Obama: Condoleezza or King?

"When Obama is President, he'll make the changes he promised," said the DNC staffer. A friend of the Saccharinist received this response this week during an unsolicited call from a DNC donations volunteer. The question that was asked was "why did Obama vote 'yea' on FISA?"

The question was simple enough, the answer was anything but -- in fact, it's answers like these to votes like a 'yea' on FISA that are troubling. "He voted for FISA because he decided that it was important at the end of the day to protect Americans rather than the terrorists," the staffer continued. To "protect" Americans from what? The only invader under FISA is the US government itself which has now, thanks to Bush's immediate signing of the bill, been authorized to further invade Americans' privacy.

Democrats, liberals, progressives, free thinkers and informed citizens across America are worried today.

They are worried that they are this close to historically electing the first-ever African-American to office and they don't want to speak up in criticism against this candidate.

Obama knows that. The power that surged his candidacy knows that. And it's the easiest way to take advantage of good people who believe that someone who is an African-American, who has lived abroad, who has experienced hatred and division will have it in him to make a positive change toward peace and progress through the American presidency.

But don't forget the Condoleezza Rices of this world. Her own friend was one of the 4 Little Girls of Alabama.

Maybe Obama is who he says he is. Maybe he does want progress, he does want change. Maybe he truly is against the Iraq War, the Afghan War, an attack against Iran. Maybe he's the Martin Luther King, Jr. of a new generation of Americans ... Maybe... Maybe...

But at this point in time, just before the Democratic National Convention, just before a Vice Presidential running mate has been chosen, just before the War on Terror gets even more out of hand, just before Obama thinks he can get away with something like a 'yea' vote on FISA -- at this point in time the good people of the United States need to speak up and let Obama know what they want.

For those of you Democrats or Obama supporters who have been intimidated into keeping quiet, into not criticizing him -- you're digging yourselves deeper into the rut that someone like George W. Bushler was able to take advantage of. When Americans don't speak up, their government gets away with gas prices at nearly $5 a gallon, senseless wars, low-grade disaster cleanups like Katrina and a healthcare system that is rivalled by poor nations like Cuba.

Obama could be Condi or King -- the American public has to decide what they'll let him get away with. The time to make that decision is now more than ever.

For the latest Saccharinist coverage of Selection '08 click here.