The Best Argument for Obama, in Two Sentences

(As a goodwill gesture on the first day of the Democrats’ convention in Denver.)

Pragmatically speaking, is Obama the only alternative to the U.S. fighting simultaneous, arguably unnecessary wars in Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, and even Iran?

I’d be willing to limp along with higher taxes and a weakened economy for a few years to avoid all that, I have to admit.

(Much as I might wish Bob Barr, who I plan to vote for, were higher in the polls so that we didn’t have to choose, once again, between peace and prosperity, to oversimplify things radically — and I realize it isn’t clear we’ll get either of those things no matter which major-party candidate wins.)