My vote goes to Obama.
I was an independent who tended to lean Democratic on social issues, and Republican when it came to fiscal matters.
The last 8 years have finished me on the Republican party. When Cheney said "deficits don't matter" and the trickle down voodoo economics became the mantra, that started losing me. The stupidity that is Iraq was what finished it and made me turn my back on the GOP, probably for the rest of my life.
As a vet and one with enough knowledge about the subject to know how unnecessary Iraq was and how negligently it was run, at the cost of lives in the thousands of servicemembers, I feel that Bush and his administration betrayed a sacred trust to provide our military with the best possible leadership. For that I cannot forgive Bush, and am angry beyond words. That so many Republicans questioned my patriotism for criticising this and bought into the lies, makes my decision to be a Democrat much easier.
I have stood aghast at the level of incompetence, and naked hubris of the current administration.
That it was so cavalier with our government, imposing ideological litmus tests on hiring for non-political posts, a war on science that surpressed data that contradicted its ideology, seizing new powers and really going for what is best described as an "imperial" presidency, simply reinforced my belief that the Republican party really didn't represent the best interests of the nation, and that the radicals had taken power.
After years of seeing the Dems shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to picking a presidential candidate, I was horrified when I saw the same thing about to happen with Hillary being the front runner. I personally don't have a problem with the woman, but knew that she would lose in any national election.
I looked around, did a bit of digging and found Obama to be the best out of a pack of good alternatives.
He was obviously intelligent, and spoke to audiences on topics as if they were grown ups. The speech in Philidelphia on race sealed it.
I do not agree with everything in his platform, I do not think he is some earth-shakingly new type of politician who has never said something because it was convenient or because it would increase his support.
Since the primaries, he has shown himself to be disciplined, driven, intelligent, and able to learn things quickly, and has developed an obvious grasp of all sorts of issues.
Inexperienced? Meh. Some of our best presidents have been inexperienced, and what really truly prepares you to be the president of the United States?
Given all this, I voted, cacuased, and call-banked for him in the primaries. I met the campaign workers from his national staff that came to my county, and was impressed at their drive, their intelligence, and their motivation.
This country needs a person who can attract such people to the next administration. Obama has looked more and more presidential every day, especially when put next to the McCain/Palin ticket.
I don't buy the hyterical doom and gloom scenarios of a country in ruins for electing Democrats. It is time for a change, and time for moderates to take back the government from the radicals who have been in charge.