Copyright 2005 National Public Radio (R)


ED GORDON, host:

From NPR West, this is NEW & NOTES. I'm Ed Gordon.

US Senator Barack Obama came to Washington last month on a wave of history, as only the third African-American to serve in that body since Reconstruction. But now he's gotten down to business in Washington. The newly elected senator from Illinois attended his first State of the Union this week. We began our conversation on his thoughts of the president's address.

Senator BARACK OBAMA (Democrat, Illinois): The president laid out an ambitious plan, both domestically and in foreign policy, but there wasn't a lot of detail there. Obviously he is feeling positive about developments in Iraq, and I think we should commend not only the Iraqi people but American troops for allowing these elections to take place, this past election. Now the question is, how do we train Iraqi security forces so we can start bringing our troops home?

But on the domestic front, his main agenda item seems to be Social Security, and it was interesting to see the lack of enthusiasm for his proposal, not only from the Democratic side but even from the Republicans.

GORDON: I'm curious. The president was said to have whispered to a couple of CBC members that, `I heard you, and I hope you see it in the speech,' meaning after the meeting, he took some of the red flags that they had raised and talked about those issues. Do you buy that that overture was genuine or politically expedient?

Sen. OBAMA: I'm not concerned whether it was politically expedient or genuine. The fact that he mentioned the issue of false confessions and DNA testing in the capital punishment system, I think, is positive. And I'm encouraged by it. The fact that he noted the huge rise in AIDS cases among African-Americans is positive, and I'm glad that he mentioned it. The fact that he mentioned the generations of African-American youth that are being lost to prisons is positive, and I'm glad that he mentioned it. So I do think that the CBC meeting had a positive impact insofar as the president has these things on his radar screen.

The key now is follow-through, because nothing's easier than putting something in a speech and then ignoring it because you're not putting any political capital into it, and frankly, there are a large number of Republican legislators in the Congress who have consistently resisted reform of the criminal justice system, have resisted the sort of social programs that might make a meaningful difference in inner-city youth, and they will not do anything and won't appropriate monies for these programs unless the president says, `This is one of my top priorities.' And that's what we're going to have to see. That'll be reflected in his budget address next week.

GORDON: I'm curious. You sit on the Veteran Affairs Committee, and I know you've done a lot for veterans in Illinois, but tell me what you think you will put your stamp on domestically on a national level.

Sen. OBAMA: Well, right now, yeah, I've been here all of three weeks, so, you know...

GORDON: Yeah. I know you're trying to get your sea legs.

Sen. OBAMA: So the main thing I'm trying to get my stamp on is making sure that my office is answering telephone calls and responding to constituent concerns, making sure that we're clearly responsive to the people of Illinois in terms of what they need. But I do think that over the long term, I, working with others--CBC members, members of the Democratic Caucus and hopefully progressive Republicans--are going to be focused on what I consider to be the biggest challenges. Number one: How do we compete in the global economy, where China and India and other countries are pushing wages down all across the globe, where companies like Wal-Mart basically resist unionization and can dictate prices, which is forcing people to work for very low wages? How are we going to create and maintain a middle class, especially for African-Americans and Latinos and others that historically have not had as much education and therefore are trapped in blue-collar jobs? That, I think, is a number-one priority. A related priority to that is: How do we educate our kids so that they can compete in this new economy?

GORDON: Senator, you also sit on the Foreign Relations Committee, and those of us who watched the hearings with Dr. Rice saw you there. I'm wondering, were you at all surprised at the contentious setting of the hearing?

Sen. OBAMA: I wasn't surprised. I mean, keep in mind that we've had a pretty contentious debate surrounding how we got into the Iraqi War, what kinds of evidence was presented. Obviously, Condoleezza Rice was in the middle of that. But what I do believe is that we've got to move forward. We can't keep on relitigating that war. I think we've got to right now focus on my number-one foreign policy priority, and that is training Iraqi security forces so that they can secure their streets, secure their borders, and so we can start bringing our troops home, many of whom have been on extremely long rotations in very dangerous circumstances, and whose families are waiting for them in oftentimes difficult economic straits back home.

GORDON: Let me concede and admit that this is not an original question for you, and I know that you've shied away, but let me see if I can get you further than most have with this, the idea that you have already--and as you say, you've only been in Washington, frankly, less than a month, but you're already touted as a political superstar for the Dems. You're seen as the shining light for African-Americans on a national scene politically. How much pressure do those expectations put on you?

Sen. OBAMA: You know, I don't feel too much pressure right now, Ed. First of all, I don't take too much of the hype seriously. I mean, I think that we ran a terrific campaign. I'm proud of the fact that we were successful in Illinois and I am happy to serve as one of many role models for young African-Americans who can aspire to dreams of being a senator or being a doctor. So I'm happy to play my part in that process. But, you know, I don't feel enormous pressure, because I think that if I work hard, if I keep my head on straight, if I am focused on the reason I'm here, which is to serve, first and foremost, the people of Illinois and then, more broadly, people around the country who are struggling, then things will work out OK.

GORDON: You mentioned running a strong and a good campaign. You must know, though, that you've made it easier for those that will follow--we spoke with Harold Ford earlier in the week, and he's suggesting, frankly admitting, that he is going to now run for Senate in the state of Tennessee. I suspect you understand what that has done for others.

Sen. OBAMA: Here's what I think is true: that we have some extremely talented young African-American individuals who have gone into public service: Harold Ford, Artur Davis, Jesse Jackson Jr., Kendrick Meek. There's a whole generation of guys and gals out there who, I think, have enormous potential, can go as far as anybody here in Washington. And what's been missing is simply the credibility of experience, people knowing that, you know what? African-Americans can win in statewide races. African-Americans can raise money. They can compete. And I think that to the extent that we showed that America is ready for a message of hope, irrespective of who it's coming from, the color of their skin or even if they've got an unusual name, then I hope that that encourages others who've got enormous talent, like Harold Ford, to make the same move. And I'm hopeful that not only will I be in a position to inspire but also to provide some concrete help.

GORDON: You talk about your name. You told Oprah Winfrey, who has an unusual first name, as we know, that you had at times been told that you really needed to change that if you were going to be successful. Was there ever a time that you teetered on the edge with the thought that, `Yeah, you know, Sam Jones would be better'?

Sen. OBAMA: Or Ed Gordon. That's a great political name.

GORDON: Or for that, right?

Sen. OBAMA: You know, I didn't, and I guess part of what I've learned in politics is that the biggest mistake people in elected office make is trying to be something they're not. I think that, you know, folks can sniff that out. If you seem insincere or be too practiced in terms of your presentations, then, you know, people just can't connect with you. And I think that part of our success in this situation really did have to do with our ability to just stay focused and not try to tailor our message to the way people are expected to be.

GORDON: Senator Barack Obama, thanks very much for joining us. We really, really appreciate it.

Sen. OBAMA: It was my pleasure, Ed. Thank you so much.