I'm voting for Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries. I live in New York.

This wasn't an easy decision. I made it at the end of December.

I would have been happy with with any of the Democrats. Their positions were - and still are - different only in nuances. The question of what the election of a candidate would symbolize and accomplish in a larger political sense thus looms in importance in this election.

Hillary Clinton's election would have the wonderfully beneficial effect of putting a woman in the White House - as President. Barack Obama's election would have the equivalent effect of making an African-American our President.





Nonetheless, I would happily vote for Hillary Clinton in the general election, and would also be delighted to see her on the ticket as Obama's Vice Presidential candidate.

But on February 5 I'll be voting for Barack Obama in New York.