Rolla newspaper columnist seems to endorse Obama

I quite possibly fell asleep and woke up in another dimension, perhaps the Twilight Zone. I say that because the local newspaper has gone goofy for Obama. As noted in a previous entry in this diary, the paper waxed poetic about the preparations for Obama's visit to Rolla last week. I discovered (a week late) that Publisher Emeritus Stephen E. Sowers is backing Obama for president. Sowers headlined his column Thursday (yes, that was a week ago, but I just don't keep up on the local news as I probably should): "It was fantastic having Barack Obama in Rolla."

He went on to write:

I have not attended many political rallies in my near 50 years as a newspaper person, but I never before heard about or experienced anything like what I witnessed in our town on Wednesday.
It was amazing. It was incredible. And it was fantastic for Rolla ... The people I saw at the rally all seemed to have a hopeful look in their eye. They are anxious for a change and they think Obama is the person to bring about serious, necessary changes. They appear to already revere Obama and he is not yet president.
Obama generates major excitement in a crowd. He is articulate, dynamic and he speaks with substance, no matter what some may say, about the important issues facing our country.
If his supporters have elevated him to rock-star or movie-star status, so be it. I like that. I think it is good for the country to have a large segment of the population excited about the changes that Obama promises for 2009 and beyond. And truly believe he can pull it off.
"Change we can believe in." That is the message we hear wherever Obama goes. It is the message resonating throughout the country.
I'm hearing it. And now I'm believing the Obama plan just might work.
I'm believing also that Obama deserves a chance to show us what he can do. The other side has had eight years to lead us, and, frankly, the results are not good.
Best of luck in your venture, Senator Obama!
By the way, senator, having met you, we're already doing better in Rolla.

Is that an endorsement? Sounds like one to me.

Sowers endorsed Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole and George W. Bush. Now he's endorsing Barack Hussein Obama. That's what is really amazing and incredible.