When Hope Trumped Experience

NEWSWEEK

From the magazine issue dated Jan 28, 2008

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'"Our Time for Change Has Come"': Readers wrote of the hope and optimism that Barack Obama injects into the presidential race, while others cited his inexperience. One hailed his "authenticity and sincerity versus worn-out platitudes from opponents with longer Washington résumés," adding, "Americans are hungry for meaningful change." Another countered, "The White House is no place for a novice." And one noted, "The potential payoff for electing Obama is huge: a government of inclusion and a rehabilitated reputation abroad. That's a gamble I'm willing to take."

On 'Good Mourning, Baltimore' "There's no way to measure the damage the great TV series 'The Wire' has done to our city. The pessimistic view belies reality. Baltimore's problems with poverty and crime are real, to be sure, but no different from other major U.S. cities."
Richard R. Espey
Baltimore, MD.

A Voice for Change
We Iowans examined the presidential candidates for months, and the majority of us turned out in record numbers to support Sen. Barack Obama ("Inside Obama's Dream Machine," Jan. 14). We're behind him because he is not like any other candidate and because he is the one who can lead us to a new America. Our country hungers for fundamental change. Obama's unique experience as a community organizer, as a constitutional lawyer, as a legislator who brings people together, as a man of courage who spoke out against the invasion of Iraq—plus his ability to lead—make him our best hope.
Cathy Bolkcom
Leclaire, Iowa

I'm 23 years old and I heard much about John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy when I was growing up, but for me they exist only in stories. I've never seen an American political figure who connected to me to their extent, or one I've found so inspiring. In the last election, I knew the candidates and their positions and voted for John Kerry. I've been working in China for a year now and have been following this election intently. However, I've decided that if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, I will fly back and work for his general campaign in whichever swing state and in whatever capacity necessary. I can't explain how I feel about Obama or what's brought on this change in attitude. But I think I'm beginning to understand what those stories were all about.
Karlo Dizon
Shanghai, China

I worked in John and Ted Kennedy's campaigns. Barack Obama is no Kennedy. He is an inexperienced senator: long on lip, short on accomplishment. We elected a "likable" president seven years ago, and close to 70 percent of us live in daily regret and hardship for that monumental mistake. In a time when Iran threatens, AT&T and Countrywide falter and recession looms, Hillary Clinton alone manifests the experience and unmitigated toughness to see this country through the threats ahead.
Fran Natale Parente
Clark, N.J.

Forget all the infighting over who said what—it's politics. What Democrats want to know is: will the Obama campaign promise to go after the GOP in the general election when attacked, and with a vengeance? Barack Obama's campaign is about change, hope, staying above the fight and taking the high road. I don't think it is going to fight back immediately and be as vicious as the GOP. If that is the case, voters will run screaming from the Obama campaign to Hillary Clinton. No one wants a repeat of the John Kerry Swift Boat episode.
Stephen Moore
Snohomish, Wash.

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Posted By: MissyE @ 03/11/2008 9:45:41 AM

Hilary Clinton doe s indeed have experience but very little of it has to do with serving the community, bringing people together, listening,shaping policy, managing her campaign staff, or trying to maintain a successful marriage. A lot of men, women, children, and minorities who have not snapped to attention and jumped on her bandwagon have been hurt by her bimbo squad (for tellng the truth), gone to jail (for doing her dirtywork), stepped on/victimized/exploited (for being poor), and have never received a single thing but her shaking finger in the tv screen telling us how strong she is and how much she likes to fight. No one wants to sign up for 4 years of that.
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Posted By: bps422 @ 02/08/2008 11:49:43 AM

Inspirational vs. Informational

Thanks to 24/7 cable news channel, I have been able to hear and see a lot more of Senators Obama and Clinton. I have concluded, based on this information, two candidates are waging a philosophical war about their view of the world and issues our country is facing. And that is: What it should be vs. what it can be.

When I hear the inspiring speech by Senator Obama, I visualize this possibility of what our nation/world should be ???with 100% probability. When I hear Senator Clinton, I visualize the reality of our what nation/world can be, a possibility tempered with a dose of probability. Senator Obama in many respects is a clean sheet of paper- no history, no record and no baggage- which bodes well for him as candidate. But as a president, one can conclude that his idealistic vision and the choice he makes of advisors in his inner circle and cabinet, who most likely will share his vision and will shape his presidency. This, big unknown and uncertainty should be a concern to lot of democrats and independents. We know a lot about Senator Clinton and know how her presidency will look like and what her policies will be regarding National Security, Foreign Policy, and And Universal Health Care. We quite don???t know what Senator Obama will do when faced with the reality of these issues.

We have potentially three presidential candidates -Senators McCann, Obama and Clinton, one of who will be next president of our country. Based on the positions of these senators, my conclusion is that Senator McCann is conservative right; Senator Clinton is centrist, and then Senator Obama who are in the liberal left. No matter who becomes the president, the country will experience a change in direction. With Senators McCann and Obama the change will be hard right or hard left .I believe the country is not ready for either of these directions. The expectation set by Senator Obama of what our country should be and in the relations with foreign government leaders, that there is a real concern that those expectations will be never be met and that world will see us a preacher and not as a world leader. Our willingness to readily engage in dialogue with every political leader in the world, will very likely raise the expectations an demands from these countries and drag us in the regional and local political issues from which it will be hard to extricate ourselves. The policy that citizens of our country will ratify is the policies in the center. Therefore at the end, Senator Clinton, with her feet on the ground, is well suited and well positioned and is the right candidate to provide a realistic policy approach to deal with problems with enormous implications to our country
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Posted By: shiva1 @ 01/23/2008 9:24:35 PM

The spectacle of a former President assuming the role of a Hit Man for his wife???s primary campaign is a repulsive disgrace. In the recent South Carolina debate Hillary Clinton attempted to dismiss the enormous influence and power of a former President???s advocacy by making the ridiculous assertion that each candidate had a passionate spouse supporting their cause.

Bill Clinton???s ???passions??? have been painfully well documented and have nothing to do with Michelle Obama. Senator Obama is committed to ending the partisan divide that has debilitated Washington and build a broad based, inclusive majority to drive change. In contrast, the Clintons are lusting for the opportunity to fan the flames of scorched earth politics, perpetuating the dysfunctional status quoi.

The Clinton two-headed machine will do whatever it takes; pander, distort, triangulate, fabricate, smear, lie, and pretend to cry, in order to hold onto and expand their power. As a former supporter of Bill Clinton, I will sit on the sidelines in November, as will millions of other Obama supporters, if his wife prevails in the Democratic primary. With 87% of Republicans strongly disapproving of her, she would energize their base to a degree that would be beyond Karl Rove???s wildest fantasy, thus ensuring another loss for the Democrats.

The country faces enormous challenges and can not afford to continue the twenty year Bush/Clinton infighting and gridlock that has polarized the country in a Red state/Blue state mentality. Barrack Obama will build a diverse coalition to bring people of every persuasion together in pursuit of the common good. In addition, he is uniquely suited to restore our nation???s tarnished global image and articulate an eloquent, inspirational voice to an America that we can once again be proud of. It is time to have the courage to elect Barrack Obama as the next President of the United States .

Robert Luciano
Atlanta, GA