If you think that's the question you have to answer, think again! The question we all should ask ourselves is:
Obama or McCain?
This time next year, one of these two men is gonna reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
From time to time, one encounters a pundit who says that the Republican strategy is to make this Presidential campaign a referendum on Obama. Is he good enough or not? Leaving McCain out of the picture entirely as much as possible. Looks like they've been having a pretty good success at it, too. A lot of users here on Daily Kos - who should know better - have been acting as if that Republican approach is what they've adopted, too.
Listen, I never was enraptured about Obama. He's much more of a centrist than I am. But even though Kucinich's positions were closer to my thinking, he never demonstrated the ability to gather enough of a following to ever be able to put his ideas into practice. I didn't volunteer with the Obama campaign until after Edwards dropped out.
Obama's shown excellent management/leadership abilities, has mobilized a huge amount of the electorate, and is smart, thoughtful and has an appealing steadiness of character. He's posted two diaries here, back in the fall of 2005. They are worth revisiting:
I was a new user back then, and still limited by very very very slow dialup. So I only read those mega-diaries this spring for the first time. It is interesting to review what Obama said back then. And how harsh some of us were then, too. One can better appreciate his steadiness over that span of time - nearly three years now.
Finding fault is easy to do. None of us is perfect, and we'll never find a candidate who is perfect either. We need to look beyond that, and consider what could, possibly, be accomplished under an Obama presidency. I think he's been successful enough about mobilizing and leading his campaign that he can probably accomplish more that I would like than a candidate I am closer to on all the issues.
At any rate, there are only two possible outcomes for the Presidential election now. Either we elect Obama or we elect McCain. Who would you rather have doing the following:
- Appointing Supreme Court justices and other federal judges?
- Dealing with the monumental mess in Iraq?
- Conducting foreign diplomacy?
- Having the Democratic Congress sending legislation to?
- Keeping track of who is involved in various conflicts around the world?
- Administering and implementing legislation sent by the Congress?
- Appointing cabinet officials, US Attorneys, and etc.?
- Defining and tackling the problems our economy faces?
- Extend health care to all?
And so on.
Anyhow, if you really can't stomach Obama? Don't sit around complaining about him. We're here on Daily Kos to elect Democrats. Surely, there's some downticket race that could engage your attention, some other Democratic candidate you can get behind. And, I beg you, whenever you feel inspired to take shots at Obama, remember to keep the big question in mind: Obama or McCain? (I have a little trouble trusting the motives of people who only criticize Obama, but not McCain.)
Anyhow, I made my monthly donation to Obama today. (A little late since I promised to do it a diary kath25 put up last week.) Anyhow, consider making a donation yourself, however modest. Do it through this link, and donations of $5 (I told you modest donations were good!) or more will be entered in a drawing for a trip to Denver for the acceptance speech next moth.
Beyond that. I'm sick of hearing what people don't like about Obama. I reject the "Obama: Yes or No?" Republican framing. My question is "Obama or McCain?"
And my answer is: Viva Obama!!!!