Obama: Ready for Prime Time?

By Kenneth T. Walsh of US News and World Report

Reporters who covered Barack Obama's rousing debut in New Hampshire on Sunday say the Illinois senator will have a lot to prove if, as expected, he actually runs for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Obama is charismatic and would offer a fresh face to Democrats tired of the familiar presidential wannabes, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Kerry, and John Edwards. But reporters and journalistic scholars point out that if Obama formally gets into the race, the media will do all they can to scrutinize him, his family, and his associates as part of the journalists' self-styled watchdog function.

At that point, the Illinois senator will have to cope with the intrusions, distortions, and attacks that characterize media coverage of any presidential contest. Under particular scrutiny will be Obama's views on national security and the question of whether he is tough enough to be commander in chief, according to strategists from both parties.

For his part, Obama has so far demonstrated impressive communications skills and an ability to connect with everyday people. And he has a sense of humor. Just before this week's Monday Night Football game on ESPN, Obama appeared in a taped segment and said he would like to make an announcement that many people seemed to be waiting for:

"And tonight, after a lot of thought and a good deal of soul-searching, I would like to announce to my hometown of Chicago and all of America that I am ready–for the Bears to go all the way, baby."

At that point, he donned a Chicago Bears cap. The clever moment showed many journalists and Democrats that the senator has a playful side that could serve him well in a presidential campaign. And Obama's predictive skills were good. Chicago trounced the St. Louis Rams on Monday night, 42-27.