When was the last time progressives in America voted for a presidential candidate, as opposed to voting against the greater of two evils? Hard to recall. There have been very few presidential candidates who seem so distant from the rest of the American people.
But there is one potential candidate for the 2008 presidential election who can reach out to those who have become jaded by America’s political process: Senator Barack Obama.
Until the Democratic National Convention of 2004, very few people outside of Illinois even knew who Obama was. But after he gave a rousing keynote address, he was thrust onto the national stage. He’s now become the rock star of the Democratic Party, named as a potential presidential candidate for future elections.
At first, Obama denied that he would run in 2008, telling Tim Russert of Meet The Press “I’m not focused on running for higher office.” But when he reappeared on the program, he seemed to change his mind. He admitted that he was thinking about it but will wait until after the Nov. 7 election. A recent issue of TIME magazine even featured Obama on the cover with the caption, “Why Barack Obama Could Be The Next President.”
According to Obama’s Web site (www.barackobama.com), “he still believes in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose – a politics that puts solving the challenges of everyday Americans ahead of partisan calculation and political gain.”
His track record shows he’s more than willing to work outside of partisan politics. In the Illinois state Senate, he worked with both Democrats and Republicans to create the Earned Income Tax Credit. He also worked with Republican Tom Coburn in the U.S. Senate to pass a law for transparency in government.
Unlike many politicians, Obama is no trash-talker. He’s a very eloquent speaker who states his position without condemning others for disagreeing with him. The man is capable of uniting people across the political spectrum. This kind of compromise is something the country needs after eight years of partisan bickering.
More importantly, Obama is a candidate people can believe in. He’s well-spoken, well-educated, yet he’s also approachable. He looks just as comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt as he does in a suit; he’s not just another stiff career politician.
Will Obama run for president in 2008? That remains to be seen. But there is definitely interest, and if he does run, it would be a great step for America and an even greater step if he wins. Obama has the charisma and the intelligence to lead America out of the darkness it has seen during the Bush administration.