The Wall Street Journal on why Obama may not run:
Just about everybody seems convinced that Sen. Barack Obama is going to run for president. The Chicago Sun-Times, his hometown paper, is writing as if his candidacy is an established fact. Newsweek magazine cites sources close to him who claim that he’s “about 80 percent” certain to run. Obamamania will continue to build until the Illinois senator announces next month . . .
Time out. Let’s look at the 1 in 5 chance that even his own advisers say he won’t run. I think it’s greater than that. We’ve been here before with the Big Media clamoring for an attractive black candidate to make history. In 1995 there was a similar push to get Colin Powell to run, but he wisely demurred, citing family concerns about his security and the belief that he couldn’t win the GOP nomination. Mr. Obama may similarly surprise everyone by not running this time. That may be wind up being best both for the country and for Mr. Obama.
On one level, the palpable enthusiasm for his fresh face is welcome. “He’s a walking, talking hope machine,” Mark McKinnon, a former Bush media strategist now advising Sen. John McCain, tells National Journal. Who better to help the country get over its racial hang-ups than a 45-year-old man who was born in multiethnic Hawaii to a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya and who grew up partly in Indonesia? He’s the political equivalent of Tiger Woods.
Many voters want to get beyond the stale culture-war issues fought over by rival camps of baby boomers. Mr. Obama’s uplifting rhetoric about “looking for something different” is appealing. For too long, black presidential candidates who focus on racial divisions–Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton–have been showered with media attention and given a free pass on demagoguery. Mr. Obama doesn’t see every issue through a racial prism, and many voters would buy the argument that his scant national record is an asset if it helps break up the status quo.
So, what is it? Why would Obama not run? He is the face of the Democratic party right now: young, black, charismatic, knowledgeable and the media loves him, what more does he need? Well, some of the major concerns are:
1- One might argue that the media hype came too early and that, well, the problem with media hypes is that are… hypes.
2- It has been said before and by many people: Obama is not the most experienced politician. He isn’t experienced in fighting ugly political fights, let alone winning them.
3- There is the problem of being too liberal – at least according to the WSJ: “it’s unclear how many Democrats want to plump for someone who, according to National Journal, has a more liberal voting record than Hillary Clinton. Last year Mr. Obama had a perfect 100% voting record from both the Americans for Democratic Action and the AFL-CIO.”
4- And, wouldn’t it be more wise for him to try to become Clinton’s running mate & pursue the office of Vice-President? “If Hillary won, he would be the heir apparent. If she lost, no one would blame him for that.”
5- Lastly, perhaps he should use the coming years to position himself more strongly as a man of dialogue by being a great and effective Senator for Illinois…
All valid concerns, in my opinion at least. The internal fight will most likely be quite aggressive. Hillary Clinton will – undoubtedly and rightfully – use every opportunity given to her to attack Obama (and the other way around as well of course). Hillary is used to such fights – hell, she and her husband were attacked for eight years, during Clinton’s entire presidency, Obama is not used to such fights and that may cost him.
PAST CONTRIBUTOR.