Oh...and when my Dad saw the picture, he e-mailed me and said, "You know...you look a little bit like Sarah Palin in that picture." Not the look I was going for!!!

So, what are some of the things that you like about Obama?

I am a supporter of his health care initiatives. On a personal level, this is very important to me and on a national level, I think it's critical for our country. I agree with him on his pro-choice stance.

If you've read my blogs here or on my own blog (www.liveandletdi.com), you probably know that I detest the emphasis on testing of students. And Obama opposes using standardized testing for merit pay for teachers. Some teachers are fortunate to have more strong performing students than others...and sometimes this is due to the demographics of the schools in which they are teaching. I feel that "teaching to the test" demeans teachers and demotivates them to teach with creativity and enthusiasm.

I share Obama's belief that our withdrawal from Iraq should begin immediately and be carried out in a safe, methodical way. I do not feel there is a need to "win." I oppose war on principal and feel especially uncomfortable about a war where we are the aggressor and there isn't a clear link of a threat from that country. If we were really worried about spreading democracy, why didn't we take stands when so many African countries were experiencing genocide of monumental proportions? I still believe we need a military to protect our country, but I would love to see them carrying out peace-keeping missions and spending time helping to buoy countries who could use our resources. Just think of the impact on the global economy of something like that!

And finally, I feel that as a relative "outsider" compared to his opponent, he has more of a chance of effecting change in Washington, DC. Those who worry about his outsider status or lack of foreign policy experience should remember that he had the courage to choose a politically experienced running mate with the foreign policy experience he may lack. And I think he's smart enough to surround himself with a cabinet comprised of experts in the various areas that the President is involved in.

Too much information? Sorry...I just wanted to be clear and relatively concise because as the final weeks wear on, I keep hearing Republicans accusing Democrats of being almost disciples of Obama. I have heard comparisons with the way Germany responded to Hitler. And I just think that's wrong.

Di