The morning after his landslide victories over Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin
and Hawaii this week, Barack Obama’s campaign jet touched down at Love Field
airport in Dallas, Texas, on time at 11.15am, and pulled to within 10ft of a
waiting mo-torcade.
Inside the plane’s business section, the Illinois senator – sniffing with a
heavy head cold – donned his dark suit jacket, checked his BlackBerry for
the final time and prepared to descend the front steps. A Secret Service
detail of six muscular agents, handguns on their left hips, radio
transmitters in chest holsters, earpieces activated, exited on to the warm
tarmac before him.
With a door held open, he ducked into a black Chevrolet Suburban, alongside
his “bodyman” Reggie Love, 25, the former Duke University football star who
is responsible for everything from fielding the candidate’s calls to keeping
his bags in order. As they do every day, at 8am the two had spent an hour in
a hotel gym – this time the Hyatt Regency in Austin – running and lifting
weights.
Four police motorcycle outriders revved their engines, sirens began wailing
and, with lights flashing, they began moving swiftly across the tarmac. In
front of Mr Obama’s car was a giant white police station wagon; behind it a
vehicle containing four Secret Servicemen, sunglasses on, windows open.
Dallas police, who 45 years ago escorted a young, white, charismatic
Democratic president from Love Field to his death in Dealey Plaza, had this
Wednesday morning shut down the entire five-lane Interstate 35 highway for
the half-hour journey to the Reunion Arena, a former sports stadium.
As the motorcade cruised at 50mph through traffic lights and past waiting
cars, onlookers cheered and took pictures. Children lined up in playgrounds
to wave; pedestrians held up “Texas Loves Obama” signs as the man trying to
become America’s first black commander-in-chief sped by.
Mr Obama was driven into the bowels of the stadium and ushered into a back
room, where he looked over an addition to his stump speech that he was about
to deliver: a rebuttal of Mrs Clinton’s claim that morning that he was
untested and unready to be president. From the arena above him came a
familiar sound: the euphoric roars and screams of his waiting audience, this
day a vast, largely African-American crowd of 19,000.
Men and women were dancing and clapping to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,
blaring from giant speakers. Thousands were waving signs: “Dallas 4 Obama”;
“Latinos 4 Obama”; “Obama: Hope, Vision, Change”; even “Librarians For
Obama”. Women wore T-shirts with pictures of John F Kennedy, Mr Obama and
Martin Luther King, emblazoned with “The Dream Comes True”.
Mary Tyszko, a white, 50-year-old health worker, clutched her hands. “He has
given me hope. I really believe in him. And I just trust him.” Then Mr Obama
took to the stage. The noise was deafening, a long, exultant roar with all
the force and overwhelming power of a jet engine before take-off. “Obama!
Obama! Obama! Obamaaaaaaaaa!” they chanted. From four giant screens hanging
from the ceiling, Mr Obama’s image could be seen from the farthest reaches
of the stadium, waving, clapping at this adoring crowd, as they stared up at
him with an almost mesmeric fervour. At one point in his speech, delivered
in the religious cadence of Dr King, Mr Obama had to blow his nose. “Obama!”
they chanted and clapped again, as their idol wiped his face.
This is a daily ritual for Mr Obama. Only 24 hours earlier, he appeared in a
Mexican-American enclave of western San Antonio and drew a crowd as big as
that which greeted Pope John Paul II when he visited the same area in
September 1987. Three, sometimes four times a day, his Secret Service detail
surrounding him, he is greeted by massive crowds, never before seen during a
presidential primary campaign, filled with young and old, black and white,
men and women, steelworkers and fund managers, nurses and accountants. No
wonder he believes the White House is now within his reach.
And yet the growing belief that he could become the next president, after ten
straight wins over Mrs Clinton since Super Tuesday, the ever-greater crowds,
the zealous intensity Mr Obama provokes as he fills arenas with his message
of change and empowerment, has begun to fuel a nascent but competing
narrative in recent days: that there is something cultish, disturbing, and
faintly Messianic about this political movement.
Critics say his rallies are more like religious revivals, that voters are
being deluded into following this freshman senator with dazzling oratorical
gifts and the power to sell hope without asking if he is remotely ready to
be president. It is the beginning of a backlash actively encouraged by the
former First Lady’s aides, dismayed by a phenomenon threatening to destroy
what only four months ago looked like an inevitable Clinton restoration.
