The differences between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama
are pretty arcane. The reality is that both candidates support the
popular Democratic agenda that has emerged after eight years of George
W. Bush’s catastrophic presidency.
Can you believe the Democrats once seemed lost for an identity? Now,
thanks to Bush, the Democratic Party is at the forefront of a focused
agenda to: achieve universal health care, end the occupation of Iraq,
combat global warming, reestablish the United States as a respected
international leader, reverse the erosion of civil liberties at home,
and make the economy work for the middle class instead of just the
wealthiest.
The question: Which Democratic candidate—the brilliant but
polarizing Hillary Clinton or the thoughtful and charismatic Barack
Obama—is best suited to take on the conniving GOP? Just as
important, which one will be best positioned to enact the Democratic
agenda once he or she is in office? We believe the answer is Barack
Obama.
If we were Republicans—which we’re
not—we’d be terrified about taking on a stadium attraction like
Obama. Buoyed by his inspirational life story—a mixed-race kid
abandoned by his father who makes it to Harvard Law and the U.S. Senate
(with a stint as a community organizer along the way)—Obama’s
campaign will be powered by his goose-bumps oratory. “It is not about
black versus white,” he said in South Carolina. “It’s about the past
versus the future.”
There’s also the numbers. Obama appeals to the nearly 30 percent of
voters who identify as independent. This is important given that
“maverick” John McCain is the GOP frontrunner.
Scared that Obama’s appeal to the center means he’s
going to sell out Democratic priorities? We were too. But all we had to
do was look at Obama’s Senate record (nay on the pandering flag-burning
amendment) and his proposals (his Social Security plan extends the
payroll tax to capture fatter incomes) to
realize he’s an
SECB-approved liberal.
He has a 96 rating from the League of Conservation Voters. He’s
earned a 100 percent rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America. He wants to
repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and he voted against giving
immunity to gun manufacturers, against the anti-labor Central American
Free Trade Agreement, and for restoring habeas corpus. He’s also
against giving retroactive immunity to telecom companies who have spied
for the White House.
Most impressive: Obama has been openly opposed to the invasion of
Iraq since 2002 when he correctly warned that an expensive off-topic
adventure would undermine the war on terrorism.
Electing Barack Obama would be a jump cut in
American history—one the up-and-coming generation is clamoring
for. Bush’s ugly politics are a culmination of culture wars dating back
to the 1960s. Hillary Clinton is a baby boomer. Obama, who grew up in
the ’70s, represents a chance to move on.
Certainly, the SECB recognizes the mind-blowing possibility of a
woman president, but Obama offers a truly seismic shift. And no, it’s
not about race (although we don’t underestimate the symbolism—to
the rest of the world—of electing a black man after eight years
of John Wayne diplomacy). It’s about transcendence. Obama’s talent lies
in transforming Democratic goals into mainstream no-brainers. The
strategy is disarming, and it’s poised to make the Democratic voice the
mainstream voice in America. 
