Letters March 2008

I agree completely with your editorial endorsement of Barack Obama for our next president (February 2008).

Indeed, the more I hear his speeches and about his background, the more I feel that there is no one, including Hillary Clinton, who is better equipped.

George Bush has done enormous damage to us as a nation and the work that needs to be done to repair our economy, race relations, religious outlook, immigration problems, prestige abroad and the environment, is Herculean. Obama can do it better than anyone else.
I say this because he has a fresh perspective on these issues and he is connected to the people far more than the seasoned politicians arraigned against him.

I fervently pray he will have the advice and guidance of those who care for our country and want real change. I am glad he has the support of Ted Kennedy, which should be a bulwark against bigotry and prejudice. How wonderful to live again by the lofty ideals of Robert Kennedy and George McGovern.
Byravan Viswanathan, Via eMail

I congratulate Little India for breaking from tradition and endorsing Barack Obama for the Democratic Party nomination for president. Obama has the charisma, an open mind and sincerity. I personally feel that the Clintons have a lot of baggage, even though Bill Clinton was one of the best presidents of his era. However, his personal life was a disaster with so many scandals, such as the Monica Lewinsky affair, which resulted in impeachment proceedings. You can assume that if Hillary Clinton won the election, Bill Clinton will yield enormous influence in the White House.

The recent primaries show that Obama can be an excellent president, willing to reach out to Republicans. He voted against the Iraq war and Hillary Clinton has never apologized for her mistake in voting for it. Indians really need to take a hard look at the Clintons before they support them.
Kenneth Menen, Houston, Texas

I am disappointed by your endorsement of Barack Obama for president. Obama is all air. He delivers inspirational and emotional speeches, but has no proven track record. He would be too experimental and potentially disastrous. We have had our own experience with a novice in Rajiv Gandhi. Obama has also not adequately explained his involvement with a slumlord in Chicago; his health plan will not cover everyone and he is not fully committed to ending the Iraq war. There is little evidence of his commitment and policies.
Om Sethi, Via eMail

I believe that Barack Obama is different and offers a potential for change. His foreign policy ideas of mending relations with countries like Cuba come at a great time, particularly in the area of geopolitics when we have made more enemies than friends in the last two decades. It is absurd that we allow Americans to travel or trade with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, but have a ban on Cuba. Hello, the Cuban missile crisis occurred over four decades ago, while Sept. 11, in which 15 out of the 19 terrorists belonged to Saudi Arabia, is so much more recent. Raghvendra Singh, Warrensburg, Mo.

As a first generation Indian American woman, I reluctantly voted for Bush in 2000. Now profoundly disappointed, I searched for another presidential candidate. Barack Obama possesses a rare confluence of characteristics that compel me to be a first-time advocate and share my journey through a difficult choice.

Living in both states when the candidates launched their first U.S Senate bids, I critically evaluated both nominees. Recently I have struggled with, “Who is effective?” As community organizer, professor, civil rights lawyer and state senator, Obama consistently and authentically affected change. Clinton’s experience in public office began by re-locating to New York months before announcing her candidacy for a seat being vacated by a retiring senator.

Obama earned a reputation as a unifier, a necessary prerequisite to effectively bridge the deep differences in the country. By contrast, on her watch, prominent Clinton supporters continue to make racial remarks without condemnation.

Obama has reversed the consistent wave of apathy that has blanketed the country. I’ve met throngs of diverse citizens who are first-time participants. After 34 years, my Indian American mother now actively supports a candidate. This underscores Obama’s desire to enable people to become the change they want to see.
Swatee Surve Bellevue, Wash.