You don't have to be a rishing from the ashes minority from the inner city to inspire people. Seeing him on television, he seems like a smart, but modest guy with new ideas. And if he did oppose the war from the very start, then he's got the credibility that Kerry lacked.
I agree. But I am more impressed with someone like my good friend, who never knew his father, was raised in "Crooklyn" by an uneducated mother, did 20 in the military--becoming an officer, and put himself through undergrad and grad school. Absent major blunders (e.g., drug addictions, etc.) it is actually hard for someone in Obama's shoes NOT to succeed. I would say close to half of the white collar professionals in Hawaii went to Punahou (Obama's high school).
