If I didn't know better, and I lived in the United States, I would vote for Mr Obama. Before my friends get a little concerned, don't worry: I have always been - and remain - an ardent John McCain fan and wanted him to win over Bush last time round. I only say this because I feel Tim Montgomerie's and Peter Hitchens 'Messiah' Obama articles, missed the point completely. We Conservatives cannot deny that Baruk Obama has a special quality about him. However uncomfortable it may make us feel and whatever his policies are, Mr Obama genuinely inspires hope and has crafted himself as the anti-politician, politician. I doubt that most of those who are supporting Mr Obama have any sense as to what his detailed policy manifesto is. They just see him as a genuine - and passionate - agent for change.
Mrs Clinton has lost voters because she is viewed as being part of the Washington beltway and a machine politician of the old school. Whilst her party machine is very powerful, it is very 1980s/1990s and reminds voters of the old politics. Gordon Brown's machine politics has the same problem. Voters don't like bulldozers or clunking fists. So the lesson for us Conservatives is that if we are to really re-capture the public's hearts and minds, we have to find some way of inspiring the public and creating a grassroots movement for reform. Time for all of us to re-read Malcom Gladwell's 'Tipping Point' perhaps?
