Critics, fans praise "Obama" the movie

I logged onto Facebook this morning and saw three more of my friends became supporters of Barack Obama. It's not surprising since he won the Democratic nomination last week (though some would say he mathematically won it more than two months ago).

What I still ponder is WHY has Obama gotten this far? Why was he able to beat out the Clinton Machine, the Champion of the Middle Class (Edwards) and the Man with the Resume (Richardson)?

Friends of mine who are supporters of him say it's because he's empowering, uplifting and charismatic. Not because of his stances on the war, health care, education, taxes, national defense, foreign diplomacy or the economy. And you know why? Because his stances on those issues are so indistinguishable to those of Richardson, Edwards or Clinton.

He got to where he is today because of a very well executed campaign, meaning everyone was sold on the equivalent of a political movie trailer.

Almost everyone can remember seeing a trailer to an upcoming movie and being sold on what was shown in that two minutes. And why wouldn't you?

They only show the good stuff in trailers. The biggest explosions, the funniest jokes, the gratuitous-est scene of a hot babe climbing out of a pool. The creme de la creme.

But everyone of us remembers being sold on some goods that just didn't deliver after we plopped down $9.50 to see the movie. See the latest Indiana Jones for example.

I have the fear the same is going to be true with Obama. What has he shown us besides catchy sound bites, cleaver slogans and looks? But like most movies nowadays, some not so great parts find their way onto the web -

What did everyone who voted for him get sold on? If people just wanted inspiration why don't we just vote for Oprah? She would actually kill three birds with one stone: the inspiration part, the black part AND the woman part.

I'm just worried that this country is going to buy tickets to the Obama movie based on the previews and when we all show up Jan. 20 to for opening weekend, we are just going to be disappointed.