.

I'm very appauled at this poll question! I'm an African-American that is a registered Republican, but I VOTE for whom I feel is BEST for the job. I don't know every single Black person in America, but I feel that they have a RIGHT to vote for Obama for what EVER reason he/she chooses. This is AMERICA!!!!! We have to take the GOOD with the BAD. I could have said the same thing back in the 50s when WHITES voted for people that were BIGGOTS and belonged to the KLAN. OR, why do people blindly followed Bill Clinton or President Bush!!!!! Stop with the damn RACE card, and give people he/she personal LIBERTY and FREEDOM to vote for the person of their choice!

Thanks!

Smokey

You can say stop with the race card all you want too... but it's obvious that its happening right now. We are not allowed to say anything like this or else we are racists or we are using the race card. I see how this is happening right now and I wish more ppl were like you and voted for who would be the BEST president. All I see is ppl voting on a false message of hope... it sounds good to some but how is he going to accomplish all these changes he talks about? Have you looked at his voting record... he talks soo much about education but failed to even take a stand on half of the bills for education. I think its going to take alot more than "borrowed" words to get this country on the right track... It's time for ALL americans to vote on the important issues in front of us and who is the most capable person to do it.

Very good points Nina!

Thanks

Very good point Nina's

You know I wrote this blog a while back but if I were to write it today I would probably change "blacks" to "people" because so many people now of all races are following this young Senator on the promise of "change" and "unity" but they have no basis to formulate his ability to deliver except for his words. I ask people all the time , "Why do you like Senator Obama over Senator Clinton?" and without fail it's always, "I don't know, I just like him."

This is not a popularity contest, we are voting for the leader of the free world and I think we should have a better reason than, "I like him."

After watching the debate last night, there are a few initiatives that he wants to push through that I agree wtih.

People call him young and inexperienced, but many really fail to realize that he has sevred over two decades for the public in politics.

I'm not a Barak supporter, but please read below some of his accomplishments:

Obama took an active role in the Senate's drive for improved border security and immigration reform. In 2005, he co-sponsored the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).[56] He later added three amendments to the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act", which passed the Senate in May 2006. Obama supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act, authorizing construction of fencing and other security improvements along the Mexico–United States border.[58] President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act into law in October 2006, calling it "an important step toward immigration reform."[59]

Partnering first with Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), and then with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Obama successfully introduced two initiatives bearing his name. "Lugar-Obama" expands the Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines.[60] The "Coburn-Obama Transparency Act" provides for the web site USAspending.gov, managed by the Office of Management and Budget. The site lists all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward and provides breakdowns by the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given, and the purpose of the grant or contract.[61] In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.[62]

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In August 2005, he traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction as a first defense against potential terrorist attacks.[63] Following meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq in January 2006, Obama visited Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. At a meeting with Palestinian students two weeks before Hamas won the legislative election, Obama warned that "the U.S. will never recognize winning Hamas candidates unless the group renounces its fundamental mission to eliminate Israel."[64] He left for his third official trip in August 2006, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. In a nationally televised speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries and corruption in Kenya.[65]

In the first month of the newly Democratic-controlled 110th Congress, Obama worked with Russ Feingold (D–WI) to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress and require disclosure of bundled campaign contributions under the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act", which was signed into law in September 2007.[67] He joined Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in sponsoring S. 453, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections, including fraudulent flyers and automated phone calls, as witnessed in the 2006 midterm elections.[68] Obama's energy initiatives scored pluses and minuses with environmentalists, who welcomed his sponsorship with John McCain (R-AZ) of a climate change bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050, but were skeptical of his support for a bill promoting liquefied coal production.[69] Obama also introduced the "Iraq War De-Escalation Act", a bill to cap troop levels in Iraq, begin phased redeployment, and remove all combat brigades from Iraq before April 2008.[70]

Later in 2007, Obama sponsored with Kit Bond (R-MO) an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges, and calling for a review by the Government Accountability Office following reports that the procedure had been used inappropriately to reduce government costs.[71] He sponsored the "Iran Sanctions Enabling Act" supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry,[72] and joined Chuck Hagel (R-NE) in introducing legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.[73] A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.[73] Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.[74] After passing both houses of Congress with bipartisan majorities, SCHIP was vetoed by President Bush in early October 2007, a move Obama said "shows a callousness of priorities that is offensive to the ideals we hold as Americans."[75]

