DUCKPOND

Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration and now at UCB proclaims on his blog his support for Obama. He writes:

I believe that Barack Obama should be elected President of the United States.

Although Hillary Clinton has offered solid and sensible policy proposals, Obama’s strike me as even more so. His plans for reforming Social Security and health care have a better chance of succeeding. His approaches to the housing crisis and the failures of our financial markets are sounder than hers. His ideas for improving our public schools and confronting the problems of poverty and inequality are more coherent and compelling. He has put forward the more enlightened foreign policy and the more thoughtful plan for controlling global warming.

He also presents the best chance of creating a new politics in which citizens become active participants rather than cynical spectators. He has energized many who had given up on politics. He has engaged young people to an extent not seen in decades. He has spoken about the most difficult problems our society faces, such as race, without spinning or simplifying. He has rightly identified the armies of lawyers and lobbyists that have commandeered our democracy, and pointed the way toward taking it back.

Finally, he offers the best hope of transcending the boundaries of class, race, and nationality that have divided us. His life history exemplifies this, as do his writings and his record of public service. For these same reasons, he offers the best possibility of restoring America’s moral authority in the world.

Robert Reich’s opinions about Obama’s economic policies have authority, and I assume they have some merit, but I think it is the latter points that make the distinction with Clinton. Obama’s connection with community-based political activity is a new and interesting development, and I suspect that the support that Obama has generated will not be there for Clinton, especially in view of her attack politics motivated solely by personal aggrandisement. In relation to Clinton’s campaign, consider the views of historian David Kaiser. Osama represents change to the outside world, and on election that will be immediately take effect, although getting out of Iraq will be a lot less easier than getting in.

ELSEWHERE:

Peter S Canellos reports in The Boston Globe on the social class divide that is fracturing support for the Democrats, and may lessen the chances of the nominated candidate.

Joanna Walters in The Guardian reports that Obama is making ground. She reports:

Obama has emerged ahead of Clinton in a national poll of Democratic voters about the nomination, ahead of both Clinton and Republican rival John McCain in national presidential polls and surveys of the candidates’ ‘honesty and favourability’, while gaining on her in Pennsylvania itself.

Clinton is still expected to win the state, but most polls there now have her at most five per cent ahead, with some predicting a photo-finish and one a long-shot Obama victory.

According to some informed commentators Clinton has effectively sided with the Republicans, or those who now describe themselves as such:

‘Clinton has broken an unwritten rule of politics, which is that you do not disadvantage a member of your own party and side with your opponents,’ said Gary Hart, a former Democratic presidential candidate, who has endorsed Obama. Despite answering ‘Yes, yes, yes’ when asked if Obama was fit for the presidency during their debate last week, Clinton has boosted McCain’s credibility by praising his qualifications to become commander-in-chief.

‘Hillary Clinton has philosophical differences with McCain, far-right-wingers Pat Buchanan and Rush Limbaugh and the conservative talking heads on Fox TV,’ Washington Post columnist Colbert King wrote yesterday. ‘But they and Clinton have a common enemy: Obama. Their allegiance to the goal of bringing him down makes them compatriots.

Michael Hirsh at Newsweek says that Obama is pulling away from Clinton among Democrats in a nationwide poll:

The survey of 1,209 registered voters found that Obama now leads Clinton by nearly 20 points, or 54 percent to 35 percent, among registered Democrats and those who lean Democratic nationwide. The previous NEWSWEEK Poll, conducted in March after Clinton’s big primary wins in Ohio and Texas, showed the two Democrats locked in a statistical tie (45 percent for Obama to 44 percent for Clinton). The new poll puts Obama ahead among women as well as men, and voters aged 60 and older as well as younger voters. (For the complete poll data, click here).

One of the more devastating results for Clinton was that a majority of all registered voters now see her as dishonest and untrustworthy. According to the poll, just four in 10 (41 percent) registered voters view the New York senator as honest and trustworthy, while 51 percent think the opposite. This compares with solid majorities of voters who see Obama and McCain as honest and trustworthy (both polled 61 percent).

There must be a pro-Clinton quote out there somewhere, other than from the “Republican” lobby.

The headline over Anne Davies report from Philly for The Sydney Morning Herald is “Obama hurt by ‘elitist’ comment as poll gives Clinton slim lead”. Davies begins her article:

HILLARY CLINTON’S week-long assault on her rival for the Democratic nomination for president, Barack Obama, over comments she branded elitist, and his recent lacklustre debate performance, appear to be taking their toll.

Senator Clinton has regained the lead in Gallup’s national tracking poll for the first time since March and leads Senator Obama 46 per cent to 45 per cent. She had been down by 11 points less than a week ago.

The poll was conducted from April 16-18, after the Philadelphia debate in which Senator Obama came under intense questioning over his comment that small-town America was “bitter” and clings to guns and religion. He is also under pressure for his connections with several controversial people.

That is journalism for you. I particularly like these comments from Obama – vive la difference:

Meanwhile, the campaign sniping continued as Senator Obama emulated Harry Truman and took a train westward across Pennsylvania for a series of rallies at stations along the way.

He accused Senator Clinton of having a kitchen sink strategy, that is, throwing everything and the kitchen sink at him.

“I am in this race not to play the game better; I am in this race to change the game plan,” Senator Obama said. “I am in the race to change Washington. I want to change them, not for them to change me.”

Is it too much hope, that Obama is a more substantial presidential candidate than the campaign as framed through the “media” talking points allows, but to which Robert Reich alludes? Perhaps like Alice Walker, we could start by reading the books he wrote – a significant point of difference in itself.