Barack’s Contribution

In recent remarks, Barack Obama has helped to restore confidence that the Democratic presidential contest can continue through remaining primaries without damaging party chances in November. More importantly for Obama’s campaign, he once again proved himself a true leader, able to adapt to changing circumstances and regain control of shifting events.

The continued campaign gives voters in several territories and states a rare opportunity to play a decisive role in the campaign’s outcome. However, continued squabbling between the two campaigns between from now anduntil the Democratic Party convention could undermine otherwise positive results gained from the ongoing process.

Hillary Clinton, attacking Obama supporters and others for suggesting she should soon end her campaign, promises to prolong the contest into a convention delegate fight. While demonstrating her combative will to win at any cost, prolonged campaign infighting distracts focus campaign from pressing national and international issues toward renewed personal attacks on the competing candidates and their respective staffs. It is difficult to imagine any benefit to be gained from such contentiousness.

While both the Republican presidential candidate and the present administration show themselves inept at addressing important issues, it is vital for both Clinton and Obama to address these concerns with comprehensive and innovative approaches to possible resolution. The American people will be ill served by an ongoing Democratic campaign that focuses attention on party infighting while pressing national and international issues are sidelined to ongoing debate over which “count” – popular-vote, pledged, super, or even electoral (believe it or not!) - - should count the most.

The months ahead provide fresh opportunity for Obama to show himself as master of his own destiny, meeting the leadership challenge posed by ongoing campaign contentiousness with comments and actions that refocus awareness of the moral high ground while addressing issues of national and international concern with the depth of understanding expected from a true national and world leader.

Barack Obama’s lasting contribution to this campaign, regardless of outcome, may be to lift it once again to the high plane of discourse witnessed at its beginning. By so doing, he will show himself to be the type of president the American people expect. Perhaps then all of us together may gain “the audacity of hope.”