American voters in the Iowa caucuses made a clear choice for change on Thursday by handing Illinois Senator Barack Obama a solid victory in the Democratic primaries.

The African American Obama’s message of change and hope has resonated with the people of Iowa.

Whether Obama can succeed in winning the Democratic primaries and then the Presidency remains to be seen.

As Indian-Americans, we hope Obama wins the primaries and the White House in the November 2008 Presidential elections.

Obama got 38% of votes in Iowa compared to 30% for John Edwards and 29% for Hillary Clinton.

In his post-victory address, Obama told a cheering crowd of supporters on Thursday night:

At this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said you couldn’t do….Something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and fight for it.

A young man in his mid-40s, Senator Obama has an authenticity that none of the other candidates – whether Democratic or Republican – possess.

Obama’s father is a Black man from Kenya and mother a White lady from Kansas. Both his parents are now dead.

John Edwards came in second and Hillary Clinton came third despite all her spending and a shrill tone.

Unfortunately, a lot of Indian-Americans seem to be supporting Hillary.

A leaked memo in June 2007 revealed that the Obama campaign team was not happy over Hillary’s success in raising funds from the Indian-American community.

America badly needs a change after several years of disaster in the White House.

Yes, America desperately needs a change – 47 million Americans do not have health care, the country is stuck in a wrong war in Iraq, corporate greed has reached Himalayan heights and the middle class is suffering.

On the Republican side, the Christian conservative Mike Huckabee came first.

Other than tax cuts for the rich, more freedom to own guns and supporting the big corporations, the Republican Party has no message for the American people.

American voters also proved tonight that they won’t be duped by phonies like Mitt Romney, who’s changed his position on every major issue.