My kids support Obama because he gives them hope

[starroute]

What I want to say is something I haven't seen said explicitly by anyone else -- so I'd welcome feedback on it.

My sons are in their mid-late 20's, and they've never had any reason to hope for the future. It's been Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush for as long as they can remember, and even though things were better-for-the-moment under Bill Clinton, even then they never really expected there to be anything for them to look forward to in the long run.

Their future has always been one of economic decline, environmental degradation, popular culture that would never quite live up to the peaks of 40 years ago, and no clear purpose in their lives. At best, they might hope that things would be not-worse and that they might find private satisfactions.

This kills me, because I raised them to be idealistic and tried to give them the tools to make meaningful changes in the world, and even thought their hearts are in the right place, they're so cynical that it just makes me quail.

Obama is the first thing to come along that gives them any reason to believe it might be possible to do and be what I've always wanted them to do and be. And though I'm not convinced myself that Obama can live up to his rhetoric, simply the possibility that he might light a fire in my kids and their friends seems like reason enough to support him, despite my doubts.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

[npincus]

1. Yes, it does.

:)

[RiverStone]

9. My 18 year old daughter is thrilled to have her first vote ever...

To go for Obama!

I can't get her to share a second of what goes on in her Civics class, but she sure loves to ask me questions about Obama.

[npincus]

14. Good for her!

My Republican neighbor is voting Dem for the first time EVER- for Obama! :)

[marlakay]

2. my kids same age feel same way...nt

[Blue_In_AK]

3. My 30-year-old daughter feels the same way.

I myself am skeptical, but I hope for her sake that her hope is justified. I'm still supporting Edwards.

[Freida5]

4. Give me a break!

Obama does not have the experience needed to make the changes we desire.

[goodhue]

8. how do you know?

eom

[babylonsister]

53. Senator Ted Kennedy would beg to differ; I'll believe him. nt

[Freida5]

63. Ted already brought us Reagan. I guess he want to bring us McCain

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. that's how I feel, and I'm the same age as your sons

you've pretty much nailed my feelings.

[Sadie5]

15. business as usual

I've said it many times, Obama lacks the experience and will have advisor's deciding for him. We already see what a novice in office can do, or his decider's. obama is smarter than Bush, to his credit, but he still needs to hang around and learn before he takes on a nation as badly scarred as we are right now.

[goodhue]

16. If you have said it many times, does that make it true?

Honestly, I'm a little shaky on this Obama not being smart enough thing. A corporate sell out perhaps, but I don't think he is lacking in intelligence or decision making ability. But maybe I'm wrong.

[SammyWinstonJack]

27. Being a corporate sell out will take care of that decision making ability.

Nip it right in the bud, so too speak. :evilgrin: Onward to Hope! :woohoo:

[goodhue]

36. yes, well

It's all relative. Hopefully Obama can take their money yet maintain the political capital to not always do their bidding. It's the only hope I got. And I can believe in it. He is a smart guy, after all.

[Cant trust em]

34. His "lack of experience" is an asset, IMO

I'd rather have someone take a fresh look at things that keep using the same conventional wisdom that got us into the Iraq War. Let's not forget that the other two candidates voted for the IWR and only Obama had the foresight to oppose from the start.

I really think that a clean slate is what we need.

[cali]

46. hmm. and just how much experience did that obscure president, A. Lincoln

have prior to running? Oh, that's right, less than Obama. How about that great man who never made it the presidency, Adlai Stevenson? About the same as Obama. Obama has 3 years in the Senate and 8 in the Illinois Senate, plus he taught Con Law at one of the best law schools in the country for 10 years. I think he has sufficient experience- and he's not just smarter than bush, he's brilliant.

[Skwmom]

55. Obama has GOOD judgment - he was against the Iraq

War from the beginning (unlike Clinton and Edwards who could only think of their political careers).

[goodhue]

6. It makes a lot of sense

And is a big part of the story behind Obama's support.
I know folks who want to become citizens so they can vote for such hope.

[bobbolink]

7. When you're in your 20's, the word hope has meaning.

When you get older, you realize that there has to be something BEHIND that word, or it's just empty rhetoric.

Deep disappointment at that age can have life-long consequences.

He better not let them down.

Better yet, you could raise some of the issues where there is ACTUAL hope with another candidate. Yes, it can be done without arguing, and without strife. :hi:

[DJ13]

17. "When you get older, you realize that there has to be something BEHIND that word"

Im 50, and Obama is the FIRST candidate to make me hopeful.

Hillary is more of the same old politics that got us in this mess.

Edwards seemed to shift his message from 2004 to now just to retool his chances.

