Talkin' Polichicks: Paige Shevlin on why Obama's her man

I was first drawn to Senator Obama when reading his book Dreams from My Father . What I found there was a man who went through an identity crisis and came out with a true understanding of himself. He also thought deeply of not just his own problems but the problems of others during his time as a community organizer.  

As a think tank employee who loves good policy, I could not support Obama based only on my heart. So I read Audacity of Hope , where he puts forth a broad policy agenda, studied his voting record, and read his policy proposals on his campaign website.  I was impressed by his innovative and practical policies and his top notch staff of economic advisors. While Senator, Obama sponsored and cosponsored bills to solve problems that are important but do not get as much attention from the media. For example, he suggested more funding for housing programs for homeless veterans. He also supported a bill on responsible fatherhood that puts more money into marriage counseling and domestic violence prevention. He was not going to get wide acclaim for these bills but he knew they were important.

Finally, I support Senator Obama because I believe the power of the Presidency to be a force for good. If I thought being President was equivalent to managing a company, I might support someone else. But the President does have the potential to motivate people and be the conduit through which change occurs. It has been done before. Barack Obama possesses the qualities most important to be not just a President but a great President: the ability to inspire, a history of sound judgment, and the willingness to compromise. If now is a time for greatness, only Obama can meet that challenge.

-Paige Shevlin

Guest blogger Paige Shevlin works at Brookings in Washington, D.C.  She is a recent graduate of Wellesley College.