What about the real issues, folks?

In the run-up to the upcoming Democratic contests in Indiana and North Carolina, which, between them, will decide as many delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver as did the Pennsylvania Primary two weeks ago, many political pundits have focused their coverage on the connection between Senator Barack Obama and his former, fiery pastor, Dr. Jeremiah Wright. What has been lost in this obsessive coverage, however, is the significant strain on the minds of U.S. voters as they make their ways to the polls this spring.

With gas prices hovering around $3.70 and thousands of homes being foreclosed upon, it would seem as though the press could figure out that their are more important things going on amongst the public than inflammatory rhetoric from a man from whom Senator Obama has, in large part, separated himself. Add to this the reality that nearly 50 million Americans live without access to quality health care, we remain enmeshed in a disastrous quagmire in Iraq (one that has claimed the lives of more than 4,000 of our bravest daughters and sons), progress on our country's immigration issue has stagnated amidst bickering between lawmakers and the Bush Administration, and the that that our Federal educational framework, No Child Left Behind, has failed to provide millions of youngsters in low-income schools with sufficient opportunities and resources to achieve academically.

Given these very real and serious issues facing average citizens as they work to make their decision in the Democratic contest between Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, shouldn't the media ask questions of these candidates that are more in line with, and relevant to, the needs of voters?


Not only is this coverage of the primary contest irresponsible and a dereliction of the media's duty to provide the electorate with news most relevant to its needs, it actually hurts the public interest by detracting candidates' time from crafting sound solutions to the country's greatest problems. Sure, Senator Obama would love to spend more time forming and promoting an energy policy, for instance, that would reduce our country's reliance on foreign oil and non-renewable energy sources. But how can he do so when the majority of the press' coverage of his campaign focuses on what his former pastor may or may not have said and how this relates to the Senator's character? Instead of talking about voters' real problems and how he'd go about solving them from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Senator Obama must constantly mention his disapproval of Wright's rhetoric and has even had to make two front-page speeches on the issue.

Talking about a candidate's character is, and should be, a critical element in any voters decision of whether or not to support them, and the press has a duty to discuss this issue, as such. However, if we want to know the true character of Barack Obama, shouldn't we look more as his experience as a community organizer in one of the most poorest and afflicted areas of our country? Or how about his track record as a dedicated and loving father or husband, or more than ten years of passionate service as an elected official in the Illinois State Senate and, now, U.S. Senate? These factors, which speak volumes more about Obama's character than his now defunct ties to Wright, have been largely and irresponsibly overlooked by the media and have detracted from the Senator's ability to talk about the issues really on voters' mind.

As the candidates make their final pushes in Indiana and North Carolina, let us hope that voters can get a clear enough picture of what each leader actually offers in terms of policy solutions to our countr's most pressing challenges to make an informed and responsible decision.