Brian McLaren has written a wonderful explanation of his presidential choice. More importantly, it's a great commentary on the basic problem with our political partisanship. The problem we have is that we see the world through different framing stories (narratives) based on our background and access to information. Thus far, the political campaigns of both parties have largely been consumed with manufacturing the narratives for their individual candidates. In many cases, they have also attempted to paint a false narrative of their opponents. Republicans would love us to conclude that Obama loves bloated wasteful government and relishes millions of abortion (nobody believes this). Democrats would like us all to assume McCain dreams of a Christian theocracy and is a secret member of the KKK (we all know he isn't).

Beneath the political grandstanding, there is a real narrative for each campaign and Brian McLaren has done a wonderful job of articulating why he connects with the Obama narrative. If I could have one wish in this election it would be that every voter could wade through the crap and see clearly each candidate's narrative for what it is rather than what the opposition would like it to be. The narrative we chose has important implications.

Brian sums this up well in his closing statement...

"We’re not just voting for a president this year: we’re voting for a framing story our nation will live by, or kill by." - Brian McLaren