In front of the Old State Capitol of Illinois where President Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” Illinois Senator Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States.
Thousands of cheering supporters–multiethnic, young and old, blue collar and professional–braved the piercing cold to witness a piece of history. Obama’s announcement, though anticipated for weeks, set in motion what could be one of the most heated and captivating presidential races in the nation’s history–one that could make him the country’s first African American president.
“I think he makes it very interesting. Barack has thrown a real wringer into the race for both Republicans and Democrats because he presents himself as a very credible candidate, and I think that’s important,” says former Oklahoma Rep. J.C. Watts, a Republican, who is now a political analyst on CNN.
In a speech invoking a spirit of “we” and infused with the sentiment that it’s time for us to “take back” the country, Sen. Obama, who has been against the war from its outset, has promised to
present a noble yet arguably idealistic plan to have troops out of Iraq by March 2008. His platform includes universal healthcare by the end of his first term, better pay for teachers, job training for the unemployed, union support, and the use ofalternative fuels to address global warming.
“This campaign can’t only be about me. It must be about us; it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle of your hopes and your dreams,” Obama asserted. “It will take your time, your energy, and your advice, to push us forward when we’re doing right and to let us know when we’re not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.”
“Obama has a voice that resonates with people. He inspires hope. He’s the John Kennedy of our era,” says Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Ill.), who served in the state legislature with Obama from 2002 to 2004.
Riding a media bonanza that has included his best-selling book The Audacity of Hope, and having received the financial support of such Democratic power brokers as billionaire George Soros and Hollywood insiders like Barbra Streisand, Obama is well-positioned to be a serious contender for the Democratic nomination. Yet one of Obama’s biggest challenges over the coming months will be to introduce himself to the world beyond Illinois and the political circles that are already familiar with him.
According to a recent ABC/Washington Post poll, Obama has made a quick and favorable impression but is largely unknown to Democratic voters. At press time, Sen. Hillary Clinton leads the race with 39% of the vote, followed by Obama with 17% and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina in third with 12%.
“I wouldn’t call the fact that many people don’t know Obama an obstacle for him,” says David Bositis, Ph.D., an elections expert at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. “It’s one of his biggest tasks, but that’s what presidential candidates always have to do,” he adds. In analyzing
the field, Bositis highlights the fact that while Clinton may be more well known to voters, she also has a high percentage of people who have negative views of her. “She doesn’t have to introduce herself, but she has to start changing people’s minds about her,” says Bositis. He cites the perception that Clinton polarizes people, which could be a factor in the election.Despite those sentiments, Bositis adds, “You can’t underestimate Hillary Clinton. She will have way more money than Obama and she has the best political professionals working for her. If Obama is going to win the nomination, he is going to have to earn it.” Clinton and Obama have a fund-raising target of $75 million.
Another hurdle for Obama, who first appeared on the national stage with his electrifying speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and who has been in the Senate for only two years, is the question of his lack of experience, particularly in the area of foreign policy.
Obama addressed this issue head-on: “I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness, a certain audacity, to this announcement. I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.”
“Experience should not be the only factor one looks at when it comes to supporting a candidate,” says Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). “It is only one factor and it should be looked at in combination with the other factors,” adds Lee, who is still evaluating the candidates and who will be judging them based on their willingness to speak to the issues of the voiceless and their position on the war.
Watts cites the fact that former President Bill Clinton had little foreign policy experience when he won in 1992 against a very seasoned foreign policy person in George H.W. Bush. “What experience does Hillary Clinton have? I don’t think that being the wife of a president any more qualifies you to be an expert on foreign policy than my playing football in the Canadian league,” he says. “Obama is a credible candidate. That’s what’s important.”