You know Smokey, let me just say this first, I have nothing against Senator Obama and if he is the Dem nominee he will have my 100% support but I just happen to like Hillary more and for me it's historical and historical because of her introduction of the paradigm of universal healthcare back in '93 when it was shot down by Newt and his gang. I'll grant you that Senator Obama has considerable experience but I feel that Hillary's experience is much more germane to the office of president and yes I'll say it, she'll have Bill to advise her and personally I think we did very well under Bill Clinton.

Now Somkey, that being said, here is another thing to consider, the next few years are going to be rough, we already see the signs in the economy and in world wide events. It will not be easy and things will probably get worse in the next four years and people will have forgotten about George Bush and his failed policies that initiated the state of affairs. The buck will stop with the president and I fear that Senator Obama may live the fate of Jimmy Carter (who he is very similar to in many respects) and wind up being a one term president who leaves in disgrace. There will be many who will attribute it to the misery to him and say "I told you so." if you can read between my lines.

But let's see how things turn out and the difference today of when I wrote this blog in January is that we now know a lot more about Senator Obama. I'm for Hillary but if Senator Obama gets the nomination all us Dems should and will come together stand behind Senator Obama and get him into the White House.

You scared me with the Jimmy Carter comparrison because I was in grade school and was very embarrassed of the Carter failures.

I'm not sold and either right now. While in a car pool yesterday, a guy said, "What gives Hillary experience? Living in the White for 8 years doesn't consititute experience."

My father is a retired Colonel in the Airforce. I lived with him and my family for 20 years. In saying that, I can't say I have experience flying airplanes because my father was in the Airforce. My Dad can also advise me how to fly a jet, but I have a strong possibility to crash and burn.

I feel that way about Hillary. I think she's a fine legislator, and possibly a good Senator, but I feel that she's not the BEST person to rally both parties together and move forward.

McCain is a moderate, but after his statement about leaving troops in Iraq for 100 years, really turned my stomach.

I'm really thinking about who I'm going to vote for this time. In my opinion, Hillary sounds more Presidential (more than Barack), but like yourself, I want to get it right THIS TIME around.

Thanks for your comment!

Smokey

Smokey,

Obama is a complete fraud. He has no senate record. Read this article.

http://www.yesweekly.com/main...

m,

Obama is not a fraud. He does have a week Senate voting record (and his attendance is poor), but I'm a little concerned about how he pumps people up with empty rhetoric about change.

Smokey

You know Smokey, Obama's ability to inspire is his biggest assest because that is what a leader is about, helping us to understand and to believe that our destinies are in our hands and ultimately we can do as much or as little about any situation as we want. One of the best president of the last century didn't know if he was coming or going but he was able to inspire us and our contry prospered under him and of course you know I'm talking about Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was not a smart man but he surrounded himself with good people who helped him make decisions and then he communicated the idea. Now Senator Obama is much sharper than Reagan ever was and although he is inexperienced he does have a lot of good people who are aboard and I think, no I'm sure our country is going to prosper under his administration.

Why do you like Clinton over Obama?

I don't know who I like right now. All three front runners, McCain, Barack, and Hillary appeal to me. I'm really doing some soul searching right now, but I haven't joined the bandwagon.

Smokey

Me neither, I just dont care for Hillary. Most of her ideas seem to really conflict with personal liberties, and some of the constitution and that kind of bothers me.

I dont think she is "evil".....just dont agree you know.

Its a shame the candidates that would have been good for the country have already left the building or have a long shot of winning.

Who did you like Romney, Thompson, or Keyes?

haha You'll make fun of me but I liked Paul and Kucinich the best. I did like Thompson on some ideas.

You know ZK, the problem with people like Ron Paul is that they make to much sense and that just goes over the head of 90% of the population. Ron Paul is really the candidate of change and the candidate who best represents the original principles of our nation but so many are like me that become infatuated and dogmatized to one issue (for me its healthcare) and select our candidate on that issue overlooking the flaws. I support Hillary when I really shouldn't being that I am 100% pro life.