“Obamaphilia has gotten creepy,” said the Los Angeles Times
columnist Joel Stein; Joe Klein of Time wrote: “There was something
just a wee bit creepy about the mass Messianism”; Paul Krugman, a liberal
columnist in The New York Times, complained: “The campaign seems
dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality.”
On board Mr Obama’s faintly careworn campaign plane, a charter jet carrying
the senator, his Secret Service detail, a press pack that has been
travelling with him for months, some with hacking coughs, and often his
chief strategist and closest aide David Axelrod, Mr Obama is acutely aware
of the danger that Mrs Clinton still poses, and the way her surrogates are
trying to turn his extraordinary appeal against him. In the past 48 hours,
the former First Lady has been telling audiences that it is time to “get
real” about Mr Obama and his rhetoric. She is promising “sound solutions” to
“soundbites”. When the lights are off and the speech has been made, she
asks: what’s left?
“Senator Clinton of late has said ‘let’s get real’. And the implication is
that the people who have been voting for me or involved in my campaign are
somehow delusional,” Mr Obama said on Thursday night, “that somehow they’re
being duped and that eventually they are going to see the reality of things.
Well, I think they perceive the reality of what’s going on in Washing-ton
very clearly.”
In their Austin debate on Thursday night, some analysts believed that there
was a valedictory note in Mrs Clinton’s voice when she said: “You know, no
matter what happens in this contest, I am honoured to be here with Barack
Obama. I am absolutely honoured” as she reached over to shake his hand. “You
know, whatever happens, we are going to be fine.”
Mr Obama was once wary of the press, but seems willing to engage us more now.
On a brief walk to the back of the plane, he shakes hands, address-es
reporters by their first names and asks how families are. When I first met
him in Iowa last September, he responded to my introduction with his
trademark hand on shoulder and a laconic: “Hello, London Times.”
He is a man clearly comfortable in his own skin – there is a hint of
cockiness – with an easy charm that has been one of the reasons for his
success.Mr Obama has always had a high level of self-belief, but his plane –
filled with caricatures of the candidate above his slogan “Fired Up! Ready
to Go!” (including one in the rear lavatory that includes the instruction
“Don’t Miss”) – is a far different place than it was just a few months ago.
Few of his junior staff believed then, when Mrs Clinton’s lead looked
formidable, that they would still be on board today.
The candidate, fuelled on a diet of grilled chicken, salmon and a love of
pistachio nuts, is even carrying himself differently. After his victory in
Iowa, he physically changed, walking with his shoulders back and with a
swagger that had been missing before.
Unusually, he was granted Secret Service protection a year ago after receiving
death threats. A candidate does not normally get such treatment until
becoming the nominee. It was a trapping that annoyed John Edwards, his
rival, who dropped out of the race in January. Looking presidential can be
vital to success.
Mr Obama insists that he remains grounded and is taking nothing for granted.
Mrs Clinton’s stunning victory in New Hampshire on January 8, five days
after his win in Iowa and against every poll and prediction, was a searing
moment for the Illinois senator and his staff. Her aides’ ability to keep a
flimsy allegation that he had plagiarised another speech in the media for
two days this week was the latest reminder of how capable his rival’s camp
is in the art of generating negative publicity.
A travelling aide said: “You would have to be inhuman not to feel great seeing
20,000 people at a rally day after day or winning ten primary contests in a
row – but he knows you have to fight every day.
“But if our biggest problem is that we have thousands of people supporting us
– we will take that.”
I am tired of hearing political campaigning news for 300 years. They should all campaign 6 weeks, spend $6,000 dollars TOTAL and then we vote. It is called Thinking Fast. If y ou cannot think fast, you will learn.
Miss May, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
Obama, while not proven, seems to have what it takes for a great leader.
He is demonstrating a clear, unbiased vision and a solid moral core and sound judgment (not necessarily perfect - we are all human). He seems able to keep his calm and clarity about him even under personal attack from those against him. He seems to have things in the right perspective.
People demanding that Obama say exactly what he will do about everything is ridiculous. No one could do this without getting it wrong and having to change views later when fully advised. He is sharing how he thinks and how he would make decisions (openly and with input from more than just the vested interests). It also seems that he plans to focus the energy of as broad a coalition of Americans as may ever have been rallied. To say he and those who follow him are naive because this is not possible is to snatch failure from the jaws of potentially brilliant success. If America can fly to the moon - why can't its government represent and unite all of its own diverse people?
