Question: Who Is Barack Obama? Answer: Not Our Next President

There are nearly 11 months remaining until we elect our next President and I am already sick of the process.

It seems like the election cycle started much earlier this time around. I think the early start can be attributed to the fact that there is no incumbent nor clear favorite running (fun fact: not to say he would be a front-runner if he ran, but Dick Cheney is just the third Vice-President since FDR's second administration not to either become President or attempt a run at the office. The other two are Spiro Agnew, who was involved in a bribery scandal and forced to resign, and Nelson Rockefeller, who died two years after he left office). It was initially thought this election would easily go to Senator Hillary Clinton, who is still the prohibitive favorite, but a strong early showing by Senator Barack Obama have some wondering if he can overtake the former First Lady.

I think Obama's run is one of the most intriguing we've seen in a long time. After all, he's one of the more inexperienced politicians to seek the Presidency in quite some time. He's also half-black, which prompts the "Is America ready for a black President?" question. Not to mention, he's done a nice job of playing up his "outsider" status, which has won him the attention of many Americans who claim they are tired of "business as usual", which is what most of the other candidates (especially Hillary) seem to represent.

However, Obama's "outsider" status is exactly why he won't win.

I recently saw a Myspace bulletin titled "Who Is Barack Obama?" You may have seen it either as a bulletin or an e-mail forward. There are some slight variations, but it's purpose is to frighten people about the prospect of this man becoming our next President. It details his alleged "radical Muslim" upbringing (although it contradicts itself when it says his "radical Muslim" father had little influence on his life), how he apparently doesn't recite for the Pledge of Allegiance, etc. Anyone who can read between the lines can see through this garbage. Snopes.com has an excellent piece that calls many of this forward's principle claims into question.

However, there are a lot of people who are either ignorant or choose not to read between the lines for whatever reason. They hear "Muslim" and immediately think of guys who hijack planes and crash them into American landmarks. Most Americans have had little to no contact with Muslims and, thus, have no understanding of their culture or philosophies. What's worse, not only do many Americans not understand this different culture, but they have absolutely no desire to understand it. Those types of people are the ones who are the most dangerous. The Muslim faith is the world's most popular religion; if they all really wanted to kill us and take over our country, it would've happened by now.

Obama was already behind the eight-ball with his unique name, by American standards. It doesn't help that "Obama" sounds and looks a lot like "Osama". So, a lot of people are already waiting for the other shoe to drop with this guy. It's almost as if many expect him to attempt to fly a plane into the Pentagon on Inauguration Day, should he be elected. If the guy's name were Bob Jones, the above-mentioned e-mail forward would have absolutely no legs.

The other hurdle Obama faces is with his followers. Many of those who see him as the best choice are the disenfranchised, those who have little hope in the political system. And, frankly, it's great that a candidate can get those people interested in politics. However, history shows that those aren't the people who vote in large numbers, even if there is someone they feel is worth their support. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has polled well with Baby Boomers and the elderly, people who are much more likely to turn out in large numbers.

Plus, voting in a primary is much more confusing than voting in a general election. Everyone knows when Election Day is; it's always on the first Tuesday in November no matter what. However, every state has different rules regarding their primaries. For as long as I have been a voter, I have been registered as an Independent. When I lived in Michigan, that didn't matter; you don't have to belong to a political party in order to vote in their primary. When you show up at the polling place, you get a ballot with the Republican candidates on one side and the Democrats on the other. You have to choose whether you're going to vote on the Republican side of the ballot or the Democratic side (you can't vote for candidates in both parties) but, again, you don't have to make that decision until you get your ballot. However, in New York, you have to be registered with a party in order to vote in their primary. Also, many states have moved the date of their primary up in order to take advantage of the wide-open nature of the Presidential race. Do you think those who don't vote regularly are going to be up to speed on even the most basic rules regarding primaries in their state? I think not. Advantage Hillary.

Many of Obama's supporters are people lamenting the current state of politics. They say they are tired of the "good ol' boy network" and of power remaining in the same hands for generations. While all that sounds good, history shows it's just window-dressing. Truth be told, most people seem to favor a familiar face in office, especially for the higher offices, whether it be a longtime politico or someone from a political family. Every state has its share of families who have held political power for decades, even centuries...the Dodds in Connecticut, the Tafts in Ohio, the Dalys in Illinois, the Kennedys in Massachusetts. The list is endless. And it is another major reason why enough people aren't going to turn out for Obama. As much as people say they want a fresh face leading the way, they're quick to turn the car keys over to someone with a significant amount of experience.

Of course, a lot can happen over the course of 11 months; scandals, surprising victories, seismic shifts in the zeitgeist. But, barring anything catastrophic, it looks like Obama will be relegated to the Senate chamber, at least for a little while longer. He needs to be more of an "insider" in order to have a legitimate chance.