Damn! I Picked the Best Candidate: Barack Obama! And I Feel Great!

[David Zephyr]

It feels amazing to know that I got behind the best candidate when I finally chose this month to support Senator Barack Obama.

If you are sitting on the fence, get off. You'll never feel more proud.

[MagsDem]

1. What, exactly, makes him the best candidate?

I've never seen so much support for a political candidate based on nothing at all. Maybe you can be the first DU'er to actually tell us what makes him your candidate. It can't be his record of progressive policy accomplishments since he doesn't have a record like that, or barely any record at all.

[calmblueocean]

10. His technology and government transparency agenda are what draw me in

Obama has already led in the process of creating government transparency by sponsoring the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act, which is putting all government spending online in a Google-like search engine, and he's going to do even more.

For instance, he wants all non-emergency legislation put up on the White House website for 5 days for public review and comment before signing. I'd like to see the other candidates adopt this idea, but they haven't.

He also wants to appoint a Chief Technology Officer who would "ensure government officials hold open meetings, broadcast live webcasts of those meetings, and use blogging software, wikis and open comments to communicate policies with Americans."

No other candidate his this kind of commitment to putting sunlight on the whole process of legislation and government, and understanding technological issues like "net neutrality" -- the idea that how fast you can interact with a website should not depend on how much money the website pays to the cable companies. Without a commitment to net neutrality, we could see the online world trending toward tiered internet packages something like this:



At any rate, if you really care and aren't just trolling, that's some of why this former Kucinich supporter is supporting Obama. So you can't say no one ever told you why they support him anymore! :)

[Tatiana]

11. Very cogent points!

I really like his stance on passing "emergency" legislation. So often the bills are less of an emergency and more of a steamroll. A "cooling off" public comment period is a good idea.

[MagsDem]

13. That's it? You'd elect a president based on that?

Health care, foreign policy, budget priorities, the economy, and a millon other things... the fact that he has no experience working in federal government on any of those major issues is meaningless to you? You support him for president because he is for net nuetrality? I'm sorry, I'm sure that is important to you, but seriously, that is just a mind blowingly inexplicable reason to support a completely inexperienced candidate for the top office in this country. It's truly hard to believe you even posted that.

[MH1]

17. It shows an understanding of what is important in democracy.

I'm sorry you don't get it.

He has very good positions on most other areas as well. This area happens to be a differentiator.

[MagsDem]

19. Edwards is against net neutrality? HC is against it?

Since when? That's just an insane reason to choose him. I honestly don't think Obama's supporters really know why they support him. Most of you don't seem to know much of anything about him. Just doing what the media tells you to do.

[MH1]

35. There was much more in the post than "net neutrality"

Did you even read it?

I have heard Obama talk about government transparency and citizen engagement as an important issue. I have not heard Clinton talk about it, and even if she said anything I would not believe her - she has no credibility with me.

[neutron]

And he's a Unifier

:-)

[MagsDem]

40. Yeah, I read it

But there is not a penny's worth of differentiation with any of the dem candidates on those issues. Why does Obama, with little to no record have more credibility to you than Edwards or Clinton, who actually have a record to answer for? What has Clinton lied about that makes her not credible to you? What has John Edwards lied about that makes him not credible to you?

Your post proves what I have been saying... you don't know why you support Obama over candidates with actual experience. You have no idea.

[MH1]

41. "What has Clinton lied about?"

:rofl:

I have to go do some work...your insults aren't worth the effort.

Forget whether she'd be credible - when has Clinton spoken of open government and the importance of citizen engagement? What legislation has she sponsored? (Obama has sponsored and passed legislation in this area...if you really want to know, go look it up.)

[MagsDem]

48. No, really -- point to a lie she has told

As usual, you appear to be an Obama supporter that is full of nothing but hot air.

[blm]

67. The fliers she sent out in Iowa and NH claiming Obama was weak on pro-choice.

That was completely FABRICATED.

[Big Blue Marble]

20. Why did you ask, if you had already made up your mind?

Edward Kennedy has been in the Federal Government as a US Senator since 1962
and is the brother of a president. He has worked closely with Obama for nearly four
years. He said yesterday that Obama was ready on day one.

Not good enough for you?

[MagsDem]

30. I ask because we have never nominated such an unqualified candidate

You'd think, if we were going to nominate someone this unqualified we'd at least demand that they had a progressive track record. Do you know that Joe Lieberman is his declared mentor in the senate? Do you know he had almost zero opposition from right wing nut Alan Keyes in the ONLY federal race he has ever run? Have we come so far down that all we require in our candidate is good speech writers and the ability to pander well to rethugs?

And by the way, why should I care who Ted Kennedy supports? Why do you? And he has not worked along side him for 4 yrs. Obama has only been in the senate just starting on 3 yrs.

