Senator Barack Obama

Its refreshing to see this sort of talk coming from an American politician. Barack Obama is seen as the "next big thing" the democratic party has in its collective back pocket. While still considered a new kid on the block, his style is progressive, but at the same time inclusive. He is providing a rare commodity for the Dems: a potential unifying force for an as-of-late party fractured worse than the Liberals.

Here, Obama takes on big oil in a speech delivered over the weekend. While anyone with an internet connection or a taste for news outside the usual blurbs won't see anything new, its nice to see a person with the guts to speak like this at social events knowing full well what the party elders have in mind for him. Normally, a person of such potential is driven right to the middle of the road, and not normally allowed to speak out on things he/she may want to for fear of ticking off either political end of the party. But Obama seems to take it in stride, speaking his mind and ultimately putting a new face on the Democrats (a much more left leaning face), one that is desperately needed. And he's the sort of fella that can do it: bring leftist ideas like the environment, globalization and other "radical" ideas into the center, without alienating more moderates that would prefer he stay out of such choppy waters. My prediction is this: he'll make alternative ideas more acceptable to the party, which is already acceptable to most young and independent voters, and in 2012 (maybe 2008) he'll be waiting outside the White House for the keys. Of course, that's in a perfect world.

Anyways, good reading.
Think Progress ? Remarks of Senator Barack Obama, 4/3/06