Obama for president
After eight years of White House ineptness not witnessed since perhaps the Hoover administration, initial assessments indicated the office was for the Democrats to lose in 2008.
Politicos of all stripes gave little chance to Republicans to extend their stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. after the country was subjected to the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil, a misguided retaliatory invasion of Iraq, a lackluster military effort in Afghanistan, steady erosion of privacy rights, critical appointments based on politics instead of qualifications, no-bid contracts awarded to partisan donors, a doubling of the national debt, budget surpluses turned into deficits, the utilization of secret overseas prisons to torture prisoners yet to be charged, rising gas prices, rising international tension, illegal wiretapping, record corporate profits while the economy spun out of control and record disapproval ratings for President George W. Bush.
That John McCain is even within single digits of Barack Obama is testimony to McCain's record and the efficacy of scare tactics on the campaign trail.
But it is Democrat Barack Obama we endorse to become the 44th president of these United States of America. Obama's forthrightness, clarity, sense of fairness, firm resolve and intellect is precisely what the country needs at a time of crisis both at home and abroad. He represents the audacity of hope and change capable of transcending traditional partisan gridlock.
Obama is not pandering to the masses when vowing to reduce income disparity in order to provide needed assistance to the lower class and attempt to protect the middle class. Instead, he recognizes the perils prevalent to the nation when too few individuals control too much of the wealth.
Obama is not accepting defeat by promising a prompt withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Instead, he understands there is no victory possible in a war started on false pretenses and would rather prevent further loss of life and billions of dollars.
Obama is not catering to rogue nations by opening talks with all foreign nations. Instead, he displays the statesmanship that will be necessary to retain our superpower status in rapidly changing times, borders and alliances.
Obama is not aligned with environmental extremists hell-bent on abolishing traditional forms of energy. Instead, he has rational ideas to expand alternative solutions while encouraging cleaner forms of existing sources.
Obama is not controlled by corporate lobbyists seeking the largesse of taxpayer contributions. Instead, he is profoundly committed to individuals while being mindful of the debt being passed along to future generations.
The litany of attributes the Illinois senator possesses are too numerous to mention in this limited space. We can only hope you have been following the campaign and educated yourself on the issues to know what we mean.
But we would be remiss if we did not emphasize one other rather obvious characteristic Obama has. He is a black man -- an African-American. And while such a racial distinction might guide others to define Obama, it is not what defines him as a political leader. Instead, Obama represents the long-overdue fulfillment of the equality concept envisioned at our nation's birth. We the people, all of whom are created equal, have the chance after 232 years to elect somebody other than a white male to the Oval Office. Content of character is being judged; not color of skin. This should be a moment of intense national pride.
We do not herald Obama as a savior. Rather, we find him to be the right candidate to guide a country in need of saving on many fronts. If you agree, please vote for Barack Obama on Nov. 4.
Editorial by Patrick Lowry