[cali]

31. don't know jackshit about political history, do you, pumpkin? n/t

[MagsDem]

34. I think I do

Name me a less qualified candidate than Obama. I'll wait why you search hopelessly through your history books.

[cali]

38. I don't need to search through anything, pookie.

Abraham Lincoln. duh. And Adlai Stevenson served one term as Governor of Illinois- though he did have some prior gov experience. DDE had no government experience. Pretty basic stuff. As i said, you apparently know jackshit.

[MagsDem]

45. Lincoln was a republican, "pookie"

Adlai Stevenson worked in federal government in the departments of secy of state and defense for 15 yrs before he was governor of Ill. So, he had about 5 times the amount of experience Obama has. And Eisenhower was also a republican.

Look who doesn't know jack shit, "pookie" -- hell, you know so little you probably ARE a rethug.

[cali]

52. LOL! as if it fookin' matters which

party we're talking about, kumquat. We're talking about the presidency and experience. And Obama has 11 years in elected office as well as more than a passing knowledge of Con Law, crumpet.

And just so you know, pumpkin, calling someone a repuke here is verboten. Don't fucking do it again, boopsie.

[Big Blue Marble]

55. You might want to use those history books to check a Mr. Lincoln.

He had been in the House for two years when he was elected President of the United States.

How do you think he did?

[TheDoorbellRang]

60. Um... Abe Lincoln springs to mind without a whole lot of searching

Lincoln served 4 terms as an Illinois state rep, and one term as an Illinois rep in D.C.

The whole "he hasn't got enough experience" meme is rather a specious argument, IMO. I'm not particularly wild about any of the three, but of them all, I'm leaning toward Obama. I think of the three that he is the one most likely to be able to work with Congress to get the most through. Clinton is too willing to make pacts with the devil -- her little fundraiser with Rupert Murdoch last year, the flag burning amendment, etc.--; Edwards may be sincere in his passion for the common man, but I don't see him having the capacity to wheel and deal enough with Congress to get effective legislation through. Obama is between them -- he can wheel and deal without selling himself out too much in the process. He's proven that already in the Illinois legislature.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html

[Big Blue Marble]

54. Do you know that you are expressing more opinion than fact?

Please support whomever you want. I made up mind last February when Obama announced.
Do you think you will change my mind or do you just like to praddle on.

[calmblueocean]

39. LOL! I never said that was it!

It's not *just* net neutrality. Read my post. It's his whole suite of technology and transparency positions. I think government transparency of the kind Obama proposes would be revolutionary in the same way that the Freedom of Information Act was revolutionary. More so, in fact, because few people have ever written an FOIA request, but millions and millions will be able to follow the workings of their government online, tracking every federal contract, every earmark, every lobbyist contact with a government official. With this kind of transparency comes a radical increase in the potential for accountability.

And it's not just his suite of technology and transparency positions. I think starting off by not requiring mandates for health insurance is smarter than demanding that poor people purchase insurance they may not be able to afford just yet. I think his commitment to cellulosic ethanol is the right choice as far as our immediate transportation energy needs go. He's not a perfect candidate, but there's a lot about Obama and his platform that I am very happy and proud to support.

I wish I had more time to go over all of my reasoning with you, but from watching your other posts, I'm not sure it would make a difference. You've convinced yourself that everyone who supports Obama is dumber than you are, drooling idiots who are just staring dreamily at posters of the guy instead of printouts of his political platform. No one wants to spend lots of time writing posts to someone who thinks they're an idiot, and that includes me.

[MH1]

15. Excellent post

These are some of my top items too. And the "public comment" idea for non-emergency legislation is AWESOME. Maybe because I came up with a similar idea on my own, I believe without hearing it from anyone else first. I hear Obama make these points, and I think YES! HE GETS IT! (unlike most politicians, sigh).

[OneGrassRoot]

25. Thanks. I do like that as well. n/t

[blm]

46. Open government is my TOP ISSUE. Transparency is the ONLY way to save this nation

from the decades of closed government we have been battling.

Anti-corruption, open government Democrats MUST grow their numbers and push back against those who protect the secrecy and privilege of closed government.

THIS is the year.

[MagsDem]

50. How much open govt did Obama want when he was pimping

that slumlord Rezko in letters to govt officials to get him govt money? You want to see daily news of how OUR candidate tied to that sort of government corruption? Just nominate him for president. It will be on the news daily.

[blm]

57. Did Rezko lead to Bush2 and 9-11? Or was that Jackson Stephens and BCCI?

And....


do you own a sense of proportion?

[blm]

59. Aw....Come back and discuss. Or isn't it fun when you take on open government Dems

who know the truth about the real corruption that has hurt this country as it protects the secrecy and privilege of the powerful elite like the Bushes and their moneyed friends.