Obama is also sharing how he would lead and direct that formidable united American energy - with a moral vision to do what is right for America and the world. I think the attraction to Obama is rooted in what attracts people to the timeless principle foundations of strong civilizations - unity. This comes from openness, truthfulness, common sense, sensible justice and a clear focus by all on the broadest human interest.
The talk of too many Obama followers that believe in him so strongly as being "creepy" is ridiculous. This is deliberate talk put out there from the black hole of negative politics which is creepy in itself. It is talk that is unworthy of democracy of any kind, and particularly of America.
I always hope and am beginning to believe that America will soon begin its challenging path to recover its leadership position in the world. Obama is perhaps the best hope for a way to do this. America's recovery can only happen under the leadership of someone exceptional who can erase dividing lines exploited for so long by so many and direct America's collective energy. Even if Obama emerges as the strong leader that so many think they see, he can only hope to begin this process. There is so much to do (and undo too) in recovering the high road in American and global leadership. However, if he can succeed in its beginning, he will lead the way for others to follow.
I like to think this may be what those large crowds following him think they see. I hope so.
Paul, Toronto,
Barack Obama embodies the best of America. HIs positive outlook, and belief in us. "We are the people we have been waiting for!" He doesn't say, sit back and let me do it--he says you must do it, I can not do it without the American people. He challenges us to be the people we are capable of being, not the people we have become. He is restoring my pride in America.
A cult? No way. An exceptional man in the moment of critical importance? ABSOLUTELY!
Go Obama!
Diane Quimby, Carrollton, GA, USA
I believed, long before he became an official candidate for US President. My Hope and Believe has been vindicated.
As a disabled Veteran, who will really not be on this earth much longer, I will leave America and the world in good hands! Thank god my children will have a president the world, the US, and they, can believe in!
Curtis Walker, Grass Valley, USA/California
If and when Barack Obama becomes President of the United States, he surrounds himself with the same kind of people who have managed his campaign, our country and even perhaps the world will be a much better and hopefully more peaceful place.
Barbara Plona, Forest Park, Iliinois USA
Unlike Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, and Mikhail Gorbachev, Barrack Obama hasn't actually done anything to be considered in such company. He does, however, have the potential to do something about the mess of a Presidency that George W. Bush has put his name to. I only hope Americans don't turn their back on the opportunity to redeem themselves for voting that man in for a second term.
George, London, UK
When I see Senetor Obama, he lifts my sprit, he gives me hope, in the face of dispair, he is the first Politican I have ever heard spoke the truth on any issue. He is a Man willing to do his best. He has proved through this campaign, in his ability to Organise, construct, presentation, unquestionable, he is an amazing individual. He embraces every one from all walks of life. I think this leader will do all that he can to represent the American People, and become one of the greatest Embassador of hope and courage. I Hope we will have peace, and a change that America will become a better place, and some of the wars will end, using deplomatic means, wars are not always the answer. The war in Palestine & Israel needs to come to an end, they need to sit down and talk peace, and mean it. The Muslims needs to realise no one is interested in them following their faith, as long as they keep it to them selves and leave others alone to live their own lives in peace.
Christians are not Muslims.
Daphne Kenward, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Obama if elected President of the USA will be able to not only unite Americans of all persuasions but also people of various nationalities. Indeed I like many observers outside the USA see Obama as a man of peace and love. He has the leadership qualities to liberate us from doom that engulfs international politics.
Nunda Naidoo, Centurion, South Africa
Hillary Clinton is not trustworthy.
Like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, and Mikhail Gorbachev, Barack Obama is a man of peace and love who is fighting against oppression and political corruption. Remember this:
----------------------------------------------------------------
no dream + no hope + no self-knowledge + no mindset change + no integrity + no passion + no trust + no love = NO SUSTAINABLE CHANGE
---------------------------------------------------------------
Also Remember this:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dream it, hope it, believe it, fix it in your mind, visualize it, accept it, respond to it with love, passion, and integrity, give your peak performance to it and you will achieve it
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.. >>read further at http://rampersad.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/46/
Rodney , tps-qmc@hotmail.com, Miami
Debbie Jacob from Ohio and Saviour Sonde Kalonga from Zambia, you guys said it best.
Harry, Chester, New Jersey -- Republican stronghold
harry harmatz, chester, U.S.
