Nominations

Oneika Richardson

Hillary Clinton

Regardless of the Democratic candidate that you choose to support, the two front-runners represent change. A change that is long past due in the White House.

Senator Hillary Clinton’s crusade for women’s rights makes her candidacy that much stronger. She’s aware of the progress that women have made, but like any good feminist, she knows we still have a long way to go. Women all over the country worked hard to have the right to choose and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some right-wing conservative take that away. Clinton feels the same and stands firm on her pro-choice beliefs. If Clinton gets elected, she will continue her pro-choice crusade and offer expansions for family planning services.

As long as I’ve lived, all I’ve ever known is middle class and after taking countless ethnic and women’s studies classes, it has become apparent that middle class is not where it’s at. Things could be worse; but after forking over three-fourths of my paycheck to tuition, I feel as though I’m barely surviving and living just above the poverty line. Clinton is looking to not only strengthen the middle class, but make college more affordable and accessible for everyone.

The question on everyone’s mind is: will we ever see an end to the war in Iraq? Clinton promises to do what President George W. Bush can’t, and that is to end the war in Iraq. The most imperative part of Clinton’s platform is ending the U. S. involvement with Iraq and getting our troops out of there because she, like many Americans, doesn’t see the point of getting involved in another country’s civil war.

Even if you’re not a fan of Clinton, you still have to respect her strong dedication to fixing what is inherently wrong with America and cleaning up the mess the Bush administration has made. The possibility of Clinton winning the Democratic vote is monumental for women all over the country. Much of what puts people off about Clinton is the same that makes her a strong and tough opponent. Yes, she’s a little tough in her approach but you’d be tough too if you had naysayers challenging your every political move and making sure you are making sound decisions. And they say women aren’t logical?

Galen Kusic

Barack Obama

When I take a look at the majority of candidates in this election, I am puzzled and worried. When I think of the title President of the United States, I think of a strong leader; a person with integrity, fortitude and most of all, a person that stands for good. I think of a person that is incredibly intelligent, charismatic and willing to sacrifice his own personal interests for the good of the country.

When was the last time we ACTUALLY had a president that fit that description?

At best, it has been a very long time.

After having analyzed each candidate carefully and critically, I can’t see a better choice for president in the 2008 election than Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Obama stands for social change and justice in this country. As his campaign has largely focused on, Obama represents a hope that hasn’t been felt in the same magnitude since John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Obama’s stance on civil rights is unrivaled by any candidate. His stance on these critical issues follows what this country was intended to be based on — equality. With Obama as president, a step forward toward human rights will take place. There is no doubt in my mind about that.

Obama vows to combat employment discrimination, end deceptive voting practices, end racial profiling and reduce crime recidivism rates by providing ex-offender support. This is an unprecedented plan for civil rights in this country, and it is one of Obama’s main platforms for his campaign.

With the other candidates, I don’t see a real chance of change. That word may sound trite, but it is true. The current political structure in Washington is in disarray. It is going to take someone that really wants to change the structure, flawed laws and principles that this country enforces to serve as a strong, effective commander in chief.

Obama is a leader in every sense of the word. To me his lack of experience is refreshing. To be withered and run ragged by the same political machine over and over for years can be damaging to a leader’s ability to think outside the box and make decisions that won’t just please congress — but will actually improve our nation as a whole.

Obama brings that clean slate to the table.

He also plans to improve the economy by providing better education, strengthening America’s international trade agreements and by helping low-income workers find better jobs through work programs.

Obama’s immigration plans are excellent. He plans to work with Mexico to help strengthen their economy. He also plans to give undocumented workers in good standing the opportunity to become U.S. citizens.

If elected he plans to have the majority of American troops out of Iraq in 16 months. He voted against the war in Iraq and has maintained his position throughout his time as senator to get the troops home. Even though Obama represents peace, he makes it clear that if defense of this country is necessary, he will not hesitate to use it.

