Mr. Shapiro's text illustrates a crucial problem with American "democracy" today. In the whole article there is no mention whatsoever of any causes that Mr. Obama might or might not want to promote or accomplish, were he to be elected the president of the United States. The entire text is a speculation on what kind of an icon the US population might perceive as palatable, or not. It is also emblematic that Mr. Shapiro does not seem to be aware of this - or, cynically (and might I add, probably correctly) assumes that it is completely irrelevant. I believe it is the latter.

The US deserves the president it is going to elect, and my guess is that it will be yet another reborn Christian committed to waging a holy war against the rest of the planet, while we are supposed to be waiting for the Christ's second coming.

The whole thing leaves me a bit depressed. No, correction: desolate.

Kennedy said it first in '62, then MLK repeated it in a slightly different way in '67.

I belong with the many who are attracted to this very attractive man. I like presidents who are personable because they are more likely to be able to deal with people. Obama is a breasth of fresh air.

What I need and do not yet have is a good sense of his platform, his principles, his "vision" to use an overworked term. Where does he stand on the great issues of our time? Does he have courage? Is he intelligent? Has he accumulated enough experience to navigate the challenging situations our next president will face?

If I had satisfying answers to these questions, I'd give him my vote in a New York minute.

With such strong conviction I write such words.

Our country needs a man like Obama. Given his multiracial background, I feel he can actually represent a generation of Americans of different race, culture, and ethnicity.

I fear a country run by shady politicians who feel the need to hide and censor reports.

Our country should represent democracy in its purest form. However, the people gave up their power long ago to the government, sacrificing liberties and freedoms for safety. Hence this Patriot Act, which gives the Government and Police the legal right to search and seize for any and no reason. It also connects branches of the police force, as if our country has not been slowly changing into a harbinger of a dictator run, totalitarian nation.

America is a country that should be run by the people for these very same people. Right now, our country is run by a select few, influenced heavily by rich billionaire megacorporations. Even if we pull out of Iraq, we screwed up big time and the deaths (and countless injuries) will have all been in vain. Just like Vietnam, eh?

2008 will mark a critical year in American history, where the icy grip of imperialism will either spread moreso across our political, socioeconomic, and even military policies -as it has been since arguably the end of the second Great War - or we will (and should) give the power back to the people!

The Government should be the collective power and say of the people, not a power created by sacrifice!

As an often nervous Norhern Neighbour and always engaged observer of U.S. politics--not least because we share continental borders and responsibilities--I would love to hear an intelligent and informed critique of Sen. Clinton's qualifications for the presidency.

Based on what I've read here, Obama has few, if any. Which makes him a perfect candidate for V-P.

Sen. Clinton's considerable White House experience, her abundant gifts and intimate relationship with the most accomplished, visionary and likeable of all the post-war presidents immediately puts her way ahead of the other candidates.Anyone who could surmount the venal machinations of the G.O.P.and its hired thugs and incumbent crtetins with such grace, integrity and acumen is already betteer qualified for the highewt office than anyone you've had since...since....since?????

Obama likes to globe-trot and strut his stuff and he's of mixed race so he's the right man for the P.R. job in this muliti-cultural universe.

Clinton/Obama : An unbeatable ticket, surely?

YOU ARE NOT PRAYING HARD ENOUGH!

IF WE PRAY HARD ENOUGH TO OBAMA HE WILL kill ALL THOSE RIGHTWINGNUT MTHRFCKRS WITH HIS MAGIC!

Pray harder, you LOOSERS!

Pray HARDER or OBAMA will KURSE You in your waking and standing and lying down!

Pray to Obama and he will make everything like cotton candy.

From an earlier post, just for Timbuktom:

As for voting record, you are ignoring politics when discussing politics- never a good thing. Voting record? Floor speech on Habeas Corpus? Yeah, he made compromises- he had to, to preserve his viability and avoid being targeted by the meanest, nastiest, dirtiest congress in history. The biggest signal these voters sent this past November is that they want change- they are sick of corruption and the status-quo. Obama is so appealing now for just that reason- he's too new to be too dirty.

The system is corrupt, and Obama understands that- it is why he has been so moderate. Paul Wellstone was a great man, but he did not live in the political environement Obama does, and he never considered himself a viable candidate for the Presidency. Political Martyrdom is honorable and unfortunately necessary, and that is what you people seem to want from Barack. He is not so foolish as that, and so no, he did not stick his neck out into the combine of our 109th Congress.

So,I say hang back and see what the boy does in the next two years. See what he does when he has the leverage and freedom to put forward policy ideas that might actually have a chance. We're a long way off folks so please, be patient.

Obama/Clarke '08

Illinois Senate

He helped pass a few bills while the Illinois General Assembly was Repub, then when it shifted to Democratic in '02, he passed a score, including KidCare, the forerunner of AllKids, Illinois' new health-care coverage for all children in the state.

hearings

Illinois Senate again: He chaired committees, including one on the death penalty. Someone I met who attended said that Obama assured that all parties be heard from and listen to each other respectfully. What came out of the hearings was law that all capital crime confessions must be videotaped. (Illinois still has the death penalty moratorium in effect.) That is huge, and if it's not enough for you, then think of it as a first step.

US Senate

Lugar-Obama bill passed recently (has to do with anti-aircraft weapons and terrorism.

He got the ball rolling on influenza vaccination.

Veterans support initiatives.

Fuel-efficiency initiative; Fuel Economy Reform Act.

Gas price initiative.

Federal Funding and Accountability Transparency Act

As in the Illinois Senate, that's about all a Dem Senator can do when up against a Repub administration and majority.

Anecdotes

I first saw him at a coffee in October 2003 before the Illinois Senatorial Primary. I turned to my husband and said "He's presidential." What did he do? Well, in addition to the vaunted charisma, he had the same gift Clinton has of bridging policy and people. Obama is a closet wonk, folks!! He addressed health care, he addressed fuel efficiency, he addressed unemployment, but all in ways simultaneously humane and practical--short-term payout for long-term gain.

When I passed petitions for him, no one had heard of him, and by the time I gave my short spiel, they were grabbing the pen out of my hand to sign. Later I met someone who said that maybe 10 years before she was sitting at a League of Women Voters meeting and a young man spoke up. Without even turning around, she thought "he's presidential." Everyone has that reaction.

He ran in the Senate primary against six or seven (I now forget) other people, one of whom was nasty. But Obama kept things on a high plane. Do you know what a refreshing relief that was for us battered voters? He also ran a very strategic campaign: he was behind until 3 weeks before the primary, mainly because the nasty candidate was also mega-rich and did a semi-effective smear. But the timing in spending the campaign $$ on ads worked. Then, for the general election, he "went beyond his base." That was both smart and an opportunity--not just politics but speaking to the voters.

I don't have enough political savvy to know whether he can win this. But PLEASE, Salonistas, get the facts on his record. And I think the person who suggested Salon do in-depth coverage on him was right-on. He has what he showed in his Dem Convention speech, but it was frustrating for some of us Illinoisans to see the coverage of him become so superficial. Subscribe to his podcast and his Web-site e-mail and learn about him.