Back from Holiday and its election time

Not much to report about the holidays aside from the obvious: Colombia is an incredibly beautiful country and if it weren't for an SOB group of scallywags, I would see much, much more of it.

Anyway, tonight is the first step for the presidency. In an incredibly undemocratic, group-thinky process, about 80,000 - 100,000 Iowans are going to set the tone for the Democratic nomination process. Tonight's winner will have all the momentum in the world.

I've made no secret my preference for Barack Obama and I'm sticking by him, warts and all. There are a lot of reasons for that (he's progressive but appeals to moderates on the right and independents as well) but more than any is that he's black. It's something that isn't talked about in the press, but I think, having lived out of the US for quite some time now (the better part of 4 years), that race is an ongoing and enduring factor in the US. The election of a black president, I believe, could make a difference in changing the tone of race relations in the country and for the better.

Maybe it's wishful thinking. Or maybe there is a whole host of other criticism that could be leveled against me for that thought. Ultimately, I don't give a damn. This election has the potential to be historically significant and while I would love to see a woman president (cause you know, great liberal democracies like Pakistan have had women presidents already and we, uh, haven't progressed that far), I think it would be far more historically significant to have a black president.

I accept all criticism that that position invites. But in a selection process which offers 3 candidates that are, for the most part, equal on the issues (minor policy differences aside), and in which a great percentage of people aren't buying the "I'm more experienced" vs. "I'm post-partisan" tripe that is being touted by the big 2, I think this is as good a decision maker as any.

(Note: I would support any of the big 3 in the general election without hesitation. But for the primary, my favorites are, in order: Obama, Edwards, Clinton.)