- Top Features:
- War Room
- Glenn Greenwald
- Broadsheet
- Joan Walsh
- Camille Paglia
- Since You Asked
- Follow Salon:
White House
President Barack Obama 2008 -- The Only Choice (Part 4)
Robert Caron -- 05:00 pm Pacific Time -- Jul 28, 2008 -- #6713 of 6948
Good evening, everyone.
Work and family issues have kept me away for the last seven weeks.
I work in the insurance industry in downtown Boston. People are staying off the roads in droves thanks to high energy prices and our business is down 40 percent from last year. Since my company has not chosen to diversify its geographic base and since I'm the newest employee in my department and both single and childless, I'm out of a job.
As you might imagine, I'm more than a little annoyed. (Thank God, I refinanced my mortgage before the rates climbed.) I left a stable, albeit lower paying, job early this year to take the position in Boston. I'm eligible for unemployment benefits, I got a decent severance package and my company has informed me I'm eligible for rehire.
In other words, you can officially mark me down as an Obamacon or Obamalican, or whatever you call those of us on the Republican side who are fed up with Bush and the current Republican Party and who will support the Democratic nominee this November.
While I admired Senator Obama's Clinton slaying prowess and respected his skills as an orator and politician, I had no serious plans to vote for him. But things have become worse in the last two months for both myself and the country as a whole.
Yeah, I don't agree with Barack Obama on the Iraq war or on 65-70 percent of his policy positions, but something's got to give. As much as I respect Senator McCain, he just doesn't get it.
John McCain's idiotic attacks on Obama's patriotism, taken together with his reversals of his previous (and admirable) positions on major issues (the Bush tax cuts, offshore drilling, etc.) and his willingness to associate with pond scum like Karl Rove and Company, have pushed me out of his camp. The John McCain of eight years ago is no more. The so called "Maverick" is an establishment tool who, if elected, will owe plenty of favors to the kind of corporatists and party hacks -- the defense industry, the oil companies, shitheads like King Karl -- who've helped make such a mess of things in the last seven and a half years.
We, the Republican Party, are not worthy and do not deserve another four years. Under President Bush we've betrayed every principle we've stood for as a national party -- fiscal responsibility and discipline, limited government and a foreign policy guided by realism and coalition building.
Competence and integrity have no ideology. Obama in '08.
Best of Table Talk is an ongoing feature of Salon's vibrant community forum. Older posts of the week can be found in TT. Want to join the discussion? Sign up here.
BOOKS
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Obama's first book, a memoir focused on personal issues of race, identity, and community.
By Barack Obama
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Obama's second book, in which he shares his personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people.
By Barack Obama
10 reasons there's a bright future for journalism
An optimistic take on what's coming, both for news outlets and news consumers.
By Mark Glaser, Salon
Obama: From Promise to Power
In this compelling book, a Chicago Tribune reporter draws on interviews with Obama, his family, friends, and rivals, as well as his own extensive coverage since Obama's days in the Illinois Senate, to offer a nuanced look at a man of idealism and ambition intent on making history.
By David Mendell
SPEECHES
July 28, 2004: Obama's first national prime-time speech
In this speech, Barack Obama urges America to remember its unity, pledging that "out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come."
August 28, 2008: Obama's acceptance of the Democratic Party's presidential nomination
In this speech, Obama lays into John McCain, describing him as "anything but independent."
November 5th, 2008: Obama's victory speech
In this speech, Obama tells his ecstatic supporters, and the entire nation, that "change has come to America."
January 20, 2009: Obama's inaugural address
The new president calls upon the nation to face its challenges head on, with determination, strength and a commitment to ensuring the delivery of freedom to future generations.
SALON STORIES
How would Barack Obama handle foreign policy?
The presidential contender on dealing with Iran, fighting AIDS in Africa and restoring America's standing in the world.
By Walter Shapiro, Salon
Chicago is Barack Obama's kind of town
The city has a unique history of launching the careers of powerful black politicians -- which is part of the reason Obama moved there.
By Edward McClelland, Salon
American revolutionary
In his acceptance speech, Barack Obama stood up for Democratic values, took the fight to McCain -- and proved that the United States is still capable of reinventing itself.
By Walter Shapiro, Salon
Barack Obama's epic win
The culmination of a brilliant campaign, Obama's unequivocal defeat of John McCain marks a political and generational transformation.
By Walter Shapiro, Salon
Barack Obama, honeymoon killer?
The Clintonites in his Cabinet, forgiveness for Lieberman, the creeping signs of centrism -- progressives aren't ready to panic, yet.
By Mike Madden, Salon
"A new era of responsibility"
Mixing straight talk about dire times with lofty rhetoric about hope and determination, Obama repudiates Bush and vows to get to work.
By Mike Madden, Salon
OTHER STORIES
The Conciliator
Where is Barack Obama coming from?
By Larissa MacFarquhar, The New Yorker
Time's "Person of the Year" coverage of Obama
A strangely fascinating database of Obama-formation, including everything from "6 Degrees of Obama" to a collection of Obama-themed art from Flickr.
Time
The presidency of Barack Obama
This New York Times megapage is the last word on Barack Obama, including everything from his personal biography to his current political stance on detainees and Africa.
The New York Times
Afghanistan: What's the Best Bad Choice?
Tiger Comes Clean, Issues Statement
President Declares Friday National Day of Leftovers