EDITORIAL: Obama best choice for Democrats - Opinion

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Jan. 16, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: Obama best choice for Democrats

Or do they prefer a re-run of 'It came from Little Rock'?

As state Democrats prepare to hold their Saturday caucuses, cynical Republicans might well encourage them to choose Sen. Hillary Clinton, figuring her high "negatives" -- the unusual number of Americans who tell pollsters they'd never vote for her under any circumstances -- would virtually guarantee a GOP victory in the fall.

That's why it's a good thing for Democrats that freshman Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has managed to challenge the perception of Sen. Clinton's "inevitability."

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The Clinton campaign cites Sen. Clinton's "experience." In fact, she's a one-term-plus-a-year senator whose lackluster legislative record rivals Sen. Obama's. Other than that, the "experience" in question must surely refer to her presence as a witness and enabler during her husband's presidential terms.

Suffice it to say there are dozens of issues that Americans happily dismissed as "water under the bridge" as the Clinton era came to a close, but which would quickly ensnare Sen. Clinton and her party in a presidential race that would soon look like a struggle to escape the La Brea tar pits.

For starters, imagine Sen. Clinton and "co-president" Bill Clinton invited onto a "This is Your Life" talk show where they're joined by Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey, Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinsky.

And that's before we even get around to a HillaryCare plan that could have sent you to jail for offering to pay your doctor in cash to "get to the head of the line."

Meanwhile, John Edwards' anti-capitalist populism is not in this country's long-term best interests.

Is Barack Obama, then, the ideal Democratic candidate for president? Hardly. His policy recommendations -- when he can be convinced to get any more specific than "I represent change" -- are the opposite of "change." They're old-line, welfare-state solutions that haven't spent enough time in the microwave to appear even superficially appetizing.

Sen. Obama is a relatively young man with relatively little of the kind of real-world experience that prepares a candidate to stand firm against urgent advice to, say, bomb some remote population of defenseless civilians to "send a message," or plunge the economy into a dark night of unforeseen consequences by crippling the free market in the name of "fighting greed."

But Barack Obama is, at least, likeable. He is a good enough orator that there is no need to cringe when he dares to speak off the cuff. He is a good politician, in the non-insulting sense that he knows how to speak to individual Americans and give them the feeling he cares about their concerns.

As Nevada Democrats head to their caucuses Saturday, they might ask themselves whether they really want to spend two months later this year watching a re-run of the horror movie "It Came From Little Rock," with the sound turned up much too loud -- or if they'd rather make it a real contest this fall.

If they prefer the latter, they're better off backing Barack Obama on Saturday.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. bob wrote on November 11, 2008 07:17 AM: i think that brack obama is the best for a president we need a democrat instead of the same old president BUSH!!!! Dale O'Key wrote on October 30, 2008 08:03 PM: Tonight I heard that S. Palin has accused the general public of treating her with "double standards" --- gee, I wonder -- are these the words from a woman who is really ready to be the "go to person" for the nation? Do we want this unwordly and basically not very smart person when it comes to both national and interational politics sitting in the wings? There is more to national views/future than leaving a community (Wasilla) #22 million in debt and a WalMart parking lot as her legasy. At least H. Clinton did not insult the people of the US. Double standard --- my ... -- this woman is not my role model. We do not need a person who is so outlandishly self promoting -- all politial candidates are promoting themselves -- but PLEASE!, do not vote for a self-serving winking woman who keeps saying, "I got you covered" beauty queen. By the way, the only real newspaper in Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News, has endorsed Obama and encouraged people to vote for him because Ms. Palin has been a less than sterling governor. maxine wrote on October 07, 2008 12:04 PM: You did an article on who is John McCain. How about who was Barry Soetero? when and why did he change his name to Barrack Hussein Obama? Payday Loan Advocate wrote on September 26, 2008 11:28 PM: The short term financial assistance that payday lenders offer, often are one of the fastest and safest ways out of a sticky financial situation if used responsibly. Unfortunately, people of somewhat political importance don’t see it this way, probably because they have never been in a situation that would require a little help from the payday loan industry. These bipartisan efforts to outlaw the entire industry just go to show how detached they are from real Americans. Get educated on the facts today and exercise your right to financial freedom on November 4th. Post Courtesy of Personal Money Store Professional Blogging Team Feed Back: 1-866-641-3406 Home: http://personalmoneystore.com/NoFaxPaydayLoans.html Blog: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/ loka wrote on September 25, 2008 06:22 AM: a mi mi gusta obama como presidente el se mi ase ke si va a ayudar al los mexicanos con unas cosas P Hartley wrote on September 17, 2008 01:13 PM: Although is not an editorial, please be advised that I just ate luch at China A Go Go (12:15 PM`9/17/08) in Aliante (&215) and there was a roach fried into the sweet and chicken. Needless to say, I contacted the SNBD(Southern Nevada Board of Health). Penny Hartley juanito garza wrote on September 17, 2008 12:45 PM: avia una vez un maldito presidente que se llama Gorge W Bush. era una persona nuy odiosa y por eso empeso la gurra entre los mundos ... por su culpa los iraqis nos odian y los chinos nos envidian ... neta que el mundo esta loco....Obama es una persona unica con planes mas chingones pa la rasa ...simon carnal Obama my familia te apolla... maria wrote on September 17, 2008 12:32 PM: i love the article review mike wrote on September 15, 2008 10:43 AM: can you please help me with this question. is there a reason that the american flag does not fly at the top of cranes or on the buildings under construction in this great city. i have traveled to other cities, and i always see our flag flying on either cranes or at the side of a building under construction. i have even asked a few workers on job sites and they always seem to have a confused look on there face. i know it has nothing to do with non immigrant workers. this country was built mostly by immigrants. i'm not angry, just curious. thank you N.J.Laudati wrote on September 15, 2008 07:31 AM: Well bush has don it again..More banks failing, investment corp.failing .35,000 people losing their jobs this past weekend..When will he stop? More money for the war.more vacation time for him. We don't see any of his friends and co-destroyers, I guess it's time to run and hide.What a reputation he will leave. Our kids will pay the bills he has left, and his kids will has to live with his reputation. J Laudati Read All Comments