Obama mania, for better or worse

Re “The cult of Obama,” Opinion, Feb. 8

I succumbed to the magic of Obama mania motivated by Sen. Barack Obama’s clear stand on the issues, which he delineates in detail on his Internet site.

In his debates and in his speeches, he also states his views on issues.

As a senior and a political junkie, I find Obama inspirational in a way I have not seen during my lifetime.

He will not be able to realize all his goals, but he is leading us in the right direction with worthy, well-informed ideas.

Mary Artman

West Hills

I am weary of columnists who comment on the candidates’ styles rather than review their policies (“Urkel with a better tailor”).

This is now a protracted race for the Democratic nomination. The news media have the time and responsibility to bore us with the actual details of each candidate’s position.

Please do not publish columnists whose main goal is to sneer at those who express emotion, sincerity or passion for American democracy. There are better uses of our Times.

Glenn Backes

Sacramento

Joel Stein, listen to your mama. As a therapist, she knows the workings of a person’s mind better than you and, I am sure, is a bit wiser.

Obama is idolized by the young, but they are not mature enough to realize that charisma alone does not make a person eligible to sit in the Oval Office. It takes someone who knows the facts, is capable of making wise decisions, will stand up for his beliefs and do his best for the nation.

Obama has not shown all of these qualities during his stay in the Senate. He chose to put “present,” rather than vote “yes” or “no,” on too many bills. By voting “present,” he was not doing his job. The person sitting in the White House has many important decisions to make every day and will not be able to vote “present.”

I, too, was bedazzled by Obama’s oratory, but I came out of his spell. Perhaps you will too.

Adele Federman

Toledo, Ohio

Why are we so giddy for Obama? As a nation, we have been so repressed and depressed after the last seven years that Obama sends us over the top with the hope that the tide can change, and it is not just he that will do the changing.

He is engaging the electorate -- the same people who have been ignored by our current leader.

I don’t think we expect Obama to change the world (maybe we do), but the fact that he is talking about it, inspiring us to do it and giving us hope that it can be done is something to get pretty darn dreamy about.

Elizabeth Volkmann

Northampton, Mass.