Saturday, January 12, 2008

Slamming Obama


I should have expected it. Once Barack Obama was getting close to being a seriously considered Democratic candidate, the slurs and half-truths start. Not so much with his current opponents, but those on the Internet wishing only to cloud the issues. First, I have to say that I have not come close to choosing who will get my vote in November (could even be a Republican), but I do have a great sense of fairness.

I am referring to a much-forwarded piece of Internet information that states Obama is a Muslim, that his step-father was a revolutionary, that he refuses to say the Pledge of Allegience, and many other half-lies.

If one takes the time to check http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp, you would see that most of what was written is simply not true, but with just enough of some tidbits on which to build the lies.

I am reading Obama's first book, Dreams From My Father, written in 1995 likely before he seriously considered running for president. It certainly is interesting and he does have a varied background very much unlike other candidates. But nothing he experienced would scare me away from considering him for our leader.

On the other hand, I am also reading Carl Bernstein's, A Woman in Charge, about Hillary Clinton and to the extent that I feel that Bernstein is a truthful, responsible journalist, I have decided that I could not vote for her -- oh, let me count the reasons. Another time, maybe.

There is so much negative in political races, so what little I can do to keep it above the line, I will try to do.

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