(Resubmitted with spell check)
As a cadet at the United States Military Academy in your first year, you are expected to memorize quite a bit. There is a whole handbook called the "New Cadet Handbook" which has six weeks of information on weapons, policy, and ideals that we were expected to memorize and display each day.
One of the most important things (I feel) that we were expected to memorize and display were the "Seven Army Values." Luckily for the new cadets, and coincidentally as a leadership producing academy, this had a mnemonic which spelled out LDRSHIP. It stands for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.
Senator Obama has displayed these qualities consistently.
Loyalty. Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other soldiers.
The senator has displayed his loyalty to the constitution. First, as a lawyer, he had to know the constitution in detail. He has taken it a step further by showing his commitment as a constitutional law professor. By spreading the information of the constitution to students, he is spreading the message of the founding fathers, the leaders of colonial America. By embodying what the country has outlined as its intentions for this nation, there should be little to no question of his patriotism. Those in the army are told to bear that true faith and allegiance in exactly that order, constitution first, followed by the army, then your unit, then other soldiers. In the civilian world, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who adheres to the entire constitution, but the senator has done just that. For example, even with his position on gun control, he still believes in the second amendment.
Score: +1
Duty. Fulfill your obligations.
The obligations of a senator may differ from that of a soldier, but Obama is a senator. Senators are required to actively participate in Senate sessions and in meetings of the Senate's various bodies (committees, Presidium, Council of Seniors, etc.). In addition, they are to represent the body of their constituency, but that is how they get elected in the first place. Whether with a "Yay," a "Nay," or even the notorious "Present," he has participated in countless legislative decisions. His work as a community organizer, as well as a state legislator, has accomplished this objective as well.
In addition, he does not just represent his constituency. He attempts to represent the American people. His message since the beginning of his campaign has been to include everyone's opinion before making a decision. With both ends of the spectrum, he is armed with the knowledge to tackle the issue.
Score: +2
Respect. Treat people as they should be treated.
This shouldn't require a paragraph. Senator Obama is as respectful as they come. Consider his policy of including everyone. People are always included, even if their opinion does not match with his own. Does he berate you for it, like his primary opponent, or general opponent? No. He disagrees without being disagreeable. He does not disrespect your opinion, no matter where you stand.
Score: +3
Selfless-service. Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own.
Does he place the health, happiness, and prosperity of the nation before his own? He certainly does. Had he not, he would have remained a big-time lawyer, who did it for the money. But what does he do? He became a community organizer. He did things for the people around him, who found themselves in difficult positions and had no one to stand up for them. It's a requirement of all politicians to place the people before themselves, and Senator Obama has neither faltered nor failed at looking out for our interests. Even when it's unpopular.
Score: +4
Honor. Live up to all the Army values.
Does he live up to all seven of these values? It's too early to tell, you'll have to read the whole thing...(HA! HA! HAA! No free will...)
Score: +4 (+/- 1, to be determined at the end)
Integrity. Do what's right, legally and morally.
If law is dictated by the constitution, and morals are represented by the ten commandments of the Christian faith; then Obama's background as both a lawyer and a Christian gives him full credibility as a candidate who is jam-packed with Integrity.
Score: +5 (+/- 1)
Personal courage. Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral) with the spirit and determination of a warfighter.
Back when he gave the infamous 2002 speech, the majority of the country was not against the war as they are today. It took an immense amount of personal courage to go against the government. He placed his political career in jeopardy to voice his opinion. You want personal courage, you've got it in Obama.
Score: +6 (+ 1)
Final Score: +7
And there you have it. Senator Barack Obama has achieved a perfect 7 out of 7 in the leadership category.
This is why I will give him my vote.
(Closing note: the block quotes are directly taken from my new Cadet Handbook. They are meant for soldiers, but I have adapted them for the presidential candidate. So what is the big lesson to take away from all of this? Spell check.)
Obama is winning
(Input Needed! McCain or Clinton next?)