"Big Mo" is clearly on Barack Obama's side as he won Super Tuesday and now the Chesapeake Primary.Obama is finding success in his message of hope and change. His inspiring speeches are long on emotion and short on substance.
Which is not to say that Obama has no substance. His early speeches were filled with details, but his star really began to rise once he began to communicate on a more personal level.
While the strategy is a good one, it also has the power to work against him if he is elected.
Once in the oval office, Obama won't be able to use that same technique to win support in Congress for legislation needed to implement his plans. To be successful, he'll have to prove that he is equally skilled in internal politics.
Congress will be an important element of Obama's effectiveness. Although the Democrats now control Congress, their numbers aren't great enough to dominate the process. Even the members themselves don't seem to have the will to use their political clout. Whatever success Obama may have will depend upon legislators' willingness to support his vision and the president's ability to move the country to coax them to vote his way.
Chowing down on a bag of cookies may feel good while the sugar rush is coming on, but once that lift is gone, the crash is anything but fun. Likewise, voters who remember the swell of patriotism they felt listening to an inspiring speech may feel highly disappointed if Obama can't come through with change his supporters can believe in.
Change takes more than a powerful speech by one person. Change only happens when political leaders believe the public supports it and that it's in their best political interest to bring those changes about.
-- Jim Grinstead
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