Obama for president
For the first time in my voting lifetime, my primary vote will actually matter. Since I imagine the same is true for many of you, let me add my voice to the many already urging you to vote for Barack Obama. There are plenty of good reasons to vote for Obama, but let's not let the better angels of our nature distract us from all the equally good reasons to vote against Hillary Clinton.
If you have time, read George Packer's recent New Yorker essay on the candidates' different philosophies of the presidency. If you don't, just consider any of the little things that Clinton has done, and continues to do, that reflect so poorly on her character (and yes, I do believe that character matters). Here's the latest regarding Clinton's harping on Obama's association with Tony Rezko.
No one who has ever practiced law, let alone Mrs. Clinton, could argue, with a clear conscience, that these five hours on behalf of a church group that partnered with a man who at a later point in time would be alleged to be a scoundrel equated to knowingly representing a Chicago slumlord. Yet she could not resist leveling the accusation.I suggest that this provides a window into Mrs. Clinton's character because notwithstanding the enormous suffering she had to endure when accused of wrongful conduct in her representation of Madison Guaranty -- a representation that appears to have been no more than a routine business transaction -- she is willing to behave no differently than did her Whitewater accusers if she can gain politically. She appears to have learned no lessons from the Starr investigation.
Mrs. Clinton's willingness to ignore the truth for short-term political advantage is exactly what breeds the partisanship that's paralyzed Washington for too many years, and the cynicism felt by so many Americans, especially the young. Getting ahead by any means possible is the strategy. Once elected, the candidate falsely believes that he or she will be able to set things right and govern differently....How you get elected defines who you will be once in power.
Comments
I thought it was against the editorial policy of the internet to endorse candidates by name. Or is it just Times columnists who can't say -uckabee?*
Gobama!
*I stole this joke.
Posted by: TGGibbon | February 1, 2008 12:35 PM
Pretty bummed that I'm registered as an independent, now. Then again, the last time I voted in a democratic primary in this state it was for Paul Tsongas.
Posted by: J | February 1, 2008 1:13 PM
Ditto all that, Dan. I was leaning Edwards for a long time, but when Bill Clinton started in with his Howard Beale act a couple weeks ago, I filled out my CA permanent-absentee ballot for Obama and mailed it in.
Which, of course, provides a segue for some blog-pimping:
http://croatan.blogspot.com/2008/01/shut-fuck-up-bill.html
Posted by: The Confidence Man | February 1, 2008 1:45 PM
@confidence man. Great post. I hadn't thought of it in those terms, but that's exactly right. Also, I too am a big fan of Edwards. Here's hoping there an AG or Labor Secy appointment for him in an Obama administration.
Posted by: radosh | February 1, 2008 1:49 PM
@J - Tsongas dropped out before I had a chance to vote for him (NJ). Like Gore, I think a Tsongas presidency was another missed opportunity by America.
Voting for Obama on Tuesday will be the first time I've supported a presidential candidate younger than myself. It's an interesting (and a little scary) feeling. Maybe it's just the audacity of hope.
I'm a dyed in the wool, tax and spend, atheist, vegetarian liberal who favored Richardson (I had expected a Richardson-Jeb Bush contest: The Battle of the Doughy Southern Governors), but I have a visceral dislike and distrust of Hillary that goes back to her health care debacle.
If Booker in Newark and Healy here in Jersey City can GOTV for Obama, it might be enough to put him over.
Finally, here in NJ, you really can vote twice: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/new_jersey_voters_who_filed.html
Posted by: therblig | February 1, 2008 2:07 PM
Once you go Barack, you never go back.*
*I probably stole this joke subcionsciously from somewhere.
Posted by: JohnnyB | February 1, 2008 3:10 PM
Dan: Thanks. And, yeah, Edwards would be a dream AG.
Of course, the nightmare inversion of that would be if McCain wins and names Giuliani AG.
Posted by: The Confidence Man | February 1, 2008 4:49 PM
the great white elephant in the room of hillarys campaign is bills cock. Their marriage is a sham and though obama and maybe even mccain will never call her on it, she will hey swift boated by the right when the time comes, which maybe she deserves.
