Obama's vision of change makes him best candidate

Editor,

I appreciate that Andres Saenz is getting involved in the political process and that he is taking time to educate himself on the choice that lies before him. I also appreciate that he seems interested in engaging in a dialogue. When we take the time to try and understand the issues and perspectives of others, we all come out on top.

Saenz's letter questions the qualifications of the two candidates. For me, the issue of choosing a leader in any situation, not just the president, comes down to three things. The first is vision. What is the leader's vision for where they will lead me - is that vision one that I can believe in, and does it represent the highest and best good of the available candidates? The second is judgment. Does the prospective leader exhibit the ability to listen to all sides of an issue, engage experts on both sides and make sound and fair decisions? The third is leadership. Does the prospective leader possess the capability of energizing the country, unifying it toward a common purpose and keeping the focus on reaching the goals that have been identified?

For my part, of the available candidates, the answers to these questions come out overwhelmingly in favor of Barack Obama. On education, health care, energy policy, environment, women's and human rights, national security and the economy, Obama's vision represents, as Saenz quoted, "A change we can believe in." In contrast, the John McCain ticket represents a vision that largely continues the policies of the last eight years, which is not a vision I can believe in.

Elisha Allen

UNM staff