fiberhart

Politics

Well, I've avoided any political statements or rants on my blog, but today will be an exception. I have been avidly following the race since the beginning of the primary season, and last night was a fascinating political TV experience.

To her credit, Sarah Palin did not self-destruct, as she did with Katie Couric. She actually strung multiple sentences together that weren't gibberish. She did hold her own for much of the debate, and I'm glad Joe Biden recognized that and treated her like any other debate opponent.

I'm not that familiar with Biden- I've spent most of my life in the West, except for seven years around Chicago. I thought he nailed it- he knows the issues, gave specifics, and met her head on without condescension. I'd sleep easily with him a heartbeat from the presidency. Her, I'd have nightmares.

In addition to morphing into a CNN junkie, I've also become more familiar with poltics on the web. Today, I found this link to an editorial in the New Yorker on Andrew Sullivan's blog. It put into words precisely why I will vote for Obama this election- not because he is the lesser of two evils, but because I am inspired by him, I respect him, and I believe he is the right man at the right time. My profession is human behavior, and watching his calm, thoughtful demeanor through multiple crises has only reinforced that belief.

I was especially interested by the reference to his first book, Dreams from my Father. I read before the 2004 Democratic convention, and don't even remember why I picked the book up. Whatever the reason, his life story resonated with me, and I have been following his rise in the national scene ever since. I do believe his early years make him uniquely suited to lead our country at this time in our history. We are at a critical juncture,and can't afford to continue down the same tired road, with the same tired policies any longer.