I am puzzled why all of a sudden, a gift for oratory is something to be critical of. I agree that people are focusing too much on Obama as an engaging speaker and not enough on his accomplishments. The fact that he's able to bring Americans together in such a monumental way should be celebrated. Disheartened and disilluioned, I have lived outside of the US for 25 years and for the first time, I feel proud to be an American again. I am actively involved in this campaign from writing newspaper articles to donating money and sending my ballot via Federal Express for the Ohio campaign. I say well done, Barack Obama, it's refreshing to have someone as confident as you and someone who does not stoop to the low level of most politicians.
Debbie Jacob , Mansfield, Ohio
Lets stand up and supportuppeople that uphold and have love for humanity or mankind and this is what God calls us to do in the Bible.LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF.Barck Obama will unite or bridge all races of the world and that is what Leadership is all about.Lets all support obama for a better world.
Saviour Sonde Kalonga
Livingstone
Zambia.
skalonga@zesco.co.zm
Saviour Sonde Kalonga, Livingstone, Zambia
I think most people hope and want changes for the better. There has been a dark cloud over this administration and our country for way too long. Perhaps that's why the media is having trouble believing. I for one would not want to be on the side that tries to crush the hopes of a people that sees an opportunity to work together for the good.
Ann, Kansas City, KS
How do speeches of inspiration and hope for a better America equate with being "creepy". This judgement appears to be extremely harsh.
J. Almitra Jones, London, England
as to the person who asked who 'won' the debate in texas...i would say obama, hands-down. he clearly and concisely stated his vision for america, deftly shot down clinton's distortions and sad attempts at negative mudslingling. he is the real deal, and thank god that FOR ONCEin my voting life i have a real choice! OBAMA ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!
california 4 obama, san diego, ca, USA
Go Obama
My 95 year old repub. grandma even switch her party for you and my mom.
I alway was gone to vote for OBAMA as well as all my kids.
Go OBAMA
Middle class White Buckeye Man
scott kendall, columbus, ohio
ADULATION VS RESPECT. I work in the airline industry. I have seen CEOs come to the rescue with promises to "change" course and return the airline to profitability. The problem was, they lacked enough experience to understand the inner working and myriad challenges an international airline faces and ended up bankrupting instead of saving. I don't want my president to get elected because he has star qualities, great rhetoric and is the most popular guy in the room. With the huge challenges facing the next president, I want the girl who has already proven herself, understands the "industry", and whose grasp of the facts and competency are respected, even by those who dislike her. That's HILLARY CLINTON!
Barb, Novato, Staines, CA/UK
I hope to God that he will go all the way, for without Obama I cannot see what hope the planet has.
Chris Groucutt, Ashburton, Devon
This is bigger than a candidate - this is a history making movement - a huge groundswell of grass roots support for a very special and inspirational leader who has the courage to challenge the status quo and fight for change! Contrary to what FOX News may claim, Obama supporters are not silly sheep. Those who blindly follow Bush-Brand Washington politics as usual are sheep!
We Want Change!
Obama 08!
Anitra , Boca Raton, FL
As a Canadian, I don't get a vote in the upcoming American election, and as a retired white woman I might not be expected to care about Barak Obama, but I do. I read his book, 'The Audacity of Hope' a year ago and was moved by his vision. If he wins, let us pray that his refreshing qualities can survive the nastiness of Washington, and he can regain the world's respect for the USA.
Colette Tracy, Ottawa, Ontario
wow. Although every one here seems pretty clearly an Obama supporter i read nearly all of the postings and i find nothing creepy. A lot of level headed comments and even a bit of new information. Is the creation of a "united' states of America cultish? something to fear? i just thought it might be what we were supposed to be, like in "we the people, in order to form a more perfect union...."
teopa, GR,
so what is wrong with "we the people, in order to form a more perfect union...."
teopa, GR,
RIghtly or wrongly, whoever is President of the Unites States of America has a significant impact upon the rest of the world and upon the lives of ordinary people. The people of US allies who were told that if you are not with us you are against us, the ordinary people of most recently, Iraq, and of any other country where the US has had involvement whether it was wanted or not. However, the interest of the press and the desire to sell news in western countries means that there there is more information and mis-information for people to feed upon. In the end, the press could decide the election and where does that leave democracy?
R Pickering, Nelson, New Zealand
From the live debate in TX, the international press reported that there was no clear winner. Is that the case? Anyone to volunteer info?
Cyniscism about his inexperience will take us no where. There are advisers in Capitol Hill and he will have the free speech reporters and journalists to always keep him in check. You gain experience by being in there...i just wish i could even volunteer on his team.
