With "Yes We Can," Obama rides wave of enthusiasm

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Barack Obama is the "Yes We Can" candidate of the 2008 presidential race, an Elvis-like presence riding a wave of popular enthusiasm unseen in U.S. politics in many years.

By contrast, rival Hillary Clinton is the policy wonk who says she has the solutions to what ails America, and she frequently lists them.

In an election season in which the differences between the Democratic candidates on policy are not all that big, personalities are magnified, and so far Obama is outshining Clinton even as she complains his soaring rhetoric amounts to not much more than hot air.

"One is an inspirational speaker and the other is more of a technician," said Democratic strategist Jim Duffy. "Obama doesn't tell you how to make the sausage. He tells you to eat the sausage because it's good for you."

Obama, a first-term Illinois senator who would be America's first black president, is threatening to swamp Clinton, the New York senator with the political pedigree who had long been the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

Popular Hollywood actors and musicians have made a Web video glorifying his stump speech, singing "Yes We Can" as he delivers his lines. Liberals and moderates are gushing over him.

Democratic strategist Liz Chadderdon said Obama is sweeping Americans off their feet.

"It's this incredibly moving speech about how it's time for Americans to turn inward and fix America's problems. You listen to it and you say 'Yes.' Not that what's coming out of her mouth isn't solid, it just doesn't have the same emotional connection that we're feeling with him," she said.

'ABSTRACT LEVEL'

The rap on Obama is that he lacks specifics with all the high-flying speeches. Yes we can do what, exactly?

"Obama has been able to stay at a very abstract level," said Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta.

If he wins the nomination, "his challenge would be to keep that hope and optimism and enthusiasm alive as he is forced to deal with the specifics or challenged on his Senate votes in the past. It'll be a different kind of campaign," Black said.

Democrats are aware that Obama has some challenges ahead when Republicans start looking at his voting record in the Senate and examining his level of experience.

"I don't think the country is aware yet of how big a liberal he is," said Chadderdon. "I don't know what the moderates will do when they find it out."

Republicans are already taking his measure, in the event he is the Democrats' choice to face likely Republican opponent John McCain in the November election.