In the spirit of the 2008 USA Presidential Election, Raptors? forward Chris Bosh has spent the past few weeks promoting himself as a strong candidate to represent the Eastern Conference in next month?s annual NBA All-Star Game.

On Jan. 10 the league announced its fourth, and final, balloting returns before the starting positions will be assigned on Thursday Jan. 24. Bosh, who is averaging 21.5 points and 9.3 rebounds for Toronto this season, stood in third-place behind Kevin Garnett and LeBron James heading into the final two weeks of voting.

In those balloting returns Bosh held a strong lead over a majority of his competition, with Paul Pierce more than 100,000 votes behind the charismatic big man.

That?s all well and good, but here?s where the problems begin.

Bosh sits a little more than a million votes behind James and nearly 1.2 million behind Boston?s Garnett. You could argue that, like the rest of the East, CB4 got the shaft when the Celtics acquired ?The Big Ticket? this summer.

However, Bosh refuses to sit back and watch as Garnett and James continue to rake in the votes.

He has taken advantage of the phenomenon known as YouTube and launched his very own voting campaign not all too different from presidential hopefuls like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. Click here to view Bosh?s official, and hilarious, campaign video.

While some might take Bosh?s campaign as a silly attempt to earn a starting slot, the Raptors? franchise player more than deserves to be on the floor when the 2008 All-Star game tips off in New Orleans this February.

Through Tuesday Jan. 15?s games, Bosh ranked among the very best in most statistical categories, like points (21.5, 16th), rebounds (9.2, 21st), blocks per game (1.21, 33rd), and free-throw percentage (.848, 27th).

He also holds his own when compared to Garnett, who many see as an MVP candidate this season.

Garnett-Bosh Comparison
Points - 19.3 to 21.5
Rebounds - 9.9 to 9.3
Assists - 3.6 to 2.2
Blocks - 1.5 to 1.2
FT % - 79.2 to 84.8

Yes, Garnett?s numbers are slightly better, but they certainly aren?t 1.2 million votes better.

Bosh actually is superior to James in several statistical categories (rebounds, blocks, and free-throw percentage), but no one will be able to deny LBJ a starting spot on the Eastern All-Star team within the next decade. Unfortunately, we?ll have to concede that spot to LeBron.

Garnett, however, seems to be running away with the forward voting in the East thanks to Boston?s large market and the publicity that his part in the Celtics? resurgence has garnered throughout the world.

While it?s not a strange occurrence to see KG leading the All-Star balloting, some people (Bosh and Raptors? fans included) think it?s time for Chris to start a streak of his own on All-Star weekend. The opportunity created by Garnett?s move to Boston in the Western Conference has had the reverse effect on his new home in the East.

Bosh, who started for the East last season alongside James at forward, has suffered the most.

The least you could do as a true NBA fan is help Bosh close the gap between himself and the top-two spots. Further evidence that supports his case can be found using RealGM?s very own statistical analysis.

The Reina Value, which ranks players using the difference between their deserved salary (calculated using the Floor Impact Counter) and what they actually earn as an NBA player, states that Garnett is paid 19.9 percent more than he?s really worth in Boston (it's not easy being the highest paid player in the game). Bosh, meanwhile, is paid 1.6 percent less than he?s actually worth in Toronto.

That?s yet another reason to vote Chris Bosh into the 2008 All-Star game (click here to vote for Chris: NBA.com?s ballot).

If you?re interested in hitting the campaign trail alongside the Raptors? big man, make sure you grab one of these, as well ? the official Vote Chris Bosh ?CB4? All-Star t-shirt.

He has even reached out to his supporters here at RealGM via YouTube: His Message To RealGM.com - Ask Me A Question!.

If that?s not reason enough to vote for Chris, I don?t know what is. It?s not like voting is hard or anything either. Just ask Bosh?s Texas car salesman-like alter ego?

?Filling out these ballots is as easy as cow-tipping!?

How could you not vote for Chris Bosh?: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com