New Home, New Name

You can now find my thoughts on Barack Obama and the 2008 presidential election over at: killhillblog.com

Endorsements Gone Wild

Man, do they keep pouring in or what?

Since I last updated you on Sen. John Kerry's endorsement, several other well-known politicians have stepped up and backed Barack Obama.

The first is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. Naplolitano will not only help Obama in Arizona, but also in Nevada and with women in general -- especially in that region. I also believe that Obama will pick up more of Bill Richardson's votes -- he dropped out of the race mid-week -- in that region than either Hillary Clinton or John Edwards. There's a hundred reasons why, but that's just the way I feel. Another discussion, another day.

Today, Obama picked up two more big endorsements from Democratic senators -- Nebraska's Ben Nelson and Missouri's Claire McCaskill. Here's a little more info on both, from the A.P.:

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has won the endorsement of two fellow Democratic senators from the heartland — Ben Nelson, a popular moderate in largely Republican Nebraska and Claire McCaskill from Missouri, historically a bellwether in presidential contests.

Nelson said Saturday he believes Obama has ability to bridge the partisan divide and to carry Democratic candidates across the country to victory in 2008. Nelson, pledging his support for his Illinois colleague, said Obama has "the greatest potential to ending the bitterness and poisonous atmosphere in Washington."

McCaskill plans to announce her support for the Illinois senator Sunday, according to an Obama aide and a McCaskill staffer who spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the announcement.

Her endorsement is expected to be a major boost for Obama in Missouri, one of nearly two dozen states holding primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, and could help Obama woo female voters in his race against New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination.

Obama Leads in South Carolina, Georgia

According to the most recent Rasmussen Reports' South Carolina poll, Barack Obama is currently leading Hillary Clinton in the state, and big -- by 12 points. Although we've seen this before, keep in mind this is quite a bit before the primary there.

Additionally, this poll was conducted on January 9, the day before John Kerry endorsed Obama in a press conference held in the state. I suspect that endorsement will help Obama take votes away from Kerry's ex-running mate, John Edwards. I'd also be willing to bet that since Kerry is definitely part of the Democratic party's establishment, that the endorsement will steal votes away from Hillary. Kerry also e-mailed his e-mail list asking his supporters to become Obama supporters and donate. That list runs, oh, three-million deep. That's big considering he's been competing with the "special interest" Clintons at least dollar for dollar, and needs to keep doing so.

More good news from the always crucial South; According to the Mason Dixon pollsters, Obama leads Hillary by three points in Georgia (36-33%, respectively), one of the South's biggest states.

(hat tip: USA Election Polls, a great database of all the polls)

Take Two: Guess the Clintons are Racist

Hillary Clinton might try and do stuff like this to get in good with Black voters...

But it's a facade.

First off, what exactly did Bill Clinton mean when he called Barack Obama a "fairy tale?" That shit may fly in new Hampshire, but everywhere else it seemed to us like he was saying that a multi-racial Black man has no chance of winning the presidency. If he indeed didn't mean it like that, then why did he feel compelled to call Al Sharpton's radio show and explain himself?

Then there was the "spade work" comment Hillary made. Even worse, her comments on Martin Luther King Jr., which diminished his heroic contributions during the Civil Rights Movement:

“I would point to the fact that Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the president before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done,” she said, in response to a question about how her dismissive attitude toward Obama’s “false hopes” would have applied to the civil rights movement. “That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in peoples lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it, and actually got it accomplished.” [CBS]

I mean, trying to act like Obama's words are poetry without action -- even when they're clearly not -- is one thing. Drawing a parallel between Obama and the great Dr. King, and then diminishing King's acts to weaken Obama is just sickening. It's downright un-American.

But wait, there's more.

First, New York attorney general and Clinton supporter Andrew Cuomo said that presidential candidates can't “shuck and jive” in early primary states. WTF? Who do you think that is aimed at?

Then, old Hillary's at again. Apparently, Hillary thought that Hispanics were feeling left out, so she threw an insensitive remark at them while talking about immigration at a Hispanic family's home recently in Nevada (by the way, she's all over the place on immigration... anybody else remember her driver license gaffe in October?):

"We treat these problems as if one is guacamole and one is chips, when ... they both go together," she said. [Jules Crittenden]

Even Fuzzy Zoeller and John Rocker were taken aback by that one, Hill. I think you have "when in Rome" about as messed up as Ron Burgundy.

