"He's Transformative And Restorative": New York Observer Endorses Obama

The New York Observer has endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the upcoming Feb. 5 Democratic primary, The Huffington Post has learned. The Observer writes that the fact that he has "risen too quickly for his opponents' taste" is "nothing less than a recommendation."

Below is an excerpt of the Observer's endorsement, that hit the paper's Web site this morning.

Obama for America:
We Back Barack in Democratic Primary
Yes, He's Transformative And Restorative as Well

The New York Observer urges New York Democrats to support Mr. Obama in the state's presidential primary on Feb. 5.

New Yorkers might ask why they should not pull a lever for our junior senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton. While Mrs. Clinton is an extraordinary United States senator for New York, we believe that Mr. Obama can be a great president for the United States of America.

Most of the other candidates have absorbed, assimilated or appropriated Mr. Obama's issue of change.

But a great deal of the argument for Mr. Obama's candidacy is about one great issue in American life: Restoring American democracy.

It is difficult to remember the last national candidate who has charged and jazzed the democratic system as Mr. Obama has. Partly as a result of his candidacy, college campuses have remembered why they are proud of the United States, kids are going door to door, runners are handing out leaflets on weekends, racial lines have been culturally melted and the electoral approach to presidential campaigning has been reborn.

And, as more than one commentator has said, America is being reintroduced to the world.

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Mr. Obama stands the best chance of restoring the essential relationship between power and the American people. He is not flanked and blocked by an existing, entrenched power structure; his words are not muddied by layers of handlers; he still says what he means.

Mr. Obama would also be the most formidable Democrat in the general election. He has demonstrated a capacity to energize young people and attract new voters, and is the only candidate in the Democratic Party who attracts independents, who are the fastest-growing part of the electorate. His refusal to demonize the Republican Party as a right-wing attack machine will appeal to those independents as well as moderate Republicans.

As far as experience goes, when George W. Bush was driving a bleary, shocked nation into war with bait-and-switch deceptions in 2003, where was our experienced leadership? Meanwhile, in the west, an Illinois state senator-who has since served two years in the Senate, the same Congressional period that a fellow Midwesterner, Abraham Lincoln, had served when he sought the presidency-rose to exhibit courage and public judgment on that deceptive adventure, stating, "I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars."

Now we have paid the price many times over, and there are no clear paths in Baghdad. But there may be one in Washington. Mr. Obama is the emblem of a new America.

He has risen too quickly for his opponents' taste; that fact is nothing less than a recommendation.

His relationship to truth and plain speaking and public transparency is the first step toward reviving democracy in the United States of America.

Barack Obama of Illinois is the future. New York's Democrats should embrace him.

Comments

[holeybuybull]

While I agree with Obama that Reagan, the G.H.W.Bush puppet, was a transformative figure, the part of his quote that I find truly abhorent is that he characterized Ronnie as the response to the "excesses of the 60's & 70's". Was he referring to the Civil Rights Act, the anti-war marches, the Voting Rights Act, or what? Perhaps the fact that he was a child during this period excuses him from truly appreciating the activism of those who worked for progressive change for all Americans. I think not. Remember, Obama's staff is full of ex-Clinton advisers. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss - just different packaging!

[MoeSart]

The Observer writes that the fact that he has "risen too quickly for his opponents' taste" is "nothing less than a recommenda­tion."
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Huh? Sounds like white guilt to me.

It's really simple. If Obama gets the nom, he will lose to McCain. Clinton will beat McCain.

You can't say you weren't warned. Besides, nothing much is going to "change".

We were told when the Dems took Congress back that the Iraq war would end and that the Bush Admin would start being held accountable for it's crimes. Uh, no.

