Yes, March is here, and with it that old weather saying, “in like a lion, out like a lamb.” For those here in the Kansas City area, it has definitely been coming in like a lion, with rather blustery conditions defining the first two days of March. It has yet to be seen if March will, in due process, go out like a lamb.
March is coming in like a lion as well on the political front. To start off the month will be the primaries in Texas and Ohio, which could settle once and for all who is the front runner on the Democratic side. Then again, it might not.
Hillary and Barack are running two campaigns with similar platforms on the issues, but two entirely different ways of gathering votes. In the past week, we have seen the Clinton campaign run ad’s that are questioning Obama’s ability to handle sudden international crises. To which the Obama camp reminds us, who out of the two supported the now disastrous Iraq war?
We have also seen, whether done voluntarily or not by Hillary’s campaign, an attempt to spread more rumors about Obama’s cultural heritage and religious beliefs by circulating images of him in traditional Somalian garb. Wait, is this a picture of Hillary dressed in traditional garb as well? Tsk, tsk.
I readily admit, even being the avid Obama supporter that I am, that Obama might not have all of the experience that Hillary offers. They have both, however, been in the U.S. Senate for a similar period of time and Hillary’s time as First Lady overlaps some of Obama’s time as an Illinois state senator. During his 1997-2004 tenure as Illinois state senator, Obama was a lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. He also spent a lot of time as a community organizer while living in Chicago. Obama can produce a long list of leadership accomplishments, in particular an ability to work with people. Don’t trust me? Read his memoirs or any web bio about him.
I’d be willing to trust someone who promises change and a different way of doing things than someone who, honestly, still represents the status quo. Hillary Clinton is ‘old politics.’ Barack Obama offers to bring a responsible sensibility and a sense of pragmatism to a political system in desperate need of repair.
Using a Biblical reference, America is in the lion’s den. Obama appears to be the lion, March 4 will determine if his roar (his charisma) lives up to it’s ability to ’rally the troops.’ It will be an interesting week indeed.