Some reasons why voters should choose Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania Primary and in the Primaries after Pennsylvania.
As Pennsylvania heads to the polls on Tuesday many there may still be undecided on whether to vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Either one surely will be better than John McCain. No question about that. But Barack Obama stands out for several reasons.
Keep in mind as you read this that Barack Obama is not perfect. None of us are. He has made some mistakes during the campaign. He will make some mistakes in the general election. But if his history is any judge the mistakes he may make will be small and he will acknowledge them and recover from them quickly and honestly.
Why vote for Barack Obama?
Barack Obama wants to do something for the United States. He wants to make it better. He's not in this race for blind ambition. He doesn't feel that he is entitled to the nomination and the election. Barack Obama is in this election because of his innate sense of duty and patriotism. He wants to try to bring about some serious changes to the entrenched Washington establishment. He wants to bring the best and brightest individuals in to our government. Much as John F. Kennedy did. And like Kennedy, Barack Obama is energizing ordinary citizens, and especially our younger citizens, many of whom have not been part of the political process until now. 35,000 plus showed up at an Obama rally in Philadelphia. 35,000. Obama is running in this election for the right reasons. He's running in this election to help make America better and he is recruiting ordinary people to partner with him in achieving that goal. That's leadership.
Barack Obama has a vision of hope that is in stark contrast to the fear and despair that have been so prevalent in this country and in parts of this campaign. He understands that the American people have always clung to hope, even during the darkest times. Hope is in our DNA. But he also understands that hope alone won't get the job accomplished. He knows only too well that hope must lead to action or it will fail. Barack Obama has the skills needed to move from hope to action and to bring about real change. He picked up these skills on the streets of south Chicago where he was a community organizer. He honed those skills in the Illinois Senate and in the United States Senate. He knows how to galvanize the people and how to work across the political aisle to achieve results.
Barack Obama has character. He has run one of the most positive and honest campaigns of this political season. He has shown that he has integrity and that he is honest and trustworthy. That's not always found in politicians today, especially politicians who have been part of the political process for decades. Sure, he's not perfect. But he comes much closer than anyone else running for President.
Barack Obama will unite the Democratic Party after the nomination as no one else can. And he will do the same for the country as a whole after the general election. There is no other candidate out there that can better build a bridge between the red and blue states than Barack Obama. No one. Barack Obama will help to realize what the founding fathers envisioned in the "United" States.
Barack Obama has shown good, sound judgment throughout his political life. Perfect? No. Better than most politicians out there? Absolutely. Barack Obama was against the war when it was not popular to be so. His opposition to the Iraq War was based on strong personal beliefs. Barack Obama was not afraid to publicly oppose this war when others voted for it because of political ambition. Many of those voting for the war were afraid that the Bush Administration would label them as "soft on national security" and "weak on terrorism". They let Bush bully them into this senseless and deadly war. Barack Obama demonstrated judgment and integrity in opposing the war from "day one". Equally important, he will restore the civil liberties that were illegally usurped by the Bush Administration in "the name of national security".
There are many other reasons to vote for Barack Obama. He truly understands the "bread and butter" issues faced by most American families and he will do more than the other candidates to create jobs in this country and to restore some sanity to our economy. His stand on the issues and his plans for the future are clearly laid out on his website.
Barack Obama is the right man at the right time to lead this country. He deserves your vote on April 22, 2008 and in the primaries that will be held in other states after that date.