As Hillary Clinton is hanging on to hope (but little else) in her bid for the democratic nomination, already pundits are looking at the electoral map for the general election. One thing that stands out is that an Obama candidacy would put more red and purple states in play, making an Obama victory potentially history making in terms of changing the electoral map. It appears that only Obama has the chance to reach out and win over independents and republicans, while Clinton could better count on a few states like Florida and Ohio that Dems lost in the last two elections.
Hillary's team is, of course, using this argument, that she could squeak out the two states that Gore and Kerry lost and thus win the election. She truly doesn't believe Obama can win, at least not by her formula, and thus she wants the party to play it safe and give her the nod.
But Obama's supporters want to go for broke, they want to take the "risk" of nominating him because they know how very big the pay off can be. Furthermore, they are willing to take the gamble because they see his impact on those who hear him, and they genuinely believe he can win over a large pool of voters, regardless of race, accusations of inexperience, and even the Rev. Wright.
Everywhere Obama competes (with the possible exception of Ohio, my birth state unfortunately) he has either won, or narrowed a huge Clinton lead to make the election close. As voters see him, hear him, and get to know him, they are captivated, and willing to take a chance. They see Obama as refreshing and new, optimistic and energetic, brilliant and confident, and after eight years of a president who is anything but brilliant, they are ready to take a chance.
I believe the Democratic Party will nominate Obama, and the voters will make him the next president, because there truly is something different in the air and the voters really are ready for a bigt change. In fact the voters are so tired of the problems created by this administration, that they are willing to take a gamble on someone young, fresh, and new, someone with a level of wisdom and quiet confidence far beyond his years.
Today, we see that 81% of the people say the country is going in the wrong direction. That is good for Obama, the only candidate who looks, sounds, and is different.
We see the Clintons engaging in the old style of politics and we increasingly know we cannot trust what they say.
As for McCain, we may admire his service to country, but service to country doesn't translate into ability to be president, especially when he is so tied to the party that took us in the wrong direction.
Hillary thinks the people want to play it safe and will vote for her, but she is wrong. She continually underestimates Obama, as do a lot of pundits who thought he might be finished after the Rev. Wright flap. But Obama continually surprises.
As voters get to know him, they begin to feel good about him. They begin to see how presidential he is, and they are willing to vote for him. He has narrowed the gap in Pennsylvania, where Hillary once had a twenty point lead, and he will narrow the gap in many states that John McCain is expected to win. He could even win some of them.
Change truly is in the air. The people are ready. Those with open minds and open hearts will listen and vote for change. Some, of course, will not vote for Obama because he is black or because he is young or because they are mad that Hillary wasn't chosen, or because they cannot imagine ever voting for a Democrat. But I believe there are enough Americans to overrule them.
I believe more than ever that this will be a historic election, and that forty years after the assassination of the greatest African American leader of our lifetime, the first African American will be elected president. And that will make me enormously proud of my country.
