Editorial Obama for President, and for our generation

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The long, arduous trail to the White House will reach its conclusion this week, with Election Day serving as the summit that will motivate the American electorate through the final days of the uphill climb that is partisan presidential politics. On this greatest of days for American democracy, we enthusiastically endorse Senator Barack Obama for the office of President of the United States. While we respect Senator John McCain's service to his country and the United States Senate, we feel that Senator Obama epitomizes the ideals that Middlebury holds dear. He is intellectually curious, an able communicator, and understands the value of community. We do not endorse Senator Obama to rubber stamp his candidacy in this generally liberal atmosphere; we support his candidacy because we feel he is the candidate that best understands the challenges that this country will confront, and that our generation must overcome.

Symbolically, Senator Obama's election would also turn the page from the current Bush administration, which we feel has failed to lead our country in the right direction these past eight years. The most senior class at the College, the February Admissions Class of 2008, arrived on campus only two weeks after President George W. Bush's second inauguration in 2005. The political climate of that time dispirited many young people hoping to affect political change, and spawned a great deal of activism these past four years. This election embodies that change, as issues that are important to Middlebury students are at the forefront of the debate.

The candidates' positions on the challenges this country will face have been well documented in the press and these pages, and while these are of great import, our decision to support Senator Obama is firmly grounded in his impact for our generation. His economic plan is a refreshing break from the current administration's, and should be more sustainable. Stepping out from behind the veil of ignorance, we also realize it could have tangible effects on recent Middlebury alumni who will be paying taxes as non-dependants for the first time, in tax brackets far below the much discussed top five percent. And while Senator Obama's approach to rebuilding our financial institutions is not yet apparent, we trust his executive abilities.

Senator Obama's call to service for young people resonates with us. We have yet to face a generational challenge along the lines of a military draft or even a race to the moon to unite us; we believe Senator Obama has the ability to inspire this unity as our country faces an unraveling economy and looming environmental crisis.

Regardless of the candidates, we also celebrate the democratic process that will anoint one of them on Tuesday. This fall has brought interest and excitement in politics that our country has sorely lacked with regard to important decisions in our recent past. For proof, consider the surge in interest for Saturday Night Live's political satire. The activity on campus has also been commendable with the College Republicans, Democrats, and non-partisan organizations like the Roosevelt Institution and MiddVote taking the lead. We applaud the effort of these groups and all Middlebury students that have taken the time out of their busy academic schedules to fulfill their civic duty. It is often said that "This election is the most important of all time," and while we resent that declaration's decay towards cliché, we do acknowledge that what happens on Tuesday will have a profound impact on both the immediate future of the United States and our collective future.