Obama’s record as senator shows he does not waver on the issues. He follows his plan and makes decisions based on what is best for the people. That is what this country needs — a strong leader who can work with both political sides to create real change to further the prosperity of this nation, regardless of ethnicity, class, gender or age.

Denigrations

Victor Nieto

Mitt Romney

Reagan, Reagan Reagan. Washington is fundamentally broken and I’m the essence of change that this country needs. If the purpose of the remaining republican hopefuls is to numb potential voters into a state of discourse and agitation, then none so has done it with greater precision than presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, who seems to be the leader of this aimless fray.

Yes, you’re handsome; but no, you’re not Reagan. Maybe to an extent Washington is broken, but last I checked, you left your former governing state of Massachusetts with a tentative budget of millions of dollars in the red. And yes, you’re correct with stating that America needs a change, but in the polar opposite of where you stand on the political spectrum.

In essence, Mitt Romney is the classical candidate but in today’s America that isn’t necessarily a good thing. While posturing his campaign on astronomical changes to each primary/caucus he visits, he has incessantly fabricated about such things as seeing his father walk the Birmingham streets with Martin Luther King Jr. (he later said figuratively “saw”) in a feeble attempt to earn the black vote and has become infamous with his pro-life and gay marriage stance which are . . . fickle, to put it best, and determined by whichever ideological base he’s trying to woo at the moment.

He supposedly saved the Winter Olympics, so now he’s the noble authority on finance and only he has the know-how to bring vitality and stimulation back to a slumping economy. Why, because he’s rich? The Winter Olympics and the novelty of good-will games isn’t what most of middle-class America is worried about. “It’s the economy, stupid.” Our foreign debt dwarfs the business situations of the Winter Olympics and that of the state of Massachusetts.

It’s time for Mitt Romney to hang it up and save us the trouble of listening to another romanticizing speech, trying to empathize with the average American through his humble beginnings as the son of a three-term governor of Michigan. In short, it’s time to say NO to Mitt Romney and send him back to that private sector to which he is so fond of.

Jake Corbin

Rudy Guiliani

With California’s presidential primary now behind us, and the field of candidates narrowing, the countdown to elect the next leader of the free world begins.

Let’s all breath a sigh of relief; Rudy Giuliani’s name is no longer in the hunt, how that clown stuck around as long as he did is beyond me.

The obvious contempt that spills from my mouth at the mere mention of the former New York mayor’s name can all be blamed on one thing: Giuliani was clearly attempting to cash in on his role during the worst tragedy to ever befall the United States.

Had it not been for Sept. 11, Giuliani would never have considered throwing his name into the presidential hat, not to mention garner any substantial backing.

Giuliani centered his entire campaign around Sept. 11, invoking the infamous 2001 attack into advertisements and peppering it throughout debates with his fellow candidates. It was disgusting to watch.

Through his official website, Giuliani outlined “12 commitments” that are “a promise to this generation and generations to come that we will keep the American dream alive.” Number one on the list: keeping “America on the offense in the terrorist’s war on us.”

I’m not na’ve. I know terrorism is a problem, especially after the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into in Iraq; but is this honestly the number one issue in the U.S.?

Besides the aforementioned war, what about the sagging economy, the tremendous deficit, healthcare and global warming, to name a few?

Shouldn’t these be of greater concern to the American citizens as a whole? Or should identifying illegal aliens (commitment no. 2)?

The Bush administration has done a good job of bolstering fear among the public over the past few years (orange alert, anyone?), I could only imagine the insanity that would follow had Giuliani been given the chance to fill the departing administration’s shoes.

Let’s face it, the U.S. has a few problems to face right now. We need a candidate who is going to step up and make some big changes.

Giuliani simply wasn’t that candidate.

My only fear now is that Sen. John McCain will ask Giuliani to join him on the ticket as vice president should he win the republican nomination. After all, Giuliani did throw his weight behind McCain, calling him “a hero” and an “old friend” during his resignation speech last Wednesday.

It appears as if I am going to have to hold in that sigh of relief a while longer.

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