What's going on in the Clinton camp? Can't they control what the say? Or is what they're saying intentional, a subliminal message to White America? Furthermore, why isn't the media calling them out on this more than they are? Argh, the Clintons have always been media darlings, so I'm not surprised.

It just sucks. I thought America had moved past all this.

Update: It's good that others are finally outraged as well. I love this:

Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones, a prominent Obama supporter, echoed those sentiments.

"It’s very unfortunate that the president would make a statement like that," he said of Bill Clinton's criticism of Obama's experience, adding that the African-American community had "saved his presidency" after the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

"They owe the African-American community — not the reverse," he said. "Maybe Hillary and Bill should get behind Sen. Barack Obama."

Maybe even Dave Chapelle is giving up on the weed-smoking fornicator and his wife after all this. Or maybe Bill will just go kiss a couple more Black babies and everyone will forget about it.


If you want the Bush-Clinton/voting part, that can be found here.

When HRC Says Obama's "Unelectable," She Really Means Black

Hillary Clinton is saying that Barack Obama is unelectable because he's black without actually saying it. I'm not saying she's prejudiced here -- just dirty. She's preying on the fact that some Americans are prejudiced, either consciously or subconsciously. Here's an excerpt from a Town Hall piece that examines the subject, even going as far as to say she slipped in an incognito racial slur:

Last Sunday evening on Fox News Channel, [political analyst Dick] Morris said: “I think that what she is going to do is she is going to say Obama is unelectable, Americans won’t elect him, he can’t beat the Republican Party, America is not ready for Obama, he doesn’t have the experience to win, and what she is going to mean is that they won’t vote for an African-American, but she won’t say it. She’ll say everything but, but that’s what she means.”

As if on cue, THE VERY NEXT MORNING, Sen. Clinton appeared on NBC’s Today Show and talked about the choice that voters were faced with in New Hampshire. She said the following: “When they say to themselves, OK, I have a choice between a truly inspirational speaker (Obama) who has not done the kind of spade work with the sort of experience that another candidate has…”

Spade work. That’s some choice of words for a black political opponent, no?

John Kerry Endorses Barack Obama!

Big breaking news! From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, will endorse Sen. Barack Obama in this year's White House race, an Obama campaign spokesman said on Thursday.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Obama, who is seeking to become the first black U.S. president, will appear with Kerry in Charleston, South Carolina.

Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, is hoping the South Carolina contest on January 26 will help him regain front runner status after a narrow loss to Sen. Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire this week.

The endorsement by Kerry, who lost the 2004 election to President George W. Bush, could boost Obama's presidential bid by attracting more support from the Democratic establishment, which has largely supported Clinton, the former first lady and senator from New York.

This surely hurts Hillary Clinton, but my first thought was what does this say to anybody who is considering voting for John Edwards? Ouch. This is huge for Obama in South Carolina. More on this later on...

Key Nevada Unions Endorse Obama

Three key Nevada unions decided to go with Barack Obama today, no doubt improving his already healthy status for the state's January 19 caucus. Here's a little more info, from CNN:

The Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 and the Service Employees International Union of Nevada both endorsed Obama on Wednesday.

The 60,000-strong Culinary Workers Union includes members working in Las Vegas and Reno casinos and other locations in the Las Vegas area, and members working in other areas -- such as serving cocktails and housekeeping -- besides kitchen positions, according to the union Web site.

The SEIU in Nevada has 17,500 members, the group said, and nearly two-thirds of them are registered to vote. The union represents health care and public service employees across the state, according to SEIU-Nevada's Web site.

"The SEIU Nevada Executive Board voted overwhelmingly in support of the senator, citing his commitment to solving the issues facing the American people, including protecting workers rights," the union said in a statement.

The "overwhelming participation" of voters in the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary showed that "Americans are ready for change," SEIU Executive Vice President Shauna Hamel said.

I was already feeling good about Nevada. Now I feel great about Obama's chances in the state. Viva Las Vegas!

Tears of a Clown

I had to go there, because "Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles is one of my all-time faves.

Seriously, though, after reflecting upon this for a few days, does anybody other than several thousand women voters in New Hampshire believe Hilary Clinton's tears were real? Even the woman who asked the question that sprung the tears didn't vote for her -- she voted for Barack Obama! She wasn't entirely convinced. I'm not convinced at all.

