Change We Can Believe In

Last Wednesday at the "Cville for Obama" Rally I officially endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States. (The Daily Progress ran a photo of me at the rally that made me look even goofier than usual.) After watching Barack work his way through the recent primaries and try to stay on the high road in keeping with his new brand of politics (combining a positive & progressive vision for change with a focus on bringing people together instead of 'wedging' them apart), I am more convinced than ever that he is the right choice to lead this nation. Plus he's funny as heck, and you gotta like a presidential candidate who even takes a moment on the campaign trail to make some unscripted remarks against animal cruelty. Most importantly, I happen to think he's right on the major issues confronting our nation -- and unlike some other candidates, he would not have looked the other way (or cheered from the sidelines) as we marched right into the biggest foreign policy debacle of my lifetime.

At Wednesday's rally I read aloud one of my favorite Obama quotes, from Nov. 2007, and thought I'd share it here as well:

“I'm in this race for the same reason that I fought for jobs for the jobless and hope for the hopeless on the streets of Chicago; for the same reason I fought for justice and equality as a civil rights lawyer; for the same reason that I fought for Illinois families for over a decade… That's why I'm running...to keep the American Dream alive for those who still hunger for opportunity, who still thirst for equality.”

We need this man in the White House.