The following is a copy of an email I wrote recently declaring my support of a candidate for President of the United States :

Friends and Family -

I know it might be slightly tasteless and in several cases futile to make a mass email to encourage your support of a particular candidate for President of the United States, but you all know what a political animal I am, so it shouldn't be terribly surprising that I am doing so nonetheless. What's more, I - like a great many Americans - am more optimistic in this race about the possibility of a genuine turning point for the better in American politics than I can recall ever having been. It should also be no surprise that the candidate that gives me the most hope for the future of our country is the one who has similarly inspired millions of people in recent months and years: Senator Fred Thompson. Just kidding, it's Barack Obama.

To those of you who already support Senator Obama, don't neglect your opportunity to cast your vote for him in your state's primary or caucus, if you haven't already done so. To those who are uncertain about your choice for President, indulge me a few comments on his behalf. I believe that in Barack Obama, you will find a candidate that not only fights to eradicate lingering inequality our country, to bring opportunity, healthcare, and education to every American, and pursue forward-looking energy and environmental policy, but one who will do so through sound fiscal policy, without massive deficit spending or wholesale tax increases. I believe that through Barack Obama, gone are the days of the "tax-and-spend" paradigm in the Democratic party. He proves what I've long believed: that it's possible to be socially progressive on certain issues and be fiscally responsible at the same time.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I feel that Senator Obama represents leadership we can be proud of in the world. The power of the United States of America dwarfs every other nation on Earth - economically, politically, militarily, and through the influence of our culture - but over recent years and decades we have squandered the opportunity to lead by example and our leaders have betrayed the trust the world once had in our ideas, our principles, and the promise of our prosperity. President John F. Kennedy once noted, "Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us--and our governments, in every branch, at every level, national, state and local, must be as a city upon a hill--constructed and inhabited by men aware of their great trust and their great responsibilities." To that effect, Barack Obama gives me hope. Hope that the world may someday grant our country respect not out of fear, but out of admiration. He gives me hope that we can live better together in our time and ensure that our children may do the same in theirs, and in doing so bear our responsibility as citizens of the city upon a hill with pride.

To those of you who tend to lean too far to the right to consider voting for a Democratic candidate, forget about the funny name (he's not a secret operative for Al Qaeda), take a leap of faith from the Dark Side and support a candidate for President who can truly bring our country together, not drive us farther apart.