The race for '08

As the 2008 Presidential Election continues to inch closer, the one candidate that sticks out as the most capable and sincere to me, is Barack Obama.

Obama, a frontrunner in the Democratic Party, was an Illinois State Senator from 1997-2005. Since 2005 he has been a member of the U.S. Senate representing Illinois. He is just the third African-American to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

If Obama is elected, he will become the first African-American President of the United States. This would make history. This could also help to erase the still invisible lines that cause conflict between some whites and blacks in America. Although Obama is black, he comes from a mixed background. His mother is white and from Kansas and his father is black and from Kenya. “I feel that there is a piece of me in everybody,” Obama said. His varied background is a useful tool on the campaign trail. He appeals to many different people from many different places.

However, his appealing and likeable vibe can also be a problem. “He’s an incredibly magnetic and also photogenic person, and so he lands on the covers of a lot of magazines. And that had its utility at one point, but it can get overdone,” said David Axelrod, Obama’s top strategist. His team fears that he may receive too much publicity and they don’t want him to become overused before the election.

According to Obama’s website (www.barackobama.com), his main issues are to end the war in Iraq, change the healthcare system, fight poverty, and fight for a cleaner environment.

What made me give him my vote is his priority to not change. “I’m in this to win. I want to win, and I think we will win. But I’m also going to emerge intact. I’m going to be Barack Obama and not some parody,” he said. It is astonishing to hear a politician make it his goal not change or be someone he’s not. I believe he would be a great President and a much needed change for America and Washington. I just hope he doesn’t lack the dirtiness that is sometimes needed to land in the White House.