Wednesday, June 4, 2008

We Are Living History......

I know politics and sports don't mix. But given the fact that we have a african-american man running for President....I thought this was too good not to re-post:

From the New York Times:

A President Like My Father

By CAROLINE KENNEDY

Published: January 27, 2008

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.

16 comments:

Steve said...

Please, please don't bring politics into this. Especially if you are backing obama or clinton. This might go down as the worst set of nominees in the history of this great nation. Both parties need mulligans for the upcoming election.

Unknown said...

Yeah, more "who's the best actor of our time" or "what my sister bought at the mall" talk, please!

sublime_fan27 said...

Matt,

Here's the deal. If you give me one good reason as to why Barack Hussein Obama is qualified to be the leader of the free world, I promise you I will vote for him in November.

He is no more qualified to be the president of the United States of America than a McDonald's fry cook is qualified to be the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.

Macc74 said...

Thank you Matt for this post, although you should have known better. Now here comes the comments with their obvious racist overtones. So you guys go ahead and show your true colors. Thanks again Matt for the post.

Steve said...

Racist? I guess I'm sexist too because hilary clinton is a she-devil. I guess I don't like old people either because I'm not a big McCain fan. Don't be an idiot and pull the race card.

sublime_fan27 said...

Macc74,

"Obvious racist overtones"? Really? Show me one person who has shown these so called "racist overtones" so far.

Guess I better get used to it because over the next 5 months the race card will be used extensively. Nevermind that Obama is vasty underqualified and I disagree with him on nearly every single issue. No, that certainly couldn't be the reason I'm not voting for him. The only reason I wouldn't possibly support Obama is because I am a racsist. Ahh, you just have to adore the race baiters and how they feed off the liberal guilt in this country.

Bush, Gore, Kerry, Obama, and the Clintons? These are the best leaders our country has to offer? All of them are morons. As much as I dislike some of McCain's ideology, at least at the end of the day you can respect him. I have not one ounce of respect for the aforementioned politicians.

Macc74 said...

Thats right you guys, no matter how you cover it up America is not ready for a black president and it will come to light. You can say that this is not the reason you wont vote for him but trust and believe that he will not be president because at the end of the day, even some people who support him will find it difficult to pull the trigger. where are all of the so called qualified candidates. What has McCain done so well that hes head and shoulders above Obama? Race card , race baiting whatever you call it don't act as if racism does not still exist in Amerikkka.

Macc74 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Macc74 said...

Steve,

You guys kill me with the name calling. But just like all the other internet punks I guess I have come to expect it. Why don't you RESPECT Obama? Has he personally done something to disrespect you? As for McCain, what has he done that makes him so qualified besides the color of his skin?

Face it dude the country needs a change and who better to lead that than Barack. If elected and he doesnt live up to expectations vote him out. He can't do any worse that the past Presidents that have held office.

sublime_fan27 said...

Mac74,

Obama is about as Liberal as you can possibly be in a Capitalistic society. His views are so far left that they are flirting with Socialism. Hell, Obama has a flag of Communist mass-murderer Che Guevara hanging in one of his offices. Obama doesn’t just lack a track record, he doesn’t have one. His voting records indicate that he rarely will take a stand on an issue. He has more “no votes” than anybody in the senate. He has not written or put into law any piece of meaningful legislation during his very brief time as a United States senator. There are so many reasons for Libertarian-Conservatives (such as I) to be against Obama that it isn’t even funny. Yet there are people out there (like you) who continue to make race a more important issue than ideas and qualifications. You are being quite obtuse if you think you are going to “guilt trip” anyone into just voting for Obama because he is black. How does Obama being black or McCain being white have anything to do with how they will be as a president?

Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s confidant and spiritual leader, is one of the most racist people on earth. Black Liberation Theology is, in fact, a breeding ground for devout racists. Yet that can completely be ignored. Mac74, your just a baby. If “Amerikkka” is such a horrible place for you, why don’t you leave? After all, I’m sure your oppressed every day of your life. Baby.

The challenge is still out there. If anybody can give me a valid reason to why Barack Hussein Obama is qualified to be president, I will vote for him come November. And no, Mac74, Obama’s skin color has no bearing on his qualifications to be (or not be) president.

Macc74 said...

Sublime,

You really have no idea what being black in Amerikka means so therefore you should not try to assume that it is such a great place for us. And yes I face disrimination on many levels that you could never understand. And once again what makes McCain so much more qualified than Obama?

Like I said before Matt should have known not to post this because you will continue to feel the way you do. And that will never change. Conservitism(is that even a word?) will continue to hurt not only Nebraska but the US as a whole. You are only fooling yourself if you think race will not play apart in the upcoming election. I believe it will be too much to ask the good ole boys to have a black man as the leader of the "free" world.

As far as guilt tripping someone into voting for him I am not. I'm simply stating that we should weigh our options and vote for the person you feel is more capable of bringing change into the equation. I'm with you in thinking that he(Barack) will not be elected because people like yourself will dig so deep to find reasons to not vote for him so that it doesnt appear to be about race. i'm just calling like i've seen it be done so many times.

You can try to spin it any way you want. Example: what about all of the Hillary supporters who said they would vote for McCain and not Obama. What do you think is behind that?

sublime_fan27 said...

Being "conservative" doesn't mean I am racist. What an amazingly ignorant point of view. As a Conservative Libertarian I am for a small and limited government and individual freedoms.

There are many black people with the same views as I. However, they are viewed as "Uncle Toms" by blacks and liberals alike because they don't support ridiculous social programs like affirmative action, retribution, or wealth distribution. Meanwhile, the Liberal ideology is all about focusing on racial differences, which is why the race card will be pulled so often in the next 5 months by black people and the liberal media.

FWIW, I find it to be quite ironic that when I said I didn't respect many of the recent past political leaders you automatically ignored the rest and focused on why I didn't like Obama.

If you want to go your whole life thinking "Amerikka" is such a terrible place and everybody is trying to hold you back because the color of your skin, then go right ahead. If you want to pinpoint your failures at life based on what you precieve other people to think then that is your prerogative. While I won't lose any sleep at night, I do feel bad that you live such a sad, sad life.

Steve said...

Sublime, you have said exactly what I was going to write. You saved me the time! Gracias amigo!

Dumb Anguish said...

Ugh. That whole "Barack Hussein Obama" thing is so childish and so done to death. Is that really the best you can do??

Matt, thank you for posting that Caroline Kennedy piece.

Macc74 said...

Steve and sublime,

Say whatever it is that you can to try and justify your reasoning. The fact is racism is alive and healthy as hell in the United States. I'm done with it. Peace!!!

Steve said...

Macc74...obviously you are not done with it. We are.