Substance over Change

As a supporter of John Edwards' candidacy, this blog is an interesting path for me to head down. In a year of more than enough very strong candidates for the Democratic ticket, I am amazed to see the one that I found the least qualified as of today leading the delegate race.

I think Barack Obama is a very talented speaker; I think he is very intelligent and has a brilliant political future. Future - as in, not now. But for some reason, celebrity endorsements and pretty speeches seem to have hijacked the reality of how politics work in this generation.

As a Kennedy fan, it's hard to break with what they're saying - Obama indeed speaks the language of the late 50's and early 60's. Back then, it WAS possible to make positive change - the Presidency was a position of extreme power, and was a trusted and honored post in our government. However, after the events in Vietnam and Watergate, politics changed fundamentally in this country. Do I wish we could go back to the days where an ambitious plan could truly change the world? You bet. But we've passed that.

Watching Obama orate reminds me, and others who were there, of the Jimmy Carter campaign. Focusing on the issues that we all *wanted* to fix, Carter made us want to hope for goodness and innocence in power. But the reality is, Nixon had forever tarnished the office of the President and Congress had stepped up to ensure the Executive Branch had a taut leash. Carter was paralyzed by Congress and none of his lofty and laudable goals was met. It was not until years later and his continued work to promote human rights that his character, and possibly his legacy, were rewarded. The fact remains - in today's Washington, like it or not, pretty words don't translate into changed policy.

However, substance, experience, and long-time connections do. The next President will be facing (to put it lightly) a mess. We're in a war that we don't want to be in - very much like Vietnam - and that we can't just cut and run from. We're in an economic recession (no matter how many economists try to pretty it up) that will likely worsen with the housing market before it gets better. People cannot find work, they are losing their homes, and poverty rates are threatening to soar. These are real world problems that cannot be solved with oratory.

History really does demonstrate that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, nowhere more than in the realm of international relations. I have great fears when I hear Obama's naivete in foreign policy. Sure, he toured parts of Africa and again made lots of pretty speeches. But look at his record - what he's actually done and accomplished, not just what he's thought of or co-sponsored. Coalition building, across party lines, takes years of establishing working relationships. Obama has simply not spent the time it takes to accomplish this.

It's time for Democrats in this country to come to their senses. It's easy to be swayed by a powerful public speaker - how many of us were swayed by Rev. Jesse Jackson in the 70s? There may not have been a more effective speaker than he at that time - but the truth is, he never had the substance behind the words to effectuate real change. Hillary Clinton has the substance. She's served in Congress and de facto in the White House - learning the hard way how to create new ideas, how to get them supported (and how to get them shot down). She has the backing of one of our most respected Presidents - not to mention his daily support and advice - and will also be able to call on him to choose the most intelligent, respected and big-picture thinking advisers. There is no question that regardless of speeches that promise change, Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who can truly deliver it.