Hating Obama

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: August 29, 2008

Barack Obama has made plenty of enemies during his short stint on the national stage.

In this political climate, anyone running for president will face unrelenting attacks on their positions and proposals, their past and even their family and friends. No one should be surprised by this year’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink attacks on Obama.

But Obama frustrates his enemies because he is one of those rare politicians who have the ability to inspire. In a world of office seekers, Obama’s soaring rhetoric connects him with people seeking change. We see presidential candidates with that ability come along once every 20 or 30 years.

The last one was Ronald Reagan. The Gipper’s rhetorical gifts were attributed to his years spent in Hollywood. He was a former actor.

But the ideas Reagan articulated in 1980 were not only right for the times, but they were right on time. The same thing could be said of John F. Kennedy, and before him, Franklin Roosevelt.

Obama doesn’t have anything approaching the hefty resumes that Reagan, Kennedy and Roosevelt had when they ran for president. Certainly, other presidential candidates have been able to generate excitement and enthusiasm while trying to win their party’s nomination. But most of them never made it this far. Their voices were eventually quieted by the needs of their party.

Like Reagan, Kennedy and Roosevelt, Obama has come along at a pivotal moment in history. People are hungry for change. They know there are new ways to tackle our old problems, but they haven’t seen Washington rise to the challenge.

Already, Obama’s presence on the ballot has led to a surge in voter registration across the country. He has run a 50-state campaign, a stark contrast to the attention given to “battleground states” at the expense of predictably “red” and “blue” states during most presidential election years.

Obama’s opponents will concede that he can give a good speech.

But over the next two months, Obama will have to convince the American people that behind the speeches is a plan that’s right for our times, and that he is ready to lead our country.

Obama has already taken a step toward doing that by choosing a running mate who can help him navigate the political shoals found in Washington — and around the world.

Obama didn’t get to where he is today by following the crowd. He is by no means a perfect man, or a perfect presidential candidate. But he has demonstrated a once-in-a-generation ability to lead and inspire. We don’t often see a presidential candidate like Barack Obama.