[This is going to be the most politically-charged thing I've ever written. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I am a fiscally-conservative, socially-liberal individual who believes in free markets but recognizes that big business needs oversight to prevent evils like Enron and Dick Cheney.]

Man, the current state of politics in the United States is depressing. With the world economy thrashing, with war atrocities on multiple fronts on the other side of the world yielding an insane cost in dollars and blood, with a self-righteous President who is proud of sticking to bad decisions, and with a Republican candidate who offers only cheap-shot sound-bites and more-of-the-same policy, any opposition candidate should have a commanding lead in every poll. Do Americans really believe the bald-faced lies spoken by the Republican talking heads of Fox News? Is the average American really that fucking stupid?

If this book is any indication, Barack Obama will be unelectable in this country. His writing makes it clear that he is a smart, principled, articulate and nuanced man, with rock-solid reasoning and values behind his positions, and with the humility to realize that he doesn't have all the answers. With every word of this book, and with every speech I hear him give, I am more impressed by this man. I don't agree with him on every issue, but where we differ, I respect his viewpoint, and I can tell that he respects mine (and yours!). He's even fiscally responsible!

Middle and Southern America, please don't mess this up for the rest of the human race. I promise no one is going to force you to get an abortion or enter into gay marriage or stop hunting if you don't vote for McCain. You don't have to start drinking lattes or driving hybrid cars (though if you try them, you might like them). If you elect Barack Obama, I may even stop blaming you for the last seven years (probably not, though).