In one of the most obvious moves of the new century, the Washington Post wrote an editorial today that endorses Obama for President. I don't know what shocks me more: that this is coming from an ever-so-slightly left of center newspaper or that McCain and his mean-spirited and out-of-touch campaign alienated them.
In an equally un-obvious development, I also endorse Obama for President. While my past words might make this seem obvious, I was on the fence about these two until well into the summer, but Sarah Palin and the awful, hateful things McCain's supporters have been saying and doing have alienated me, just like they have with other Independents. Hopefully Obama can pull it out, but those of you who have been lucky enough to have the conversation with me on who I think will win know that I think good old-fashioned, deep-seeded racism is going to trump "hope" and financial catastrophe.
But, the fundamental question for me has always been: who cares who newspapers and, especially, celebrities endorse for President? Alec Baldwin is a comic genius, but his celebrity does not give him license to talk down to the "savages" and tell them who is good for them. We Americans invented the institution of modern democracy, yet more and more we base our decision on who other people tell us we should vote for. We are increasingly uneducated and ignorant on the real problems facing us and it is up to us to educate ourselves so we can confidently pull the lever on Election Day.
I despise it when I'll ask people what issues are driving their concerns this year and they retort with "I don't know and I don't really care." I just find it shocking that with everything confronting us this year that many Americans out there still look at politics and current events as something they took for a semester in high school that have no consequential effects on their current lives. If you take this world view, you don't deserve to vote, pure and simple. But, you're probably voting for McCain.
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