Barack Obama vs Hillary Clinton
By John B. Phillips
This 2008 democratic presidential nominee race is turning out to be one of the closest races in a long time. Many of the state primaries were decided by a small margin and there were not many blowouts in large states. As it stands now, Hillary Clinton has a slight lead in delegates over Barack Obama with each hovering around 1100 each. The democrats award delegates on a proportional basis to the percentage of votes they get in each state and it takes 2,025 delegates to secure the nomination. In addition to the delegates awarded by the states, there also exists superdelegates or around 796 important figures in the democratic party. These superdelegates are free to endorse any candidate and vote for any candidate. In essence, they are not bound to pledge their support and can change their mind and vote at any time. As it stands now, I believe Barack Obama will secure the nomination and would ultimately be a better choice for the Presidency.
Hillary Clinton is a junior senator from New York and former First Lady from 1993-2001. She, like many politicians, has an extensive background in law. Before the 2008 primaries started, she was thought to be the frontrunner for the democratic nomination and thought to be the only woman who had a chance to become president at this time. During her time as first lady because of her political prowess and involvement, she was often likened to Eleanor Roosevelt.
Barack Obama is a junior senator from Illinois and also worked in law before deciding to run for public office. He first made an impression at the 2004 keynote address at the democratic convention where his bold, and inspirational speech received nationwide recognition and praise. Since then, he announced his attention to run for the Presidency and has surprised many by winning numerous states by a large margin and hanging tough in those he lost to Hillary Clinton. His message is a message of change and I believe he will follow through with his dream for America.
While both candidates are democrats, and agree on many issues, there are some key differences in their positions. The first and foremost is the issue of the Iraq War. Hillary Clinton voted initially for the Iraq War but has since opposed the decision made by the Bush Administration. She has been criticized heavily for this "flip-flop" while Barack Obama was an opponent of the war since its very inception. I think that this shows that Barack Obama is not afraid to dissent from the popular position, he stands strong in his beliefs even when they are unpopular. He does not seem to rush into anything without thinking it through and is not afraid of confrontation as he said "Im not opposed to wars, Im opposed to dumb wars."
The next important issue on which they differ is in their ideas for health care reform. While both understand the need for a change in the current system to help the many uninsured Americans, there is an important difference in their plans. While Hillary wishes for every American to have mandatory universal health care, Obama believes that only children should have mandatory health care. I believe that his version is superior because it makes sense that children should always be entitled to the medical care they need. However, adults should have the right to participate in private health care or a universal plan. I think that Obama's plan is much more efficient and also will meet much less resistance.
One issue that I do not completely support Obama on but more so than Hillary Clinton is the issue of same-sex marriages. He believes that same-sex couples should be able to be a part of civil unions which grant them the same rights as a marriage. While Hillary believes that some form of civil union should be allowed. I personally think that if two people, regardless of their gender, wish to be together for life, I think they should be allowed to be married. I don't see the reasoning of those who want to ban same-sex marriages. They are entitled to life, liberty, and a pursuit of happiness, no one should be able to stop that. While I wish Barack Obama fully supported same-sex marriages, he would take the first correct steps to finally realizing same-sex marriages.
Both of these candidates are strong choices for the Democratic party. Each has their own different strengths and weaknesses and appeal to different demographics. Barack Obama seems more suited for rallying large crowds of people, while Hillary sometimes falters under the pressure of so many eyes. Ultimately, I think Barack Obama's message of change will inspire Americans to believe in change and believe in his ability to become the next President of The United States.
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