Especially their moneyed friends from Arkansa, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Who would've thought the a man from Arkansas like Jackson Stephens would be such a pivotal figure in the rise of WalMart AND an international bank like BCCI that funded so many global terror networks?

[Egnever]

68. This is exactly what pushed me to him originally

I have been pleasantly surprised by other things about him ever since.

[tishaLA]

2. me too. gobama!

[MagsDem]

6. And you can't tell us why either?

Obama = media creation

[MH1]

12. Evidently you didn't read #10

Or you just don't care about those substantive issues that the poster did a very good job of explaining.

[MagsDem]

18. Number one, he posted after I did....

Number two... net neutrality? Are you kidding me? I still haven't stopped laughing. You'd put our party's nomination of someone that has never even run a federal campaign against a real opponent because he agrees with you on net neutrality????????

[tishaLA]

28. please piss somewhere else

ordinarily, i'd be more than happy to answer your question--you'll pardon me for stepping away from the computer--but your tone throughout this thread has been disgusting and disrespectful to posters. so you can believe what you want about how i'm too stupid to make up my own mind without the media and you can happily support the candidate you chose who, i am sure, reflects your superior intellect and ability to see through the media's gauze.

[David Zephyr]

64. Gobama!

So proud!

[1corona4u]

3. Actually the best candidate was steamrolled by your candidate.

Too bad for this country.

[David Zephyr]

65. Fortunately, Joe Biden now has a higher profile and respect than ever before.

I think you know how highly I regard Joe. He certainly was right on Iran. You were one of his best advocates.

[AtomicKitten]

4. I vote yes on this OP!

Cheers.

[MagsDem]

7. And you have no idea as well, right?

[David Zephyr]

62. Cheers right back to you.

Feels great supporting Obama!

[cali]

5. I feel exactly the same way, David

I thought a lot about the candidates and did a lot of homework, finally deciding on Obama the day before the Iowa primary. I only become more firmly committed as time passes.

[MagsDem]

8. So maybe you can explain it....

Why should we vote for someone with so little experience, who doesn't have a history of progressive policy implementation, and has never won a federal election against an actual candidate?

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Frustrating isn't it?

I'm not surprised that we all have different takes on the candidates, but I've been shocked by the BushBot-like way that the mentality of personality cults dominates the discussion.

[MagsDem]

14. It really is Bush-bot like, isn't it?

I swear to god, sometimes I sign on here and I am convinced DU has been totally infiltrated with them. There is just no reason why this guy should have the kind of support he has. He's not particularly progressive, he doesnt have enough experience for the job, he hasn't even demonstrated he can run a federal campaign when the going gets tough. It's got to be people mindlessly doing what the media tells them to -- it's the only thing that even begins to explain it.

[GoldieAZ49]

22. Wrong

The media didn't tell me who to vote for, no one did (except here on DU)

The media is a tool for information, seeing him speak in 2004 knowing there was something there, him and Harold Ford

Listening to the Candidates, reading their platform, do you trust and believe them. For me the only candidate I can answer yes to is Obama

[MagsDem]

26. Oh please, if Obama was white the media would be

completely ignoring him. For one reason.... he is completely unqualified for the job.

[cali]

36. I don't have TV. I don't listen to talk radio or read the shit that you perhaps do.

I have two MA's in history. I've written extensively here about why I support Obama. I don't do it anymore. I'm sick of the santimonious bullshit demanding that I explain why I support Obama. It's endless. It's dishonest. It's pointless. You've made up your mind and it's a closed dark little thing. You're ignorant about Obama and you're simply baiting.

[MagsDem]

47. So, you've near seen a debate, you've never watched him whine

and complain about how unfair it is that people are actually running against him, and you've never heard him sputter when he gets challenged on the issues. I have a closed mind? My mind was wide open until I found out and watched him demonstrate his complete ignorance on the issues, his pandering to the right, and his lack of experience. Sounds like your mind is so closed you are completely ignorant of the facts.

And why, pray tell, respond to a thread about why you support Obama if you aren't going to explain why you support him? Like everyone else, you don't have a reason.

[GoldieAZ49]

16. Why I will support Obama

National Security - He will take the fight to the REAL enemy and draw troops out of Iraq as he increase their responsibility for their own security
Economy - He will let the Bush tax cuts expire and put broad middle class tax cuts in their place. Work to decrease wasteful spending and ease the credit crisis.
Energy = get alternative energy WORKING, nuclear, clean coal etc.

To name my top 3 concerns. There are more, education, immigration etc etc.

Has the ability to inspire and reach across all 'divisions' age, race, religion, political parties

He has the ability to bring more young voters into the Democratic Party than any other candidate

He wants to be President of the UNITED States of America...not just one party, and he is willing to work for it ALONGSIDE the American people.

