyone, one substantial thing, one reason to switch my vote to Obama.
PLEASE

Evolouie, what is preventing you from simply going to Obama’s campaign site and reading about his positions and Plan for America yourself? There are a lot of specifics there.

Thank you, Mike. At least someone is making logical sense and talking REASON, instead of ignorance. I’ll be damned too! He’s a Christian minister! Seems to me all the past insults thrown at Mike in the past month are also unfounded. You see? Christians aren’t all bad and they aren’t completely without reason, rationality, or a brain. He’s obviously not deluded in thinking how to find the main site and getting the info he really wants.

What I want to know, what stopped all the whinning “I don’t see nothin;” people from exploring the rest of the website to find the issues? Y’all were right there. All you had to do was click on the ’08 Dem. Obama sign to get there. It’s NOT rocket science, esp for those of you who know how to use the net. I maybe a non-theist, but I’m profoundly amazed that those who say, “I don’t hear/see nothin’” don’t seem to think about how to find what they really want and then they turn around and try to accuse others of not thinking rationally. Rational thinking says, “Well, she has a nice blog post (or a sucky one), but that’s not what I’m really looking for. Where can I find what I want since I’m here?” And IF you didn’t know you were on Obama’s website, then it seems to me you weren’t very observant. I led you right to it. All you had to do was figure out finding the page your REALLY wanted.

Next time anyone accuses Mike of not thinking rationally… OY! You would think… Honestly! Guess we are all lacking in some area or another when it comes to reason.

So Again I ask whats so different about Obama that you are willing to risk the election on an untested, inexperienced fighter.
We have hillary, she has been tested by the best. She has the experience, she has the Fight, and no it’s not revenge she wants, it’s a reckoning.

Thanks

Come on, anyone, one substantial thing, one reason to switch my vote to Obama.
PLEASE

Evolouie, what is preventing you from simply going to Obama’s campaign site and reading about his positions and Plan for America yourself? There are a lot of specifics there.

They will make him out to be just another chicago politician who is on the take with all his dealings with slum lords…

You’re afraid the Republicans would do this? I think that ship has sailed.

Some claim he never voted for the war or claim he voted against it. Thats because he was not in a position to vote. However his voting record on the war since is identical to Hillary.
Explain that one.

Some of you claim Hillary has many things in her closet, well if that was true the $80 million dollars of our money the republicans have spent trying to find something would have turned up something, but no, again NOTHING!
The Media is suckering you all in by not examining Obama and reporting his on his voteing record. He will be swiftboated into oblivion if by chance he gets the nomination, which I doubt he will.
The swift boat crowd will have him made out to be a cocain useing muslim madressa recuiter who belongs to church that gave Fahrakan and award.
They will make him out to be just another chicago politician who is on the take with all his dealings with slum lords and shaddy internship awards.
Come on, anyone, one substantial thing, one reason to switch my vote to Obama.
PLEASE

Don’t look now, but my state of Texas may decide the Democratic nominee on March 4th.

Same date we have in Ohio. Our primary votes may actually mean something this time!

so Republicans could crash the Dems ballot boxes and decide the race. Although, because of their unfounded hate for Clinton, may nominate a “more electable” (I know this is a bad phrase) Obama.

If Repubs crash the Dem ballots for anyone it will be for Hillary because she stands the best chance to be defeated in the genral election. Most Republicans I know want Hillary to get the nomination, they don’t want her to lose until November.