An open letter to Senator Obama

Dear senator, Respectfully: One of my favorite sayings: "Education without common sense is a load of books on the back of an ass." You are an educated man, so please stop for a moment, gaze into a mirror and reflect, carefully, ...very carefully.

1. America loves the underdog. But only to a point. Your 'people' and their resources in this technologically advanced world can find many examples to demonstrate this point. Remember
George Santayana..."Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it."

2. Stop listening to those whose advice leads you to forget about listening to your heart, and to do whatever it takes to 'win at any cost.' You are beginning to sound like what long ago gave the word "politician" a negative connotation.

3. You are not Muhammad Ali and this is not a slugfest. You are seeking the highest office in the land, and the rhetoric now sounds like a couple of "fishwives" in an alley fight.

4. Every time you mention the name McCain, or Palin, is an instance where you should be saying Obama. The country doesn't want to hear what you think of "them." What they want to know is who you are. What are your ideals. Your goals. They want to hear about your plans, your hopes, what you intend to do for this country, and how you will go about it, in clear and
understandable terms, not a lot of gibberish, doublespeak and gobbledegook.

5. You can do this. But not if you permit your "advisers" to continue putting words in your mouth.

6. Paul Krugman's column in the Sacramento Bee Saturday, 9/13/08..."How a politician
campaigns tells you a lot about how he or she would govern." Something to think about. Remember, the best leading and teaching is "by example." In thinking about your children,
are you setting a good example ?

7. Be your own person, again. Take the high road, always. Believe me, with the world as it is, you really have no other choice. You may lose, but if so, it will have been on your own terms. In the long run, you will always have been the better for it, no matter what.

8. A truism: Anybody can be a singing cowboy. And anybody can be the best singing cowboy. But
only one person can be "THE FIRST SINGING COWBOY." Be the first to campaign with who and what you are, what you stand for, and what you will do your very best to make this country great.

Sincerely, and good luck.

Stu Goldberg