Having previously been an Obama supporter, I was urged by a friend to take a second look at John Edwards as a candidate for my support (which is of course grossly academic as I am not an American citizen). While I was convinced that Edwards best reflected the changes that I thought were necessary in Washington, I did not agree with my friend that Obama was too closely tied to the establishment or that he was outright an apparatus of the/any American plutocracy. I simply had decided that Edwards was stronger on the issues that I cared about.

My first interaction with Obama however went back to 2004 watching his speech at the DNC convention, while I was in North Carolina amongst a slew of Edwards supporters. Obama's sensational ability to captivate his audience and frame his ideas within a rhetorical and political narrative was unprecedented. He had, even then garnered the attention of the entire Democratic party and anyone else who dared to keep an eye on the headache of the 2004 presidential election. George Galloway's elated comments on Obama clearly stand out as an example of his ability to captivate and move people in a given political direction.

It took me some time to realize that this American presidential election process was not about issues, despite my attempts to make it so. There is not one of the candidates other than Dennis Kucinich who had even remotely what I consider to be a decent healthcare policy. I should add that I was not impressed by Kucinich's bid for office, nor would I have backed him even as a protest vote. Edwards himself stated he was personally conflicted by same-sex marriages. However, given the political situation in the US, I'm not prepared to describe any of them as "the lesser of two evils". It became clear to me the contest itself was not about agreeable or disagreeable policies, but seeing their policies as "a step in the right direction", thereby vesting in their integrity and political wherewithal to carry out those changes.

Particularly with Obama and Edwards as candidates, I feel the presidential bid has been ordained by participants of substance and conviction. Without integrity, honesty and backbone the prospect of change is nothing more than a marketted lie, on which we have all based too much of our political capital. I feel comfortable in expressing my support for Barack Obama, as an extension of my support for John Edwards. It is now clear to me the Obama-Edwards Presidential ticket is what is needed for the US now, and I believe their work in office would benefit the relationship between the US, Canada and the world.

Edwards backs Obama for U.S. presidency

John Edwards endorsed his former rival Barack Obama's bid for the U.S. presidency on Wednesday, saying it's time for the members of his party to "come together as Democrats."

Barack Obama, left, and his former rival John Edwards wave to the crowd on Wednesday in Grand Rapids, Mich., after Edwards announced his endorsement of Obama as the Democratic presidential nominee. (Adam Bird/Announcement)"The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters have made their choice and so have I," Edwards told an ecstatic crowd of supporters in Grand Rapids, Mich., Wednesday evening as the Illinois senator stood by his side.