Two views, from readers:
Jonah, FWIW, as an Illinoisan, I agree with you about Barak Obama. I have watched his career for quite a while and he is no flavor of the day. He beat a party insider for his State Senate seat, and most out there have probably forgotten that he challenged (former Black Panther) Rep. Bobby Rush in the Dem Primary on the grounds that he was too radical and got nothing done in Congress. He might have won that seat if Rush’s people hadn’t put another guy in the race to split the opposition. He won the Senate Primary because he was the only candidate (in a large field) who was not joined at the hip with Daly, Madigan, et al. I opposed him in the general mostly because he would likely hold that Senate seat for life. Do not underestimate Obama, he’s no John Edwards.
And:
Mr. Goldberg –
I don’t get why anyone would think that Barak Obama is ready to run for president. What political success — as opposed to publicity success — has he achieved? In his only significant race, his maiden run for the Senate, he drove his Republican opponent from the race by getting a friendly California judge to open the sealed record of his divorce from Seven of Nine. Republicans then dithered for weeks looking for a replacement and settled on — Alan Keyes! Now, I admire Mr. Keyes as a principled public speaker, but he was not a credible Illinois resident, let alone a credible Illinois Senate candidate.
So, Barak beat Keyes. Big deal. Is Barbara Boxer a credible presidential candidate because she will beat Dick Mountjoy this year? John Kerry similarly won several Senate races in Massachusetts, and found out that running for President is not so easy when you have not been battle-hardened.
No one knows whether Obama is a decent candidate because he has not been tested in even one close election race. He might be good, but its unlikely. One reason Hillary Clinton is a strong candidate is that she has been so closely involved in two tight presidential elections, as well as her own Senate campaigns.
Obama for president? Not ready for prime time.