Trust Takes Time

Obama is moving to the right, like many before him.

Shading positions, shifting, parsing – all in an effort to expand a coalition that his campaign team now worries is insufficient to win the general election.  And with this repositioning has come some grumbling from his base, raising questions whether he has sealed the deal with his base enough to be able to move toward the center without it splintering.

Undoubtedly, the base coalition will be confused by Obama talking of the need to move away from the policies of President Bush and the Senator, then embracing an expansion of faith-based programs and casting a vote in support of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a bill giving immunity to telecommunications companies for assisting the administration in warrantless wiretapping.

Reverend Jesse Jackson’s recent comments about Senator Obama, while incredibly foolish and certainly reflective of Jackson’s bruised ego for now being pushing from the spotlight, are also an indication that there is growing frustration within Obama’s base.  Frustration that Obama would be wise to consider. 

For a candidate new to the national scene, one of Obama’s major challenges is providing the nation an opportunity to know him.  His relationship with voters is still in development, and it is this relationship, not just policy positions, that will determine whether he becomes the next President.

Implicit in that relationship is trust: trust that voters know who he is and understand what he believes.

Trust takes time.  And while Senator Obama’s base is enthusiastic and motivated, it is also still developing a relationship with him.  This general election repositioning is going to test that relationship.

As Obama’s team puts together its general election strategy, it would do well not to forget those who brought them this far.

There is always a tendency in politics to want to be all things to all people. But in a “change” election, people want a candidate who speaks truth to power, who shows the strength to go in a different direction.

And most importantly, a candidate who takes a position and keeps it.

Senator Obama is still building an incredible national coalition, one that can change our broken politics.  But it will only succeed if he does not barter off too much of the good will he has developed in his efforts to grow that coalition.

Posted by Bernie Campbell on Friday, July 11, 2008
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