I love what Jesse Jackson Jr. -- who I like a helluva lot more than his old man -- had to say about Hillary crying. He's right; She didn't cry about Katrina. She didn't cry about Iraq. She didn't cry about Natalie Sarkisian. She cried because she saw her chances of winning the presidency slipping away. Period.

Check out J.J. Jr's comments:

Louisiana and Missouri Voter Registration Deadline Today

As a Missouri resident, I just want to remind all my fellow Missourian Obamaites that if you aren't registered to vote as a Democrat, the deadline is today. You can register at DMV offices and most public libraries, so make sure you do so ASAP.

The deadline is also today for Louisiana Obamaites, so make sure to register. Again, you won't have time to mail in the form so go to the DMV or a library. And make sure you call to see if where you are going definitely does voter registration!

New Hampshire Actually a Tie?

That is what Darren Abrecht of the Kansas City Star is saying, because of the delegate system. Barack Obama is even ahead of Hillary Clinton in super delegates in the state, and those individuals can wait all the way to the convention to vote. I also want to remind everybody that Hillary was expected to mount an early lead among super delegates as the Democratic establishment candidate. This is far from over.

Read for yourself:

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. But this is no more relevant to the outcome of the contest than Al Gore taking the national popular vote in the 2000 elections. The Democratic nominee will be decided on the basis of who can claim the most delegates at the national party convention, not by the popular vote. By that measure, primary elections in New Hampshire resulted in a tie between Clinton and Barack Obama.

Clinton's popular-vote margin over Obama was razor-thin - fewer than 8,000 votes, or 3%, with 96% of precincts reporting. As a result, each will come away from New Hampshire with the pledges of 9 delegates. John Edwards, finishing in a distant third place, will take the remaining 4. A look at the national scorecard finds Obama barely in the lead with 25 delegates to Clinton's 24.

There's more. The real winner in New Hampshire can't be declared until you factor in superdelegates. These are party leaders who are allowed to vote at the convention, but may make their own choices at any time, and without regard to the popular vote results. New Hampshire has 8 superdelegates; of these, 2 have declared their support for Clinton, 3 for Obama, and 3 are undeclared. When all of the declared superdelegates in the nation are tallied, Clinton roars into the lead with 183 total delegates to Obama's 78.

With 2,025 delegates needed for a win, however, both candidates are a long way from locking up the nomination.

Yes We Can!

While last night was definitely surprising, the results weren't shocking. The bottom line is that the race was extremely close (a 2% margin with 96% reporting), and we're in this for the long haul. In fact, my brother and I are so fired up about the Barack Obama campaign that we'll soon be moving this blog to a better platform -- Wordpress.

Anyway, we're (and I'm speaking for the Obamaites I communicated with tonight) not discouraged at all. Here's why...

New Hampshire Breakdown:

I really believe that the Obama camp overestimated their bounce from Iowa and played things too conservatively. With negative attacks, with the debate, etc. I really like the "four corners" basketball analogy I heard, I think my brother said it to me. Not taking any credit away from Hillary Clinton, but Obama beat himself just as much as the Clintons came back to win.

How did Hillary make such a dramatic comeback when some polls were predicting a double-digit loss?

First off, I don't believe Obama ever had a double-digit lead in New Hampshire. The over-60 crowd and absentee ballots must not have been equally represented in those surveys. No way a primary swings 15 points in 24-48 hours. Like the singing instructor says in Citizen Kane, "Impossible, impossible!"

Let's also not forget that New Hampshire is one of the whitest states in the country. I think the pundits have failed to analyze this, perhaps because Obama did so well in mostly white Iowa. In fact, New Hampshire is lily white. According to the New Hampshire Fact Book, in 2003 only approximately 10,500 out of 1.25 million residents were Black. That's a staggering statistic, and one that Hillary won't have the luxury of often, especially with stakes like these.

Another point is that New Hampshire isn't exact the youngest state either. Again, according to the N.H. Fact Book, as of 2005 the state only had 224,571 residents between the ages of 18-35. A bump from out-of-state college students isn't likely either, considering the state doesn't even have any real major universities. In Iowa, 22% of all Democratic voters were under 30. In New Hampshire, that number dropped to 17%. Given Obama's dominance within that age bracket, that alone could have been the difference last night.

