Obama Has Proved His Worth

During the Democratic primary, I’ve never hidden that I am in favor of Barack Obama and I thought he was qualified to be president. I thought it was now or never for him and he would not get a second chance. He had to confront remarkable opponents, with Hillary Clinton at the forefront, and win the Democratic nomination on his merits.

Clinton certainly tested Obama and made him a better candidate. She had the upper hand in most debates, but Obama became more incisive and solid. According to polls, he had the upper hand over McCain in all three presidential debates.

Throughout the campaign, I thought McCain was by far the best Republican candidate because he could attract independent voters and also because he was so different from George W. Bush. The fact that the McCain campaign has not been the most spectacular does not take away from the work of the strategists who have successfully led Obama’s campaign. Obama has had his ups and downs, but he scored points with the electorate by continuing to display self-control and presence, even under pressure.

The campaign was long and hard. It is not over. But Obama has probably headed the best campaign in American history. It is important to remember where he was when he announced his intention to run for the presidency in February 2007. And this is not to mention all the obstacles he faced by the fact that he is the first black person to seriously make a claim to the American presidency. Obama has campaigned against the formidable Clinton camp and against the Republican attack machine.