The Popcorn Reel Endorsement: Barack Obama For President Of The United States Of America

By Omar P.L. Moore/October 26, 2008

He is even tempered and resolute, and by demonstrating a common sense approach and level-headedness, intelligence and a willingness to have inclusive conversations with those across the political aisle he exemplifies strength and an ability to listen.  He has been more specific about what he will do on energy, social security, healthcare, taxes, and a whole host of other issues, than his opponent has.  During the course of both his Democratic primary campaign and his presidential campaign his professional demeanor and equanimity have revealed him to be presidential. 

In American politics it is often said that an indicator of just how one might behave when occupying presidential office is gauged by how the campaign for the office is run.  And judging from the last 20 months, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will bring a refreshing, much-needed clean air to Washington, D.C.  He performed exceptionally in all three presidential debates while his opponent was angry, arrogant, condescending and disrespectful.  His opponent has wildly vacillated on his positions, flip-flopping faster and more frequently than a goldfish out of water. 

Meanwhile, Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois, has not only behaved in a decent, dedicated and dignified manner, he has also elevated himself on the world stage as a credible and trustworthy individual -- something not often nor easily said about politicians. 

By contrast, Senator Obama's opponent has run the most cynical, hateful, cowardly and dishonest campaign for an American presidency in the country's 232-year history -- despite pledging earlier this year not to run a negative campaign.  (Note: John Adams apparently ran a presidential campaign in the early days of the U.S.A. where he and his opponent were calling each other's mothers "harlots".)

In short, Senator McCain's inconsistencies and actions have shown that he is bereft of leadership -- cowardly, in fact.  When his campaign preached divisiveness ("real America" vs. "fake America") and race divisions ("he's not an Arab, he's a decent, family man"), he failed to show leadership.  Instead of making an explicit statement to his supporters to stop the hateful shouts of "terrorist" and "kill him!", or making a statement publicly, or in one of his television ads, that bigotry and division wouldn't be tolerated in his campaign, he balked. 

Senator McCain failed to lead.

Make no mistake, and Senator Barack Obama has made very few of them -- among those few his appalling vote (along with Senator McCain) for the amended FISA bill which gave immunity from civil lawsuit to telecommunications companies who turned over the personal information of its millions of subscribers to the government and expanded government power to spy on Americans; and the removal of two Muslim women from a prominent backdrop at a Michigan rally with Al Gore during the summer --- should Senator Obama become the 44th president of the United States Of America, it will be imperative that those who voted both for and against him hold him accountable if he breaks a pledge or promise he has made.  The bottom line is, whomever becomes the next American president, critical questions must be raised of the office holder, regardless of party, when crises are mishandled or campaign policies suddenly fall off the radar once the victor is seated in the White House, which is often the case once a new presidency begins. 

After November 4, 2008 and after January 20, 2009, the key issues and concerns in America will continue to be two failed wars, the economy, the high rate of unemployment, volatile gas prices, restructuring a flawed healthcare system, eliminating unequal pay for women doing the same work (or more) than men, the safeguarding of women's reproductive rights, the preservation of eroding civil liberties and the country's 221-year-old constitution, the moral standing of the United States around the world and about the environment. 

These issues won't go away, and Senator Obama has shown that he is equipped to address them head on with intelligence and poise.



(Photo: ©Getty Images)

Senator Barack Obama has demonstrated that he is tough and calm under fire.  When the mainstream corporate press covered him with intense negativity and spent days and days on Reverend Wright and other distractions, he responded not with fire and brimstone but with pragmatism, discipline and a proactive way forward, rising above pettiness and "gotcha" politics.  In his book The Audacity Of Hope he clearly spells out how he believes America can prosper and thrive.  He enunciates his principles for how he would govern and in his summer trip to eight countries he exuded confidence, statesmanship and leadership.  Earlier this year he gave a profound speech ("A More Perfect Union") on race, racism and racial relations in America that was hailed by many including a number of Republicans as masterful and visionary.

Unfortunately, many, including those running the McCain campaign, as well as the Republican candidate himself, forgot about the message of the speech that Obama gave.

After eight years of what will go down as the worst presidency in American history, the country will continue to reel and struggle somewhat, even during the next Administration.  Expecting the senator to work miracles on day one is to expect a miracle in itself, and foolishly so.  Senator Obama has shown and will continue to demonstrate that he is ready and qualified to take on the challenges that an American presidency typically encounters.  Senator Obama's judgments in his brief four years as a senator, with a few exceptions, have been appropriate in every instance.  His ideas (for the timetable for withdrawal on Iraq) and rhetoric (including slogans like "change we can believe in" and "yes we can") have been appropriated by George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

It is telling that in recent weeks a number of conservative and moderate Republicans have endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States, including the son of late conservative William F. Buckley, CC Goldwater (relative of the late Arizona senator Barry Goldwater), Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower) and several state GOP representatives, including a governor.  Conservative columnists like David Frum (a former George W. Bush speechwriter), George Will, Bill Kristol, Andrew Sullivan, Christopher Hitchens and Kathleen Parker have openly criticized Senator McCain and his erratic, wayward campaign.  (Of these columnists, as of this writing so far only Mr. Hitchens and Mr. Sullivan have endorsed Senator Obama, but additional columnist endorsements from the right are likely.) 