But there was more working against Obama. John McCain's big night certainly hurt Obama's numbers. I happen to think that they were quite a few Independent voters who liked both McCain and Obama, but chose to spend their vote on McCain. Why? Because Obama was rolling, and McCain desperately needed this win to stay alive. Obama won the Independent vote of the Democratic side, but needed more votes then he got from that group.

The weather being nice couldn't have helped either. From my experience, college students will drive in absolutely anything (sometimes even while intoxicated), while senior citizens typically don't even step outside when the weather is shitty. The weather might not have hurt Obama, but it definitely didn't help him. Weather may have actually played a part in Iowa, believe it or not.

Then there's the women vote. Obama won among Iowa women voters over Clinton, 35% to 30%. Heading into the New Hampshire primary, the polls showed Obama with about a 3% lead over Clinton when it came to women. CNN exit polls showed that Hillary won the women category by 13%.

Two things happened here: A.) Hillary turned on the tears and convinced some women fencesitters that she was indeed real; B.) I don't think women really wanted to end the first real woman Presidential candidate's run this early. I think they're consciences got to them inside the booth. I'm hoping that's the case with Hispanic voters in Nevada and Black voters in South Carolina, but in Obama's favor of course. And I truly believe that will be the case, especially in South Carolina.

The last thing is the Bill factor. The Clintons had a 16-year head start in New Hampshire, and are still beloved there. When I saw that the biggest issue was the economy, I recognized that many of these voters were voting nostalgic -- for Bill. That hypothesis is backed up by the fact that the CNN exit poll showed that more Hllary voters would have voted for Bill than Hillary if both were running.

The Positives:

First off, once again Obama did fantastic in the college areas, winning convincingly. This is a good omen heading into states with larger college populations, especially now that school has resumed everywhere and the students are all back in the swing of things. Here are those stats, courtesy of MSNBC:


Durham is where the University of New Hampshire is located, while Hanover is home to Dartmouth College. Given that Nevada is a considerably younger state and the bigger college population of South Carolina, those two graphics are quite encouraging.

Another thing is the Oprah Winfrey factor. I believe she made a huge difference in Iowa, and the stats regarding the female vote there seem to reflect that, especially after looking at last night's results. Also, I don't think she ever campaigned in New Hampshire. She definitely visited South Carolina, though, where she will influence Black women. And don't forget about Michelle Obama, the powerhouse who could be the key to this election before it is all said and done. I heard one of the CNN analysts say tonight that they believed Black women would decide the Democratic ticket. Not to underestimate the Clintons when it comes to that demographic, but the Obama campaign should have the edge there.

Also, keep in mind that Obama was the clear favorite last night, and that Hillary went on the aggressive and even threw a few desperate hailmary passes. They seemed to connect. Unfortunately for her, she now has to keep up this "real" act for another month. It took her 35 years to find her voice -- she said it, not me -- how long will it take for her to lose it.

Additionally, I think we will see a much more aggressive Barack Obama over the course of the next couple weeks. I look for him to really attack Hillary and maybe even Edwards. Hopefully, he'll keep the blows above the belt and let his blogosphere buddies do the dirty work.

I also think this is a good chance to start talking about the specifics when it comes to the issues and policies. He has to do a little more to win over potential voters. Remember, this is America. Regardless of all this change talk, in the end quite a few people will still play it safe. After all, we did elect George W. Bush to a second term.

Lastly, I'm not so sure John Edwards hurts Obama more than Hillary. I hear the anti-Hillary argument, but, honestly, Edwards might actually help Obama. Let's face it; some people are just not going to vote for a Black candidate. I hate to say that, but it's true. I'm thinking Edwards and Hillary split that vote. Also, when Edwards finished second, Obama finished first. Who's to say that he hurts Obama? If anything it looks like Edwards' poor performance is what hurt Obama.

Tomorrow is a new day, and Obama has finished first and a close second, while Hillary has one slim first-place finish and a third place finish. We have a race on are hands, but one we can win. Yes we can!

(P.S. - Does anybody else wish that Dennis Kucinich would call it quits? He's got to be hurting Obama, and would probably endorse him if he dropped out. I digress...)

Message Changes Back to the Status Quo

Well, Barack Obama was upset by Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire tonight by a narrow margin yet to be finalized (likely 1-2%). John McCain won on the opposite side, no doubt hurting Obama with his strong showing among independents in the process. This all makes a lot of sense to me after breaking things down with my brother over the past couple hours.

