I totally did not predict that Obama would win Iowa...I don't think anyone could have predicted that. It's interesting to note that in 2004, Edwards finished second by a similar percentage to John Kerry, who took 39% and went on to win almost all the subsequent primaries. I don't mean to suggest that, like Kerry, Obama will win the nomination (Kerry wasn't going up against Hillary :), but only that Edwards seemed doomed to second place.
I have to admit to feeling a little conflicted about Obama. If I just look at his voting record and his various positions, I feel pretty good about him as a candidate and as a president. It's the UNKNOWN that bugs me since, cynically speaking, it seems it would have been pretty easy to "fake it" for the little time Obama has been a senator. He's been caught in a few gaffes and flip-flops (like bizarre statements about Iran, Palestine and Isreal) and everyone seems a little too willing to shrug it all off because of Obama's extreme affability.
I'm not bothered by his lack of "experience" because "experience" in a political context usually means you owe too many favors and have too much to lose on a personal level. I'm actually totally OK with Obama not being firmly entrenched in the machine. But this lack of experience is actually the source of my conflict, because experience also means "time served" and it's the lack of time served that makes it difficult to paint a complete picture of Obama's character and true personality. It's tough. Still, it feels good to FINALLY have more positive than negative thoughts about a candidate (and I will say that about Edwards, too, though the poor guy doesn't stand a chance.)
I have to admit to feeling a little conflicted about Obama. If I just look at his voting record and his various positions, I feel pretty good about him as a candidate and as a president. It's the UNKNOWN that bugs me since, cynically speaking, it seems it would have been pretty easy to "fake it" for the little time Obama has been a senator. He's been caught in a few gaffes and flip-flops (like bizarre statements about Iran, Palestine and Isreal) and everyone seems a little too willing to shrug it all off because of Obama's extreme affability.
I'm not bothered by his lack of "experience" because "experience" in a political context usually means you owe too many favors and have too much to lose on a personal level. I'm actually totally OK with Obama not being firmly entrenched in the machine. But this lack of experience is actually the source of my conflict, because experience also means "time served" and it's the lack of time served that makes it difficult to paint a complete picture of Obama's character and true personality. It's tough. Still, it feels good to FINALLY have more positive than negative thoughts about a candidate (and I will say that about Edwards, too, though the poor guy doesn't stand a chance.)
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