What's so great about Barack?

[Rick]

Well, at least he'll be one of the most intelligent, educated men in any room he enters. I think he represents some of our best qualities and the potential for the United States to regain respect and legitimacy in the world.

http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0810/features/obama.shtml

I like this guy, and I'd much rather share a beer with him at Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap, than McCain.

[Davrash Sani]

Have to say, I agree with you. This is one of those rare times when the person I'd rather share a beer with is also the best person for the job. I used to see McCain that way back in 2000. I might've even voted for him if he'd won the primaries. But I don't like hanging out with people who seem so full of shit. The Straight Talk Express days are long gone.

Obama, on the other hand, seems more truthful to me, and more intelligent. He's also wiser, given that he opposed the Iraq War from the start, in 2002, even when 80-90% of Americans still supported whatever Bush wanted to do. And I don't buy all that nonsense his opponents have thrown at him about being un-American and having ties to this person or that person. It's all crap that's supposed to distract us from the reality, which is that this seems like a decent, self-made family man who represents a good change from where our recent leaders have taken us.

[Brendan Rhodes]

I'll tell you what I like about Obama: He's not Bush. Everything else is gravy.

[David J. Peterson]

I simply don't understand why McCain has reversed his stance on a number of issues--torture, for example. If I remember right, in a Republican primary debate he said that anyone who, as President, would sanction torture under any circumstances clearly didn't understand what it was like to be a P.O.W. Some time after he had the nomination sewn up, he flipped around and said that the United States should use any means to obtain information if national security was at stake. Perhaps I'm not clever enough to square these two issues, but I see one of two explanations: (1) McCain has changed his stances to appeal to conservative voters in order to get elected, and will, if elected, change back; or (2) McCain is now telling the truth. Either way, his actions don't inspire me with confidence.

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

As a hardened cynic, I think ALL politicians just do what they can get away with, but this is the first time in my 4 decades of voting that I've been this excited about a candidate. You can make fun all you want of Barack (by the way, his name is Hebrew...Baruch...which means "blessed")

[Rick]

Ah, even hardened cynics can contract "TB" ("True Believer"-itis). ;-)

Anyhow, I thought you all might enjoy this captioned photo:

http://punditkitchen.com/2008/09/29/political-pictures-barack-obama...

A little bit late, but entertaining nonetheless.

Another reason to like Barack: We can laugh with him.

And I've been voting since 1982 (almost three decades - whoa!), and despite my cynicism I still approach each primary, presidential, state, and local election with a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, this time we'll get it right.

Maybe this time, we WILL get it right.

[Darrin Bell]

That's the funniest picture & caption I've seen in a long time. Thanks for the laugh!

[Ken]

(1) I agree with Obama most issues. McCain and the GOP seem to believe that any problem can be solved with a tax cut that favors the wealthy.
(2) Every politician says/believes some BS. Obama's BS is at least hopeful. The GOP is too invested in fear.
(3) Obama seems to have the kind of flexible thinking that approaches problem creatively and the kind of temperament that responds constructively to challenges. McCain is better than W but too often his approach to problems is angry and rooted in the 20th century.

[DevBer]

I think you've hit the nail on the head about other politicians still being in the 20th century. Obama is definitely 21st century. I'm a little concerned, however, that his efforts at bipartisanship will fall into giving up Democratic ideals.

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

Not only do I like Barack, but I also trust him and have lots of faith that things will EVENTUALLY be different than it is under the Bushes. Why hide under a bush when you can come out and see the sunlight beaming on a new day?

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

[DevBer]

He is GEORGEOUS, handsome, suave, debonair, muscular, intelligent, kind, loving, good with his daughters, inclusionist of all of us, fresh, new, truthful, with good morals and good ideals, whether or not he is able to spread those or not.