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Opinion Obama, McCain are the best choices in May 20 primary
Obama, McCain are the best choices in May 20 primary
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At long last, Oregon will get a chance to vote in the presidential primaries, and for perhaps the first time since 1968, that vote might count for something. Ballots will go out in early May for mail voting. The actual primary date is May 20. The Observer, as always, will weigh in with an endorsement of candidates as decided after deliberation of the editorial board. In the hotly contested Democratic race, The Observer recommends a vote for Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois. While Hillary Clinton, the senator from New York, has run a spirited campaign, and the time for a legitimate female candidate for president is long overdue, we think Obama stands a better chance of taking the country where it needs to go. He’s not mired in “politics as usual.’’ He’s not a polarizing figure like Clinton. His is a fresh voice in American politics, and we need that.Obama is a man who knows how to use the bully pulpit, but he is more than just a gifted speaker. He is more than just an idealist who can spout pretty platitudes. Obama has earned a reputation as a statesman who works incrementally behind the scenes toward a goal. He knows it is unrealistic to cure what ails the economy overnight, or to make the world respect America again, overnight, or to solve the problem of 48 million uninsured Americans and spiraling health care costs, overnight. Obama will work with members of both parties to get the country moving in the right direction to begin solving these and other problems. As former Indiana Rep. Lee Hamilton said last week, “Barack Obama has the best opportunity to create a new sense of national unity and to transcend divisions within this country... .’’ We couldn’t agree more. While some folks worry about his inexperience — if elected, Obama would be 47 when taking office — it should be remembered that some of our best presidents were quite young when they took office. Examples include John F. Kennedy, who was 43 when he took office and kept the Cuban Missile Crisis from exploding into World War III. Theodore Roosevelt was 42 when taking office. He was instrumental in helping to create much of our National Park system. Concerning the war in Iraq, Obama says he would immediately begin to remove one to two combat brigades each month with the goal of having all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. He has said he would keep some troops in Iraq to protect the U.S. embassy and diplomats. He has also said he would station troops where needed if al-Qaida should attempt to build a base in Iraq, and that the troops would carry out targeted strikes on al-Qaida. For people who think the $10 billion a month spent on the war in Iraq might be better spent at home, Obama is the right choice for this election. We believe people will better respond to Obama’s style of leadership than that of his opponent. We see him bringing people together on issues and working to create a new climate for politics in America. Obama is the Democrats’ best choice. In the Republican race, Oregon voters will get a choice between Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who has for all practical purposes sewed up the nomination, and Ron Paul, a Libertarian-type Republican mostly in the race to oppose the war in Iraq and get his message of less government out there. McCain is a war hero, having served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and been shot down and taken prisoner. Much of his strength of character was built during five years as a prisoner of war under brutal conditions in Hanoi. McCain has a reputation for working across the aisle with Democrats, which will be important if any significant legislation is to be passed in the next four to eight years. And he is not purely pro war. He opposed deployment of Marines to Lebanon in 1983. He sees global treaties from a world perspective, not purely from a U.S. perspective. Some folks worry that he is too old for the job. But America has had some excellent elderly presidents, among them Ronald Reagan, who was one month shy of 70 when he took office and helped bring down the Berlin Wall and restore in Americans a faith that they lived in a truly blessed country that was a world leader with nothing to be ashamed of. Other folks are concerned McCain has a hard time changing his mind even when presented with new and compelling evidence, and worry that he has no exit strategy for the war in Iraq. People who think the U.S. is obligated to stay the course and bring democracy to those Middle East countries, who think if we don’t take the fight to the terrorists they will take the fight to us, who want to continue the slow building job there, should vote for McCain. We believe McCain’s experience and strong character will give him a head start in running the country should he be elected in November. We endorse his candidacy. |
