" Well you had me nodding my head right along with you there....until your fourth paragraph. Barack Obama does not have the political experience to be a president. Frankly, he kind of reminds me of a con man. I'm a little afraid of someone who promises the moon. Nobody could deliver what he promises. Too good to be true. I'm get the feeling he is one of those guys who will promise anything to the masses just to get the votes. "

" Please, just stop it. The only reason Obama is doing so well is because he has only been a Senator for such a short time that he doesn't have a record so people know what he believes. What has he accomplished? Sure he says he would not have voted for the war in Iraq, but he doesn't say what he would do to protect the country from the Islamofascists. I have heard him talk about increasing taxes and making government bigger. Those ideals are not going to "unite" me or any Conservative. "

" Obama has EXACTLY the kind of experience our country needs right now! He's worked his way to where he is in life, he's worked with other disenfranchised communities hands on, he's as well educated academically as he could be, he's taught CONSTITUTIONAL law, he's worked as a civil rights lawyer, he's served two terms in the State senate and will have served a full term in the US senate. What more are we looking for??? Surely, the way he's running his campaign, alone, should convince naysayers that he's got some idea of how politics work! Further, his real life experience, with his hands in the thick of what most people would call "reality" (as opposed to country clubs and summer homes) has given him the good sense to make sound judgement! Have you read the PUBLIC speech he gave opposing the war in 2002 when he was running for office and it was UNpopular to be on that side of the fence? He was taking a risk, but he was doing what he knew was right. HE wasn't trading votes for death. Further, I don't elect a president because s/he has all of the answers -- I elect someone I trust, who I think can unite, who can inspire, and who will listen -- to ALL sides. Someone with GOOD judgement and common sense. Obama has all of these things. If there is any lack of experience (and I don't think there is) -- that can be hired. Come on, Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld are as "experienced" as we could possibly ask for, and look where they've gotten us. What have they accomplished? And sure he makes lots of promises -- can anyone name one politician that doesn't?!?!? He makes them, though, from a sincere heart, and has the good sense and judgement to know that his promises need to start from a point of consensus. I'm voting for Barack Obama, and I will do everything in my power to convince others that he's the right choice. "

" Kevin you are just making the original poster's point. Hillary has been around for too long has many too many enemies. The Clintons mastered the extent of the spin from personal matters to policy. W took spin to a whole new level. It's time to turn the page on all those spin-masters (Clinton's or W's) who are tiptoeing in legalistic terms turning black into white. It's time to turn the page on all those special interests that D-Punjab and W have been receiving their $$$ from. It's time to turn the page to the presidents who will do anything to be popular. Arlan, Throughout history there have always been naysayers who have said: well I agree with what you're saying but we can never get it done. There have always been the doubters that prefer to try another day and not unsettle the status quo. If people saying "this can never get done" prevailed nothing would ever be accomplished. Obama is appealing not because he's liberal (I don't believe that he is) but because he regularly speaks to the cause of the issue. He regularly talks about social darwinism and about the neoconservative conspiracy that has been running for eons: divide and conquer. Obama is appealing because he realized that there is no progress unless people trust each other. It's time to turn the page to all these divisions and see what we can work on together. It's time to leave behind the can't do, won't do, won't even try naysayers. This is not about idealism vs pragmatism. This is about whether you want to leave the world a better place or sit in your chair get angry, frustrated and cynical. I choose the latter. "

" Arlan, Have you ever listened to Hillery Clinton?? "

" Do any of you want Obama to be the second "black" President? "

" We will see how appealing Obama looks after Hillary has a year to drag him through the political mud. I am not surprised, but am disappointed, that people would vote for a Presidential candidate just because he is charismatic, good looking and deliver a good speech. Myself, I will continue to vote for candidates who are leaders. Someone who has a record of accomplishment and adheres to a Conservative ideology of lower taxes, less government and strong national security. Jenny asks what President Bush has accomplished? Under his leadership the county has experience economic turnaround from the Clinton recession and the effects of 9/11, including record GDP gains, low interest rates, record low unemployment, record levels of home ownership, record stock market gains, no more domestic terrorist attacks since 9/11, and the removal of Saddam from Iraq. Not a bad legacy... "

" Kevin I am a conservative and I am voting for Barack Obama. while I do appreciate your rose tinted legacy for the President, but you might be in the minority here. As of July 14th the National Debt is 8,880,304,864,251.66 I do believe that this might be difficult to bring into balance. It is strange that if we need fiscal responsibility we must turn to the democrats, but Slick Willie did manage with help of a conservative congress to control spending and bring the Republican legacy of Reaganomics ever growing debt under control. Obama shows that he can work with the opposition and move projects forward. Here and now is time for America to come together and place some emphasis on our own. I am sure you can agree that we have some issues with our education system. Living wages seem to be stretched far with both family members working. While you are correct about home ownership, the rate of default on home loans is rising with the American dream be reclaimed by banks and loan agencies. We need leadership that can spark the next age of innovation, so all who choose to have a greater opportunity to grow within this county. The status quo of politics serving a smaller and smaller cross section of interests is not the intend of the founding fathers in my opinion. So I have read and the sense of a leader does matter, and since I can not see it in my party, I will do what I think is my obligation to my county and vote for the best hope. Please pardon my poor grammar or sentence structure, I am under pressure to rush out the door.... "

" Clinton's deficit reduction was paid for with the "peace dividend" from huge cuts in the Military. Remember he also approved the largest tax increase in history, passed when the Democrats controlled Congress. If Obama (or any Democrat) wins the Presidency and the Democrats still control Congress, you can bet that huge tax increases are in store. "

" A president needs the ff: An ULTRA INDEPENDENT THINKER Great insight Ability to unite and A 'six sense' approach to solving problems Take it from me folks LOGICALLY, and evidently, ONLY Obama posseses these skills. It will be a GENERATIONAL error to nominate HRC, quite simply. "

" I'd rather see Representative Dennis Kucinich win the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States. Dennis Kucinich never supported the illegal, immoral war and occupation in Iraq. He supports organized labor. He supports universal health care. He supports sensible environmental legislation. Senator Obama is a corporatist, as is Senator Clinton. One thing is for sure: All of the Democratic Party's current candidates are able to do a better job than any of the Republican candidates. "