Its Obama for me.

[bobbolink]

68. Hope for what? What, specifically, besides the word?

[sandnsea]

23. What Is John Edwards' Record???

I am really fed up with this line of attack when Obama is the one who actually has the record behind the rhetoric. John Edwards' record SUCKS.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/sponsor/OBAMA.html

[JVS]

43. I agree. From Bush stooge to friend of the working man in 5 years

[Cant trust em]

35. You are a rarity amongst Edwads supporters

Thank you for bringing up the point of doing things without arguing which usually tends to be the tactic amongst Edwards supporters. Using those moves will wind up turning more people off than bringing them to a point where they will listen.

[bobbolink]

69. "which usually tends to be the tactic amongst Edwards supporters."

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ToeBot]

47. When you become more experienced, you realize hope is just another way of manipulating people. nt

[pampango]

58. That's about as depressing a post as I've read in a long time.

There is no hope, just the illusion of hope.

At least I "hope" that you are over fifty, like me, not a young person with along life ahead of you.

[bobbolink]

71. It can be, that's true.

THere's much work to be done, if we wish to reclaim our nation!

[cali]

10. My son is 21, and granted, he's been interested in politics and

knowledgable about it since he was 10, but he's excited about Obama in a way I've never seen the jaded kid be. And he's the one that got me to consider Obama.

[Andy823]

11. If that hope becomes

Reality, then that's great, but if it turns out that nothing changes, what will it do to your sons?

We all want hope for a better tomorrow. I want my kids to have a great life also, and to be able to go to college, get a good job, and not end up in a senseless war in the middle east.

What I need to see is how each candidate is going to make the needed changes we need in this country. John Edwards has told us how he will do it and he has a site that expalains it. Hillary seems to want to "form" committees to figure things out. That doesn't give me much hope if she can't tell me how "she" will do the job. Obama has not shown me any "real" plans. Reaching across the isles sounds great, and I would love to see that, but if he did become president, he will never be able to accompish that, it just won't happen. The republicans are going to fight tooth and nail to make any dem who becomes president look bad, they will not be willing to work with a dem president. Not saying all repbulcians, but the leaders, and if the leaders aren't willing to work together, nothing will happen.

Edwards give me hope, land I will stand by him till the end. I really hope that I am wrong about Hillary, or Obama if they get elected, but only time will tell.

[BeyondGeography]

12. Hell yes

Life is all about motivation. If all we did was acknowledge reality, we'd be thinking about death all the time.

If he makes them feel better about things they might get involved and have some fun. Even if the world around them sucks, if they achieve and/or discover one meaningful thing as a result of his presidency that's one more than they would as result of another Clinton and/or a Republican.

Obama has said part of his job is to make government cool again. If he becomes president, people might see that going to Wall Street straight out of school just might be less cool than being a community organizer. After all (not to beat the cool thing to death), President Obama would be the coolest guy on the planet and look at the choices he made.

[AtomicKitten]

13. Caroline Kennedy's kids persuaded her to taken note of Obama's candidacy.

That's the kind of hope you can't buy.

[Joe Chi Minh]

57. A "pig in a poke" is the one purchase you can always be sure of

obtaining in this sorry world of ours. Why do you think car salesmen paint tyres? The shining hope that the purchaser will feel that he's about to make a good buy.

Maybe Abe Lincoln wasn't road-tested, but I'd bet he made some specific and significant pledges.

[sueh]

18. Caroline Kennedy said in her speech yesterday it was her 3 children...

who first told her how much they liked Obama.

On another note, my 27 year old nephew immediately supported Obama when he annouced his run for president. Disclosure moment-we're from Illinois so we had prior knowledge regarding Obama. Anyway, Obama seems to inspire young people.

Myself? I'm an Edwards supporter now. But if Obama ends up being nominee, I'll have little trouble voting for him.

[Iwasthere]

25. Me too... I don't know how many times I have watched the endorsement ... below

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/01/teddys_endorsement.html


Partly so I would be distracted from the SOTU. But I also find it inspiring. HOPE!

[BlackVelvet04]

66. I feel so much better now knowing it's the kids

of the country who are picking the president.

[sandnsea]

19. Yep.

If I can't leave hope for my kids and grandkid, then I've failed. We've got to give our kids something better than the last 40 years. We just have to. Barack Obama is the hope for a completely new course for a new century. I do not want 8 more years of dragging up old excuses to fight.

[BeyondGeography]

45. "Dragging up old excuses to fight."

Very well said.

