Obama
I remember being told that if you want to be black and respected, you have to be twice as good as the white guy.
I think Obama demonstrates this.
He's not just smart. He's uber smart. He's got an analytical sense, and a remarkable (and not remarkable because he's half-African) command of the poetry of the preacher, of the orator. He's run good campaigns. He surrounds himself with good people. He's a writer.
I am not convinced, that he is the best candidate because he's smart. That's just one part of being a good politician. I do think he is making political moves that seem smart at this moment, but the choices he needs to make will change if he is elected. I'm all for unity as a tactic, but politics is a different ballgame.
I'm not interested in saints or messiahs being political leaders. That's not their role. I think he is able to tap into a poliltical need that people have at this time, however.
When Hilary made the point that it was Lyndon Johnson who signed the law, she was making a relevant point. But the point was not, properly about Obama's race, or about MLK's ineffectiveness. It was about political mettle. Lyndon Johnson lifted a senator by the collar up against the wall to that senator get the committee to do the work. And he had the political capital to do that. I think Hilary can be mean and calculating, and to some extent, that is what is necessary. Not that I like what she's done with her choices. But I'm not a fan of hers for a few reasons (say, defining Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, supporting the war, etc) including the fact that she would lose.
I am inspired by Obama. I think he is a convincing candidate. But I am not voting for him for that reason. Instead, what gives me hope is that he might follow in the footsteps of Harold Washington: a truly great politician.