[hank48188]

If everyone would Google TONY REZKO and read all the stuff from the Chicago papers you'd be shocked. Obama has been in bed with this "Slumlord" for over 15 years. Obama bought a house, and Rezko bought the empty lot next to the house on the same day. The house price was reduced $300,000 to $1.65 million but Rezko paid full price for the lot, $650,000. Obama later buys 1/6 of the lot from Rezko. Rezko was Obama's biggest fundraiser, about $160,000. When Wolf Blitzer asked about him in the last debate Obama tried to make it sound like he hardly knew him, he said "I did about 5 hours of legal work on a church deal for him" end of story. I urge all Dems to read about this, Rezko will be going on trial soon and he might rat out all his political friends from Illinois to save his own skin, it's the American way.

[Tiger2Lover]

Yo Bama, yo mama!!
He IS the definitive PUNK ASS CHUMP for 2008!!!
Sorry George, you're just not as ugly as obama...

[changeisontheway]

There are several reasons why I won't be voting for hillary - 35 years of experience, ha! That's a crock - she may have been in the oval office, but she was not a decision maker. In reality, her actual (not inferred) experience is not that different from Obamas. She is unelectable - if there is this much venom directed at her from democrats, she will only serve as a uniting force for the gop to rally their voters. She is too divisive and will not be able to break down the paralyzing partisianship in our goverment today. It will be more of the same - nothing will be accomplished, and the right will do everything in their power to push her to fail. It's obvious that she is unable to rein bill in - he thinks he's running for president. At one time I thought that would be a good thing, now I don't believe so. She represents more of the same, and that's exactly what we don't need right now.

[Lisette]

Obama would be a great President!
He has the ability to restore our image in the world, which is important now.

Obama is a class act, and it would be nice to have a young couple in the White House again.

[esquire07]

"Transformative and Restorative" Lol !!!

America is in the gutter, assuming Dick Cheney does not Nuke a US City to stop the 08 election, no one person elected President can do anything to "restore" the Nation.

America's time is over. The Great Depression will look like fun compared to what is in store for Oil addicted, overworked, underpaid, brain dead American "consumers­."

A Nation based on consumption and destruction of the planet will not survive.

Watch as the Nation burns.

[Trilby]

One reason I would be happy to vote for Obama is that it would be awesome for black people. Imagine the pride. It is how I would feel if there was ever a Jewish president. For black Americans' sake, I could really get behind an Obama presidency. Add to that he is smart and "articulat­e." LOL. The woman thing (I'm a woman) doesn't interest me because Hill is SO in the pocket of various men, and so establishment herself, she hardly counts.

[mostest]

I grow tired. Once again into the breach...
The MSM (more appropriately their corporate bosses) want Obama to be the demo nominee because he is a weak candidate. He is not "transform­ative." He plays politics with elbows and shoots to the ribs.
Do yourself a favor, go over to Taylor Marsh.com and read
"Obama's Faustian Bargain with Antoin 'Tony' Rezko." It is Politics as usual nothing to see here.
Any publication that use the words Obama and transformative is lazy.

[YcCoSQ]

instead of endorsing Obama, newspapers should start reporting on Clinton's lies.

[EvoMan]

It seems folks who are actually thinking about what path the country needs to follow are endorsing Senator Obama.

It seems folks who want to build a bridge to the 20th Century aren't.

This is a pivotal moment in history. The Democratic Party has a choice. We can choose the same old, been there, done that path. If we choose this path, we will rue the day we made this choice.

Or, we can embark on entirely new path and fresh new ideas. It's up to you, folks.

[tinkaboutit]

But he's a rubberhead, and all rubberheads throw fish.

[ConcernAmerican]

Endorsemnt from Union workers is MUCH better than endorsement from ANY newspaper. Newspaper endorsements, no matter how flowery are the words they use to promote a candidate, doesn't carry a lot of votes like union endorsement.

[estevancarlos]

I would vote for a third party before hillary. there are many like me. this is one area in which she is extremely weak.

[Lesjoan]

Mr. Obama up or down vote please, no, I'm just present today and I think I'll give a flowery speech that will ref them up! And could someone keep me organized and don't give me that piece of paper until I really need it or I'll lose it, and I think I'll let my female staff carry all my stuff and I won't help her open the door (I actually noticed this in a news clip), Obama is a little rude with woman!