[comradebillyboy]

20. I'll support him if he gives me a Lexus nt

[Adelante]

21. I almost don't want to post this because it will lead straight to the cynical rock star rap

But I've been looking at this photo since yesterday. These are the young people of today, not the youth of the 1960s, like me. The future is theirs, not mine. A door has opened to them of civic responsibility and political activity. And their introduction to politics is coming through the Democratic Party. It doesn't get better than this.



This is at the event yesterday when an old Democratic warrior thrilled these young people with talk of America's history and possibility for the future.

I think your kids are very, very fortunate to have a parent who can see what's happening and understand. I also think they are fortunate for being young in the here and now. An editorial said the other day: "Comets don’t come around that often."

[goodhue]

22. great photo!

I'm glad you posted it

[readmoreoften]

29. Sorry. There will be no "civic responsibility" coming from this.

Obama isn't asking them to do anything, to sacrifice anything. He is only telling them that he is the candidate that makes them feel good. Another quick, empty fix for the DSL generation.

This world doesn't belong to people under the age of 30. This world belongs to everyone. They don't get to impoverish it with their refusal to address real issues.

[marions ghost]

52. I agree

After this quick burst of rapture, most young Obama supporters will go back to their warm cocoons. It's almost as bad as the Bushites. If people have to be enthralled by their presidential candidate, then I'd certainly rather it be Obama...but do we really need this stuff in politics? I don't see it as a big improvement.

If all we had to do was vote for Obama and be saved, then I'd be jumping on board too. But I 'm betting it's going to take a lot more than that to turn the Titanic (or is it the Hindenburg) around...

Too much focus on superheroes and celebrity. Not enough appreciation of the degree of difficulty in the herculean tasks at hand.

[Pirate Smile]

37. Check out this one with the "kids" all hugging him over the security barrier.

[Adelante]

40. Was that yesterday in Washington?

That is an amazing moment.

[Pirate Smile]

44. It was after his South Carolina win.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

42. I hadn't realized how much the kids like him

Wow. He really does connect with people, Big Time.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

39. That photo is just beautiful. Thank You for posting.

I like the capture of the young woman being lifted up by some one to get a better pic of Obama.

[bobbolink]

73. And when they realize it was empty rhetoric ......................?

[OzarkDem]

24. Good, if he's elected, lets hope he does more than that

Educate your children to look beyond the fluff and ask the hard questions. Don't take anything on faith.

[Metric System]

26. The Washington Elite Are Anti-Hillary; Obama Is Their Candidate

***There is a great irony in Barack Obama's claim to be the anti-Washington candidate. The DC Establishment of course HATE the Clintons and have come to love Barack Obama. But the DC Establishment have always hated the Clintons:

Clinton spent so long as the dominant personality in the Democratic Party that it is easy to forget: Lots of elite Democrats never liked the guy that much. Or, perhaps more precisely, their feelings of admiration were constantly at war with feelings of disdain.

The ferocity of anti-Clinton sentiments heard around Washington in recent days — as even some former Clinton White House aides say they are enjoying the Kennedy endorsement and the implicit rebuke of the Clintons — has reached levels that haven’t been seen for seven years. Clinton’s pardons in the closing hours of his presidency prompted a similar backlash.

One thing to wonder about is whether the DC Establishment take Obama's criticisms of Washington seriously. I submit they do not. And rightly so. These "outsider" appeals are always phony.***

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/1/29/960/37411

[GoldieAZ49]

33. Clintons have no one to blame but themselves

They inspire people to tune out and drop out and have no interest in politics and the change it can bring.

Ted Kennedy has made it clear that the Democratic Party and the voters of America are no longer going to tolerate and ignore the Clintons sordid personal politics.

[Kittycat]

28. I don't understand from your perspective - but I do understand the power behind him.

I look at my kids (who are nearly 1 & 4yo), and see the state of things today, and I wonder about their future. I believe Obama has the necessary skills to make things happen, and in one way that the others do not. He has the ability to make people see beyond their own darkness and petty differences, and believe that they're can be a better tomorrow. He's also willing to listen to voices of those that oppose them, rather than just shut them out (making them scream louder). By giving them an audience, he takes their voice from them - like the protesters at the rally. Listening does not mean going along, it's a way to open the door to allow them to consider change - and I welcome that. The current dialog in this country has gone sour and dried up. We can't even negotiate or compromise, because we can't even stand to look at each other. Until we do that - nothing is going to get better. It's going to be 49% on one side and 49% on the other with 2% undecided. We have a rare opportunity right now, because things are polling our way - to make a huge change in this country. And unless we work together, and find a way to bring some of the independents over - and maybe some republicans - it's not going to happen.