Times please publish my say.........
Elizabeth Karamagi, Kampala, Uganda
Obama understands America. You can't fault his organizational skills and work ethic, that's for sure. Here he is, blowing past the "coronation float"... a smiling, red-capped shriner on a mini-bike, heading for the front of the parade. Most other politicians are yelling out, "wait, wait... it just isn't done like that... you must be a radical!!!
And all he has done is taken an excellent life experience, formed an adorable family (tougher than nails wife), moved a million people to donate, raised more money that the special interests would really care to buy, er...pay, and provided us all with a vision to follow.
These folks running that $3 trillion budget in Washington are seeing cracks in their armored walls, just like in the movies.
Now comes the hard work, for ALL of us worldwide. He carries our hopes beyond the sealed doors of power and influence ready to take another stab at the true American dream.
ken, Bridgetown, Barbados
I would like to respond to Michael Huneter's question about why the world is taking so much interest in the Democratic race. America is the world's superpower and therefore the President of America has an enormous impact on the world. As a Brit, I believe that by electing Obama, Americans will experience a transformation in how the world views them. Obama UNDERSTANDS the world and how it works. He really gets it, and although he won't be able to fix everything, and he will make mistakes like the rest of us, he will improve the lives of millions of people around the world. The USA's foreign policy over the past few years has resulted in the loss of countless lives, and even more whose lives have become unbearable. The most extreme examples are Palestine and Iraq, however there are many more countries that are impacted by more subtle foreign policy decisions.
Andy Rogers, Oxford, England
All the countries in the Balkan region, including my homecountry Republic of Macedonia, look to the US for leadership on issues such as democracy, multiculturalism, conflict resolution, the rule of law, equal opportunities. The very fact that there is an African-American running for President of the USA is inspirational, to say the least. Barack Obama connects almost all the continents in a certain way. The fact that he was born in America, his father coming from Africa, and spending part of his childhood in Asia is just remarkable. I believe that if Obama gets elected for president this news will echo throughout the World that mankind finally rose above the racial and ethnic divide.
Congratulations to all Americans for being bold and fearless, and for making history. The Free World needs you to lead the way. The World needs the US to break new ground and usher an era of racial, religious, ethnic and cultural reconciliation.
All the best from Macedonia,
Igor
Yes We Can
Igor Noveski, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
This person is worthy of my trust, not because he has spelled out everything he will do in office (we know the history of promises and politicians) but because he projects character and integrity. This to me is the litmus test for any leader, where any decision or test has the chance of being measured in a framework of principles. The almost decade of "lies" and manipulitation is too much to bear. The world is too interconnected and too vulnerable for us to afford leaders who sit on a pile of money and weapons and utter childlike war cries as "Bring it On" or "He tried to kill My Daddy"
The immediate past is so shameful. Barack Obama is like a drink of fresh water!
rudi, ny,
Since Senator obama is biracial having been born to a Black African father from Kenya and a white American mother from Kansas he is truly an African-American, and if elected will become our first African-American president which would seem to be a more accurate description of him rather than referring to him as potentially the "first black president" which tends to obscur the fact that he is biracial.
Robert Westafer, Long Beach, CA, USA
Why are americans so naive. It's all talk, he wants to be President and so does Hilary. That's it. America is ruled by money and the only way to change it is another revolution. It does not have to be violent. Get up off your bums and demonstrate for what you want. Obama has all his hair all his teeth and he's not over weight and he is no longer a moslem (that's his story) just like Bush, Clinton, Kennedy Reagan etc. No substance just talk. Churchill was fat, bald smoked a lot, drank a lot but he had substance and Roosevelt was in a wheel-chair. Think about it!
Frederick, London, UK
I would encourage those who either support Obama or not that they read his book "The Audacity of Hope" since it provides a great insight into how a future President Obama may lead the US.
luis, London ,
Video showing Clinton borrowing lines from Husband and John Edwards.Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H60y8mHMpmU
Make your own judgement!
Clintonfatigue, Huddersfield, England
This boy, OBAMA is indeed a phenom.God preserve him. I do not think he is siding with the BLACK or WHITE: He is meant for all. I am pleased he did distance HIMSELF from the black activists and the white affliates: These tendencies of identifying with a race or cliques is what has destroyed HUMANITY and he has noted that... He is meant for all. I think he has a special mission.
