The Affirmative Case: David for Obama

The idea behind the Affirmative Case was pretty simple. Rather than dwell on the negative aspects of the candidate that each of our writers wouldn't be supporting in this year's presidential election, Political Machine columnists were asked to hone in on the positive attributes of the person they endorse. This may seem like something of a counter-intuitive exercise for bloggers, who are predisposed, by nature, to follow their muckraking, partisan impulses. Indeed, if blogs serve a purpose in our society (a claim worthy of serious discussion) then it is to serve as a check on the spin that is spun by politicians, media outlets, and all those who would let fly with outlandish claims. In the process, of course, many more outlandish claims are born, requiring more and more blogs to debunk them. Well, putting aside the scolding tone was precisely the point of the Affirmative Case, and the response from you has been gratifying.

Readers of my column will not be surprised to learn that, during my turn at bat, I will be writing affirmatively for Barack Obama. What may come as a shock to some, however, is my belief that the Illinois Senator is not a perfect human being. In fact, I suspect that, if elected, Mr. Obama will make a few mistakes along the way, just as he has in the past. I do not think he is a messiah, nor do I think he is the anti-Christ. The reasons that I support Obama for president are based upon less grandiose measurements than eternal damnation, the end of the United States as we know it, the magical cessation of racial hostilities, and all the other hyperbolic nonsense that shows up in the comment section of this blog written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

The single biggest factor in my strong support for Obama is his intellect. The challenges that face this country require nothing short of a top-notch mind, and, after two years of covering this campaign, I believe that Obama possesses the smarts we need.

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We are looking at a very dangerous world. Our economy is shattered. A climate crisis threatens future generations. Every year, a greater number of our fellow citizens (currently 46 million) go uninsured. As oil becomes an ever-more-precious commodity, the countries that possess it become ever more powerful. America still finds itself undergoing the unsustainable transformation from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based one. We face a staggering national debt. Truly, in every direction one looks, there is great danger for this country. In other words, the next president is going to be dealt a pretty lousy hand.

Over his brief career, Obama has shown himself to posses great intellectual and political skills. The signs of this aptitude began at Harvard Law School, when Obama became the first African American editor of the famed Harvard Law Review. He entered that position at a time of toxic division between the left and the right, and charted a steady course for the esteemed publication that few at the time believed possible.

Those attributes also served him well in the Illinois legislature, where Obama became known as both a shrewd opponent, and someone Republicans could work with. Though some have knocked him for voting "present" 129 times out of 4,000 opportunities while in office in Illinois, the truth is that those occasions almost always represented a careful strategy on Obama's part, signaling to his fellow lawmakers that he intended to compromise, but had reservations about the way a piece of legislation was written at the time. Rather than being a man who ducked accountability, Obama showed himself to be a pragmatist. In short, his tenure in Springfield showed a man who was much more than an ideologue.

When Obama delivered his famous speech before the 2004 Democratic convention, he was catapulted to national fame. Why? Because of what he said. It seems strange to have to explain that, yes, words and ideas do have power, and the vision of a post-partisan, post-racial America that Obama laid out that night was very likable indeed. Aspirational, yes. Naive, perhaps. But what are speeches for if not to rally the best instincts in human beings?

During Obama's time in the Senate, he has shown himself to be man of purpose and drive. Though he is often knocked for his ambition, what person who runs for president is not ambitious? More telling is how Obama has used his time in the Senate. Wisely. The Hope Act, The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act, The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Protection Act, The Summer Learning Demonstration Project--Obama worked hard for passage of all that legislation. He has written a total of 890 bills since joining the Senate, and co-sponsored another 1096. More importantly, he has forged alliances with Republicans and Democrats alike.

Yes, at the foundation of any endorsement lies policy agreement. I agree with Obama about a woman's right to choose, and that women should be able to sue their employer if they are not being paid the same wages as men for doing the same work. I agree with him about the need to get serious about improving education. About the concept of talking to enemies. About the need to re-adjust our tax code. About the need to get out of Iraq and focus on Afghanistan. About the need for more people to take personal responsibility for the way their children behave. About the need to keep Social Security accounts from being made susceptible to the whims of the stock market. About the need to focus on the creation of green industry. About the need to expand health care by lowering premiums. All of those are good ideas. Some will make it into law, and some will not. But I admire his agenda, and the way he articulates it.

Watching Obama navigate his way through a tough fight with Hillary Clinton, and then on through a bruising general election, I have been struck by Obama's extraordinary poise. While many of his supporters called for him to get tough or lash out at his opponents, Obama kept cool throughout. I can think of no better quality in the person who'll have his "finger on the button" than steadiness. And that's part of the paradox of Obama. On the one hand he is driven, and on the other he is measured. I would argue that the reason he has traveled so far so fast is that Americans have taken notice of this unique combination.

The next president will need to inspire the country to face the difficult challenges ahead. He will need to be an orator, a statesman, a deep thinker, and, above all, a man of vision and poise. I would submit to you that that man is Barack Obama.


Read other Affirmative Case endorsements:

Caleb for McCain

Tommy for Obama

Dave for McCain

Jay for Obama

Greg for McCain


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