Bein g president of the United States does not require or need "charisma". It demands respect of all Americans, effective leadership, and an ability to get things done to promote the well-being of the American people. Anyone who attempted a rank-order listing of each requirement would find a great lacking.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Hillary is certainly better qualified to serve in public office than anyone the Republican Party has offered since 1958, but she has no charisma at this point in her career. That could change, as could the magnetism with which Obama is carrying himself.

It's time for one of these two to make the move into the international arena. The vacuum of leadership by and from the Republican Party stinks of death, and the rest of the world needs to get a glimps of the fact that Americans have never surrendered our sovereignty to a rogue nation like Enron or KBR/Halliburton.

Ken Bobco, Chicago, Illinois

Sobers, SHHHH!! Don't let them know about the spirtual elections! I used my tinfoil hat to attune to the horsehead nebula and voted for Nostradamus and got an ethereal "I Voted" sticker that I proudly display on my gamma-reflective quadradimensionally threaded hyper-space tunic. Ha ha!

Jimbo Jones, Tucson, AZ, USA

Boy is your journalist presenting the facts incorrectly to your readership!!!! Obama is a grassroots wildfire that is sweeping across the American scene...uniting an America tired and fed up with the six years of the Bush/Blair policies that history will judge as most shameful!!! You have gotten the percentages wrong for Clinton.....she is definitely slipping...I am one of the electorate that will NEVER vote for her because she supported the Iraqi disastrous war. God bless Obama!!!

Virginia , Austin , Texas

Each time Obama does something honourable, journalists like you print negative headings. What are you trying to convince the American public of? America needs a change that will bring back integrity to this great nation. Without that change, the history books will flood pages of the inevitable future of the nation. When we have our thoughts and hopes in one direction, there is a spiritual world that is revealing a different picture. He whose spirit is in tuned will hear and see. The presidential race has already been decided in the heavenlies.

a.sobers, Sarasota, Florida

Your article is incorrect - Mr. Obama is not only netting tens of thousands at his rallies, his speeches are interrupted by applause constantly, as in Atlanta today (20,000+ with 113 interruptions of applause!). Perhaps your sources overlooked this event.

Elsewhere, on the west coast, in the midwest and in the backyards of both Mr. Bush and Mrs. Clinton, the response has been the same.

I am not surprised that he is tired, he speaks for 30-40 minutes, and does marathons of engagements.

Hopefully he is human, while inspiring.

Carol McFarlane, Yakima, USA/Washington

no matter what you say Obama is the only man that will save us from the two families that have ruled for the last years the"bushes" and the "Clinton's" no mater what u say we need a change and our values will be restored.

jim king , dodo, mn

If Hillary wins the democratic nomination, for the first time in years, I will vote republican.
We need Honor and integrity back in the Whitehouse
The Bush family nor the Clinton family qualifies!

Dave Peck, Elwood, Indiana

There is much talk that Obama doesn't articulate specific plans enough, but I don't think our nation needs more plans. We have many, many plans out there, some of them brilliant. But none has been implemented. In my view, what we need is someone who can cull the best of the available strategies and make them realities. In order to do that, the person needs to be able to pull together a broad spectrum of people and get them inspired enough to set aside their differences and support the changes we all want and need. I think Barack Obama is the best person to accomplish this.

Aileen Weaver, Bisbee, AZ

If it wasn't for reality this yearning for a new face and the promise of
change might have some merit . It has the adolescent quality of hoping
that gifted verbalizing will be the cure for the fearsome problems this
country will be facing here and worldwide. Barack Obama is a
wonderful man and perhaps in ten years he will be sufficiently
seasoned and strengthened to be the wise knowledgable leader
we so desperately need. Hilary Clinton has proved her inteligence
her dedication to the well being of our citizenry and the character and
courage to stand up to the vicious attack from those who fear the
goodness she represents Lets unite behind her and send the right
message that hope and change can really be a reaity

Thelma Goldstein, Falmouth, Ma