Eight Reasons Why Barack Obama Will Be the Next President of the United States

With just over two weeks remaining until the Nov. 4, 2008 presidential election, this political column will focus on eight specific reasons why I believe Obama Barack will become the next President of the United States.

Keep in mind readers, that none of the subsequent statements reflect on how I will personally vote on election day, (my vote was determined a long time ago), as they are just my personal feelings on eight possible reasons Barack will win the upcoming election - and the multitude of nearly, unbelievable events, that have led up to this point in one of the most contentious Presidential campaigns of all-time.

Race

As I wrote in my 'Five Reasons Why Barack Obama Will Not be the Next President of the United States' political column, you had better believe that race will be a factor in this election!

While some people may want to dance around the issue of racism in this country, I try to 'keep it real' at all times whether writing in my usual role as one of the nation's top Sports Columnists and Handicappers or in my often, non-sports-related columns.

Having said that, I will once again say that racism is as alive and well in the U.S. as it has ever been and Obama will be the recipient of countless votes from minorities nationwide simply because of his skin color just as some people won't vote for him because of the same reason.

Still, count on minority voters to turn out in record numbers after getting the Presidential shaft for the last eight years under current President George Bush.

Age

Obama's relative youth, (he's 47-years-old), is a major plus for most people who like the fact that he can relate to today's youths and view his republican opponent John McCain as too old, nearly senile and out of touch with today's struggles of 'average Americans' everywhere. While his critics will try to point to Obama's relative youth as a negative, I suspect that most Americans will view his age as a positive.

Country Ready for Change

Outrageous gas prices, skyrocketing mortgage defaults, unaffordable and unrealistic housing costs are just a few of the issues that have millions of Americans calling for 'change.' While McCain and his campaign have tried to jump on Obama's 'change-based' campaign recently, most Americans see him as an extension of embattled current President, George Bush. McCain, by his own admission, voted to go along with Bush's crippling policies a whopping 90 percent of the time. People that are ready for 'real' change, will almost assuredly vote for Barack.

Associates

While McCain's recent smear tactics and republicans nationwide have painted Barack as an 'un-American terrorist' many voters will see that he has surrounded himself with some of the best and brightest political minds in the nation, beginning with vice-Presidential running mate, Joe Biden, the tell-it-like-it-is, longtime Senator from Delaware whose international political experience may be unsurpassed by any politician in the country.

The fact that former President Bill Clinton, the only U.S. President with a surplus budget since 1969 and current New York senator and former Democratic Presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, not to mention widely-respected former U.S. Army general and republican Colin Powell are all behind Obama, certainly helps his cause.

Economic Crisis

Unless you've got a million dollars in the bank account - which most Americans don't - then voting for Barack is almost a given! The fact of the matter is that millions of Americans from coast-to-coast have lost a nearly countless amount of money in savings and stock plans, under Bush and his republican-led policies. High mortgages, shocking gas prices, out of control utilities, and a lack of jobs are also going to drive voters away from what many democrats call 'McSame' and into Barack's waiting arms.

His Policies

Higher taxes on the rich and less on the poor, a reasonable timetable for troop withdrawal in Iraq and policies to create - and keep - more jobs here in the U.S. are all on the docket for Obama should he win the presidential election. These middle-class American policies will also drive voters to choose Barack over McCain.

Iraqi War

Unless you've been living on another planet for the last half-decade, you likely already know that U.S. troops were sent to Iraq on the basis of a lie in which Bush and his consortium of cronies said deceased Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was building "weapons of mass destruction."

Now, five years later, no weapons of mass destruction have been found and thousands of American soldiers of all ages have unnecessarily lost their lives in a 'war' that most people agree, has amounted to an outright invasion of a country that never showed any aggression toward the U.S.

To make matters worse, the U.S. is spending at least $10 billion dollars per month to keep our troops there and rebuild the country, when the Iraqi government has at least, a $79 billion dollar surplus of their own and don't want us there anyway.

Most Americans have a serious problem with Bush spending so much money to support a 'war' with an imaginary opponent when things are going terribly awry right here on U.S. soil.

Opponent

Many Americans now view McCain as an outright extension of Bush - and that's clearly not going to fly for 'average' U.S. citizens anymore. From Midwest farmers to inner-city families, McCain is also viewed by many as a self-serving politician concerned with only the enrichment of his own personal wealth.

When asked how many homes he owned, McCain couldn't remember, (seven), so clearly, most Americans can't relate to the longtime Senator, who was also involved in a corruption scandal that rocked the U.S. government. Now known as a member of the 'Keating Five' Savings and Loan crisis on the late 80s and early 90s, McCain may have sealed his own bid long before this presidential campaign was ever thought about being held.

Temperament

As ESPN's Stuart Scott would say, most Americans view Obama as a leader that is as 'cool as the other side of the pillow' while seeing McCain as cynical, disrespectful and far too emotional to make rational decisions under duress.

Eyes rolling, disrespectfully to Obama as "That One" and other gestures have clearly backfired on McCain.

Asked tough questions about his pastor, family, former and current associates and repeatedly painted as a terrorist by republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, Barack has smoothly navigated the treacherous traps that McCain and the republicans have set for him, all while not breaking a sweat or lowering himself to the same smear tactics as his opponents.

One thing Americans are looking for these days, is a leader that won't buckle under pressure - and Barack certainly fits the bill.

Love him or loathe him, Barack's tranquil demeanor comes across very well - and honest - I might add.

These are eight simple reasons why Obama Barack will be the next President of the United States.