The Audacity of Hope

The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama

Having gained greater insight into Sarah Palin, I thought I would balance it by learning the innermost thoughts of the other youngster on the presidential ballot. I have discovered that he is a good writer. He has an easy-going narrative-style of writing, which makes the reading easier on someone who doesn't care much for politics. At times, he can be a bit wordy, but just as I am on the verge of falling asleep, he will insert an interesting story or conversation that may or may not have anything to do with the point he is trying to make.

The book contains a lot of Senator Obama's observations about life in the Senate, politics, and government. He observes some of the weaknesses of the US constitution and government, but balances it with the fact that our system is one of the few that has withstood the test of time. He also acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses of both Republicans and Democrats, which creates the illusion that he is writing from a bipartisan standpoint, despite the fact that he specifically states several times in the book that he is a democrat. However, I appreciated his acknowledgement of the weaknesses in his own party. It makes me feel that he is not blind, and that he believes no one is perfect.

One thing I found lacking was his proposition for solving the problems he observes. I would find it much easier to believe in his "Audacious Hope" if provided a clear-cut suggestion for solving the problems. Granted, political candidates for the presidency have to walk a fine line. They must promise things to gain votes, but not too much or they will lose the votes on the extreme ends of the spectrum. Therefore I can't blame him for not providing a solution to the problems he mentions.

My last point in regards to this book has to do with technicalities. Unfortunately, I have been somewhat flummoxed lately and did not have the presence of mind to write down a quote or even just a page number of the passages that I found somewhat contradictory. In one chapter, he indicates that the changes taking place in our country are bad. I found that confusing, in light of the fact that his election campaign has centered around change ("Obama for Change"). In another chapter, he mentions that he authored or coauthored hundreds of bills and voted on them, yet I know that he has come under attack from the conservative end of the spectrum for failing to vote yes or no on an issue. I understand that on this topic, one need only look to the voting records to verify the information, which I have not done.

To sum it all up, I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to figure out which Democrat they like better, anyone who is interested in one man's thoughts on politics, and anyone who wants to understand why their friends are voting for Obama. I would not recommend this book to someone who is trying to figure out what Obama believes, or to anyone who wants to use this book to figure out whether to vote for McCain or Obama. I would view this book sort of as a memoir rather than anything else.