Obama's Foresight

I’m not one of those who believes that a candidates's decision to support the war (or not) in 2002 should matter most in a 2008 election. (I suppose, on this point, I’m sympathetic with Hillary Clinton -- though, no doubt, her position is born of political necessity, rather than principle.) Neverthless, Barack Obama’s greatest asset in the Democratic primary (specifically) could turn out to be the steadfastness of his anti-war stance.

Witness, for instance, this incredibly prescient performance from November of 2002:

What's impressive about this is not that Obama's 2002 position is popular today. (The political winds could've blown in any number of directions -- none of which could've been predicted more than four years ago.) Rather, what's impressive is the acumen he displays: the ability to identify and assess the salient features of a complex situation, and to make the correct judgment on the basis of that assessment. That's the sort of mind that deserves our votes.