Back in a bit with my thoughts on tonight's surprising outcomes...

Still Too Close to Call

According to CNN, underdog Hilary Clinton is current leading Barack Obama by about 5,000 votes. The three biggest college towns have yet to report anything, though, and only 65% of the numbers are in. It's still too close to call. Stay tuned...

Colin Powell a Potential Obama Endorser?

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said this yesterday on PBS: "I'm terribly excited, I'm impressed, and I'm happy for Barack Obama." Wow. This could be big, so stay tuned.

Here's the video...

Early Voting From New Hamphsire...

These are just the towns of Dixville Notch and Hart's Location, New Hampshire, from Yahoo!:

DEMOCRATS:

Obama -- 16

Clinton -- 3

Edwards -- 3

Richardson -- 1

Kucinich -- 0

REPUBLICANS

McCain -- 10

Romney -- 3

Huckabee -- 5

Paul -- 4

Giuliani -- 1

Thompson -- 0

Hunter -- 0

Looking good so far, Obamaites!

The Poetry Vs. Prose Debate

"You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose."--Hillary Clinton, Nashua, N.H., January 6, 2008.

Argh. Bill Shakespeare is rolling in his grave. I'm not sure I've ever seen anybody underestimate, maybe undersell is the better word, the value of words when spoken with conviction.

There's a real interesting article on poetry vs. prose in this Presidential election that came out today over at The Washington Post's Fact Checker. I love how Michael Dobbs points out the poetry and prose candidates, and also how he points out that poetry candidates -- such as JFK, Reagan and Slick Willy -- tend to do better during desperate times like these.

My main issue with this piece, is that it somewhat insinuates that poetry candidates are full of shit or lacking substance. Not sure if he really feels that way, but I couldn't disagree more. What's more substantial than being genuine? And are any of the prose candidates genuine (well, maybe, Richardson...)? Let's look at a screenshot from that piece...

It's no coincidence that the poetry candidates are the ones with all the momentum right now. The key word of this election has been change. People want a President who they believe genuinely wants to change the system, not the status quo rattling off their experience ad nauseam. We've been bullshitted for eight years now, and people are sick of it.

The other highlight of this piece is when Dobbs labels Romney the "data candidate." That guy is a piece of work, isn't he? Good ol', Mitt. As a fellow dreamer, I'm not one to shoot down dreams. So, keep telling everyone that you are the only candidate who can beat Obama. Knock yourself out.

Why Obama? Because I Believe

The question: What is this blog all about?

The answer: I'll expand on this , but, basically, I have too much passion for Democratic Presidential frontrunner Senator Barack Obama and the direction this country is going to not do something with it.

Looking for a little more of an explanation...

I'm still pretty young -- 29, to be exact -- but in the past five years my interest has risen dramatically when it comes to politics. As a kid, I always was well-informed and interested, but it's hard to get involved in politics when you don't even do your own laundry.

When my old man would pick up the local newspaper, I'd grab USA Today and read about the world. I was a young, open-minded, idealistic kid who always wanted to see the bigger picture. When most people in Springfield, MO seemed to solely worry about their own backyard and following the ass in front of them, I was focused on bigger and broader things. Sometimes too much. That's why I connected with the Frodo Bagginses and Luke Skywalkers. That's why I read Jonathon Livingston Seagull over and over, and knew "The Road Not Taken" by heart.

(I've since forgotten the words, and definitely need to brush up on the poem again. If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is.)

Am I claiming to be selfless? Absolutely not. What I'm claiming to be is a dreamer. I'm a dreamer now, and I've always been one.

Problem is, when you talk about dreams or doing something extraordinary, or even different, you often get shot down. Like clay pigeons.

I have nothing against practical thinking. It definitely has its place, and we all need to be practical and grounded from time to time. My thing is, when did America become the country of skepticism? When did we become a country that continuously sets the bar lower and lower? Have we become that jaded? When did we all say aw, fuck it, and stop giving a damn?

Obama often speaks about JFK reaching for the moon and MLK fighting for civil rights. I totally agree that all great achievements and innovations start with a dream. Sure, you have to work your ass off after conception of the dream to see it become reality. But without dreams we'd be running around in circles, just trying to survive, accepting the status quo as our fate.

