Barak Obama '08

Seems like the long and arduous Democratic Party primary process is finally over. Barak Obama will more than likely be the Democrat's presidential candidate. His rallying cry for change won out at the end, and hopefully it'll win out nationally.

I think I put it best when Obama announced his candidacy on Feb. 10, 2007:

Today Barack Obama officially announced his candidacy for the Presidential election of 2008. Senator Obama is something this country can lean on. He's charismatic, relatively new to the [national] political scene, enthusiastic and optimistic about politics rather than cynical,has strong ideologies, and intelligent. All of these things are rare together in a individual politician.

It wouldn't be too big of a stretch to liken Sen. Obama to an Andrew Jackson, a Abraham Lincoln, a Teddy Roosevelt, a Franklin Roosevelt, a John F. Kennedy, or a Ronald Reagan.These are all presidents that have revitalized the office after uncertain times before. Specifically, Lincoln and Jackson were both young and in a similar predisposition to the presidency as Sen. Obama is right now.

It'll be an interesting election at the very least, a well-experienced, aged, moderate Republican in John McCain competing against the young, dynamic, idealistic Democrat in Barak Obama. This will be a historical election because at this point, the United States are at a crossroads. Between the military campaigns in the Middle East, creeping threats of inflation and monetary devaluation, the implosion of the housing market, an impending overhaul of the American health care system, political and disaster crises in other regions of the world (Burma and China/Tibet for example), and the issue of terrorism in general, the next 4 to 8 years will be critical. Whoever wins in November will shape the United States' place in the world and in history.

In other news, Hillary Clinton said she'd accept a VP bid if the party feels it'll help them. Good for her, glad she's not going to retire like a couple of rumors suggested. This entire process was a long and arduous one, lets hope it didn't create any rifts within the party to slow it down. First congress in '06, now the executive in '08! Here's for Obama and change!

Uncharacteristically Optimistic,
Greg

P.S.- If you're a Yankee fan, please catch the game tonight, it starts at 7 and will probably be on YES. Tonight will be Joba Chamberlin's first start of his career at the big show. He's been absolutely lights-out as a reliever for the last half year (counting the last quarter of last year and the first third of this one). Hopefully, Joba can replicate some of that success at the very least. Don't expect too much today, he's limited to 70 pitches- that'll probably take him into the 4th or 5th innings, maybe the 6th if he's drawing a lot of contact. Once Phil Huges and Ian Kennedy are right again, we'll be set for the next 10 years. Here's to that as well!

P.P.S.- [edited at 11 PM] Here's a transcript from Obama's victory speech.