Barack Obama as Communicator in Chief

We need much more than a commander in chief. Our next president must be a communicator in chief. Senator Obama is that person, and his speech on race did three things that proved it.

Theresa Caldwell is Deputy Communications Director for Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Since Senator Barack Obama's speech on race, I've listened to pundits and polls, including the recent ones reported here in The Daily Voice, and now conclude that the nation needs his leadership more than ever.

At a time when many of our global neighbors despise or distrust us, our economy is struggling and our troops are committed to a costly and poorly executed war, we need much more than a commander in chief. Our next president must be a communicator in chief. Senator Obama is that person, and his speech did three things that proved it.

First, he responsibly faced the situation. Within days of the controversy that spurred the speech, Senator Obama went before the American people and honestly addressed the matter. How long did it take President Bush to admit that the economy is battering most Americans in one way or another? Too long.

How many Americans feel that members of the Bush Administration were completely honest in the run up to the Iraq war? Not the majority. How often has the Bush Administration taken responsibility for things that have gone wrong in the economy, with the war or within its own ranks? You can count them on one hand, and point to things like Vice President Cheney's recent response to ABC News when asked about public opposition to the Iraq war: "So?"

Second, Senator Obama told the American story. He reminded us of the fact that the principles upon which the nation was founded are profound, precious and in need of our constant attention. We need to hear that more often. It has become too easy to promote the things that divide us, when we have so much more in common.

One of my most precious memories was of a barbecue I attended while visiting Senegal in 1992. The evening gathering gave me an opportunity to speak comfortably to Americans of several stripes without struggling with French and Wolof. BBC Radio was playing in the background. Everyone fell silent when a report came on about the riots in Los Angeles after Rodney King's arrest. We stared at each other. It was the first time many of us had heard anything about it, and the first time in weeks I'd been reminded that at home my Blackness was often more important than my American-ness. Senator Obama's speech took stock of the legitimate concerns of Americans of various ethnic backgrounds. But it insisted that our American-ness is more important.

Third, he challenged us to take action. Senator Obama said that we could either continue business as usual -- in politics, in business, in how we relate to each other -- or we can say "this time" we want something more. We can work with him and an administration that he would put together based on a new view of our nation, or not.

Like any significant choice, it's tough and it will cost us something. I believe that the toughest part is changing our thinking. It always is. As for cost, we're five years into a war that is costing ten times more than we were told it would. We're buying groceries that cost twice as much as they did a few months ago. We can not measure the cost of educating our twenty first century children based on early twentieth century principles.

Any great leader is also a great communicator, when it's easy and especially when it's tough. For many Americans, times are tough. We need a leader who can give it to us straight, no chaser, but cares about how we'll take it. We need someone who will hold a mirror to our shortcomings like Lincoln, kick butt for us as well as chat with us like Roosevelt and love us enough to believe in what's best about us like Dr. King.

I admit that I'm an Obama supporter, but long before that I was an uncomfortable Democrat. It's time for us to have someone with the chops to be communicator in chief as our standard bearer against the hard-hitting Republicans, and to make our case on the world stage.