Posted by: jake | February 1, 2008 4:51 PM
TCM:
Giuliani as AG? That is the worst thing I have ever heard. That is so much worse that 2girls1cup. It's the most nightmarish thing I can imagine. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight.
Posted by: Sam L. | February 1, 2008 5:59 PM
Sam L:
AG Giuliani's first order of business will be to shut down 2girls1cup.
His second order of business, of course, will be to shut down Radosh.net.
Posted by: The Confidence Man | February 1, 2008 7:22 PM
Isn't the issue with Rezko about more than 5 hours of worK? According to salon.com:
"Obama's dealings with his hinky friend have never led him afoul of the law, but they show that, despite his high-minded politics, he was no purer -- or no savvier -- than Illinois' biggest hacks in his weakness for a generous contributor. He wouldn't even say no when Rezko cooked up a deal to help the newly elected senator buy a gracious Georgian-revival home."
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/02/01/rezko/
Posted by: GilbertBob | February 2, 2008 4:54 AM
Edwards would be a great AG
I just threw up in mouth a little bit.
Posted by: John Tabin | February 2, 2008 5:50 AM
...I omitted a word in the previous post. Given all the talk about 2 Girls 1 Cup in this space lately, it may not be obvious whether that word was "my" or "your." I shall leave it to the reader to decide.
(Seriously, you people want a guy who made a fortune as an ambulance-chaser to have the full power of the justice department behind him? What the hell is wrong with you?)
Posted by: John Tabin | February 2, 2008 5:59 AM
I know, John, the AG's job is to protect corporations from the uppity lawsuits of the peoples.
Posted by: jake | February 2, 2008 3:05 PM
John Edwards successfully sued good doctors by hoodwinking his clients and juries with junk science, thus driving up malpractice insurance premiums and making health care more expensive for everyone. But it was for "the peoples," so that makes it good and noble. Gotcha.
Posted by: John Tabin | February 3, 2008 6:51 AM
john, please provide some links and evidence of your claims....
Posted by: jake | February 3, 2008 2:05 PM
http://www.fumento.com/fumento/edwards2007.html
More on John Edwards. I know a lot of people have problems with Fumento but the article seems fairly well sourced.
Posted by: Steve | February 3, 2008 5:12 PM
go look at realchange . org under obama, it tells about this guy. he gave him money and obama gave a friend of his a job or something. plus he bought him some land or some crap llike that. its not that big of a deal compared to some other politicians, but he was not a good guy to be trading favors with.
Posted by: jane | February 3, 2008 8:24 PM
jake: Here.
Posted by: John Tabin | February 4, 2008 9:07 PM
Oh, John, I know you didn't just cite Cybercast News Service as a source.
Posted by: radosh | February 4, 2008 9:39 PM
yeah john, when I said links and evidence I meant something credible, like
this.
Posted by: jake | February 5, 2008 1:43 AM
Obama (that would be Barack HUSSEIN Obama) has "0" substance. He is a great "preacher", but truthfully, hasn't got any experience or original ideas. The fact that he has 81% of the "african-american" vote is depressing. Shouldn't we vote for the best candidate.. not by race or gender??? Obama has the majority vote of the naive, the uneducated and the african-american, who is voting for race alone. SAD SAD SAD.. My concern is not that he is black, it is that he is inexperienced and, I hate to say it, Muslim. At a time like this, does our country really want a president that has been raised "MUSLIM"???? NOT ME.. SORRY. I have always been a Democrat.. Given the choice.. McCain or OBAMA??? I vote MCCAIN.. or move to Canada... I am so sick of OBAMA's preaching... and CHANTING??? I want to puke.
Posted by: katrina | February 6, 2008 12:05 AM
wow, there's alot of nut-cases on the internet.
Posted by: jake | February 6, 2008 2:35 AM
Yeah, what is up with that?
Posted by: Gina | February 6, 2008 5:19 PM
It's true, these Xenu-beplagued times demand someone who can fight back. Muslims, Christians, Jews, Mormons, are really all unqualified to purge the world of engrams. I'm switching my vote to someone who can actually help; a gullible lunatic.
Posted by: TG Gibbon | February 7, 2008 5:59 AM