All of the candidates vying for the presidency in 2008 have based their campaigns on some notion of change. However, nobody has done a better job than Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) in casting his run as a transformational agent for American politics and society. Young voters, the media and celebrities have swooned over the Obama campaign, which claims to be running against Beltway politics and partisan bickering, hoping to usher in an era in which "divisive ideological politics" give way to consensus for the greater good. At least, that is what he says on his campaign Web site. In reality, he has hired top consultants from the same Democratic Party establishment that produced the partisan politics that he so eloquently criticizes. He also seems quite as willing to play "gotcha" politics as his rivals, former Senator John Edwards (D-NC) and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Questions about his experience also linger, especially in the area of foreign affairs at a time when resolving the quagmire in Iraq is the salient political issue. Nonetheless, Obama's message of healing the wounds of the culture wars is resonant, especially coming from the first major African American contender for the presidency. The combination of Obama's personal story, obvious political talent and charisma and generational appeal makes him a formidable foe for Senator Clinton as the primaries approach.

Domestic/Economy

During the early months of the campaign, former Senator John Edwards (D-NC) largely shaped the debate on key domestic issues like health care, poverty and energy, forcing Obama and Clinton to play catch-up. By and large, the Illinois senator has risen to the challenge, putting forward a health care plan that would give insurance to those who can't afford to pay for private care but don't qualify for Medicaid. The plan will "save the typical American family up to $2,500 a year," according to the candidate's Web site. Likewise, Obama points to his career choice as a community activist on the South Side of Chicago to demonstrate his unique ability to combat indigence, putting forward proposals to increase the availability of college loans and improve workers' career advancement prospects, among other initiatives. Finally, the Senator supports a carbon cap accompanied by a permit-trading system in order to reduce greenhouse emissions and curb global warming. While Obama appears to lack Edwards' driving commitment to sweeping domestic change, his plans are well-thought out and competitive, comparing favorably to those of Clinton.

Foreign

Upon election to the Senate, Obama was able to land a spot on the Foreign Relations Committee, an essential step towards building the necessary international credentials for a presidential run. He has focused his international platform increasingly on issues of weapons control, a field in which he is becoming something of an expert, as well as African affairs, giving attention to oft-ignored trouble spots like Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Similarly, Obama has made much of the fact that his anti-Iraq War stand of 2002 has been vindicated by recent events.

However, his plan for a phased withdrawal from the country, as well as his refusal to commit to removing all Americans by a certain date, have made him a target for attacks from Democrats who take a more uncompromising line towards ending the war at all costs, notably Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM). Additionally, he has come under fire from the Clinton camp for statements supporting immediate negotiations with anti-American leaders like Kim Jong-Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chavez. Clinton has pounced upon comments like these and others, as indicators that Obama is out of his depth on matters of foreign policy and potentially weak on defense. Obama supporters, however, might justifiably contend that former president Bill Clinton's international policies were quite successful, despite his nonexistent prior experience in foreign affairs.

Social

True to his stated desire to put the "culture wars" of the past few decades in the proverbial rearview mirror, Obama has been largely silent on salient "values" issues like gay marriage and abortion, generally adopting stock Democratic positions. Nevertheless, he hopes to set himself apart from the field by stressing his own willingness to "discuss faith in a pluralistic society" as a religious Christian.

In this way, Obama adds a personal angle to the Democrats' post-2004 strategy of projecting religious values by accentuating their implications for social justice and environmental protection and downplaying more censorious and exclusionary interpretations favored by the GOP. Whether this strategy will resonate among typically nonreligious Democratic primary voters-or cut into Republican dominance of the white evangelical demographic-remains to be seen.

Charisma/Intangibles/Verdict

Barack Obama is probably the most exciting politician of the decade.

He represents an acceptance of the racism of our national past, as well as hope for a post-racial, color-blind future. His oratorical skill is legendary, drawing comparisons with such famous Democratic speakers as William Jennings Bryan, and his charisma brings Kennedy to mind. Obama retains great appeal among young voters, liberals and better-educated Democrats, three demographic groups that approve of Obama's attacks on Washington politics and uncomfortable with Clinton's early support of the War in Iraq.

Nevertheless, despite this energized support base and corresponding fundraising advantage, Obama trails Clinton nationally by 21 percent according to the latest CBS News poll. However, if he can utilize his large campaign war chest and prodigious skill at retail politics to knock Edwards out early and gain momentum in the early primaries, he could clean up on Feb. 5.

If that happens, the election of our first black president will likely become a reality when November 2008 rolls around.