ADVICE FOR OBAMA

It's clear from New Hampshire that Obama
needs to majorly emphasize the difference
in basic vision between himself and Mrs.
Clinton. I have tried to get at this in the
following letter to the editor of our local
(Albany, OR) paper: "Your 1/9/07 editorial
wonders just what kind of change Obama
represents. It's actually a pretty sweeping
change in national direction, not just a change
in the way things get done (Hillary). 70% of us
think the country is going in the wrong
direction. The system is broken. We are
headed over a cliff. We were wrong to go into
Iraq, and O. said so. He wants to get us out.

We have been wrong in refusing to talk to Iran
and Syria as has been urged by many of our elder
statesmen. Barack will talk to them without
preconditions, and seek understanding and
cooperation to help with Iraq. He's an inter-
nationalist, and will end our "my way or the
highway" kind of diplomacy.

Confucius remarked that "the great man is
universally minded, and no partisan." That's
Obama! He has JFK's smarts and charisma,
and MLK's eloquence and idealsim. That's a
load of talent, and suggests the possibility of
greatness. Lincoln included members of the
opposition party in his cabinent to unite the
union in the civil war. I can see Barack having
a Republican like Colin Powell in his cabinent.

The people know what's right and wrong. They
need a leader that can move them (as did
Lincoln) to do what they know is right. Where
there is no vision the people perish. We need
Barack's soaring vision and inspiration to get
things done.

jgoodwin004@centurytel.net