Or we can continue with business as usual, and be here again in 4 years wondering why we can't get ahead.

[jannyk]

30. My daughter (26) wants something more tangible than hope

and is voting Edwards - our whole household is.

We figure we've lived on hope for 7+ years - that's all we've had - hope that something would change, hope that Bush would be impeached, hope that the Dem win in 2006 would make things better, ad infinitum - it's been a roller coaster of 'hope'.

John Edwards is what we've spent seven years of hope on - we don't want 4+ more years of hoping, we're hoped out. It's time to make all that 'hope' a reality with John Edwards.

[cali]

48. well,

My 21 year old is voting for Obama not merely for hope but because he was so impressed with Obama's history and record. Unlike Edwards, Obama has walked the walk- as a community organizer in one of the country's poorest neighborhoods, as a civil rights lawyer and as a legislator. Like his mother, he wouldn't dream of voting for Edwards or Clinton or anyone else who voted for the war. One of his closest childhood friends came back from Iraq a complete basket case. A particularly sweet kid, he's now an angry mess who drinks like a fish and has had a string of car accidents and fights since his return 2 years ago. Senator Edwards and Senator Clinton voted for that war- and no, funding the troops is NOT the same thing. We don't DARE take the chance that Edwards has really changed. Sorry.

[GoldieAZ49]

31. I agree with your kids

and I am almost 50.

No President can make serious changes to this country without the people in this country doing the ground work.

That takes a President that inspires people, that can create the atmosphere for change so that the ground work done by the people comes to fruition first in their community, then their county, the state and then the country and then the world will see who we are, what we believe and that we can lead by example.

The President can make the changes so that American products are competitive and technologically advanced in the world, but we the people have to create those products and advancements. Our schools have to have teachers that are paid well to educate our future generations and create an environment that young people want to unleash their creativity.

I find it disheartening that some would say to tell children that who they find inspiration in is the wrong person to vote for in an attempt to garner support for their candidate who does not inspire them. Inspiration comes from the inside out, not the outside in. Killing it before it is fully expressed is part of the problem, creating a defeatist attitude and a disconnect...telling them they cannot trust their gut, or instincts.

A country without hope for the future, and the courage to make changes from the grassroots level on up, is a country destined to repeat its mistakes.

Hope, Inspiration, Courage are not just qualities of the young, just of those that have not surrendered.

[rockymountaindem]

32. I'm 21, and I'm not hopeful or optimistic about anything in this election

First of all, I want to point out that I can't remember a President not named Clinton or Bush. The first time I ever cast a vote was in my 1st grade class mock election, wherein the candidates were Clinton, G.H.W. Bush and Perot. So, if Clinton wins this primary and general election, I could potentially be thirty years old by the time I see a President who's not a Bush or a Clinton (assuming neither family has any other members running in 2016).

Anyway, I can't gin up any hope in this election. I was very excited about Kerry in 2004, right from the beginning. Mind you, I thought it would take a miracle for Kerry or any other Democrat to beat Bush that year. All the people who rip on Kerry for "losing to the worst President ever" have obviously never met any of the people from my area who literally thought their survival was predicated on the continuance of the Bush administration. That being said, none of the candidates this year inspire the same confidence that Kerry inspired in me. As a result, I can't say as I specifically support any of them. Right now, I'd be happy if any of them were able to win in November. Even if that happens, I'm not optimistic about the future because as we've seen over the past year as well as in the past, the Republicans *never* moderate their stance and *always* stick to their guns, with the forces of Fox News, talk radio, and an army of RW think tanks backing them up. So, despite all Obama's inspirational and sunny speeches, I can't shake the impression that he might get to the Oval Office only to find everything he supposedly wants to accomplish being thwarted by the usual suspects we've all come to know and loathe since the days of Whitewater (aka, my childhood and youth).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that having faith in Obama, or any of our candidates, means first believing that they can triumph against the entrenched conservative interests who have opposed progress throughout the history of our country. With that in mind, all I can say is, "I'll believe it when I see it".

Not to mention that it's entirely possible we could lose this election in November, making all this moot anyway :scared:

[marions ghost]

54. A realistic and rational perspective

in my opinion. :thumbsup:
Thanks

[rockymountaindem]

59. Thanks for the compliment

I keep thinking about how excited everyone was this time last year, and now most of us are totally dejected about Reid/Pelosi et. al. Even then I tried to downplay my own expectations because I knew Bush would still have a lot of power. Right now, I just want someone who will stop the bleeding. It's going to take a long time before things start to get tangibly better.

