One of the criticisms of Barack Obama is that his speeches are stirring, but that his content is nil. But what if his calls to action awaken a spirit that opens a new era of possibility for the world?

In terms of what he stands for, I think he is pretty much like all the Democrats: health care, withdrawl from Iraq, green minded.

So what differentiates him from Hillary and John is something almost indefinable. His words are an articulate, stirring and resoundingly convincing call for unity, for thinking of America not in terms of ethnic and racial class, but in an idea of a great nation living up to its historic promise.

He has called torture torture, blasted Bush for the false reasons we were led to attack Iraq, praised the Republicans for having taken the initiative on ideas (however misguided) and asked us to think about the future.

After a dark and depressing start to the 21st Century, complete with the destruction of 9/11, the gutting of our constitutional rights, extraordinary rendition and secret prisons, the disaster in New Orleans, the anti-scientific agenda of ignoring global warming and cutting funds to stem cell research, the credit crunch and sub prime mess, the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, and the $2 trillion dollar war……..we need to completely clean house.

We don’t need another Clinton in the White House, complete with fake smiles and dirty backroom deals, and a bored ex-President with sexual pathologies wandering the West Wing.We can’t use a war excuse enabler like McCain or an astro-turf brain robot Mormon. We certainly don’t want a pistol packing preacher who believes the Earth is only 5,000 years old!

We may need an imaginative, young, gifted, intelligent man named Barack, because we deserve to take a chance with the best we are offered and not just settle for the bitter aftertaste of old and tired bromides.