[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

It has to be about more than speeches. What is so different about Obama's platform from previous democratic platforms? What has Obama done in his brief time as a legislator to accomplish, or at the very least, mobilize change?

I think that is THE definitive question of the upcoming election.

Obama seems to me a lot of sizzle and no steak. The only thing that I can say with any degree of certainty that he does well is make speeches. Granted that's 180 degrees better than Bush, who finds difficulty pronouncing nuclear, but it's not enough to warrant a vote in November. I just don't see the reason for all of the hype. What I am afraid is going to happen, is all of the "hope" and "change" that's being bandied about as if it were a new concept is going to come crashing down upon all of these supposedly newly energized americans that are his base. What happens when all of these vague promises don't amount to anything more than the status quo? Even greater numbers of disillusioned citizens who will find it that much more difficult to get excited or hopeful about anything pertaining to government in the future.

While you can level much of the above at Clinton and McCain, I didn't hear nearly as much hyperbole coming out of their camps. It's going to get a whole lot uglier before it gets better. I'd like to see someone elected who has the fortitude to admit that upfront and then present a clear vision to get us through it. I think we've all had enough of empty promises at best and blatant lies at worst. I'd like to see something from Obama's past to indicate this isn't more of the same.