Obama For President!

I felt all special because my buddy, Barack Obama sent me a personal email saying that he was launching an exploratory committee for a presidental run. It turns out he sent this email to all of his "friends" on his mailing list but I will take any personal attention I can get.

So it's official! Obama is running for president. Yes, he only said that he was creating an exploratory committee but we all know that no committee is going to tell him not to run. This is his time and not even Hillary Clinton is going to stand in his way. Salon has a great article about this announcement. (I stole this cartoon from there.) This quote was particulary inciteful:

What is history-making is the life story of the handsome 45-year-old man facing the camera. Little more than two years removed from the Illinois state Senate, Obama -- the Hawaii-born and Ivy League-educated son of a Kenyan economist -- is the first African-American ever to embark on a serious quest for the White House. Unlike Colin Powell, who bobbed near the top of the polls in 1995 before bowing out of the Republican presidential race, Obama has the confidence to act on his ambitions rather than becoming sidelined by indecisiveness. Unlike Jesse Jackson with his epochal primary and caucus victories in the 1980s, Obama is not a protest candidate dissed and dismissed by party insiders, but a mainstream contender with a plausible route to the nomination and the White House.

I 100% agree with this statement. Jesse Jackson was never a candidate that people took seriously. Yes, he has the history as a civil rights activist but he was not someone that all of the US (even rednecks) could get behind. Alan Keys ... don't get me started on that one. I do not think that Colin Powell was going to run but it would have been interesting to see how that would have turned out.

I am working on this campaign in some way. Believe it! It is so hard to believe that this is happening so soon but I do think that this is the time for him to run. People really want a change and I think he has a great shot! Many more blog entries to come about this ...

Comments

[Beebs]

Tuck! Did you see the photo of him at the beach with his family! Yowsa! I know thats shallow of me and i am really excited for someone I respect and believe to run for president blah blah blah- but he is so hot! ( I am going to hell!)

OK here is my intellectual response: Did you know that there is footage of him in 2002 protesting the war and predicting EXACTLY what was going to happen with this bogus war? The ex leader for the Republican Caucus went on Nightline and sang Obama's praises!

And he is HAWT- ok sorry

[Teresa]

I have to say honestly that Obama doesn't play well down here in the "provinces". We don't know him, he's not one of us, he doesn't have our vibe. I can't explain it, he just doesn't do a thing for me. Time will tell. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. Doug Wilder's campaign for Governor of Virginia should be studied--I think it will tell him what he's up against.

[Quel]

America's not ready for a black president. I want him to have an awesome, long career as an awesome senator...make some strides there. We're not ready. I'm nervous for him. I hope the committee finds that it's not time. I admire him, but it's just not time.

[tuckergurl]

Teresa, if you feel like it, do tell about Obama not playing well in the provinces. I am curious as to some of the specifics around what you do not like about him. It is fascinating to me.

Honestly, I too am not sure if America is ready for a black President. I wish Obama had waited a bit longer to run but I am trying to support his decision. I hope he and his family have bodyguard, that's for sure. His life is in danger!

I do think that Obama should not be in Senate too long because it will just allow people to obsess over his record in a way that is not always helpful to winning an election. I think that happened with Kerry (though I also think he was just an annoying glib candidate, talk about someone who did not play well in parts of the country!).

[beebs]

Yes, I would like to know what you mean as well. After all are any of the other candidates- or for that matter past presidents closer to the man of the "provinces?" I read about this sentiment all the time and I am not sure why so many Black Americans are being so retrogressive about Obama. Why is American not ready for a black president?

[tuckergurl]

I do not think that black Americans are the only ones being retrogressie about Obama. I am not 100% sure that America is ready for a black president or a president that is not a white male. There is still a lot of prejudice out there and though we do not see it as much in NYC, it is out there. He is going to have a hard time as will Hillary.

[Hil]

Too bad he isn't an African American. He is half and half. I'm half German but I don't call myself a German American. Ofcourse I'm not pulling for the minority vote either..........