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Editorial See other Editorial Articles Title: As We See It: Elect Obama as next president Barack Obama's remarkable rise really does equate with his campaign's theme: "Change you can believe in." In that many Americans today are concerned, even fearful, of what their future holds, Obama has demonstrated time and again that, while he might be short on governing experience, character matters and that electing him president will be a fundamental change in leadership for America. For more than 20 months, the Illinois senator has been running for president, against tough and experienced opponents. There have been some serious challenges during this time -- the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the revolt by some of Sen. Hillary Clinton's supporters -- but the candidate has demonstrated the kind of calm leadership, intelligence and skillful communicating that will be needed as America deals with the present economic crisis. At the same time, we have been disappointed that Obama has not shown more passion for problem solving and bipartisanship, as we had hoped to see in the campaign against Republican John McCain. Obama, who has led McCain by a relatively narrow margin for weeks now, has been deliberate and careful, never losing his cool, acting presidential, if you will, before voters decide if that indeed will be his next job. Although Obama's experience falls far short of his rhetorical skills, our choice was made easier by the kind of campaign McCain has run. McCain has failed to sound any consistent themes; was all over the map during the debate over the federal bailout package; and now has come up with a $300 billion plan to buy distressed mortgages, without any description of how he would pay for it. In the past week, despite avowals he would not go negative, McCain has allowed his campaign to take a page out of past Republican playbooks by casting aspersions on Obama's character and associations. So far, the experienced candidate -- McCain -- has acted more like a first-timer on the national stage, in contrast to Obama's consistency and calm. We don't, however, entirely fault McCain for choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Clearly, Palin is not yet ready to lead the country, but just as clearly she has struck a chord with many conservative and working-class voters and at least given the ticket a chance. While McCain's advisers were wrong to shield her for so long from journalists, the media's mockery has only added to her stature among supporters, already angry over the nearly universal adulation granted Obama. Palin, however, is not the main issue. Eight years of the Bush administration have left our country weary and yearning for hope. Obama, for many reasons, has given many people a sense of just that. Unfortunately for Obama, if he wins -- and he should, if for no other reason than the economy -- he'll face a series of challenges that will make it difficult to deliver on many of his campaign promises. In addition to the crisis in the financial markets, he'll be faced with the rising costs of entitlement programs, a huge national deficit, and an unpopular war in Iraq that is going better than a year ago, when Obama pledged to bring our troops home. Terrorism will remain a potential danger, and America's declining position in the world, will need to be addressed quickly. Issues such as climate change and energy will have to be dealt with during a painful recession. Our next president will need the kind of qualities that Barack Obama has demonstrated in his long and historic fight to lead the United States of America. We urge his election.
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