As I was checking my email this morning, I see an email from the Barack Obama emailing list. The heading says: Barack Obama Exploratory Committee. Wait, a sec. That's something new! I quickly skim through the email and excitedly click on the youtube link, which can be seen at this link. Barack Obama is setting up an exploratory committee.
I'm a pretty cynical person when it comes to politics, but Barack Obama can usually reverse that a bit. It has been commented on plenty of times before and I've even written about it before. I even look at all the media coverage and say Barack Obama far too good to be true and sometimes get annoyed by the amount of attention that the media gives him for only being a junior senator who has only teased us with hints about running for presidency. But when I heard that there is an exploratory committee and he will announce his intention to run on February 10, I was excited and again stunned that I've found myself captured by the rockstar allure of a senator. I still am, as I'm hammering out this blog post.
As the euphoria of the announcement wears off, the realism comes in. An exploratory committee isn't a nomination. My copy of <i>America: The Book</i> mocks the exploratory committee as "groups of one or more of your best friends whose job it is to tell you how much people like you."
There's also the other Democratic candidates out there. There's John Edwards, whose wife has now recovered from cancer and is ready to run according to his podcast. Hilary Clinton, the divisive political powerhouse. I'm constantly worried that all the candidates for presidency are going to split the vote and will ruin the chances for a Democrat in office in 2008. As the Daily Show would say, "If anyone can screw this up, the Democrats can." But somehow I'm still filled with optimism. This is Barack Obama, the fresh new face of the Democrats and gosh darnit, as a new voter, I like him! I hope for the best and eagerly am waiting until Feb 10 when we will get to find out his decision.
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I do not think he will make it into the white house though. Our politics are really conservative. I do not see him or Clinton winning at all this upcoming election.
But then again this recent election rather surprised me with the democrats taking power so I guess anything is possible.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
http://www.NRA.org/
Who knows who the democrats are going to finally pick. The 2008 election will be an almost photocopy election for democrats in 2008. What I mean is:
1. There will be every democrat out there running for president who has ever had the minutest of press coverage. So about 20 democrat hopefuls.
2. There will be your eccentrics, and people who have no chance(Clinton).
3. And of course you copious amount of mudslinging only democrats can promise.
2008, a photocopy of 2008? I don't think it's even a photocopy of 2004. The political landscape is completely different, the Democrats have the ball in their court and can take bigger risks with Obama. Clinton, although very divisive even has a chance just because of how much political power she has behind her. (Although, I personally agree that she wouldn't win.)
I thinkt hat somebody like Obama has enough personal, as well as political appeal to make it. I also think he has enough personality to run on a better platform than, "At least I am not a Republican." If he can set up an actual foundation for running and not rely on the dissatisfaction with Bush to get him in I think he's got a chance. The end of a President's 2nd term usually brings out a lot of hopefuls in the opposing party, especially when the President has such dismal approval ratings.
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.