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Only three years removed from the Illinois state Senate, Obama’s lightning-quick rise to the top echelon of Democratic presidential candidates reflects a public persona that, to supporters, embodies hopeful politics. Obama has emerged as a chief rival to Clinton, and during the first quarter of 2007 he raised a comparable amount of money – $25 million – from a wider pool of donors. During his two-plus years in the U.S. Senate, Obama has amassed a generally liberal voting record, though his rhetoric often employs a more moderate approach. The biggest difference between Obama and Clinton remains his early opposition to the Iraq war, which she voted to authorize. Still, Obama has not been tested in a competitive general election, and political skeptics question how he will respond to inevitable attacks on his background and voting record.
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