Obama ‘08: Yes, He CAN Win

(Cross-posted at Obama OC)

One thing that I hear all the time from my friends backing other candidates for President is that “Obama can’t win”. I then ask why. Why can’t Obama win? They then respond that Obama can’t win the South because he’s black, or that people feel uncomfortable of mized race heritage holding the highest office in the land, or that America isn’t ready for anyone other than a white man holding the office of President. Well, what if I told you that all my friends are WRONG?!

Take a look at what’s in today’s Los Angeles Times. The good news is that American voters overwhelmingly want a Democrat in the White House. The bad news is that they seem to have problems with each of the Democratic Candidates. None of the leading Democrats is beating each and every leading Republicans in a head-to-head matchup. Well, none of the leading Democrats EXCEPT ONE.

Obama was ahead in all the matchups: by 5 percentage points over Giuliani, 12 over McCain and 16 over Romney.

Yep, you saw that right. OBAMA IS LEADING ALL OF THE MAJOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES! And you know what? This isn’t really surprising me.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Barack Obama has a special talent of building a strong consensus behind our progressive values. Obama can work for good policy that doesn’t compromise on its merits, but he can also get Republicans behind that good, progressive policy. Obama can present a real message of hope, action, and change, and he can do it in a way that inspires both Republican AND Green voters to change their registration, just so they can vote for Obama in the Democratic Primary. Obama has a special talent for bringing America together, and that’s why my non-Obama friends are wrong when they say that he can’t win.

The time is now for change. The Republicans just continue to sink lower and lower as George W. Bush continues this horrid occupation of Iraq, continues to ignore real solutions to our coming climate crisis, and continues to ingore the health care crisis that unfolding before our eyes. Voters are looking for someone who can change all of this, but they’re not sure that our leading Democrats can change all of this… That is, except that they’re liking what Barack Obama has to say. Now, they need to see us act.

I’m constantly amazed by all the people in Orange County who have never been inspired about a Democrat before, but are inspired by Obama. It’s the formerly apolitical twenty-somethings at Huntington Beach Pier. It’s that guy at the Tustin Chili Cookoff who changed his registration from Republican to Independent (DTS), just so that he can vote for Obama in the Democratic Primary. It’s the coworkers in Irvine who have never really been inspired by a politician before, but seem to really like Obama. They’re coming onto our side, and they don’t care about Obama being black or whether or not he’s mixed race or whether or not “he can win”. They just want better, and they think Obama’s the right person to help us achieve that change.

Let’s keep up the good work, and keep letting these people know that Obama cares about our hopes, and wants to help us achieve real change. It’s really achieving something. It’s shoeing everyone that Obama can win. : )