Why Barack? The simple answer is that we believe that he is the strongest candidate for 2008. Of either party. He not only has a fine intellect and is already, at 45, one of the most accomplished and charismatic orators in the country; he delivers his remarks with a resonant voice and self-effacing humor. Those who saw Obama recently on "Meet the Press" saw him handle a range of questions including foreign affairs in a thoughtful, poised manner.

What may be even more important is that he is not an ideologue but a consensus builder who instinctively tries to reach across the aisle and listen to a differing point of view. As he recently wrote in his book, The Audacity of Hope:

"Unless political leaders are open to new ideas and not just new packaging, we won't change enough hearts and minds to initiate a serious energy policy or tame the deficit. We won't have the popular support to craft a foreign policy that meets the challenges of globalization or terrorism without resorting to isolationism or eroding civil liberties. We won't have a mandate to overhaul America's broken health-care system. And we won't have the broad political support or the effective strategies to lift large numbers of our fellow citizens out of poverty."

We believe that Barack Obama will restore the reputation of America as a beacon of hope, freedom and justice. We say that for all of the reasons just mentioned and for two more: He is very ready and very electable.