Although I have been an avid follower of the U.S. political race, I have yet to try to communicate my thoughts on the primaries. Yesterday I read the Huffington Post and was blown away by Frank Schaeffer's endorsement of Barack Obama. Not only was it the most eloquent endorsement I have ever read, but Frank Schaeffer is a self described "pro-military" republican and says also that he was "too selfish and insular (too typically white, Republican and affluent!)" to be connected to his diverse country. The turning point for him was that his son who should have been going to Yale or Harvard, instead found himself enlisting in the marines. I won't attempt to retell the story, but I implore you to read the article start to finish. It is worth noting that Frank Schaeffer is the son of the theologian, Francis Schaeffer. He is a widely acclaimed author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker.
Why bother read the article? Many of you are not interested in politics or are only marginally interested. We are witnessing history in the making. I truly believe that Obama is a new kind of politician. Given that he will most likely be the next president of the United States, this concerns everyone. Although the rest of us can't vote, every country in the world is impacted by the U.S., the world's only superpower.
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I have asked the Huffington Post for permission to reprint the endorsement in full. If they agree, I will repost with the full text.
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this latest post.
YES!
Sarah and I caucused for Obama on Saturday for the second time. We were elected delegates at the first level, so we went to the county wide level (it's a confusing system). We're both really stoked and rooting for Obama. I too share your enthusiasm...if he doesn't win, my faith in our government will be severely shaken. I'll read that article soon...
I have been wrong before (twice!), but I am really convinced that Obama will be the democratic candidate AND that he will destroy McCain. McCain doesn't have enough brains to know that condoms help prevent HIV (he actually had to check with an advisor when asked about this) and his "Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran" sung to the tune of a beach boys song was morally repugnant. Never mind the hundred more years in Iraq concept. Obama will have no difficulty trouncing him. That's why the Republicans have been signing up to vote for Hillary in the democratic primaries. Which, now that I think about it, has to be the new textbook definition of IRONY. Maybe after this next election, the American people won't have to put together coffee table books to apologize for their 'choice' (and yes, there really are such books - about Bush of course).
Great to hear that you are getting involved. I volunteered for the New Democrat Party in the last election here.
Hey Gents. Glenn, as much as I support Obama in his campaign, I don't feel confident, or at least OVERLY confident that it will be the thrashing of a political lifetime. I think one of our problems being Canadian is that we really (and I am trying to make this non offensive as possible as I me no offense at all) underestimate the power of......well I'll just leave it as "certain Americans". I was convinced that John Kerry was going to win the previous election just from watching the presidential debates. It appeared as though he smashed Bush with hardly any effort. Mind you, he did use a lot of big words and "complicated" answers and after these debates I saw Bush's popularity grow! I was so confused, after the first term, how could ANYONE vote for this moron? I watched a couple documentaries on the campaign trail and on Bush himself and the way he won was not having the answers, it was by being the "good ol boy" the dumb son everyone enjoys having around, well, that, and by cheating the electorate of course. I guess what I'm saying is that as amazing a candidate is in any party, never underestimate the power of the republican. Go Obama!
geo fry, you have a point. I am hoping the difference this time is that Obama is the most intelligent and charismatic speaker since Kennedy. 75,000 oregonians went to see him speak today and I think that is going to be typical of his campaign as the democratic candidate. Kerry was such a wooden speaker. Here's hoping that'll make the difference anyway. The other difference is that Bush did not win either election. The first one was obviously not a win, but all the evidence suggests that the vote in 2004 was bogus in Ohio, the deciding state. The media has made this a non-story, but I have seen grand jury testimony of a voting machine programmer that swore under oath that the results were thrown in Ohio. Now that I think about this, I think I may have just validated your point. Oh well. Let's hope you are wrong. I don't think the world can stand four more years of Republican (mis)management.
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