The ugly politics of America has left me wondering about the future of this country. I recently pondered whether America will ever truly get beyond the politics of racism, sexism, and ageism. So many Whites say that don't trust Obama (but they trust Bush). Women are crying foul about the way the media has covered, or not covered Hillary Clinton. The youth of America cannot identify with McCain. What has upset me about this whole thing is that we really have not dealt with substantive issues. America wants to end the war and we all know that. I would prefer to hear about how each candidate feels about terms limits, welfare reform, church reform (too much money going to churches that is unregulated), R&D for alternatives to oil, and an explanation for America's foreign policy in the Middle East. I would also be interested in hearing how all of these topics might be tied to greater prosperity for all Americans. Leave the fear mongering, race baiting, sexism, and ageism alone. Talk about some real issues.

As a college administrator, it angers and saddens me that two defenseless women trying to get an education could be randomly chosen and murdered. As an African American male, it infuriates me that young African American males would be the perpetrators of such cowardly acts. My heart goes out to the families who will never see their daughter's smile or hear their voices again. While I am a compassionate man, I believe that the death penalty is in order should the courts determine that these young men were the actual killers. It will not bring the young women back, but it will at least put a few cold blood killers permanently out of commission.

Many of you may remember that my poll to see who might be the next president had Hillary and Barack at the top. I thought that it might just be that the folks on blogstream were enlightened and open-minded. I have come to realize that America has come a long way. It is amazing to me that in this year of history, both an African American man and a woman would both have an opportunity to become the nominee for a major political party. I am encouraged, yet I am also bothered by the ways things have turned. I would not ever discount Hillary's influence on her husband, nor the role that she played as first lady. I would not discount a day of her service as United States senator. I would not discount any of Obama's experience as an elected official. It scares me to think that if a man is charismatic, he is "all talk and no action". Wasn't Reagan also very charismatic? Wasn't Kennedy? The funny thing about all of this is that I have always preferred McCain to Bush. No president bashing here. We have what we have. McCain has always been a stand up kind of guy in my book. I like Obama's policies. Yes, I know what they are because I have been listening. I like McCain's experience but I do not feel that we need someone with the experience to get us deeper into a war that seems to be accomplishing newly defined objectives with each year the goes by. I like Clinton because she is strong, like my mom. And just think about it; the one thing that she has that the other candidates don't have is that she can train her husband how to be a presidential spouse because she has 8 years experience. Finally, she would get the ultimate payback if she had an affair with a male intern during her presidency. Go out and vote the way you feel and in the end, something historic is bound to happen. Good luck to all the candidates, but Obama is my man, at least for now.