RK ARCHIVE - United We Win with Obama

If you want to go to war with Republicans and lose in 2008, you're probably supporting a certain other candidate. But if you want to win over enough Independents and moderate Republicans to win next year, you will be supporting Barack Obama this upcoming primary season. Please keep reading to find out why.
Barack Obama has the broadest base of support in American history, at this point in a presidential race with over 250,000 individual donors. This is because he has the greatest crossover appeal. He also is the Democrat, Republicans will most likely vote for in 2008. In a surprising recent Iowa poll, Obama beat Fred Thompson and John McCain among registered Republicans as the preferred general election candidate. According to Iowa political science professor David Redlawsk:

"Of the Democratic candidates, Obama shows the most crossover support" and "What we're seeing at this early stage, among people looking forward to the November 2008 election, is that Obama is the Democrat Republicans are most likely to vote for."

Democrats don't win, by running divisive campaigns. Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter won over Republicans and Independents by including more people and offering real change. Reagan beat Carter when he ran on a broader vision that seemed more inclusive. Bush won in 2000 by running as a "Uniter not a divider" on the surface while running a divisive campaign under the radar. Barack Obama is an authentic uniter, who has actually united Republicans and Democrats around shared values to pass important legislation.

Recently, Obama has been criticized for being willing to meet with people who disagree with us to solve the problems that face us. By following the conventional wisdom in Washington and not talking to our adversaries, Iran has continued to build nuclear weapons, wreak havoc in Iraq, and support terror, Syria has continued to meddle in Lebanon and support terror and North Korea has created enough material for 6 to 8 more nuclear bombs. But Obama is not the only one who has talked about the importance of meeting with people who disagree with us:

Obama has been criticized for wanting to go after bin Laden, who masterminded the murder of 2973 Americans. Despite giving millions of dollars in military aid to President Musharraf, in Pakistan, Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri remain free, al Qaeda and the Taliban are resurgent because they enjoy sanctuary in Pakistan. Afghanistan is far less secure because the Taliban can strike across the border, and return to safety in Pakistan. And many people agree with Obama' judgment:

Barack Obama has also been criticized for saying it would be a profound mistake to use a nuclear weapon on individual terrorists because it would kill civilians. Terrorists are already trying to blow themselves up. Why give them a nuclear weapon?

Failing to take out bin Laden, along with the misguided war in Iraq are the two major issues which have destabilized the entire Middle-East and destroyed our reputation in the world. Political correctness and conventional thinking will not fix the problems we face. We need a new leader who will make it clear to the world that if you attack and kill us, we will track you down and capture or kill you. The Bush administration has failed to do this and we can't afford another 4 years of protecting the status quo.

Barack Obama had the good judgment to strongly oppose the Iraq war before it began and called for us to "finish the fight with bin Laden and al Qaeda."

Barack Obama has also shown great character in his life when he started out as a young community organizer on the tough south side of Chicago. Later as a graduate of Harvard Law, (Magna Cum Laude) and president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama could have cashed in and become a very rich lawyer, but he had the character to return to Chicago to practice civil rights law and teach Constitutional law at the University of Chicago. Obama has the broadest base of supporters nationwide and is the only candidate running with the judgment, character and all the qualities needed to bring people together, change the status quo, and move our country forward.

Comments

Not the way to win over people. (Lowell - 8/10/2007 7:58:20 PM)

"If you want to go to war with Republicans and lose in 2008, you're probably supporting a certain other candidate."

In other words, everyone who support Clinton, Edwards, or Richardson is backing a sure loser in 2008? Riiiiigggghhht.

Great diary. Well written. (The Grey Havens - 8/10/2007 11:47:27 PM)

I believe that Obama is the candidate that can inspire the nation and bring much-needed change.

As closely as I've been watching this election, I haven't wanted to see Obama. Edwards is saying all of the things I want said. Obama is the candidate who can win the nomination from the HRC juggernaut, but also do what needs to be done.

He's still speaking the language of a law professor, and he needs to begin to speak the language of American destiny.

If his handlers will allow Obama to be the harbinger of the future that he was born to be, he will be unstoppable... but that's a pretty big "if".

I think you're right about the professor speak (Todd Smyth - 8/11/2007 7:29:31 AM)

But his handlers are boy scouts and girl scouts. It will have to come from within him and from the grassroots.

He also has a great voice:

Sen. Barack Obama sings a Mexican folk song on Univision radio's "Piolin por la Manana" show Friday.
http://www.cnn.com/v...