America needs a president that tries to create unity out of diversity, marshalling all the forces — red, blue or purple — that make this country great. Sen. Barack Obama is the Democratic candidate that offers the best chance to reach that lofty objective.
Obama is generating so much excitement that Sen. Hillary Clinton, once leading comfortably in the polls, is bracing for the fight of her life.
The Democratic nomination battle reflects the unique qualities each candidate brings to the table, qualities that center on character more than issues.
The rivals differ little when it comes to their positions, except on health care; Clinton favors mandated insurance, while Obama proposes a system that is affordable for everyone, leaving it up to the individuals to decide whether they want to sign up.
But the main difference comes down to approach. Obama expresses a message of hope that emphasizes what is good for the country, not the party.
Obama tends to falter in debates, his words sometimes unable to express the passion he feels inside. On the campaign trail, however, it is a different story, his words ringing with a clarity and energy that have been missing from a bitterly divided political landscape.
Clinton talks about her vast edge in experience, but much of it came as first lady, when her attempt to reform health care proved a colossal failure, mainly because of her inability to do what Obama advocates — reach across the aisle.
Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Obama earned a law degree from Harvard Law School, worked as a community organizer, taught law at the University of Chicago and spent eight years as a state senator in Illinois.
He has spent less time in Washington than Clinton, but he lacks the polarizing baggage that undoubtedly would hamper a Clinton presidency. And the fact that he is less embedded in the traditional ways of Capitol Hill has real advantages.
In addition, Clinton and her husband are running a campaign that has been, at turns, nasty and undignified. The Clinton team's win-at-all-costs approach is a turnoff to many voters, who are ready to leave today's dysfunctional political culture behind.
Obama may have a hard time translating his words into action. But embracing his message of hope and a new approach to American politics is a far preferable gamble than the prospect of another era of Clinton politics
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