IN THE BACK OF MY MIND

I got the most amazing political piece in my inbox this morning. It was from a guy named Mitch Steward who is Senator Barack Obama's Texas Field Director. He asked me if I wanted to travel to Texas for a March 1st volunteer training session for the Obama campaign.

“No prior experience is necessary.” He says, “Whether you’re a first-time volunteer or seasoned veteran, you’ll have the experience of a lifetime organizing for Barack on the ground.” Think of it, he wants me, not my money!

It’s no secret that Mr. Obama spent three years as a community organizer in Chicago. My friend Peter Dreier recently wrote in The American Prospect that it is: “Obama's campaign that most clearly embodies many of the characteristics of a social movement -- a redemptive calling for a better society, coupling individual and social transformation.”

When some white guy in California gets an email asking him to join the Obama team in Texas, his point is well taken. I actually felt those stirrings, the old rabble rouser, the guy who like to watch political transformation happen in real time -- this guy got excited.

But having run political campaigns, I know that running a campaign is only part of the job. The other half of the question is, "Can the candidate be the officer holder?"

Recently my friend Diana ran for Assembly against the local political machine. Her adversary was given all the perks that machine had to offer like party email lists and he used some dirty tactics like “push-pull” phone calls. He was not the most qualified person of all the candidates, yet he won.

In office he has not advocated for the issues he talked about during the campaign and his sole claim to fame seems to be his ability to raise money. It was reported that he was considered for the Speaker's position because he could “raise money.”

What’s that all about?

None of this will prevent me from supporting Mr. Obama but there is a part of me that worries about whether of not he is up to it. It is the same type of “in the back of my mind stuff” I have for Senator Hillary Clinton. I guess if he can pull off an election, he can become president. Let's face it, it's not easy and certainly not the same thing as a local Assembly race.

And as I have said before either one of them would be better than the radical conservatives or religious wackos the Republicans are offering up.