Die Welt, Germany

Why Obama Is Not A Lightweight

By Torsten Krauel

Translated by Christiane Thieme

February 15, 2008

Germany - Die Welt - Original Article (German)

The time of the election campaigns is always a time for well directed rumors. One of them describes Barack Obama as an orator without much substance. But that is nonsense and unfair. Obama’s first several speeches may have sound like sermons, but by now, he is discussing serious matters as well.

Obama’s rivals, as well as the majority of the media, suggest that his followers support a lightweight candidate, an idealist without experience or program. This accusation alleges that a rapidly growing number of Americans are jeopardizing the future of the country. But this simply is not correct.

The 46-yar-old senator purposefully began his campaign with speeches that emphasize and embrace both the political and philosophical components of the United States. First of all, Obama competes in this election campaign as a liberal Anti-68er. His objective is to break the narrow-minded truth claim that characterizes the 68ers and their conservative opponents with a new “coalition of the willing”. Second, Obama stresses a concept that is even more important for the tone of his public appearances. To this day, Obama says, black candidates for the White House have appeared as the wrathful denouncers of white people, thus harming themselves and their success. According to Obama, a black person, much more so than a white person, has to appeal to the intertwining political and historical background of the U.S. This is why his speeches have long showed characteristics of national sermons.

Hillary Clinton contrasted these compelling speeches with a rather neutral program. It was a subliminal exploitation of her advantage of being a white woman. Obama recognized this, but did not let it confuse him – until he lost important primaries. Although he had outlined his foreign policy views in April 2007 and had introduced his plan to reform the health care system in the summer of 2007, it was clearly not enough for a series of victories. Small states like Iowa, that love rebels, carried him shoulder high while Clinton won the vote in big states like Michigan and Florida. However, both states have lost any role in picking a Democratic nominee for the White House at the party’s national convention because they had arbitrarily scheduled early presidential primaries. This is to Obama’s advantage, since Clinton otherwise would have had a clear lead in the number of delegates.

Since that time, Obama has started emphasizing major economic issues. His success became obvious during the following primaries. The day before yesterday, he delivered a major economic policy address at a General Motors Assembly Plant in Wisconsin. Like many other businesses in the United States, the company suffers from national idiosyncrasies. The burden of providing appropriate health care and retirement provisions rests on the shoulders of these companies. At the end of 2006, Hillary Clinton had justified her reform plan of the health care system with the relief of U.S. businesses on the global market. However, it was Barack Obama who used the large annual loss of 2007 of the car manufacturer for his campaign – 24 hours prior to Hillary’s visit at General Motors.

Obama presented a comprehensive agenda. He wants to fight the national housing crisis with tax credits that cover ten percent of the mortgage interest payment every year. Furthermore, he plans to create a database for property credits and institute heavy penalties for mortgage fraud. Obama suggests having every worker enrolled in a direct deposit retirement account that places a small percentage of each paycheck into savings. Workers would be able to retain this account even if they changed jobs. In addition, he wants to introduce middle-class tax cuts. Companies that shift jobs overseas will lose tax breaks. Bridges, streets, and harbors would be reconstructed with the help of a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank that would invest $60 billion over the next ten years. Every child and the majority of adults would have health insurance. Nevertheless, Obama rejects compulsory universal health care coverage. Opposing Clinton who demands such a liability, Obama believes that such a reform would not be affordable. With this issue, Obama accommodates republican voters who consider universal health care coverage as an invitation for many to take advantage of taxpayers.

Barack Obama does not befriend everyone with his proposals. As early as April, he irritated the left wing of the Democratic Party by strongly hinting toward possible military operations against al-Qaeda in Pakistan. But to befriend everyone is not his objective. Obama wants to create the new “coalition of the willing” – a coalition of the left center, as comprehensive as Ronald Reagan’s right-wing majority or Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. The new coalition needs specific objectives, but especially a lot of dedication. It is not numbers alone that keep the “change we can believe in” alive.

Hillary Clinton’s election campaign is characterized by a “policy based on facts”. Obama opposes this approach with a strategy that even includes specific projects. The strategy’s strength, however, comes from the heart and the soul.