Obama is the best candidate for President. He has both the policy ideas and the ability to bring them to reality. He has by far the most relevant experience out of any of the frontrunners, and, in addition, would be by far the best candidate to serve in the more symbolic functions of the President.

That being said, there are those who disagree. Some agree with Hillary, or Edwards, or are still hoping for a Gore candidacy. Though it is clearly in the interest of the nation to engage in a vigorous debate and choose our candidate based on their positions, Democrats must also be aware of the practical side of things. The country has suffered under six (by 2008, eight) years of a GOP Presidency, and is only now starting to recover from a complicit, do nothing Congress controlled by the same party. While idealism is an important component of the message of progressive politics, practically speaking, idealism can sometimes lose elections. No one is served when the best candidate is run at the expense of a good candidate who can win the election.

Thankfully, in 2008 we don’t have to make that choice. The country is at a point where they are so hungry for a new kind of politics that our best candidate happens to also be our most electable. This post isn’t about why Obama would make the ideal candidate- there is plenty of that on this site already. This post is about why Obama is our best strategic chance of getting the White House out of the hands of a neo-conservative agenda which has already proved destructive to our national security, economy, and standing in the world. Obama is the candidate best positioned to win the White House in 2008. Hillary may be leading in Democrat polls and national polls, but make no mistake- she carries with her an enormous burden.

50% of US adults would NOT vote for Hillary. She is almost the only chance the Democrats have of keeping the Republicans in the White House, despite the profound Bush/GOP fatigue that exists accross the country.
http://hillary-clinton-news.newslib.com/story/1800-3243504.

As I’ve said before, the Republicans want her to win the nomination. Half the country already doesn’t like her, and the GOP strategists have been preparing to run against her since 2004. They have a war plan, and plenty of ammunition. This is why you’re going to see pretty easy news coverage of Hillary, and Obama under a microscope and the burden of a lot of lies. The reason Obama is in a really tough news cycle right now is because he’s gaining on her.

The Republican party doesn’t have a strategy for Obama. They don’t know how to beat him, and they know they’d much rather take their chances against Hillary, a known factor with huge negatives in the population, and plenty of skeletons they can exploit. It is a HUGE deal if you have nearly universal name recognition in the country, and half the people won’t vote for you. It’s also a huge deal if over a quarter of your own party won’t vote for you- especially with the prospect of a good liar like Giuliani being in the race who might convince Democrats who don’t like Hillary that he isn’t an awful candidate/person. Some polling already shows that Giuliani could beat Hillary, while Obama beats him by several points, despite her lead in the non head-to-head polls.

This isn’t an attack on Hillary. I disagree with her strongly on several issues, and most particularly her style of politics. This doesn’t mean that she isn’t a better candidate than several of the Democratic contendors, and literally everyone the GOP has put forward thus far. If she does indeed secure the nomination, I will pour myself into her campaign with every ounce of energy I have to ensure that she wins. Hillary isn’t the enemy, persay. I like her, personally, and know that the country would turn at least partway away from the disastrous path we’re on under her Presidency. The problem with her is that she would be a long shot candidate in the general election, at a time when our country can ill-afford another four or eight years of the Republican agenda.

Whenever a Republican says something about a Democrat, you should take it with a mountain of salt. My radar started blipping wildly when I heard Tom DeLay say that a Hillary Presidency was inevitable. Why would a Republican bigwig be so willing to throw in the towel two years before an election? The answer is simple. Republicans want Democrats to feel that a Hillary Presidency is their best chance at the White House (while also convincing us that Obama has no chance) so they will discard a superior candidate in Obama and put one of the most divisive figures in politics on their ticket. To a certain extent, it is working. Many people believe that Hillary has a better chance of winning the general election than other candidates, and so are willing to compromise on issues they feel are important (such as the war) in order to win the White House. What they don’t know is that they are playing right into the GOP strategy book. I know for a fact that dishonest Republicans (such as my parents) are planning on using my state’s open primary policy to go vote for Hillary in the Democrat primaries.

Supporting Obama isn’t just idealism- it is hardheaded practicality. Hillary COULD get elected, but she doesn’t have a very good chance. If we want to take the GOP out of power so we can start this country on a better path towards some semblance of respectability, Obama is not only our best choice- he’s our best chance.