No Margin of Error: Barack Obama and Ohio
COLUMBUS, OHIO—The American Midwest seems fat and content in this Olympic summer. The talk is of Michael Phelps and the upstart U.S. water polo team. The fields and fairways are green; there has been plenty of rain around here. The election seems far away.
Yet the weekend's newspapers contain some notable items: Unemployment in Ohio has hit 7.2 percent, and Barack Obama, according to some polls, is faring better among more conservative religious voters—observant Catholics and evangelicals—than might be expected.
I got here Friday on my cross-country journey to Denver, nursing the aged Mustang ragtop through the hills of West Virginia and out onto the broad, fertile plain of southern Ohio, through Athens, to Columbus.
Disgruntled Ohioans booted the Republican Party in the 2006 election, tired of corruption and an economic downturn. The unemployment stats show that lunch-bucket woes continue. And so the ubiquitous campaign TV commercials (was that John McCain anchoring the 400-meter relay?) are all about money. Obama says he'll produce good-paying jobs; McCain says Obama will raise taxes.
If Obama is indeed connecting with the socially conservative voters of southern Ohio (polling wizard Peter Hart's bellwether for the presidential election), then things look good for the Democrats. The local papers note that the last time unemployment was this high, Bill Clinton whipped George H. W. Bush.
But whenever I raise the topic of the election, I get a cool response about Obama. People have heard a lot about him, much of it confusing and negative. They are ready for change, but Obama is still a great unknown.
So, despite the Democratic advantages, Obama's lead in the Ohio polls lies within the margin of error. And more than one person has expressed the belief to me that, behind the curtain in the polling booth, his or her neighbors won't vote for an African-American presidential candidate. Even here, in cosmopolitan Columbus.
Barring some unexpected gaffe or international crisis, it now looks like the election will turn on five upcoming moments: when Obama chooses a running mate, makes his convention speech, and goes one-on-one with McCain in the three presidential debates.
And I'm getting the feeling, talking as I travel, that Obama will have to navigate these five moments flawlessly if he is to be president. I don't think he has a margin of error.
Tags: Ohio | presidential election 2008 | Barack Obama
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NOT MCCAIN!!
McCain was the 5th from the bottom of his class. When he was a POW, he disgraced the country by breaking down under torture and confessing. When he came back home, he divorced his wife after she had been a car accident and was left with scars, and married his current wife within 2 months. His wife's father helped to fund his campaign for Senator. He has a very bad temper and has a history of problems with alcohol and drugs. This is not the kind of person that should be leading this country. And then there is Palin!!
Why you should consider voting for Obama/Biden
You may wonder why you should vote for Obama/Biden in November. You may have heard rumors, conflicting stories about who Obama is and what he really stands for. I would like to tell you what I think he stands for and what I think he can accomplish as president (with Biden as VP).
In a nutshell, I think he can begin to move this country forward in a way that only a visionary, only a person in his shoes with his unique perspective can do. He can unify people IF they allow themselves to be unified (it takes work on both sides). A unified America will be much stronger than a divided one and we can no longer afford to remain divided as they world continues to move on taking our jobs and becoming more educated than we are. He can show the world that we are not the racist country some portray us to be and he can undo some of the damage the Bush administration has caused since 9/11 (a time the world actually sympathized with us). Now, we are more hated or disliked around the world than ever. Obama can help change that worldview and learn how to navigate national security issues by his VP, Joe Biden. Biden is one of the world's top experts in this area. He is someone both Republicans and Democrats like and can work with. He has a hard working/middle class background that was filled with tragedies that Biden overcame with appreciation of what others also go through in their own life struggles.
Who am I? I am a woman, a teacher, a middle class American from Chicago who has been watching and listening to Obama for awhile now. I had to privilege to see him up close and personal while he was running for the U.S. Senate. I can tell you that from what I have seen, Obama is a smart, decent, hard-working, family man who believes in America and in the American dream that is slipping away for so many. He believes in hard work and in the good of people. He treats those who work for his campaign along with most everyone else he encounters with dignity, respect & appreciation. He is a man of principals and of faith.
He is a visionary at a time we need a strong vision for this country. He embodies black America and white America as a biracial person. He is smart enough to surround himself with those who bring strengths he may be lacking. No one is strong in all areas, but Obama is secure enough and smart enough to know who to place in those key positions and to let them do their jobs with his oversight. He understands the power and the wisdome of delegation. I bet he also understands the saying, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Coming from Chicago politics he understands that whether or not he likes or agrees with certain others, you still have to deal with them in order to get things done and this will serve him well on the world stage in dealing with leaders of countries with whom we don't agree but must negotiate with.
There are countless reasons to vote Obama/Biden but the biggest reason of all is that this country simply cannot take 4 more years of a Republican president and agenda. The amount of money spent in the war in Iraq could have been used to make us a stronger country: roads, bridges, schools, top notch rail system like Japan and Europe has, alternative energies, and health care for everyone. Instead, what have the billions spent gotten us? Are we stronger than we were 8 yrs ago? No. Are we more secure or more respected in the world? No. Do we have lower unemployment, better education or more home ownership now? No! So, put your fears and your usual politics aside and do the ONLY thing that makes any sense. Vote for change: Obama/Biden!
Poor America
Obama has been the most criticized presidential candidate in American History. He has zero room for mistakes, will McCain gets the entire three floors, and is criticized no matter what he says or does. His comments are taken out of contest by the MSM and never corrected and he is never applogized to. If America wants a captain for its sinking ship then pick McCain, if you want someone who will fix the ship and take us in a new direction then choose Obama. Really it is not that hard. The question in this election will be voter turnout and most importantly are the MEN AND WOMEN FROM MY DAD'S GENERATION GOING TO ALLOW THEIR BATANT RACIST THINKING FROM THEIR CHILDHOOD TO NOT VOTE FOR THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?
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