"Hey Kos! Here's why Obama's Running!"

DemDog's diary on Kos:

I found Kos' remark the other day rather grating. It was a snide and childish remark by someone writing based on pure emotion rather than reason.

And it couldn't have been further from reality.

In a speech today, Obama articulates exactly why he's running:

I believe that our party has made the most difference in people's lives and the life of this country when we have led not by polls but by principle; not by calculation but by conviction; when we've been able to summon the entire nation to a common purpose â€" a higher purpose. That's how Roosevelt led us through war and lifted us from depression. It's how Kennedy called on a new generation to ask what they could do for America. And I am running for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States because that's the kind of leadership America needs right now.

• DemDog's diary :: ::
• 
  

If that's not a clear mission statement, I don't know what is.

For some reason, people in these parts seem to think that changing the system (which Obama endevours to do) is not as noble a goal as simply changing a policy here or there. But such a belief fails to acknowledge the relationship between the two; only by reforming the former can we truly make ground on the latter.

Again, as Obama notes:

Much has been said about the exchanges between Senator Clinton and myself this week. Now, understand that Hillary Clinton is a colleague and a friend. She's also a skilled politician, and she's run what Washington would call a "textbook" campaign. But the problem is the textbook itself.

It's a textbook that's all about winning elections, but says nothing about how to bring the country together to solve problems. As we saw in the debate last week, it encourages vague, calculated answers to suit the politics of the moment, instead of clear, consistent principles about how you would lead America. It teaches you that you can promise progress for everyday people while striking a bargain with the very special interests who crowd them out.

The disappointment with Obama over some other matters in the last two weeks is regrettable butwholly understandable (though I think it would be shortsighted to write him off for one thing when he has so much else to offer).

But to question his reason for running, to question his desire for change...well, that's just disingenuous.