There is something to what you say, although I think you are overbuying the attack lines about bad associations. They are grasping at straws. IMO he is as honorable a presidential candidate as we are likely to get.

You are really missing the point about Obama and race. He started his campaign as a post-racial candidate, as though that was all behind us. It was part of his appeal to younger voters, who truly are growing up in a less race-oriented world than you and I did. He has been forced to confront it. If you listen to him closely you can see he does this reluctantly. He is an American archetype -- the person who works very, very hard and wants to do good. I think it's inspirational that he has made it even this far in our still divided society.

I think it's all out of my system now <g>. Obviously I want Obama to win. But I should quit bloviating about it.

>"McSame"? So now your resorting to lib ad hominems?
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>Here's what I think about Obama as straightforward as I can make it: He is a brilliant man and gifted orator. He left a strong impression at the DNC in 2004. I watched that speech and remember telling my wife to keep an eye on this guy.
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>But he's trying to win this by being the "black" candidate, appealing to the novelty. He's the one repeatedly bringing up his race in stump speeches; McCain never has. His positions are murky, at best, and if you take away the folks who are voting for him because they are sick of the GOP and/or Bush and those who are voting for him because he is black, what are you left with?
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>Indeed, he is a very rare candidate. Rare in that his charm, elocution, and ethnicity have allowed him to almost completely forego the normal scrutiny a presidential candidate would expect. He's had some very questionable associations and decisions over the years and I think that counts for something.
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>>I am really not into labels or firsts at all. Yeah, I think it would be kind of cool, and a good signal to the rest of the world, if we elected a black candidate. But that isn't why I'm for Obama. IMO he is a very rare candidate in our lifetimes. It's an easy choice for me to prefer him to McSame, who wants to build a bridge to the 20th century. (And not necessarily the latter part). It's a sign of how conservative the U.S. has become that this race is even close.