Vote for Obooma!
As far as I know, this is the first time any candidate has answered any question about animal rights (other than, possibly, Dennis Kucinich, who is a vegan).
I would probably have asked him this myself, if given a chance, since I'm pretty sure where he stands on other issues, having read his Blueprint for Change. (pdf)
Anyway, here's his answer, and it was a good one:
Obama responded that he cares about animal rights very much, "not only because I have a 9-year-old and 6-year-old who want a dog." He said he sponsored a bill to prevent horse slaughter in the Illinois state Senate and has been repeatedly endorsed by the Humane Society.
"I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other," he said. "And it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals."
It's not like I was impartial before, but I prefer pulling the lever for a candidate who is willing to address issues of animal cruelty, and recognizes the link between our treatment of animals and our treatment of humans.
UPDATE:
Here's something I just read in an excerpt from Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope that gives me hope:
This is not to say that I'm unanchored in my faith. There are some things that I'm absolutely sure about—the Golden Rule, the need to battle cruelty in all its forms, the value of love and charity, humility and grace.
Meanwhile, I think this photo tells us all we need to know about the Republican party's nominee for VP this year.
UPDATE II: The Humane Society of the United States has endorsed Obama.
