Barack Obama is the Democratic Presidential nominee. This is good for any number of reasons. He is the least experienced politician, which should help a lot. He is an African-American, which makes this a historic occasion, and tells the world that there is more to American than white, male, Republicans. You heard it here first: He will beat John McCain by a minimum of 8% points. McCain represents the old way of doing business, Obama the new. The old we know about. It is being soundly rejected by the American public. The new is something of an unknown entity, making the change scary for many Americans. Sometimes we stick with the used up and failed, even if we know it's bad for us. But the time is now, and Obama is the one. Young, energetic, and charismatic. Change is the great inevitable. We can only hope that it brings with it an end to an illegal war; universal health-care; a reconciliation among countries we have plundered and betrayed; government for the people, rather than bought by big business; a realistic facing of an impending environmental disaster; and a sigh of relief from the people of this country, and all the world, that we are rejecting the old ways of war, torture, fear, and repression, and about to let democracy shine once again. Obama will not be able to do all this on his own. He will need all of our help. We're all in this recovery together. I'm finally feeling a bit of optimism about our future. Now on with the campaign. Obama's first hard decision: A Vice-President. Who do you think?