So far Barack Obama has benefited tremendously from the feelings of many of us that Hillary Clinton does not pocess the right principles to be President and that John Edwards is just a slick lawyer who has learned how to campaign well but question whether he has any business being on a national political ticket. In frustration over the other choices which the media tells us are electable, there is a tendency to project what we hope for onto Obama. This is met by frustration at not being certain as to what his plans are should he take office.I find this sign hopeful that his campaign realizes that they have been vague on specific policies. In an article in The New York Observer, communication director Robert Gibbs is quoted as addressing this:
But the Obama campaign, if nothing else, is well aware of its structural shortcomings. Indeed, his staff consciously seeks to embrace them, uniformly assuming the posture of Chicago underdogs, eager to prove that they can take on Hillary Clinton and all the heavyweights of her adopted city.
As Barack says, Chicago politics is a contact sport, and he understands how to play that,” said Robert Gibbs, the campaign’s communications director, who recently mixed it up with his Clinton counterpart, Howard Wolfson, in a very public spat. “It’s incumbent on us to demonstrate an ability to tangle.”
Mr. Gibbs argued that Mr. Obama would deliver the specific energy, education and health-care policies in due time, and said that the campaign was built on more than just “hype and hope.”
Fair enough, but I’m waiting. One reason that I’ve been patient in hearing specifics is the understanding that Obama was thrown into this very quickly. Hillary Clinton and John Edwards have been preparing to run for President for several years while Obama may have been surprised by all the support for him as decided to run for President earlier than he planned. Fortunately it is still very early in the political year and there is time for Obama to flesh out his policies. While I am eager to see the specifics, it is better that he take some time to work them out as opposed to rushing to put up position papers on a web site.
