My president (revisited)

So I too am officially casting my blog vote.

And I have a lot of reasons. First let me say two things:
1. Huckabee scares me to the core.
2. I think McCain would not be a bad president and while I disagree with him on many key issues, I actual admire him a great deal for many of his past actions and statements.

But I lean much more toward the democratic side. (surprise!)
So having acknowledged the Republicans, I move on to the dems. First a great big THANK YOU to Edwards for pulling out when he did. Loving Edwards for being the big man in the situation and making a decision for the whole instead of for himself.

And I don't think he will be a VP but he seems to be a stellar guy. Now that he's gone, I find that I like him a whole lot more.

And that brings me to Clinton. I LOVE Clinton.

And as a woman I would love a female president but more than that, I think Hillary is true presidential material. I feel that she knows what she is doing and how she will do it. I think that she has great ideas and platforms and has the strategies needed to see most of them come to fruition if elected. I know that she lacks the polish and panache of her husband but I think she makes up for that in true conviction and fortitude. She strikes me as a woman who can get the job done.

But if given the choice I won't vote for her.

Not this year.

Not this election.

And before I go over the whys I want to talk about Barak Obama.

Mr. Obama inspires me. (And it is not because he is sort of black and so am I). I have read his memoirs and I find him interesting, human and most importantly, dedicated. He seems to be my truest reflection in a candidate. He speaks my issues, and seems to value the same things I value. And he is new and different and fresh.

And it is his rookie status that, in my very humble opinion, makes him the best candidate for this election. He has the opportunity to bring a cohesiveness to our government that it sorely needs. He has not been around long enough to burn (many)bridges or form (many)alliances. He is our clean slate. (you know, relatively) And I think in this America, in this election, that is his strongest asset.

Also he is an excellent orator. And he is a vote for change. And so is Hillary. I think as a nation we are ready for change. I think the world is ready for us to make it clear that we are ready for change. And I think either candidate is good for this purpose - this declaration against sameness. But I think Obama has the best chance to beat the Republican nominee.

I know people (Anjali) will get annoyed when I say this but I think Hillary is the best chance we have for a Republican president. And I am so glad it will not be Romney, and I don't think Huckabee has a snowball's chance but I would rather it not be McCain either.

And I don't think that saying that this nation is not ready to elect Hillary is saying that this nation is not ready to elect a woman. I think it is just saying that this nation is not ready to elect Hillary Clinton.

As a nation we know her already. And too many of us have already passed judgment on her as a first lady.

And just a note on the election in general. Here's the thing that I keep coming to whenever I think of the next administration. Whoever takes office - they have their work cut out for them. We are a nation in trouble. With all that we know that this administration has done to our nation and the world, there can only be so much more we don't know. And our next president is severely handicapped in that regard.

It worries me that our first election for change will be ill-fated.

But I still have to make my vote.

And as my new bumper sticker says - I am an Obama Mama.