I Can’t Believe It, I Actually Like a Politician.

I didn’t get excited about Barack Obama at first. As a matter of fact, I figured he was a just another politician—ready to pander to the interests of Illinois agribusiness giants, all flash, and no substance. Yet every time I’ve heard the man speak, (I can barely bring myself to admit it) I’ve been inspired. To inspire someone as cynical and iconoclastic as I am is no small task. And it’s no small matter that Obama opposed the invasion of Iraq from the very beginning. I don’t agree with every word that comes out of the man’s mouth, but for someone with real potential to become the next President of the United States of America, he’s pretty fantastic. This isn’t just a post-Bush “anyone but Dubya” head rush. Nor is it a fairy tale. Obama has shown us twice now that he can win. He won in an overwhelmingly white state (Iowa) and a majority black state (South Carolina). And the Clintons have been behaving terribly (lying a lot!) in this campaign. It’s no wonder that Caroline Kennedy (JFK’s daughter) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (JFK’s brother) have decided to endorse Obama. And now I’m jumping on the bandwagon, at least publicly. I’ve been liking Barack Obama a little more each time I’ve heard him speak.

Even in New Hampshire, a state where most residents haven’t seen a black man since Family Matters went off the air, Hillary Clinton only beat Obama by two measly percentage points. In Nevada, Clinton’s popular vote win still netted her one less delegate than Obama—and delegates are what matter. On top of all that, on Saturday, Obama completely pwn3d Clinton in the South Carolina Democratic primary. Yes, that sealed the deal, and inspired me to write this post. Let’s get ready for Super Tuesday.

So I just made my second contribution to his campaign. It was only $25, but hey. Every little bit helps. And if a politician (even a black man with a funny name) can convince a guy like me to donate to his campaign, he may just have a shot at winning this thing. I set up a personal fundraising goal on his website, so if you’re considering donating, I urge you to donate here.