I WAS INTRIGUED LISTENING TO THE DEBATE IN TEXAS THAT WHILST 'OLDER' HILLARY (THOUGH VERY LOVABLE, I MUST SAY) WAS SCORING POINTS.. AND WISHING TO BE ELECTED.. Obama just made it clear that there is an URGENCY which far surpasses the need to be elected and be made 'FAMOUS',
I ALWAYS WONDER WHY HE HAS STAKED HIS LIFE FOR A DIFFICULT JOB LIKE THE 'PRESIDENCY'. WITH HIS INTELLECT (WHICH ALL CAN SEE) HE CAN BE EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL IN ANY ENDEAVOUR.. BUT he realises if he does not change the down-spiralling of GOOD living philosophie,s kindness to humanity.. He soon would be roped into war and be kiled.
WILLIAM , BROMSGROVE, UK
Yes, let's 'get real'. Senator Obama represents the very best in America and we need his leadership.I'm Irish by birth, a naturalized American, haven't voted Democrat before but will this time. Black America has contributed to this country far beyond their numbers and it's past time to recognise that. Recalling Winston Churchill's "blood, sweat and tears" let's salute Black America for their service to our security and progress. Well done. We will elect Barack Obama. He will make mistakes as all presidents do but I think we can live with that.
Elizabeth Nolan
Elizabeth Nolan, Delray Beach, Florida, USA
In response to Michael Huneter's post above, the answer is simple. Anyone with an interest in world affairs is very very interested in the outcome of both the party nomination race, as well as the outcome of the overall election. The impact that the US Government, and its policies, either good or bad, can have on virtually every aspect of world affairs can not be underestimated. I make no comment here on whether I think that is postive or negative. I merely answer the question posed as to why there is so much interest from non-US citizens in the eventual outcome.
You only have to observe the past few years and the effects that both US foreign and domestic policy has had on other countries, to see why we in the "rest" of the world also wait with bated breath to see how it all turns out.
Steve, Liverpool, England
Great comments, all.
Obama 08!
Billy, Seattle, U.S.
Senator Lugar, you make me even prouder to be from Indiana. I live in Austin, Texas now and saw Barack Obama speak at the rally here last night. To the people in charge of this article, you may mean well, but I don't think you know what it is like to be living in America. Hope here is not some silly thing. From experience here, I know it takes more strength to hope than to be cynical. You are often ridiculed for hoping and acting on it. Hope moves one to action. You don't just sit around and hope. You have the courage to do so in the face of cynicism, and the compassion and experience to know that cynicism is a result of dashed hopes-- so bashing the cynics is no good at all either. We need hope now, and the hopeful will act, and the cynics may come around and realize hope again. Whether Senator Obama wins or not, something pretty amazing is happening here as a result of this campaign that will not be dismissed if Senator Obama loses.
Sheila Townsend, Austin, Texas
It is misleading for reporters to consistently and continually print the most superficial and cursory of observations e.g. the perceptions of some individuals that Mr. Obama does not have the experience, or that of his rival and her aides.
When you print such 'stuff'' you should add the accurate 'stuff' - like, "despite his seven years in the Illinois Senate during which he succeeded in proposing and passing significant legislation...and his three years in Washington, during which he was further successful in his efforts to push through legislation which had and has a broad impact, such as ethics reform, etc., WITH bipartisan support..." (Senator Lugar of Indiana and others of similar seniority on both sides of the aisle).
It reduces the integrity of your reporting to omit such additional information, which I am sure is available to you! It is an affront to his supporters, who, like myself, have made the effort to read his books and his policy issues and his legislative triumphs
Carol McFarlane, Yakima, Washington, USA
I'm quite surprised by the amount of interest in the campaign from the Non-US press. You and others throughout the world have covered every moment of the Democratic primary from Iowa to South Carolina to Super Tuesday to whatever will happen over the next couple of weeks in Ohio, Texas and yes Vermont. The international interest appear to me to be a little creepy as you describe in your piece. I'd like to hear from your Non-US readers why there is this interest and does the final US election result really play such an important role in the world as the coverage suggests? I guess for me it is sometimes hard to grasp the importance of the US on the world in general?
I can tell you as a voter (even one in Florida) I have never been more excited about an election.
Michael Huneter, Key West, USA/ FL
God bless Barack Obama. Hope to see you in Turkey.
Orhan Catan, Istanbul, Turkey
Cynicism is healthy, in small doses. In larger doses it is a bacteria that eats at trust creating a dark void of
despair that destroys the moral,ethical and inspirational fabric of society. It is a miracle that any young people today can have faith,or hope, in anything.
