While politicians will tell an audience what they want to hear, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, on the campaign trail for the Democratic nomination for president believes in telling voters what they need to hear. Bearing some resemblance to the approach used by Bill Clinton during his campaign in 1992, Obama is not afraid to tell voters what needs to be done and how to get it done, as opposed to telling them he can conform to their wishes.
For example, telling members of the National Education Association that pay raises should be linked to teacher performance may have created a few gasps, but in reality his message will be remembered not only by those attending the venue, but the voters who watch sound bites on the television news shows. Obama says it is better that voters elect an individual based on their being honest with them than one who tells them what they wants to hear and then surprises them after the election.
Hovering around an Iowa poll in which he stand at about 19 percent, according to information at www.usaelectionpolls.com, apparently some of the voters are getting the message in this tightly contested race. With Hillary Clinton and John Edwards giving his campaign fits, Obama is beginning to steer away from certain venues at which he believes ample time to explain his views is not available.
While some may consider his refusal to participate in certain polls a slap at their importance, Obama insists he is taking his campaign to the voters instead of to a select few high profile party faithful.
