The title of his book says it all: Barack Obama's presidential campaign is fueled by "The Audacity of Hope." Because hope is in short supply in America right now, and because few of the other leading presidential hopefuls are doing much to spread it around, Obama pretty much has the market cornered. That is why, despite Hillary Clinton's lead (at least for now) in fundraising and in the polls, Obama may have a better chance of winning the 2008 Democratic nomination than many observers believe.

First, Barack Obama offers hope for the Democratic party to reconnect with its progressive roots. The Democrats' perennial problem is combining vision with electability. In 2008, as so often in the past, the frontrunner is closer to the center than to the left. Democratic candidates who offer alternatives farthest from the status quo, people like Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel, also tend to be those the media and the electorate take least seriously. But Obama has managed both to position himself as both a viable candidate and a leading voice for change.

Second, in a country of deep and bitter divisions, of which the red-state/blue-state rift is merely the symbolic tip of the iceberg, Barack Obama offers hope that we can bridge some of the deepest and most treacherous gaps (economic, religious, racial, generational). And although he doesn't hesitate to speak inconvenient truths to opponents and supporters alike, his low-key approach holds out the hope of restoring reasoned discourse to the political scene.

Finally, on the international level, Barak Obama offers hope to America's allies that the American political process is still capable of producing thoughtful, principled leadership.

Should Barack Obama succeed in winning the Democratic party's nomination in 2008, he will still face a formidable battle in the months leading up to the general election in November. That is because the real battle in this election will not be about specific policy platforms or issues, even issues as momentous as the Iraq war. The real battle in America today, as it has always been in times of extreme crisis, is between hope and fear. As the candidate of hope, Obama has the opportunity to influence America's future as only a few previous presidents have.

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