Palin, Obama shake up presidential landscape

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama definitely stand for fresh, history-making perspectives in this presidential election year.

Palin has burst on to the 2008 presidential scene and in less than two weeks has established that she is a politician with the characteristics of an 'ordinary person.' As a Republican governor she has an 80 percent approval rating in her state, still few in the other 49 states knew her name.

As a relatively unknown Palin has assumed the role of attack dog (she would say 'pit bull with lipstick') in this race—her 'red meat' is Obama. With her acceptance speech the Republican Vice President nominee tore into the Illinois senator like a moose she has slaughtered and was preparing to dress. Since her speech she has repeated her slick one-liners on the campaign trail.

Palin had some interesting one-liners (this time as answers) ABC interview with Charles Gibson in her first non-scripted television appearance. Her foreign policy knowledge on NATO, Russia and Georgia relations and Bush Doctrine were the first litmus test on her expertise on international affairs. You do the math, did she pass?

Now it was Obama who burst onto the scene during the 2004 presidential race at the Democratic National Convention. His oratory skills and charisma was what made the first-term Senator stand out. But attack dog was never his style. His speeches and his demeanor have inspired, much like a motivational speaker, a preacher even (hmmm?).

But his speaking abilities were not Obama's only attributes or associations during this campaign. The issues of Rev. Jeremiah Wright (controversial remarks at Trinity Baptist Church), Father Pfleger (pastor at St. Sabina who made remarks at Trinity), William Ayers (co-founder of radical left organization with alleged associations to Obama), Tony Rezko (political finance mogul who is under federal indictment) and his association with notorious Chicago machine politics have made Obama's journey to the Democratic Presidential nominee a dramatic one.

What is interesting is these two politicians with very different paths share a lot in common. They both were virtually unknown (and in essence they are still politically mysterious). To many Obama and Palin have questionable levels of experience to be the No. 1 and No. 2 ranking political officials in the U.S. They are both relatively young, in their 40s (Obama, 47 and Palin, 44). They both represent historic firsts for their parties as nominees (Palin, first woman and Obama, first African-American man). Frankly the both are compelling speakers and personalities—different facets of the American Dream have gotten them to this point.

Alleged scandal plagues them both, as mentioned with Obama — for Palin the flip flopping on support of the 'Bridge to Nowhere,' media scrutiny around her 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy and the pending ethics investigation of her firing of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan who did not dismiss state trooper Michael Wooten despite Palin's allegedly urging. Wooten is Palin's ex-brother-in-law.

The irony is these two are not battling it out directly. Obama's running mate, Delaware Senator Joe Biden is the Democrats' Vice Presidential nominee and John McCain is atop of the Republican ticket.

Biden and McCain have been friends, long-time senators working on opposite sides of the aisle in Washington, DC for over two decades. The are both entrenched and experienced in the political landscape domestically and internationally. With an unpopular incumbent president 'change' is the buzz word this election and Biden and McCain are not change as much as they may try to be. Their running mates, however, embody change.

The Democrats should be running away with this election many pundits say because of the failures of the Bush administration. But the forecast doesn't call for a landslide at this point. This seems like it is going to be another close one, 2000 and 2004 were down to the wire contests as well.

But this election is close for different reasons. Whichever party takes control of the White House is going to usher in change—historic and hopefully substantive. Whether Obama or Palin are sitting in the White House offices history will be made.

What is more exciting is the changes or reforms that will be made during the next administration. What direction will that lead the country in?

During this campaign so many have reminisced on the leadership of former presidents like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Whether Obama or Palin reach the nation's office it is a wonder who they will inspire and what leaders will spring up that will call out their historic names as their role models.

What do you think? Sound off by posting a comment below.