Let's take a break from TTC stuff and talk politics. Can we talk about how much I love Obama?

Ok, seriously. Back in the fall when the democratic candidates starting campaigning more vigorously, I was completely torn between the 3. At first I thought my allegiance would lie somewhere between Clinton and Edwards. I decided that I would sincerely review all issues and stances of the candidates and base my vote in the primaries in that fashion. After much research, I was torn between Obama and Clinton. Yet even in my mental tie, there was something about Obama that I was drawn to. I really started to do my homework on the 2 candidates and came to realize that I almost all of my views aligned with Obama and that pretty much the only reason I was even remotely drawn to Clinton was because she was a woman. I didn't want to vote for someone just because we are the same gender.

To me Obama represents a breath of fresh air that is long overdue in stale DC politics. As an undergrad and grad student (I studied International Relations for BA and MA, for those that don't know) I remember thinking how we needed someone with the characteristics that Obama has to really get this country moving in the right direction. Being an international relations geek, I really could not get past Clinton's vote to go to war in Iraq. Anyone that knew their IR politics would know that this was a bad idea. Both my undergrad and grad programs were generally quite opposed to the war. If it was so clear to students that studied politics, why wasn't it clear to the decision makers who live and breath in the arena of politics? It baffles me.

All that being said, I think that Clinton has been a formidable democratic candidate, but I am very eager to see Obama take the nomination. I'm also not opposed to a VP ticket for her should Obama take the presidential nomination.