With all the opportunity this guy had after graduating from Columbia University, he moved to Chicago and took a job as a community organizer in inner city Chicago. In addition to being a change agent, he learned a lot that he used and continues to use in his life of public service. Read up on the guy's background and his mother. You will gain insight into what motivates him. His mother was a remarkable, bright, caring woman who was so dedicated to her son that she woke him up at 4:30 in the morning before she had to go to work so that she could supplement his schooling in Indonesia.
A person who worked as a grassroots community organizer. Is that not a progressive's dream for a Presidential candidate's background or what? What more are you looking for?
He wanted to do more, to be more effective. He went to Harvard Law School. He was President of the Harvard Law Review. He was praised as a leader who was supportive of people with different political views. This tells you that he understands how to work with people collegially. This kind of leadership gets results because people like to be treated with respect. This is his trademark. This is his approach to leadership. The reason he has been successful with this approach is that he has strong values.
Barack Obama knows what he believes. He went through a remarkable period of introspection as a young man. Obama's exploration of his struggles with questions of identity and other issues are a fascinating and revealing feature of Dreams From My Father. By the way, he is an exceptional writer.
After law school, Obama worked at a small civil rights law firm and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago. A President of the United States of America who taught constitutional law! Is that an antidote for one of the things ailing our democracy or what?
Charles Peters did a good piece on Obama's record as a legislator in the Post op-ed WaPo
I discussed previously. RK
I must say that in the context of this campaign, I do not get the alleged dichotomy that John Edwards draws between a "negotiation" model of leadership and "fighting" leadership. Senator Obama addressed this at his closing rally the night before the Iowa caucus. He said that what he is seeking to do is reach out to Independents and Republicans. So, Barack Obama practices the politics of addition. He is not cozying up to the right wing. He is appealing to individual voters out there who have not been voting Democratic to take a look at Barack Obama. He is building a movement for change. That is what he said. The Republican Party has ignored problems and messed up with tragic results for so long that the door has been opened wide for change. We could not find a better change agent who can truly be a leader for this country than Barack Obama.
Obama set his star at a young age. I have great faith in his heart and his strong core beliefs. He will bring creativity, a dynamic intellect and strong, thoughtful leadership to the Presidency.