[FiveGoodMen]

21. The republicans in DC have been out and out criminals for years -- I don't want to unite with them

It's like saying that the Justice department should try to see things from the mafia's point of view.

Just go along to get along and dump that whole RICO thing.

[GoldieAZ49]

23. some of them were replace in 2006

more of them can be replaced

especially if we have a POTUS that wants to get something done, the voters will send congressmen and senators that will work together

instead of people that will block a Democrat as POTUS

[FiveGoodMen]

27. Maybe

but what makes you so sure?

"the voters will send congressmen and senators that will work together"

Hasn't really happened so far.

[MagsDem]

24. He doesn't know jack shit about any of those things

Has George fucking Bush completely ended the criteria of being QUALIFIED to be POTUS? This post of yours just tops it for me. Hell will freeze over before I will contribute to this notion in this country that there are absolutely no qualifications for the office president in this country. He's not getting my vote for anything. For the first time in 29 years I will simply sit home.

[Tulkas]

29. Sen. Kennedy disagrees with you. I think I will believe him, thanks for playing

we have some nice parting gifts for you backstage.

[MagsDem]

33. Senator Kennedy believed Bush, too, when he told him he'd

actually fund the education package Kennedy got Dems to support when Bush was first elected. I don't now, never have, and never will vote for someone because someone else endorses them. I think for myself. So you're the one that's being "played" -- not me.

[MH1]

43. Yeah. like Clinton believed Bush on IWR and still hasn't acknowledged that she screwed up.

Like Clinton applauds "the surge worked! Yay!"

Got it.

[MagsDem]

51. I don't give a crap who Hillary Clinton endorses for anything either

Why do you let endorsers make up your mind for you?

[blm]

58. Like Bill supported Bush during his summer2004 book tour for THREE WEEKS

and defended him constantly from criticisms from the left - unfortunately, we had a Dem nominee at the time who was doing most of the public criticisms of Bush on his terrorism and Iraq war decisions - the very decisions Bill Clinton was defending throughout that entire book tour.

[David Zephyr]

63. I'd forgotten. Now I remember.

Hey blm! Good to see you. :hi:

[GoldieAZ49]

53. That is your problem not mine

Oh yes, health care, his plan is for it to be affordable for all but not Mandatory

I am supporting him because I think he is the best for this country. I don't have a personal agenda.

No one has the criteria to be the leader of the free world. None ever have. We elect base on their judgement. I trust Obama's and not any other candidates.


If you know so much about how to run this country why isn't your name on the ballot????

[cali]

32. I've explained it a dozen times or more. You've got a star

go do a fucking search with my name. And as I said upthread, you don't know jackshit.

[MagsDem]

37. Well you can use cut and paste then....

Because so far in this thread, we have one person saying "net neutrality", another claiming Obama knows all about foriegn policy, health care, and education, even though he has no experience in those areas, and someone who says he does whatever Ted Kennedy tells him to do.

This is about the 10th time I have asked this question on DU, and no one can cite any relevant experience, policy implementation, differentiation on the issues, or anything else that would speak to why we should support Obama.

[neutron]

44. because it's chic

Good stuff, Magsdem.
Going straight to my kennedy bedazzled friend.

[cali]

56. Oh fuck it. here

Obama has a progressive record in the Illinois Senate. Among other things that impressed me, he wrote and pushed through under strong odds against it, legislation requiring the taping of police interrogations of suspects. It was the first legislation of its kind in the country. He also authored legislation restricting lobbying.

Instead of just taking the money track after graduating from Columbia, he went to work in inner city Chicago as a community organizer, conducting voter registration drives- among other things. He went to Harvard law and after graduating magna, he spent 4 years as a civil rights attny, instead of going after the big bucks he could have made.

In the Senate, he's authored an unusual amount of legislation, including legislation mandating greater transparency in govt.

Obama had the judgment to oppose the war.

Now bugger off.

[David Zephyr]

61. It feels great.

I came on board the day of the Iowa caucus and you had a welcome seat for me. I remember.

What a great president he will make. So proud.

[LWolf]

42. I consider Barack Obama to be tied for worst

of all the Democrats who declared candidacy in this primary.

:shrug:

[MagsDem]

49. I do too, and it's inexplicable why the base would....

.... support him. The media has done a number on people's heads is the only credible reason I can think of. God, he's not even progressive, and he panders to right so much I can't watch him speak. It makes me sick to my stomach.

[LWolf]

66. Yes.

To consider someone who sounds more like a republican than a democrat, whose platform resembles a dlc wet dream even if he isn't an official member, to be the "best" the democratic party has to offer is simply incomprehensible.