scientists for obama

i went to a meeting tonight with emily that was with an organization started locally by one of the professors who has taught in her program. i was more than a little out of my element, because almost everyone was a scientist in the room. a lot of the people there had not made their decisions as far as which candidate they would eventually support, but came to learn more about his position--largely about the NIH funding of scientific research.

senator obama conferenced in. what actually was going on was that there were supposedly a lot of house parties going on throughout the state of illinois that all teleconferenced into the call that the senator made. what he had to say was largely what he's already said, and though they were talking points they were at least somewhat salient talking points.

this was the first political event emily and i have attended. it was an interesting experience, to actually be at least a very small part of a political movement, instead of merely philosophizing about things within my very confined head.

i don't know whether i'll end up supporting obama in the long run. i have this thought that obama and clinton may eventually join forces after the primaries next year, just like bush and reagan did. or maybe it will be another combination of the other democratic primary candidates. i am somewhat upset at the fact that that presidential race overall has already begun, and think it's somewhat absurd. on another tangent, i feel that all of these star political players are using their presidential-hopeful platforms as a way of avoid being caught up too much in any current Washington controversies that may have an adverse effect on their campaigns. thought that is probably very cynical of me. perhaps this is just the new political environment. it's just i'd rather have a current constructive dialogue in Washington instead of a promise to have one in January 2008. for the mean time, though, i'll try to remain open-minded.