[Seabiscuit]

38. So do the "kids" here on DU. And they see no farther than that. They're mesmerized like lemmings.

[Adelante]

41. I'm 60 and nothing mesmerizes me

Cut it out with the typecasting - it's false.

[cali]

49. what simplist shit.

Frankly, I think it's you Edwardians who are most adulatory- by far.

[calmblueocean]

65. That's an interesting point you make.

I admit, it's something I don't really understand. How do you vote time and time again against issues which you claim to be "the core of your being"? Voting for the war, for China trade, for the bankruptcy bill, and each time saying "I made a mistake" really doesn't give me confidence in Edwards. But many of his supporters don't seem to care at all that he made these votes. It's like they just disappeared.

Don't get me wrong, I think Edwards is a good man, mostly because I have been so impressed by his wife, and I don't think you can fake a relationship with a woman like that. But he's shown to me that his judgment is severely flawed in terms of the issues I care about, and that's why he's not my first choice. I would really like to see more Edwards supporters reckoning with HIS deeds, and not just being seduced by his words.

[Helga Scow Stern]

50. We must embrace this enthusiasm and commitment, even if

we don't share it. It is a precious force, and with the thug hijinks that will inevitably come, we mustn't alienate any of us, least of all the ones with all the energy and inspiration.

So I have decided to quit calling my daughter's young friends Obama-bots. It does no good to discredit a natural affection. It should be respected, even if we may not feel he's the best candidate. I think all of our choices need to be respected. This hating each other will only be used against us.

I love Edwards, but I am learning to say that Hillary or Obama would also be good presidents. I have to keep believing that, or I might stop caring if my candidate doesn't get the nomination. I think the thugs are counting on us not caring after they inflict a few disheartening electoral surprises. We need to remember, they are the ones to fight, not each other.

[Joe Chi Minh]

51. No, starroute. I don't think it does make sense. Just talking about hope and

bipartisanship with an atrociously un-bipartisan Opposition is a recipe for disaster.

You say your sons have become very cynical. Quite the contrary. If they are unable to evaluate the relative merits of Obama's vague, rallying kind of speeches, and the very specific, nitty-gritty promises of Edwards, to address and remedy the many very specific problems facing your nation and its people, then they are naive in the extreme (as young people are wont to be); and it is your job to explain the difference it to them.

It's difficult enough trying to hold most politicians to their specific promises, but if you vote for a wonderful orator, very short on specifics, then you are asking for big trouble, and you will deserve that and more; and you will undoubtedly get more, because it will continue as long as they are in power.

I think you'll find that JFK was anything but conciliatory with major criminals, seeking to end the war in Vietnam and close down the CIA (evidently in favour of a less criminally compromised intelligence body), while Robert went after the Mafia full-throttle. so comparisons of Obama with the Kennedys could scarcely be further from the mark, and seems offensive to their memory. Never mind their brother, Edward's endorsement of him.

And those were just three of the very specific, actually Herculean, tasks to bring the nation to its senses, that John and Robert were intent on. Their oratory was a bonus. They paid their dues with specific pledges. And eventually with their lives.

[ecstatic]

56. That's exactly how I feel. My decision is selfless

I'm a VERY angry Democrat, so obviously hope doesn't resonate that much with me. HOWEVER, thinking about the children and teens is a strong reason for me to support Obama.

[ErnestoG]

60. Obama has that JFK type quality

that he likes to try and distance himself from, because he's a humble guy....but, this is indeed intoxicating with the young.

I saw some photos of him yesterday getting hugged by some 20 something supporters and it really warmed my heart - I haven't seen this sort of enthusiasm about a presidential candidate from the up and coming generation since, well, the JFK days. I was getting cyncical and thinking this, the Camelot thing, could never happen again.

Thank you, Obama, for proving me wrong.

[2rth2pwr]

61. He's selling "Hope on a Rope"

And his promises will last just as long.

Your sons better learn that they can do great things in their life regardless of who is the President.

[1corona4u]

64. Like I said before....if he wins,

he'll be out in 4, and we'll be done with him, forever.

[adabfree]

62. It makes plenty of sense

I have 6 nephews and 3 nieces all between the ages of 19 and 29, all are voting for Obama. They say the same thing...he gives them hope for the future of America, in addition, they are tired of the Bush/Clinton strangle hold.

I tell them, go for it!

[tandem5]

67. The word hope alone doesn't inspire hope...

and addressing climate change as a matter of picking that "low-hanging fruit" first doesn't inspire confidence that the coasts of the world won't be under water in 50-100 years.

[ursi]

70. so do my kids and we are leaving them a mess, a country in debt, in war, etc.

[cd3dem]

72. A snow day in January, now that will give my kids hope