Separated At Birth?

The question has NOTHING to do with race and everything to do with rhetoric. And every Massachusetts voter has noted by now the eerie familiarity of the words of presidential hopeful Sen. Barak Obama.

For example, the following are direct quotes made in the past 90 days by either Sen. Obama or Gov. Patrick. Can you identify who said what? (Answers at bottom of post)

A) "We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans."

B) "You know what else has to change? Our politics."

C) "Grassroots governing, like grassroots campaigning, is about listening to people."

D) "I've learned that meaningful change always begins at the grassroots."

E) "There are people just like me who are hungry for a reason to hope."

F) "People are hungry for a different kind of politics."

G) "I have great faith and hope about the future - because I believe in you."

H) "Changing our politics can only come from you."

I) "The change I’m talking about is up to you. "

J) "Take a chance on hope."

K) "We must draw a line in the sand between the politics of cynicism and the politics of hope."

L) "Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?"

Massachusetts voters decided to give hope a chance in November. Less than a month after taking office, Gov. Patrick has already abandoned his plan to cut spending, has announced he will not be keeping his pledge to cut property taxes, added an addition $300+ million in new spending, abandoned any state role in apprehending illegal immigrants and announced his opposition to voters participating in the state constitution's initiative and petition process.

Oh, and he's denounced opponents of race-based government programs as racist.

There may be many good reasons to support Sen. Obama for president, but like Deval Patrick's supporters last year, nobody's offering them. Instead, we are yet again being asked to cast a vote for "hope," for "change" and for "faith in the system."

In other words, we're being asked to make someone our next president because of race.

Well, voting for someone based on race is just as stupid as voting against them for the same reason, so as with Gov. Patrick, I'll be listening for whatever Barak Obama's positions on the issues might be.

Let's just hope that, in Sen. Obama's case, we find out BEFORE the election.

ANSWERS: A, D, E G H and L are all Sen. Barak Obama. The others are Gov. Patrick.