The following post explains why I support Barack Obama for President. For a great video look at all 3 Presidential candidates, check out my post: A GOOD video look at all 3 Presidential candidates

I believe nothing great in our government is achieved by a single person (that is, if it is done legally). Thus, although I understand there are exceptions in the President’s power that allow him/her to make singular, binding decisions, I believe the President should act more as a figurehead, or to use this election’s words, “an agent of change”.

What does that mean? I believe it means the President should be the one to represent our countries views, both domestically and foreign, in an accurate manner–something I believe President Bush has been unable to do. The war is one example of such inaccurate representation of American views by our leader. This is not to say the President should only be a puppet of the American people. The President and his/her staff should use their expert knowledge and/or resources to bestow upon the public their beliefs on what is best for our nation, and be allowed to make that case to the public. Yet, in situations like Iraq where that has been done and you have only ~30% of it supporting your belief, you no longer accurately represent the views of the country.

Furthermore, I believe the President, in order to ensure that the opinion he is getting from the public is substantial enough to accurately represent the nation, should be engaging enough to interest the nation in politics. While some like myself may believe it should be each individual’s duty or responsibility to take an interest in the government that ultimately affects their life, I also understand that today’s fast-paced world places more responsibilities and distractions on the public than any other generation has had to deal with in our nation’s history. Taking this into consideration, the President must have qualities that can engage the public. For most Americans, the President comes to them in 15 second sound bites during the evening news, is quoted in newspapers, gives a prime time speech once a year on the state of our union, and for those really dedicated, speaks to them via radio address on the weekends. Notice a similarity to all these forms? They all involve speaking, and more fundamentally, words. As the President’s main form of communication with the public for stating his/her case for the country’s future path, and primary way of fulfilling his duty to engage the public in current affairs, I believe it is paramount that our President be masterful of words.

I once saw an interview by Donny Deutsch, in which he asked Donald Trump “You are brought in as a consultant, he [Bush] is the CEO of the largest corporation in the world, America. Let’s dissect him as a CEO, tell me where he has gone wrong, where he has gone right as a CEO”. Trump responds by saying that Bush has failed to surround himself with good people–a key to any good leader’s success. While Trump may be a bit rough around the edges, no one can deny his successes, nor can you deny the fact that he brings up is true. Surrounding yourself with good people in life can be a telling sign of ones own character. Our President must have the judgment to surround him/herself with good people. Now while I will take a cue from my father and point out the discouraging fact that no debate moderator ever asks Presidential candidates to list their potential cabinet members, I can say this about Obama. Having had the least amount of time in Washington compared to all other candidates, he has the least amount of political ties. He can have greater ease in judging a cabinet member’s qualifications in an unbiased manner. His vote against the Iraq war from the start again shows his abilities for good judgment. In contrast, Clinton voted for the war, and has been unwilling to recognize her err in doing so in hindsight. I firmly believe Obama’s “lack of experience” in Washington actually plays to his favor in this vital aspect of a President’s job in choosing those that will surround him.

Some of the debate around experience seems to think that the job of the President is to go in and run some bureaucracy. That’s not my job. My job is to find smart people to run the bureaucracies. My job is to set a vision and say 'here’s where the bureaucracy needs to go.'”

— Barack Obama, speaking to Reno Gazette-Journal editorial board
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal

Ultimately, I believe the President’s role for the nation must be one that accurately represents the public’s opinion on current affairs around the world, while at the same time using his/her knowledge and resources to make their case to the people, engage the public in politics in a world that affords more responsibilities and distractions than any other time in history, and surround himself with good people. Am I disregarding policies and platforms? Yes. Am I saying they are unimportant? No. However, it is not the specific policies and platforms of the President that are important in a Democracy, but those of the people. Continually, Barack Obama has engaged and inspired more and more Americans to take notice in politics again. His rallies now consistently attract 15,000-20,000 people—sizes that usually resemble attendance numbers for popular rock concerts, not politicians. This is the level of engagement the leader of America must obtain from the public in order to accurately represent the nations beliefs, and that is what Barack Obama can do.