There comes a point, however, when even the well-intentioned
cynicism of the press becomes a stumbling block to progress.
He's too young, they say. Wasn't William Pitt (jnr) the youngest UK PM - at 24? Under his premiership an absurd hope became law - slavery was effectively abolished in the British Empire. Wilberforce was also accused, many times, of being too much the preacher, bordering on Messianism.
Yet, any objective view of Wilberforce's life confirms the
'audacity of hope' and confounds the choreography of cynicism.
Occasionally, it is worth taking a risk in life when the inspirational idealisms of a 'greater humanity' than previously known present themselves to the world.
I guess that's 'messianic'
Keith, Dalsland, Sweden
I couldn't vote for Obama in Ca. because I am a registered Republican. You have to understand that in San Francisco CA even registering as DTS gets you on the mail and phone lists of The Democrats. Register Repub, and you are persona non grata as far as smear mail and phone calls. Oh no wait a minute Hillary called me like 3x a day before the primaries, McCain and Co not once so maybe it doesn't work. Anyway, I'm 43 for another 5 months, Our time. Go Barak, love you MIchelle!
Rebecca, San Francisco, USA CA
Stein/Klein are wrong, ?insecure. I attended his rally in Houston this week, and I ain't no constitutive Democrat.
Nothing Messianic about the man or the gathering; people come to hear what he has to say; he does not change his speech for each crowd; his main messages are the same and he is gradually expounding on his agenda. Sure personality is important: e.g.charmer Bill Clinton . Obama tones down the "hoopla" at the beginning and focuses the audience on the serious issues which he then elaborates on... and the 19000 + tapestry of human kind pays attention.... and you realise that what he is saying makes obvious good sense for any good citizen, even those who will vote looking at their pocket book; for if the way the country has been run for the past 15 years continues, then this will be a 'third world" country in 30 years. His big difference c/w HC: he advocates personal, family and community responsibility for the able-bodied; and downplays the victim mentality that HC pumps.
Niko, Houston, TX
Barack Obama, a rock star of American politics.
His intellect, charisma, and ability to work with the Republicans, the Independents and everyone in between are outstanding. He has a movement, momentum and coalition building skills. They say he is a wordsmith, a master in communication. I say not only does he talk the talk. He can walk the walk.
And if I may rise in defence of words.
Obama, have no worries about the whole "just words" thing.
They say this in frustration and with the aim of drowning the hope you offer with negativity.
Friends, Words do matter.
Great leaders must speak great words.
words that unlock the potentials of their people to be the best that they can be.
Words of power, that sooth, guide, heal and inspire.
Show me a leader who motivated and moved his people forward and I will show you a man who
was great with words. Words are the rail on which programs and actions run.
Philip , Philadelphia, US
I am not American. But like the majority of Americans and majority in the world, I too am a fan of Obama. Obama is the right person in the right time. America needs him in her hour of need. The world needs him in its hour of need. Obama has appeared like a comet once in a hundred years.
San Ying, Montreal, Canada QC
Enthusiam for Obama to me seems like a natural reaction for a country that has maintained two mediocre family dynasties in the highest office for the past twenty years. This election has all the signs of a watershed moment in American history, and voters for once feel like they are participants. Compared to the swamp of apathy towards politics that has meandered through this country for so long, this is a welcome change.
Elizabeth Townsend, Columbus, OH
All voters in America must recall their past experience with the Clintons. Their repetition of the same old mantras against Obama does not make it true. Their lack of veracity is too well documented.
Deborah B. Luyster, Jacksonville, USA/Florida
As one who attended an Obama rally in Madison, Wisconsin, I can assure people there is no religious fervor or cultism taking place. It's only slightly different than attending a basketball game in terms of the crowd's enthusiasm, the key difference being, everyone is rooted for one man instead of opposing teams. And the conversations are more intelligent. But it's really just a phenomeonon.
I know I grew up with those black and white TV images of blacks being forced back from protests at the end of firehoses. I'm his age, female, and white, and I think it's just astonishing what he represents to all of us -- the start of the end of racism as a political force in this country.
I'm not supporting him because he's black. To borrow from Oprah, I'm supporting him because he's brilliant. President of the Harvard Law Review. He passed progressive legislation in a Republican-controlled state senate. He passed campaign finance reform in a US Senate that did not want it. GOBAMA!
