While I may not concur with his political views, I clearly admire many of Sen. Barack Obama's personal traits and values.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was born Aug. 4, 1961, to Barack Obama Sr., a native of Kenya, and Ann Dunham, a native of Kansas, who met at the University of Hawaii. Obama, who was raised by his mother after his father returned to Kenya, graduated from Columbia University in 1983.

His mother taught him the values of empathy and service, and he was a community organizer for a church-based group working in poor Chicago neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment before attending law school. He earned a law degree from Harvard in 1991, the first African-American editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Review.

Early in his career, Barack clearly demonstrated depth of intelligence, compassion for the underprivileged and a resilient desire to succeed. These are admirable traits particularly for a youthful college grad, and he also exhibited an authentic expression of love for his mother and grandparents.

Obama is especially proud of being a husband and father of two daughters, Malia, 9 and Sasha, 6. The senator and his sometimes-outspoken wife, Michelle, married in 1992 and live on Chicago's affluent South Side.

Many are judgmental of the senator, calling him thin-skinned when family members are criticized; personally I consider defending one's family a strong virtue. I often reflect on the bad rap Sen. Edmund Muskie received during his bid for the presidential nomination when he tearfully defended his wife from attacks.

Despite his youth and inexperience on the national stage, Obama possesses a rare charisma, which has not been seen since Presidents Kennedy and Reagan. He skillfully inspires Americans to believe by way of entrancing oratory while attracting large, enthusiastic and energetic activists.

In fact, Obama has more political experience than Abraham Lincoln did when he ran for president of our country. Historians consistently rank Lincoln as a great-great president. Experience is valuable, but predicting presidential success solely on experience is capricious at best. The ability to appoint the right people to advise the president has, time after time, proven a better indicator of presidential success or failure. It remains to be seen whether either major presidential candidate this time around has that ability.

While still early in the race for the presidency, Obama has proven to be a prodigious fundraiser. In this arena, he has no equal. Whether this is good or bad, it is a necessary skill to be elected president in the 21st century.

Admiring Senator Obama's values and personal traits is easy in relation to identifying, embracing and supporting his political ideology. Strangely enough, I have found a few of his concepts that I can easily embrace and support.

Obama would set aside more than $500 million a year in federal funds for religious organizations to help the disadvantaged, drastically expanding a program started by President George Bush that is supported by religious organizations. I strongly believe in this concept, especially when heating oil is above $4 per gallon.

No Child Left Behind has, indeed, left money behind. While Obama supports the underlying concept, he believes -- as I do -- that the program was not properly funded, the Education Department failed in its implementation and severe design shortcomings (one size doesn't fit all) made it ineffective.

Obama stated in September, 2007 that, "I believe that America's free market has been the engine of America's progress. It's created a prosperity that is the envy of the world." I believe this to be true and strongly support the free market system.

As a Republican, when I was first asked to write about Obama's good points, I felt that praising him would be an incredibly difficult task.

As it turned out, it was both an interesting and rewarding exercise.

Paul R. LePage is the Republican mayor of Waterville.