Where Do the We Go From Here?

Every four years around this time we begin to debate about who the next President of The United States may be. This year is no different as we have three viable candidates lobbying for this country’s top job.

Well there may be a little variation in this year’s race. Barack Obama may become the first African-American Democratic nominee for President, let alone President. Hillary Clinton also holds the distinction of possibly being a first. She may be the first woman to become the nominee for President of the Democratic Party.

Now we have finally gotten past the point of ‘first’s’ and the possible history that Barack and Hillary can make and we are focusing on issues that matter to Americans. With the twentieth debate between Clinton and Obama behind us we are left to wonder where the race may go from this point forward.

As the Obama camp continues to chug along on cruise control; Hillary seems as if she needs a pick-me-up. Mrs. Clinton’s hope to become President continues to loose power as the days grow longer. Her performance at Tuesday night’s debate seemed like a last ditch effort to save a Presidential campaign on life support. She did not say anything that will alter her standing with the American public and revealed only that she would like a “do-over,” if you will, for her vote to authorize the war on Iraq. So where does her campaign go from here? Does she continue to attack Barack on issues his campaign is soft on? Will Hillary swing to the negative and blast Barack like she did over the weekend? Either way there lies a major decision in her pathway as to if she should continue to fight for her political dream or to let it die on the highways of Texas and Ohio. Where does Hilary go from here?

If we are to examine the race for President from a 2007 point of view, no one could imagine that Barack would be a front runner for President. Obama’s strategy has been simple: stay positive and continue to preach hope and change. Most political pundits say that Barack needs to tighten his plan for healthcare and his work on foreign policy needs a tune-up. No matter what the experts say or think, Mr. Obama has this country mesmerized. Talk to anyone that has heard him speak live and they will say that Barack has that something that is needed to bring this country together. While I do support Barack and his campaign, I would like to see Barack’s stance on issues of civil rights and the economy get a little stronger. What will he do with the Middle East and Russia if elected President? The American economy may hinge on what happens with the housing market in 2009, what are his plans to aid Americans in their bid to either buy a house or keep their current one? While the race for the White House is far from over, Barack seems to have a strong grasp on the pulse of what America wants and what America needs. Sometimes when it begins to rain having your vehicle on cruise control can prove dangerous. Where does Barack go from Tuesday’s debate and will his campaign fall asleep at the wheel?

As we sit and patiently wait for November 2008 it’s important that we refrain from being caught in the web of rhetoric. The American voting process has jaded many as we sometimes stay away from voting polls in droves. We are so excited to have candidates that can actually bring about the change we want that we sometimes forget to hold them accountable. Whether one chooses to sit on one side of the aisle versus another (Democrat or Republican), remember that we are to vote based off of conscious not the language that we are hearing. Sit and listen to what each candidate has to say and apply that to the list of issues that mean most to you. This election represents change and it is by far the most important election in my generation’s history. As we approach the Democrat and Republican conventions, we must ask ourselves where we will go from this point and how will we get there. Which train will you ride? It’s just a matter of purchasing the right ticket.

-JH