Lisa, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Obama has brought back hope (with a set of strong convictions and strategies to back it) and a promise that we all be able to work together to make the world a place our children and grands can thrive in. He continues to take the high road which I am sure he will as president... He believes in respecting all, engaging all ..regardless of position.. to end this madness of war and hatred. Go, Obama! We need you!
Barbara Williams, Philadelphia, Pa
When you view politics through a historical lens, it is not difficult to understand why and how so many people are intrigued with Obama. Our politics has been for many years, very few people are to become a part of the process. Obama, brings the everyday citizen back into the process and challenges us to do more.
Let me give you an example, I am a PhD, a professor and a mother of a 2nd grader. My local elementary school was overcrowded and underperforming so I pulled my daughter out and put her in private school. Right decision, right. Well, not really, after becoming involved in the Obama campaign, I have been reminded that I am not just responsible for my daughter, but also for thinking of the other children who are left behind. As a result, I have started the HOPE Project, an afterschool program at my local elementary school which will provide tutoring and character development.
So you see, this is more than a political campaign for most of us. We are taking America back!
Dr. Sharif, Owings Mills, MD
I too was a bit concerned about the cultish enthusiasm among the Obama faithful, but then I realized two things: 1) As soon as his media enemies turn this a story, the candidate himself will masterfully place it in its proper context (as did shirl from Eureka). He'll tell his detractors that "people are sick of being told that they are dreaming when they ask for real change", and the response will land hard on those trying to characterize his campaign as a cult of personality. The euphoria is due to the hunger for and believability of his message - as delivered. 2) The monster he has created must be fed. While it is true that the legions of "fans" who have become baptized into his vision will be a powerful resource for a potential President Obama, we will also be a constant source of pressure upon him to act in accord with his campaign rhetoric and convert it into "Change we can VERIFY". If he delivers, it'll be a self-fulfilling prophecy on which I'd be happy to rest my faith.
Don Kennedy, Flushing, NY
The columist of the Losangeles Times, Joel Stein wrote,"Obamaphilia has gotten creepy. "Another columist, Paul Krugman of the New York Times compained, "The campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality." To me there is nothing creepy about Obama's campaign, it is these columists' weird imaginations which have gone wild in their minds. To me the campaigns are ordinary political rallies where crowds gather to support a candidate, that's all. When former presidents gathered multitudes of supporters in the past during their election campains, nobody spoke about them being creepy ,so why say that Obama's campains are creepy.
TASHA HOBBS, BRISTOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
Tim Reid needs to get his facts straight. All major presidential candidates now routinely receive Secret Service protection well in advance of the nominating conventions. That policy has been in effect for many years now.
Bruce, Valdosta, USA
Thank you for this glimpse behind the scenes of the Obama campaign. I am troubled, however, that you're still carping about the "cult" issue. There is nothing cult-like about the Obama campaign or its supporters. Obama isn't making promises based on nothing. He has a lifetime of experience in topics that relate keenly to the presidency, and has shown fantastic judgment throughout his adult life which has led him to ever-rising success. Obama's supporters are some of the best-informed voters in the history of the United States. We have the internet at our fingertips, and we fact check EVERYTHING. Nothing is taken for granted. We are not blindly following this man, and we don't expect the changes coming to America to be a free ride. What Obama has done is challenge each of us to rise to the occasion, and get our hands dirty rebuilding our country after a devastating 8 years under Bush. Americans have been eager for that challenge and that is what lies behind the mystique of Barack Obama.
Megan, Madison, Wisconsin
HRC has been all over the media today.It almost seems as
if she debated herself. Whats up here?.
J.C.JOHNSON, Norfolk, VA.
The crowds are almost religious in feel. Yes, that is correct. But the religion is not Obama. It is the fervor of a US nationalism that is just feeling itself recovering from decades of painful division, of sleaze and incompetence, degradation and increasing apathy and cynicism. Obama is able to tap into the desire of millions of citizens like myself who want a better country, who believe that the US is capable of being a better country, that we Americans can do better, deserve better, are capable of greater sacrifice, of greater love for each other. We want to be the UNITED States of America, despite race, class, gender and religious difference. As a Hawaiian Obama supporter said about why Hawai'i went so hugely for Obama, its native son, diversity does not divide the US, it defines the US. And it is the younger generation who are most committed to changing this nation and this globe where divisiveness and the mindset for war have set the agenda for too long.
shirl, Eureka, USA
Go Barack !
PulSamsara, Chicago, IL, USA