I started out supporting John Edwards in this cycle, for a couple of reasons. I had supported him in '04, and I liked his populist message. I think this country needs a great big dose of populist politics right now. Edwards' articulation of the "Two Americas" was dead on accurate, and still is.
John Edwards and Barack Obama were offering similar ideas on where we are and where we ought to be, so why did Barack catch on with the public while Edwards did not? The obvious answer is that Obama offers more than policy. Yes, he is a charismatic and compelling speaker, but moreover, he offers a vision of change realized. He alone has tapped into the broad and deep dissatisfaction with the status quo that exists in the people, not by echoing or commiserating, but by showing us a way out.
Barack has shown repeatedly over the last several weeks a knack for building support simply by making personal appearances, and by getting his message out through a stunningly effective campaign "ground game." Where he was once unknown, as soon as people get to know him and hear his message, he wins. He gets significant support from independents and even from (presumably disaffected) Republicans. His crossover vote in the primaries and caucuses thus far has been tremendous. Why is this?
Barack shows people his vision of collective effort, without regard to political divisions, that actually gets things done, and he is able to instill in them the belief that they can make it happen, that the people can get the work of the people done if only they ignore the divisive messages of the past and work together. Much has been made of the we in Barack's message, but in fact this is precisely the key to his success. The people are tired of broken promises made by politicians who talk of what they will do for the people. Barack echoes JFK's great line "ask what you can do for your country," but he amplifies that "you" by talking about what we can accomplish if we only work together as one.
It is indeed a message of hope, but one that is well-grounded in practicality. People have seen the abject failures of politics based on "divide and conquer" over the last seven years. They know that this brand of politics only succeeds for a tiny group of people - those who eke out (or steal) an election victory. These "winners" have ignored and undermined the business of the people for far too long, and we know it. This is the great dissatisfaction that is being expressed at the polls, in the profound disparity in turnout between the Dems and the GOP. What Barack has done is to harness that dissatisfaction, couple it with the shared experience of communities and neighborhoods that (far too seldom) come together and make something good happen (who hasn't had that feeling at a block party or similar event?), and give people a vision of the future that feels real and achievable and positive.
It is a message with an appeal that is largely emotional, and it works. You want policy wonkism? Go read the web site, there's tons of it there. You wanna be inspired to get up, get to work and change things for the better? Listen to the man speak.