Jackson Free Press

Well, Russ Feingold has dropped out of the race, and that leaves exactly one viable candidate for 2008 whom I can wholeheartedly support.

1. President Bush is a proud anti-intellectual who has no respect for the constitutional process.

The candidate I'm endorsing is a former editor of the Harvard Law Review and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for 11 years.

2. President Bush has dedicated his entire life to standing up for the privileged and powerful.

The candidate I'm endorsing is a former anti-poverty grassroots organizer who spent a decade working at one of the most prestigious civil rights law firms in the country.

3. President Bush is an anti-cosmopolitan who shows little interest in cultures other than his own.

The candidate I'm endorsing has a father from Kenya, spent his first couple of student years being educated at a predominantly Muslim public school in Indonesia, and has a family with ancestry hailing from five continents. He once remarked that his family reunions look like U.N. events.

4. President Bush is committed to a doctrine of fear and projects an image of an empire in moral decline, with barbarians climbing at the gate.

The candidate I'm endorsing is young, optimistic, and future-oriented, and can point to his own candidacy as a visible symbol of moral progress.

5. President Bush expresses a sense of personal morality that is both muddled and incoherent, held together only by political alliances.

The candidate I'm endorsing doesn't just speak. He preaches.

By now you know I'm referring to Barack Obama. Only Bill Richardson is in his league, and even Richardson is a distant second.

Barack Obama for 2008. I'm set. It wasn't a hard decision.

Previous Commentsshow

I had it guessed at #1. Is Cthulhu running? I'm tired of picking the lesser of the two (or more) evils.

Ironghost

Jan 22 2007

Ironghost, if this country is indeed going to hell as quickly as it appears then Cthulhu is a logical choice. The trouble is finding a running mate more evil then Dick Cheney to stand with him.

Jeff Lucas

Jan 22 2007

At least Dick Cheney is a good shot. :) So far, I'm pulling for Hillary: but I would love to see a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket. I'd prefer the former.

Lady Havoc

Jan 22 2007

I'd recommend a Hastur/Cthulhu ticket, since in Lovecraftian mythos, every time someone says Hastur he appears. It would make it much easier to organize rallies that way. Course the trouble is what happens if he's giving a speech and refers to himself in the third person. Is that called Hasturbation? I'm not a Hillary Clinton fan for the most part, but the idea of a woman as president is one that I can definitely get behind. I was bummed out that HRC was the only viable female candidate, and I think there should definitely be a woman on the ticket if possible. There are several female governors who would be excellent choices for veep--Jennifer Granholm (Michigan), Kathleen Sebelius (Kansas), Jodi Rell (Connecticut), and Janet Napolitano (Arizona), to name a few examples. All bring lots of advantages to the table. Granholm would be the one I'd pick, but I don't know how sensible it would be to have an all-Great Lakes ticket. Rell would probably bring in New Hampshire and help lock in New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Napolitano could be a huge help in the midwest. There are also some female senators who could do well. I wanted Maria Cantwell (Washington) to run for president, because I honestly think she could capture the nomination, but someone who worked with her told me she had no interest. She has a unique platform (progressive but pro-science and IT industry focused) that would play well, and I hope she's on the VP shortlist. Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas) and Mary Landrieu (Louisiana) would also be amazing choices, and would have the added benefit of putting a Southerner on the ticket. The bottom line for me is that Hillary Clinton is not the only potential viable female presidential candidate, and I wish the sun didn't rise and set so much on her candidacy in this respect, particularly since in many ways she would be so connected to the idea of effectively giving Bill Clinton a third term. e.g. "She must be good, look at what happened the last time we had a Clinton in the White House." I don't think that's as much of a giant leap for women as an independent candidate, who made her own name for herself, would be. Nobody could accuse any of the women I mentioned above of running in their husband's shadow. Heck, I doubt anyone even knows who their husbands are! Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Jan 22 2007

HRC is one of the few who can raise the interest, but with her and fellow-media darling Obama on the ticket, they'll carve the Dems up this year. Also, from what I've heard HRC also inspires either love or hate. Not good.

Ironghost

Jan 22 2007

If Obama gets upset about comments about his ears he's going to go ballistic when the Clinton machine gets through with him. One thing he CAN be thankful for is he wass a nobody when they had access to FBI files.

Kingfish

Jan 23 2007

I'm reading the "faith" chapter in Obama's book right now and he talks about his wonderful and loving mother from Kansas who introduced him to Islam, Christianity, the Bible , the Koran and Bhagavad Gita as well as Greek, Norse and African mythology without telling or even asking him to choose. He went on to say that on Easter or Christmas she would take him to church, Buddhist Temple, the Chinese New Year celebration, the Shinto Shrine, and ancient Hawaiian burial sites. He says "I was made to understand that that such religious samplings required no sustained committment on my part - no introspective exertion or self-flagellation." He goes on to say many more wonderful things that I will share later when time permits.

Ray Carter

Jan 23 2007

I should add that Obama did in fact choose what he wanted to believe and worship or look up to when he aged. I'll share it later.

Ray Carter

Jan 23 2007

Obama is definitely a person with ideal qualities for leadership. We all have things that pi$$ us off. I'm glad it was the size of his ears and not the color of his skin that brought him grief. HRC and Bill are master politicians. That is not necessarily a BAD thing. Both Oprah and Obama are members of Trinity Baptist Church in Chicago and the minister, Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright is a religious and political force to be reckoned with. If you are ever in the Chicago area, try to attend one of his services. This man (Obama) might have been a "nobody" to the FPI but to his mom, he was a special person deserving of the very best and from being given so much love, choice and support, he has surfaced with great outstanding leadership qualities.

justjess

Jan 23 2007

If you also support Barack Obama's candidacy, check out Mississippi for Obama. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Feb 10 2007