Nice.

Jokes aside, I stand by what I have said about Mr. Obama in the past. I like him as a person and a prospective leader of the free world. That said, I still think his weakness is that he thinks, using yet again a sports analogy, that showing good sportsmanship is "all" that one needs to win World Championships. Needless to say, he is wrong. You can be respectful as well as passionate. You can be nice and be a fighter. As I said in one of my tweets after the PA loss, I can't stand politicians and their devious ways of saying and doing anything to win (read, the Clintons) and I can't deal with someone like Mr. Obama who seems intent on disappointing his millions of supporters by doing exactly what his supporters fear the most when it comes to fighting back his detractors on personal attacks - Nothing!

I like Senator Obama. I always have, that is, ever since I heard his speech back in 2004 during the Democratic Convention. Did I have doubts about him? Absolutely. Not because I did not think he was just the kind of leader this country (heck, the world) needed. I was just not sure if he knew how nasty things would get. You see, back in 2004, I was supporting Senator John Kerry. And I mean, I was really giving him my everything. And then he got swiftboated. I was disappointed. Extremely disappointed. And then he lost the election. I had a very hard time coming to terms with it. I just did not understand why the folks of this country could not see right through all the negative attacks and fear mongering tactics that was being dumped on them. It took me a long time, but I finally got over it.

Four years has since passed and it's time to elect another President. The country has been through quite a bit these past four years, thanks to the ingenuity of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Things are not the same for me either. Today, I am a married man and we are blessed with a beautiful daughter. I had told myself I was going to keep it easy this time around. After all, I had better things to do in my life. Ofcourse, it was easier said than done. Well, to no one's surprise, this time around we both got sucked in. Luckily for us, we both liked Senator Obama. As pointless as they were, we watched almost every single mindless Democratic Primary debate (20 in all) during this Primary season. We were in India visiting my parents when the news of Senator Obama's Iowa win hit us. And that was all we needed - "We were in, no holes barred!!"

Super Tuesday happened. Potomac Primaries happened. Wisconsin, Hawaii happened. Senator Obama did extremely well. And then it was time for folks in Ohio and Texas to speak. Senator Clinton, with her back to the wall, did what was expected. She, along with her campaign staff, decided to throw the proverbial "kitchen sink" at him. And all I could think of was - It's happening again. Please, Please tell me it ain't going to be the same again. Well, it did. He lost. I could care less by how much. He lost, plain and simple. Why? Cause Senator Clinton was able to convince the electorate in Ohio and Texas that when a call came in the White House at 3 am about some impending National Security crisis, Senator Obama would be looking for "How-to-be-Commander-in-Chief" manual. That all he was worth was giving good speeches. That he had just a speech of 2002 to offer as his life experience and qualification to be the President of the United States. And they bought it.

I listened to Senator Obama speak in San Antonio after the results of Ohio were out and Texas was not looking good either. This man had just lost a big Primary election night. I was hoping he would do what he rarely has done in this Election all along - Be human, not a Pastor. Show some flesh and blood emotion. Some passion. Some raw fighting spirit. Show that he was pissed too at the notion that the "kitchen sink" crap actually stuck. Instead, he did what he always does and does remarkably well - Give an inspiring stump speech. And while it was a good speech, I did not hear in his words a man who had just had a bad night but was determined to fight. I know he said something to that effect. But it sounded more like a stump speech than a passionate plea to his supporters to not give up. And to tell all those who were tuned in - "If you think I, in whose veins flows the blood of a Kenyan father don't know how to win a marathon, you're so mistaken. I am ready and yes, I am as fired up as I was on the chilly morning in Chicago almost a year ago when I announced my intention to run for the nomination." Instead, his speech seemed detached from what had just happened to him and his millions of supporters, millions of folks who really think he is the answer to this country's problems. And if that was not sad enough, I saw this this morning on some news site that his campaign was thinking of going negative on Senator Clinton.

I wish I could talk to Senator Obama. I know that's stupid. But I truly wish I could. And if I did, I would tell him this - "Fight. And let your words convey that to your millions of supporters. Americans like a fighter. You don't have to stoop to negativity to show raw passion." Remember what people have always said about teams who win World Championships, be it in Baseball or Football - The team that wins championships is never the one that deserves it the most. It's the won that wants it the most. Is really hungry for it.

Are you hungry, Senator Obama?

Let's see - A few months after Barack's campaign started distributing the fliers that Hillary seems to be super pissed about and just a couple of days after she said she was honored to be running for President alongside Barack Obama, this is what Hillary said this morning in Ohio, "Shame on you, Barack Obama". And she did not stop there. She compared him to George Bush of 2000 and invoked the name of Karl Rove in a desperate attempt to scare Ohio and Texas voters into thinking that we should really look closer at Barack and his team. You see, under the disguise of his calm and engaging debonair, Barack and his team are the 2008 version for Democrats what George Bush and his team were back in 2000 for the Republicans. Really? I wonder who is being delusional.

Here's a Reader's Digest version of what Hillary Clinton is telling you today: "Be very afraid. Be super afraid of this peddler of Hope. You see, the more scared you get, the more you will do what I think you will do - Seek the Clintons as your savior!"

To which I say to the junior Senator from New York:

Shame on you, Senator Clinton!

He has a nice voice. Will he be a great President, if elected? I don't know. Only time will tell. That said, I like what I see and hear.

I have always said, and I will say it again - It's one thing to be a strong and experienced leader. It's another thing to be someone who as a leader can inspire others. That's what Obama does. He has the uncanny knack of making people believe in themselves and in this country and inspire them to dream B-I-G.

I did not know Barack Obama in July 2004. He was going to be the keynote speaker during one of the days in the 2004 Democratic Convention. I had taken time off from work and had decided to stay at home and follow the convention. The pundits had nice things to say about this man and his resume did look impressive. And then he gave the now famous "It's not a Red America or a Blue America, It's the United States of America" (1, 2) speech. Anybody who saw and/or heard the speech that night in the context of everything that was happening in this country during that time would tell you it was the most inspiring and wonderful speech that they had heard in a long time. I was bowled over. Utterly. Completely.

So here we are almost four years later. And Barack Obama is within a striking distance of being the Democratic nominee for the President of the United States. I was not around during the rise of JFK. I hear he was charming too. And inspring as well. That said, even he had a tough time getting the American people at the time to believe in him and his ability to lead, to inspire. They say he actually barely won the election (or was it the Democratic nomination?) Is Obama the JFK of our time? I don't know. What I do know is this - I have not seen anyone in my lifetime that has come so darn close. What he does (or does not do) is something that only time will tell. But if I was a betting man, I would safely bet my money on this man. He is good. If you think I am crazy, hear him out. Give him some time. You will see what I mean.

Obama: The system sucks, but I'm so awesome that it'll melt away before me.

Edwards: The system sucks, and we're gonna have to fight like hell to destroy it.

Clinton: The system sucks, and I know how to work within it more than anyone.

Yup, that's one way to look at it. And when you look at it this way, it sure seems like Edwards is being more realistic about the whole thing. Then again, this shorter version really applies to "one and only one" area - Health Care. This Election ought to be more than just dealing with Health Care crisis.