Why Obama Has Nothing to Lose

The headlines this week tell one story in the Democratic primary–Hillary Clinton has taken a commanding lead in fundraising and the polls. In other words, unless another one of the primary contenders is able to present themselves as having something different to offer the voters, there is no doubt another Clinton is headed for the country’s top political slot. If Obama has ever needed a reason to change strategies now is the time.

Obama’s campaign message has been one of change and from the perspective of a Washington outsider. Yet, his campaign has adhered closely to the typical inside-the-beltway model–let’s raise as much money as we can, hire the anointed “experts” and have them tell me what I need to say to reach out to “real” Americans. While many would have us believe that the public has no idea of what really goes on in Washington, they are certainly insightful enough to know when someone isn’t walking their talk.

Obama is never going to be able to authentically deliver his message until he becomes comfortable running his campaign from an outsider perspective. Yes, there are certain things that need to be done in any campaign to be successful, essentially delivering the right message to the right people in the last four to five weeks of the campaign, and paid professionals know how to do this well. But this is not a commentary on his tactics and logistics. This is about his strategy and message–they are simply not in sync and it is bringing his campaign down.

And this is the point that is missed by so many political professionals and unelected leaders throughout the country–the key to winning campaigns is not just about delivering the message–it is about the message and the messenger. If a candidate can not get up in front of people and authentically deliver a heart-felt message they will have great difficulty winning a majority of voters over. This is the mark of leadership, being able to be who you are while you are leading.

Love her, hate her–no one can criticize Hillary Clinton as one who doesn’t speak her mind. If Obama is going to truly turn the democratic primary into a race, he needs to grab hold of his message and start living it. The public is hungry for someone who can be authentic and if they are also inspirational it is a golden combination. Obama has all the ingredients, it is up to him to decide if he is really ready to put it all together–and be the leader he is destined to be.