Why I Support Barack Obama

Several people have asked me why I am voting for Barack Obama for president this fall.  This is my attempt to explain my enthusiasm.  Certainly not exhaustive (addressing all salient issues), nor a treatise on why YOU should vote for him, what follows is a personal account of the reasons he's won me over.

I am not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican.  Though I may find myself with liberal leanings on many political issues, I also identify with several conservative views as well.  I'd like to think I approach issues thoughtfully, considering various opinions and perspectives.  This generally means I pretty much never agree fully with political candidates on the 'issues'; and yet, a Democrat, Barack Obama, has captured me--as he has so many others--this election cycle.

I was in Kyrgyzstan when the election hype began (yes, far too early, I agree).  I borrowed a DVD from a fellow Talas volunteer whose mother routinely recorded her favorite TV shows and sent them across the world.  The DVD included an episode of the Oprah Winfrey show.  Now, I am by no means an avid Oprah fan, but in Kyrgyzstan, you will pretty much watch anything if it's in English.  The guest on this particular episode was a freshman Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama (long before he declared his candidacy for president).  I don't remember details of the show, but I remember being impressed, infused with a tiny spark that maybe, just maybe, this guy was different.  He seemed different.  I liked him.

Then I came across a copy of The Audacity of Hope in an ad hoc PCV library at Jess & Joe's apartment.  I read the book, well, hopefully.  Could this guy really be as amazing as he seemed? Chapter by chapter, I found myself more and more impressed, more and more convinced; by the end of the book, I was sold.  Barack Obama had my support.  

But why?  I know, I know, I have yet to provide any substantive reasons for my affinity.  If you, like me, prefer bullet points to meandering story, please excuse my narrative.  Bullet points commence!

• He acknowledges the complexity of issues.  In an increasingly polarized political culture where we prefer 10-second sound bites to intelligent discussion of complex issues, candidates are often accused of being 'wishy-washy' for considering multiple perspectives.  I understand that leadership requires decision-making, but I prefer a president who understands that issues are complex to one who can only see his own perspective.  I have seen from his books and speeches that Barack Obama is devoted to understanding the perspectives of people he disagrees with, and for this I respect him highly.
• He doesn't demonize or denigrate those who disagree with him.  It's easy to have your views and label everyone else as stupid or ignorant or evil.  We all know this is rarely the case, however.  The truth is that most people actually have reasons for believing and supporting certain things.  In his speech at the Democratic Convention, Obama said of John McCain, "[He] has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect... What I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism."  How refreshing to have a candidate who doesn't seem to bitterly hate or deride his opponent!  
• He seems to truly be devoted to doing politics differently.  He hasn't always been a politician with his eyes on the power and glory of the presidency.  He started his career as a community organizer in Chicago, working with the underprivileged 'in the trenches', so to speak.  He has the on-the-ground experience that roots him in more than vain ambition.  As a U.S. Senator, he made a commitment not to fly in private jets; throughout his campaign, he has not accepted money from lobbyists or Political Action Committees; he refuses to engage in negative campaigning.  I believe he has the potential to change the way politics-as-usual is done in America; and a victory in November would show our nation that doing things differently--ethically--actually does work.  
• He provides a refreshing alternative for the growing number of more liberal Christians who are tired of the monopoly Republicans have claimed to hold over religious voters.  Barack Obama talks about faith in a way that strikes a cord with me and many of my Christian friends.  He doesn't restrict his discussion of faith to the so-called 'moral issues' of abortion and gay marriage.  He reflects a view many of us hold that faith should inform our views on poverty, the environment, war, how we interact with other nations, health care, and immigration.  He gave a speech about faith at the Call to Renewal conference in 2006 that moved me deeply.  You can read it here.

Two of Barack Obama's campaign slogans are 'Hope' and 'Change'.  Sure, anyone can put a word on a yard sign.  I acknowledge the possibility that I, and all of us who have rallied around him, could in fact find ourselves sorely disappointed.  He could turn out to be a power-hungry politician like all the rest; it could have all just been rhetoric and spin.  But I don't think so. Barack Obama has inspired so many Americans to hope that change is possible in Washington, that there is a new way to do politics that puts people first, not lobbyists and interest groups, that it's possible to work together with others even when we disagree.  And so, I too have the audacity to hope, to hope that Barack Obama can deliver, and that America will be a better nation as a result.

Of course, I do not speak for Barack Obama or his campaign.  If you want to know more about his background and stance on various issues, visit his website for more information.