Wait a minute -- that's exactly what we as a society are doing. I'm not gonna lie; I definitely get caught up in it, too.

In addition to being a writer and small business owner, I'm also an aspiring filmmaker. I went to film school. I've made short films. I've worked in the industry. Still, I've often abandoned my dreams for reason -- looking at my bank account and listening to others more than I should have. To win in this game called life you have to look inside and listen to your heart. That's all that matters, because, ultimately, it's your life and you're the one who has to live it.

Obama is a hero to me because he gives me the courage to believe. To believe in myself. To believe in something bigger than myself. To believe in others. To believe in my country. To believe in this world.

Like he says, nobody in the world ever thought that a skinny mixed kid named Barack Obama would ever even sniff 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, let alone move in. Now he's got as good of a shot to become President as anybody.

Why? Because he believed.

As a kindergartener, Obama told his teacher that he wanted to become President one day. When Hillary Clinton heard that she ridiculed him, laughed at his audacity.

What Hillary doesn't understand is that because of that very audacity -- Obama calls it the "audacity of hope" -- he's putting together one of the most remarkable White House runs in history. He has a thing called conviction. But what exatcly is conviction? What is hope? What are dreams? What is this other word we keep hearing: change?

If you ask Hillary, they are nothing more than idle words, hollow concepts. What she doesn't understand is that when words are spoken eloquently with conviction they become more than words -- words then become sparks. Those words inspire us to do great things or rally around a cause. Those words aren't dead ends, they're kinetic energy. Those words are seeds that will sprout new leaders, inspire new dreams.

Why Hillary doesn't understand how these words can have so much impact is because she is void of conviction. The only thing she has conviction about is the future of the Clintons. Period. On the surface it may seem like when she raises her voice or tears up it's because she cares about this country. Beneath the surface, though, what's really going on is something entirely different. She's seeing the power she's lusted over for years, worked her whole life for, slipping away.

What Hillary doesn't understand is that selfishness is like voter repellent, while selflessness is utterly contagious. Her supporters are jumping overboard at an unprecedented rate, while Obama supporters are doing the exact opposite. Many of us believe in Obama and his cause to such a degree that we'd take a bullet for him to see him reach the Oval Office.

Obama's words have metamorphosed into something bigger than anyone could have imagined. It's called a movement, people. What is one man (or woman, actually) against a movement? Nothing.

Again, I'm an idealist, but if everybody else was as well just imagine what the world could be like. "Imagine." That song has stuck because when John Lennon sang those lyrics he meant that shit. That's undeniable.

It's the idealist in me that believes deep down that people don't have to settle in life or love. It's that same idealist who has struggled to really get too involved in politics because my only options have been O.P.C. Remember the song "O.P.P." by Naughty By Nature? This is similar -- Other People's Candidates.

In 1996, I barely missed being able to vote. Even though I thought President Clinton was an above-average President, I'm not sure I would have voted for him. Like Mike Ditka, if I don't believe in something with all my heart, I don't really believe in it at all. All in, or all out. I just couldn't believe in Bill, or anything he said. I wasn't a huge Bob Dole fan either, even though my family and town really rallied behind him. Quite frankly, I was relieved I didn't have to vote.

In 2000, I touted myself as an independent. I was looking at both Al Gore and John McCain, actually leaning towards McCain. While I didn't question Gore's sincerity -- and honestly, who could now after we've all seen An Inconvenient Truth -- he seemed robotic. McCain was a fighter. He was passionate and sincere. I was pretty much all aboard the McCain express until it was derailed by Karl Rove and Co. The George W. Bush campaign's libelous/slanderous attacks on its own party's McCain left me repulsed, permanently distancing me from the GOP -- or what I now call the Bank, Bibles and Rifles Party. I voted for Gore, or, really, against Bush. For years, I kept it from my mostly Republican group of friends and family. The Bush administration not only zapped the passion out of Gore and McCain, but me as well.

I became even more disgusted when McCain basically became Bush's little bitch in the election's aftermath. I remember thinking, this is a guy who fought and survived five-plus years in the hell pits of Vietnam... and he's giving into this slimeball cowboy from Crawford who ruined his reputation, salvaging his political career while defecating on his pride and beliefs?

