Vote Obama/Biden... Please, I'm Begging You

Ok, here's the deal: I'm a registered Independent. I like having the freedom to vote the candidates and not get railroaded by party lines. As such, I am always hesitant to seriously endorse a candidate. Once you jump on the bandwagon, it's easy to lose objectivity. But I'm sitting here in my hotel room in San Francisco watching the VP debate and, screw it... We need to elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

We have suffered for almost 8 years under the governance of a fear-mongering, divisive, incompetent administration. When we have an opportunity to put two candidates into the Executive who have conducted themselves with poise, intelligence and a demonstrated capacity to focus on policy instead of partisanship, it is inexcusable to do otherwise.

When I'm watching a VP candidate speak, I'm not thinking about how that candidate is going to perform as president of the Senate. I'm thinking about about how they're going to perform as president of the United States. And right now, I'm watching Sarah Palin speak. Have the political standards of the Amerian people sunk so low that we will tolerate this joke of a candidate? Ok, silly question.

But the only reason I'm able to stomach this debate is because from time-to-time Sarah Palin's folksy, pre-packaged, totally irrelevant drivel is interrupted by a sound answer from Joe Biden.

This woman is almost as painful as George Bush. Did she just say "nuke-yuh-ler weapons?" She IS George Bush: Woefully underqualified for an executive role in the federal government, unfit to serve as an ambassador of the American public and lacking basic grammar and articulation.

This debate is encouraging. Largely because I hope a lot of Americans who were thinking about voting McCain/Palin are cringing at what the Governor of Alaska is saying this evening. And maybe for the first time, they're thinking of how embarassing it would be to have the Governor of Alaska carrying the American standard if anything were to happen to their 72 year old Presidential candidate.

In putting in writing how strongly I feel about electing Obama and Biden (or more appropriately, NOT electing McCain and Palin), I'm exposing myself to criticism should their administration fail to meet it's potential. This is a limb I wouldn't have crawled out on for Gore, or Kerry, or Hillary Clinton. But I'm starting to believe that Obama represents something different. I'm excited about the prospect of seeing a leader I respect in the Oval Office. As a nation, we have an opportunity to make a bold statement that heightens expectations for our leaders. So please, let's not screw this up again. Vote Obama/Biden.