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Senator Obama


Bruce551

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 A President Like My Father

By CAROLINE KENNEDY

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.

 

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 A President Like My Father

By CAROLINE KENNEDY

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.

 

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"Posted by R.Win [ 27 January 2008 | 6:58PM ]

I like Obama Sin(ator) Laden too, I am very anxious to see what'll happen if he does become president"

incidentally, and not to take anything away from your (genius-level) comedy, but *Obama* is a KENYAN surname, whereas "Osama" (or Usama, same thing) is a common arabic given name.

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Thanks for comments everyone. I like Obama too. I think he would just man to lead a "new" American foreign policy that would encourage peace & co-operation and begin to repair the terrible damage of the Bush years.

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equally incidentally Barack Obama is not a muslim. - zeusbheld

yes but he did spend many of his formative years in Jakarta when his small family did not have big money. In his autobiography he writes of these experiences and how they shaped his understanding of the developing (and muslim) peoples of the world. good stuff from where I vote.

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I'm impressed with what Caroline Kennedy wrote.

But Obama does not inspire in me the feelings John F. Kennedy did. Nor am I impressed with him getting only one quarter of the white (male and female) Democrat vote in South Carolina.

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He has to be the Dem candidate because Hillary is unelectable... Too many people have a long enough memory...

If McCain is the Republican candidate, Obama is the only Dem who can beat him. If any other Republican candidate is offered, any Dem, including Hillary would win.

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Posted by Loburt [ 27 January 2008 | 8:49PM ]

I'm impressed with what Caroline Kennedy wrote.

.... Nor am I impressed with him getting only one quarter of the white (male and female) Democrat vote in South Carolina. "

been to south carolina? it's impressive.

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for three candidates, Obama is the best as my view. I really hope for positive change if he win the election.

It's not only for America but world, as America influent over most of most of countries and world economics.

(i never fancy this idea of influence) ...

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Posted by Loburt [ 27 January 2008 | 8:49PM ]

I'm impressed with what Caroline Kennedy wrote.

.... Nor am I impressed with him getting only one quarter of the white (male and female) Democrat vote in South Carolina. "

Posted by Zeus: "been to south carolina? it's impressive."

As a matter of fact, I have. And while there are certainly plenty of redneck racists there, you can probably find as many racists in Brooklyn, Philadelphia or many Western states. You talk about it like it's Mississippi in the 1960s. That's as outdated as calling NYC the murder and crime capital of the country. Are you going to tar the whole south?

And at this point, I would think most racist whites in the south would be Republicans by now, as they have been voting that way for more than a quarter century now.

So winning only 25% of the white Democratic vote is, frankly, pretty pathetic. It's definitely not "impressive.''

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Posted by Loburt [ 27 January 2008 | 8:49PM ]

I'm impressed with what Caroline Kennedy wrote.

But Obama does not inspire in me the feelings John F. Kennedy did. Nor am I impressed with him getting only one quarter of the white (male and female) Democrat vote in South Carolina. <<<<

i would guess that says more about the whites in south carolina that is does about Obama !! recently Hillary had appeared to be riding on the coat tails of her husband, which to me is pathetic .... and he hasn't exactly covered himself in glory recently either !!!

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interesting situation right now with the possibilities of making history.

McCain - oldest President.

Clinton - 1st female President

Obama - 1st Afro-American President

Pity that Condo Rice isn't running as it would be interesting to see her and Hillary against each other . . . . meeeoooowwwwwwwwwww !!

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Among Democrat candidates, I initially supported Senetor Joe Biden. He seems to have strongest foreign policy experience (Well, he's a Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.) But well, he's not really a well known name among American voters. There're basically only 2 candicates left on Democrat side (John Edwards is a long shot). I don't think there're much difference between Clinton's and Obama's platforms, but I feel like Senetor Clinton is a lot stronger in terms of experience. She is exceptionally smart. Some voters look for hopes in candidates' words, but some look for policies that will work.

On the Republican side, I'm just happy Rudy Giuliani becomes more and more irrelevant in this race. He will be worse than Bush if elected President. The man is obviously ruthless, narrow-minded, and in love with power. The leading candidate, Senator John McCain, is very well-respected to both conservatives and liberals. I think he is the candidate with a chance to beat Democrats in general election. But I don't think he knows too much about economies, compared to Romney. Dr. Ron Paul is still a long shot, but I am still his biggest fan.

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