In 2004, I was adamant about beating Bush. I didn't believe or believe in Howard Dean, so I waited. I liked General Wesley Clark, but he was never really on the national radar. Then John Kerry emerged and selected John Edwards as his running mate. I thought the world of Kerry, and believed that he would have made a fine President. I even volunteered and worked for the campaign. What I didn't believe in, however, was in Kerry the candidate. His wife Teresa Heinz wasn't exactly Jackie O, and Kerry was widely viewed as a flip-flopper and far too liberal, especially with Edwards as a running mate. Still -- largely because of one Michael Moore -- Kerry still had a chance. That was until Rove came along and swiftboated Kerry just like McCain before him. In the end, America -- in controversial fashion -- decided not to change horses mid-race. I was furious that Kerry conceded so early, showing shades of McCain while allowing Dub-ya to trample over him.

The harder message for me to take: Sit down, Generation X and Y, the Baby Boomers and their elders have won again. Young people don't have a voice when it comes to politics. Wait your turn.

Still, I wasn't as heartbroken as I probably should have been.

Why? Because I had found the candidate of the future. While many doubted Barack's candidacy up until the Iowa caucuses a week ago, I always believed. Our turn was right around the corner.

In the weeks prior to the 2004 DNC, I started hearing the buzz about a young democrat named Barack Obama. Bha wha? I eagerly anticipated his keynote speech. Finally, the day came, and it was a day I'll never, ever forget. I was just in awe.

It's kind of like when men say they fell in love with their wife the minute they saw her, all along knowing that would be the woman they eventually married. I've had precious moments like that. The first time I watched Star Wars. The first time I heard Jimmy Page go off on his guitar and Robert Plant wail. The first time I witnessed Arrowhead Stadium (I'm a huge Chiefs fan, and cover them here). The wildreness expedition where I was engulfed by mountains, and saw several bald eagles from close enough to see the breaks in their feathers. Again, precious few.

This was another one of those moments. From what I had read, Obama's political beliefs closely resembled my own. That wasn't what captured my imagination, though. Not only had I found a candidate who believed what I believed, but one who I earnestly believed believed. Not only did I believe in his conviction, but also in his ability to draw upon his conviction to rally people and produce change.

In Obama I didn't see a power-hungry politician. What I saw was an unlikely hero, a public servant who had risen above insurmountable odds, determined to make this country and the world as a whole better. I saw someone who would one day become iconic. I saw the fierce urgency that drove MLK. I saw the silky smoothness of Bill Clinton. I saw someone who could unite a party, unite a country like Ronald Reagan did. I saw the black JFK.

This post has been pretty long-winded, and up until now it has been largely what Hillary and her cronies would refer to as "poetry." Again, these words were needed to express something that a just-the-facts style could never express.

In Obama I've found a candidate that I can not only rally around, but also idolize. Someone who I can draw upon for strength and inspiration in my own life. Someone who I believe in and believe, which is an unlikely phenomenon in politics. At least for me it is.

When Obama says that he's brining our troops home, I believe him. When Obama says he intends to fix the corporate corruption and special interests in Washington, I believe him. When Obama says he is going to make healthcare affordable for those of us who desperately want it but don't have the money, I believe him. When Obama speaks of faith and his belief in separation of church and state, I believe him on both accounts. When Obama says he is going to fight for our economy, I believe him. When Obama says he is going to fight nuclear proliferation and get together with the leaders of the Middle East, I believe him. (I also believe he is in a unique position to reach the Middle East like no other President could.) When Obama says he's going to stop the outsourcing of jobs and improve our economy, I believe him. When Obama says he's going to curtail our oil addiction, I believe him. When Obama says he will fight for young people so that we won't be stranded without social security, I believe him. When Obama says he is going to be a President who actually knows and follows The Constitution, I believe him.

Edwards says Obama is too much of a diplomat and a negotiator, and not enough of a fighter. I like you John, but I vehemently disagree with that shit. You see, Barack Obama is the epitome of the American Dream. Because of that, I believe he will be a champion of the American Dream, and fight for it like few have. You don't have to use fists or aggression to be a fighter. Anyone who disagrees is also stating that MLK wasn't a fighter, and what jackass is going to be brave enough -- more like stupid enough -- to make that contention?

I'm here, this blog is here, because I believe in Obama. I believe in his ability to bring change and fight for the American Dream. I'm inspired like I've never been before. And I have a feeling I'm not the only one.