PERRYSCOPE

Perry Diaz
Why I support Barack Obama

Last October 7, 2008, I withdrew my endorsement of John McCain and endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States. News of my support for Obama spread like wildfire in the Filipino-American community. After all, I have been known to be an active and loyal Republican for the past 25 years.

I sent the following message by email to the members of the Executive Council of the National Federation of Filipino-American Republicans (NFFAR), an organization which I founded in 2004: "Effective immediately, I am resigning as Chairman of NFFAR. It was a hard decision on my part. However, I believe that I have to do it because of what has been happening in the McCain campaign.

I endorsed McCain before the California primary believing that he was the right man for the job. I was wrong. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate and his decision a few days ago to resort to personal attacks on Obama's character and integrity run counter to my personal beliefs and core values. I have lost my respect for McCain and I believe that a McCain/Palin administration would only worsen the economic situation in the country."

Severing my ties to a party that I worked tirelessly for 25 years -- campaigning for every Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan -- never crossed my mind… until McCain shifted his campaign strategy to launch negative attacks against Obama. McCain's characterization of Obama as "terrorist" and a "Muslim" reeked with racism. And unleashing his vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin, to do the dirty job against Obama further solidified my support for Obama who -- despite the negative attacks against him -- has maintained an honorable and respectful campaign.

Watching their third presidential debate where McCain incessantly attacked Obama reinforced my perception that McCain is an angry and erratic man unworthy of occupying the highest position of the land. What the American people need is someone who is cool under fire and can articulate his program of government clearly without ambiguities. Obama has consistently demonstrated his cool-headedness time and time again during the course of his campaign. On the other hand, McCain has the propensity to go off tangent.

Unable to market McCain's fuzzy economic plans to the electorate, the McCain campaign launch its "October Surprise" in an attempt to recover lost ground. Negative ads were shown on television and "whispering" campaign -- most of which were lies and half-truths -- pervaded in the Internet.

Palin's attacks began on October 4 when she told three separate rallies that Obama is "not a man who sees America like you and I see America," and accusing Obama of "palling around" with a William Ayers -- co-founder of the radical Weather Underground in the 1960's -- whom she called a "domestic terrorist." She told the agitated crowds that Obama is "not one of us." That same day, McCain who was addressing a crowd in New Mexico called Obama a "mystery, a liar, complicit in the economic crisis and an unaccomplished naif, at all the same time." In boxing, that's called "low blow."

Recently, the McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a massive "rob call" campaign whose purpose was to link Obama to Ayers. Interestingly, Obama was only eight years old when Ayers was involved in the anti-Vietnam War student movement in the 1960's. Today, Ayers has reformed and is now a respectable professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois and holds the title of "Distinguished Professor."

Compared to the "politics of fear" tactics of the McCain campaign, Obama's campaign by contrast took the high road, continually articulating the various programs that Obama plans to implement in his administration. And they are resonating with the people, particularly the middle class which is the group that is hurt most in the economic crisis and financial meltdown that plagues the nation today. Polls have shown that the people believe that Obama is more capable than McCain in handling the economic crisis.

In my opinion, Barack Obama is the right man for the job as President of the United States of America. In times of crisis, I believe that Obama would have better judgment in dealing with domestic issues as well as international issues. I believe that he has the vision to bring the nation into the 21st century. I also believe that Obama will bring the American people together. And ultimately, I believe that Obama will regain the world's respect for America. (PerryDiaz@gmail. com)