Conservative newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times, which had never endorsed a Democratic presidential nominee in its more than 100-year history, endorsed Senator Obama two Fridays ago.  The Los Angeles Times, a conservative-leaning newspaper, which had stayed out of endorsing presidential candidates for more than three decades, also endorsed the Illinois senator, as did the Hartford Courant, which endorsed a  Democrat for president for only the second time in 244 years.  The Anchorage Daily News in Alaska endorsed Barack Obama.  General Colin Powell eloquently endorsed Barack Obama recently, as did former Republican governor Bill Weld of Massachusetts and the ultra conservative Ken Adelman, who worked as an adviser in the Reagan Administration.  Former George W. Bush press secretary Scott McClellan has also endorsed Senator Obama. 

These endorsements are an indication that Senator Obama is a unifier -- he, unlike his opponent, has brought together Americans of all races, religions, sexes, creeds and political parties to gain an unprecedented level of support throughout 2007 and 2008.  More than 100,000 people appeared two Saturdays ago in Missouri to hear him.  More than 75,000 appeared in Oregon to see him earlier this year.  More than 85,000 appeared in Denver to hear him speak at August's Democratic National Convention.  In Berlin, Germany, more than 250,000 heard him speak the month before.  (Just today, the date that this endorsement was written, over 100,000 were in Denver to hear Senator Obama speak.)



Prior to entering the political stage Barack Obama united people as a community organizer in Chicago for three years, including working on behalf of churches.  He graduated first at Harvard Law School and became the first black president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, where he reached out to the school's conservative Federalist Society and forged an alliance with them, to the dismay of some of his strongest backers.  He also taught constitutional law for 12 years at the University of Chicago.  Rather than take a job at a high powered law firm he instead became a civil rights lawyer, often doing pro bono work on behalf of community groups and the poor, and sometimes in conjunction with the U.S. Justice Department.

Senator Barack Obama is a proven leader.

And above all, it is clear that the Illinois senator would make an excellent leader at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Now more than ever, America needs a wise leader, one whom the world will respect and take seriously. 

After the last eight years -- Hurricane Katrina, Enron, 9-11-01, anthrax, power outages across the east coast and Midwest, government spying on Americans, Abu Ghraib torture, renditions, harsh treatment of Guantanamo Bay detainees, economic weakness, a false war in Iraq, general and specific failures in homeland security, bigger government, record debt (almost $11 trillion), record deficits (half a trillion dollars) and spending, excessive job loss, 48 million uninsured Americans -- how much worse could Obama possibly be?

Here's how much "worse" he would be: Senator Obama will preserve a woman's right to choose regarding reproductive rights, while his opponent, a pro-life candidate, has made no secret of his desire to overturn Roe vs. Wade.  Senator Obama will not give additional tax increases to 95% of American working families.  Many individuals and these families will get at minimum a $1000 tax credit.  Contrary to popular belief, those making under $250,000 annually --sometimes the figure is termed at $200,000 -- will not be subject to any increase in income tax.  Senator Obama will work to galvanize the disastrous American economy, facilitating tax credits for American companies who generate jobs here in the U.S. rather than ship the jobs overseas.  Senator Obama has a strong energy plan for America, featuring the greater utilization of solar, wind, and clean-coal technology.  While more than a few have issues with the idea of clean-coal, the senator plans to generate at least five million new green jobs, including construction of wind turbines. 

Senator Obama will offer more flexible healthcare plans with lower premiums and will eradicate the onerous and burdensome "pre-existing condition" stipulation that has prevented millions of Americans from obtaining the medical treatment they need, even if they are insured.  Senator Obama will end the war in Iraq within 16 months and has a strong record supporting the G.I.'s and veterans of American armies, while his opponent has voted against the G.I. Bill, calling it "too generous" and voting against veterans issues and medical care for veterans and their families eight times.  Senator Obama has looked at an invigorating education plan that will have children learning from very early on -- pre-kindergarten -- and supports individual and parental responsibility, and has advocated that government can't and shouldn't solve each and every problem.  Senator Obama has urged a three-month moratorium on foreclosures, allowing homeowners to have more time to get on their feet financially and to be in a better position to negotiate with lender for payment of principal and interest. 

These are just a few of the things that a President Obama will work hard to accomplish.

Every generation or two in America comes a leader at a time when its people need that leader the most -- a visionary, a figure perhaps a little ahead of the times.  During the Civil War and the era of enslavement in the 1800's it was Abraham Lincoln.  Just after the start of the Great Depression in the 1930's it was F.D.R.  During the post-Korean War days and the onset of tense relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the early 1960's it was John F. Kennedy.  Now, with an economy in tatters, a militarily weakened country, home foreclosure increasing and jobs rapidly disappearing, it is Barack Obama.

The choice on November 4, 2008 is clear. 

With Barack Obama as president, the future of America will be in the hands of a leader who cares about Americans and America, which can hardly be said of the current president.  Barack Obama will possess temperament, astute judgment and intelligence to do what is right and in the best interests of the United States of America.